1914. At the dawn of the First World War. On the one hand, Darwinists (English, French, Russian), followers of the kings of all biological and genetic manipulation. The other, civilization ultra-mechanical, clankers (Germans, Austrians, Turkey.) War broke out with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Alek, his son, he also threatened with death flees on a biped robot fighter bristling with machine guns. He managed to reach Switzerland and hides in an old castle in ruins. Meanwhile, the young Scottish Deryn Sharp, an orphan, wears boy and enlisted in the Air Service (British air forces.) After a hectic first test flight at the controls of a flying jellyfish, she joined the crew of the Leviathan, a kind of whale giant inflated with hydrogen. On board a cargo biological, classified top secret. They fly to Constantinople, but the German attack and the Leviathan crashed in the Alps. This is where Deryn, still disguised as a man, meets explosive Alek ...
Roman youth, slightly uchronic heavily steampunk, Leviathan is the first volume of a trilogy to be completed in 2012 in our beautiful country. Who says young adult novel, often said writing simple and lightweight. Yes but not as many in fact. The story, well documented, is much more polished than the majority youth novels. As he explains in the afterword of his book, Scott Westerfeld wanted to keep a share of historical accuracy. Thus, it is always the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand, which is the starting point of the first world war. The same author develops a theory that had its heyday among historians. The assassination of Archduke had in fact been sponsored by the Germans or the Austrians because it opposed the war. Thus, there is no feeling of superficiality that I had felt for " Those who know "by Pierre Bordage. When the characters, another point often problematic in children's novels, if they are just cliches, they are sufficiently tailored to be interresting. There is little doubt from the beginning that the relationship Alek / Deryn finish at one time or another evolved into romance but it is well done, without undue sentimentality and romance teen rose water. Hoping that the author manages to stay the course until the end of the trilogy.
If our couple of teenagers is generally not successful, the characters in the background are currently under worked. I think especially of the tale is the Volger surly service and above Dr. Nora Barlow, who is the archetype of the female heroine of romance steampunk. Attractive woman, intelligent, cultivated, in rebellion against the conventions of his time vis-à-vis the fairer sex, she is too perfect to be credible too long. Is unfortunate but the figure may change. Because apart from AC, it's almost flawless. The atmosphere steampunk is a success. If Clankers and large machines are fairly standard for this kind of story, the Darwinists are a great find. Even if the idea of a whale floating inflated with hydrogen does not want the road for one second on a scientific level, graphically it is a success and the opposition in style between these two technologies gives rise to such different scenes of battles and exciting novel set in pictures very well by the illustrations of Keith Thompson . Besides, the whole book as a whole is captivating. Even if the outcome is no real surprise, the low rate and the various adventures rarely maintain the reader's attention to a good level. The story is constructed as a series, an episode consisting of two chapters, we take pleasure in finding week after week.
Leviathan is a novel that I highly recommend it. The characters are engaging and eventful history. Play smart and entertaining, the novel by Scott Westerfeld will appeal to a broad audience of all ages.
They also speak:
Elessar , Val , Gromovar
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