''Behemoth'' is a novel written by
Scott Westerfeld
Scott David Westerfeld (born May 5, 1963) is an American writer of young adult fiction, best known as the author of the ''Uglies'' and the ''Leviathan'' series.
Early life
Westerfeld was born in Dallas, Texas. As a child he moved to Connecticu ...
.
The book is the second installment in the Leviathan series. It picks up where ''
Leviathan
Leviathan (; he, לִוְיָתָן, ) is a sea serpent noted in theology and mythology. It is referenced in several books of the Hebrew Bible, including Psalms, the Book of Job, the Book of Isaiah, the Book of Amos, and, according to some ...
'' ends. It was published on October 5, 2010.
As with ''
Leviathan
Leviathan (; he, לִוְיָתָן, ) is a sea serpent noted in theology and mythology. It is referenced in several books of the Hebrew Bible, including Psalms, the Book of Job, the Book of Isaiah, the Book of Amos, and, according to some ...
'', the
audiobook
An audiobook (or a talking book) is a recording of a book or other work being read out loud. A reading of the complete text is described as "unabridged", while readings of shorter versions are abridgements.
Spoken audio has been available in sc ...
is read by
Alan Cumming
Alan Cumming (born 27 January 1965) is a British actor. His London stage appearances include ''Hamlet'', the Maniac in ''Accidental Death of an Anarchist'' (for which he received an Olivier Award), the lead in '' Bent'', The National Theatre o ...
.
The sequel, ''
Goliath
Goliath ( ) ''Goləyāṯ''; ar, جُليات ''Ǧulyāt'' (Christian term) or (Quranic term). is a character in the Book of Samuel, described as a Philistine giant
In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: ''gigas'', cognate giga-) a ...
'', was released on September 20, 2011.
Plot
The story starts when the crew of the ''Leviathan'' sights two German ironclads and decides to attack them, thinking that the sea ships are defenseless. Klopp and Alek are controlling the engines, with Mr. Hirst, the ''Leviathans chief engineer, observing. However, they discover that one of the ships, the ''
Goeben'', is preparing a threatening Tesla cannon, a lightning generator. Klopp immediately puts the engines on full retreat without permission. Mr. Hirst, seeing this as an act of mutiny, attempts to interfere and tries to shoot Klopp with a compressed
air pistol
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...
. However, Alek leaps at Mr. Hirst and ends up getting shot in the ribs, though not fatally. The lightning still hits and Newkirk, who was flying in a now-burning Huxley above the ''Leviathan'', is almost killed, but is saved by Deryn. After the escape, Deryn and Dr. Barlow visit Alek, and he explains what happened on the ship. Later, as Deryn delivers a message to Count Volger, who learns that Alek had told her of his identity as a prince.
After landing in
Istanbul
Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
, Aleksandar plots an escape from the ''Leviathan''. The night of the escape, Alek is taking watch over Dr. Barlow's eggs when one egg hatches revealing a "perspicacious"
loris
Loris is the common name for the strepsirrhine mammals of the subfamily Lorinae (sometimes spelled Lorisinae) in the family Lorisidae. ''Loris'' is one genus in this subfamily and includes the slender lorises, ''Nycticebus'' is the genus contain ...
, as identified later by Dr. Barlow, that seems to understand and repeat various sounds and words in seemingly useful ways. The creature then latches onto Alek and flees with him. In their escape Volger and Hoffman remain behind in order to allow Alek and the others to flee. The group manages to head into the city of Istanbul, where they try to remain hidden among the commoners. Alek and Corporal Bauer leave the hotel after laying low for a while with Klopp, one of the masters of mechaniks. Alek discovers a very nosy American reporter by the name of Eddie Malone, in which he discovers some information about the Leviathan that he finds interesting. At that point, a few German soldiers walk in, searching for Bauer. They make a hasty escape only to be caught by Zaven, a leader of one of many resistance groups against the
sultan
Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
's rule collective known as the
Committee of Union and Progress
The Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) ( ota, اتحاد و ترقى جمعيتی, translit=İttihad ve Terakki Cemiyeti, script=Arab), later the Union and Progress Party ( ota, اتحاد و ترقى فرقهسی, translit=İttihad ve Tera ...
.
Back on the ''Leviathan'', Deryn finds Eddie Malone who is aboard the ship to relay Alex's message to a now-captured Volger. Deryn reluctantly brings him to the count's room. The count this time proposes that Deryn help him escape the ship. Deryn refuses initially, until Volger threatens to divulge her masquerade -that he had figured out all by himself- to Malone, to which she agrees with a heavy heart. Hours later, Deryn is assigned a secret mission in the
Gallipoli peninsula
The Gallipoli peninsula (; tr, Gelibolu Yarımadası; grc, Χερσόνησος της Καλλίπολης, ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles ...
to plant a fabricated barnacle that destroys metal into the Ottoman Empire's kraken net in order for Britain to attack once the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
joins sides with Germany. The mission is successful, but the others in her four-member team are captured or killed. Deryn manages to evade capture and enters Ottoman territory, deciding to find Alek.
Meanwhile, Alek hides from the public view, he ends up scuffling with a girl who turns out to be Zaven's daughter, Lilit. Zaven formally introduces the young lady and his mechanical bed-ridden mother Nene, who both are also taking part in a revolution prepared by the Committee. Alek then agrees to join the Committee as an ally, wishing to strike a blow at the Germans. They then stage a revolt, using a gold bar Alek has saved for funding. They buy up parts and much spice at the advice of Deryn, who used it as a weapon against a German agent trying to hijack the British embassy's walker. They prepare the Committee's walkers for throwing spice bombs. Because Deryn reveals that the ''Behemoth'', a massive fabricated sea creature of Britain, will eliminate the ironclads with the guidance of the ''Leviathan'', the Committee executes a mission unknown to much of the group to destroy a massive Tesla cannon in Istanbul. While the revolt is successful, Zaven is killed destroying the Tesla cannon. Deryn, Alek and Lilit meet up again with the former two giving the tragic news to Lilit. As planned, the British invade and use the ''Behemoth'' to obliterate the ironclads ''Goebon'' and ''Breslau''. Before leaving the cliffs for the now chaotic Istanbul by body kite to continue fighting in the revolution, Lilit bids "Dylan" and Alek goodbye; while mentioning to the former that she also knows of "his" secret. The others all escape aboard the ''Leviathan''. When all of the people on the ship discover that Alek is a prince from Eddie Malone's newspaper, they treat him with great respect. The third novel, ''Goliath'', is set in motion when they find out they are going to the
Far East
The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.
The ter ...
.
Reception
Publishers Weekly
''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...
wrote "This exciting and inventive tale of military conflict and wildly reimagined history should captivate a wide range of readers. Thompson's evocative and detailed spot art (as well as the luridly gorgeous endpapers) only sweetens the deal." while
Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media (CSM) is an organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children. called it a "Sci-fi stand-out with high adventure, great characters."
References
External links
*
{{Scott Westerfeld
Fiction set in 1914
2010 American novels
American alternate history novels
American steampunk novels
American young adult novels
Novels by Scott Westerfeld
Novels set in Istanbul
World War I alternate histories
Novels set during World War I
Simon & Schuster books