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halcyone's review against another edition
4.0
Having read the entire trilogy by this point, I can say that, to me, Behemoth had the most thrilling, action-packed adventure out of all three. It was great that the setting moved outside of Europe, which led us to the fascinating land of the Ottoman Empire. The city of Istanbul was a visual treat, with its half Darwinist, half Clanker inclinations.
I really enjoyed how Westerfeld twisted history in this case, particularly the fate of the Ottoman Empire. Such changes were perfect for keeping the story from being a straight historical retelling. All the political intrigue created a tense atmosphere. The looming German presence in the city definitely made for some close encounters for our favorite protagonists, which in turn provided us with excellent action sequences! There's never a dull moment in Behemoth.
Character-wise, we see more of their development both independently and via their relationships with others. Alek takes the lead this time, carving his own path. He continues to believe in a higher power guiding his destiny, you know, "This is my destiny, I must do this and that and the other, etc." Needless to say, not all goes according to plan, but that doesn't stop Alek from forging onward, a little tougher but still His Serene Highness, slightly naive and endearing.
Dr. Barlow and Count Volger - plotters. I won't say more, but they are fabulous. We don't see too much of them throughout the novel, but their scenes are quite fun. There's also the reveal of what kind of beastie was growing inside Dr. Barlow's eggs, and the result is quite surprising! Also bound to be one of your favorite beasties due to their nature and sheer cuteness.
We also get a slew of new characters: Eddie Malone, an annoying American reporter that serves the purpose of hinting at plot development, inconveniencing our heroes, and providing a glimpse to the rest of the world and its place in the Darwinist vs. Clanker battle; and a group of revolutionaries that will inevitably win your support.
Deryn too gets a chance to be a daring leader, and while her success doesn't come about easily, it's awesome to see her persevere despite obvious setbacks. Deryn's burgeoning feelings for Alek were both expected (because these days most books can't go without a romantic undertone) and surprisingly amusing. Made for some funny moments, especially with the introduction of a new character later on. (I have to say - and only those that have already read the book will understand - but I certainly didn't see that coming.) But despite her sometimes swooning over Alek unnecessarily, her character remains strong and confident. The story shows us that she is quite adaptable and intelligent and just, well, fierce. Deryn Sharp remains my favorite character.
By the time I finished Behemoth, I was completely in love with this series' world and characters. I wasted no time in getting my hands on Goliath.
I really enjoyed how Westerfeld twisted history in this case, particularly the fate of the Ottoman Empire. Such changes were perfect for keeping the story from being a straight historical retelling. All the political intrigue created a tense atmosphere. The looming German presence in the city definitely made for some close encounters for our favorite protagonists, which in turn provided us with excellent action sequences! There's never a dull moment in Behemoth.
Character-wise, we see more of their development both independently and via their relationships with others. Alek takes the lead this time, carving his own path. He continues to believe in a higher power guiding his destiny, you know, "This is my destiny, I must do this and that and the other, etc." Needless to say, not all goes according to plan, but that doesn't stop Alek from forging onward, a little tougher but still His Serene Highness, slightly naive and endearing.
Dr. Barlow and Count Volger - plotters. I won't say more, but they are fabulous. We don't see too much of them throughout the novel, but their scenes are quite fun. There's also the reveal of what kind of beastie was growing inside Dr. Barlow's eggs, and the result is quite surprising! Also bound to be one of your favorite beasties due to their nature and sheer cuteness.
We also get a slew of new characters: Eddie Malone, an annoying American reporter that serves the purpose of hinting at plot development, inconveniencing our heroes, and providing a glimpse to the rest of the world and its place in the Darwinist vs. Clanker battle; and a group of revolutionaries that will inevitably win your support.
Deryn too gets a chance to be a daring leader, and while her success doesn't come about easily, it's awesome to see her persevere despite obvious setbacks. Deryn's burgeoning feelings for Alek were both expected (because these days most books can't go without a romantic undertone) and surprisingly amusing. Made for some funny moments, especially with the introduction of a new character later on. (I have to say - and only those that have already read the book will understand - but I certainly didn't see that coming.) But despite her sometimes swooning over Alek unnecessarily, her character remains strong and confident. The story shows us that she is quite adaptable and intelligent and just, well, fierce. Deryn Sharp remains my favorite character.
By the time I finished Behemoth, I was completely in love with this series' world and characters. I wasted no time in getting my hands on Goliath.
jgintrovertedreader's review against another edition
4.0
POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR LEVIATHAN
Now that Great Britain has officially entered World War I, Deryn and Alek find themselves official enemies. Alek knows that he has to escape the Leviathan before his secret is out and he becomes an ultra-important prisoner of war, and Deryn knows that she has to let him go. The two find themselves in Constantinople (or is that Istanbul?), where the Germans are making trouble for the Brits, and developing a weapon that could be devastating for the Leviathan. Can Alek prevent a war, and can Deryn save her beloved ship?
I am still loving this series. Deryn is such a feisty character. She's super-intelligent, practical, and not afraid to do the right thing. She's also finding it harder and harder to keep her identity a secret from Alek. Her solutions to problems are always ingenious and she just leaps off the page for me.
I don't have quite as much to say about Alek. I like him, but compared to Deryn, he's kind of boring.
A new character, Lilit, is introduced in this book, and I loved her too. She's a lot like Deryn, but she's able to live as a girl and still show the boys a thing or two about driving Clanker machines. She's fantastic and I hope we see more of her.
The action just didn't let up, and I was always interested to see how things were going to work out.
The ending was a bit weak because I thought it just stopped. I actually flipped forward and backward a few times on my nook to make sure I hadn't missed anything. As far as I can tell, I didn't. It just ended. Not exactly on a cliffhanger, but just in an odd place.
I received an e-galley from the publisher, and I have to say that I missed the illustrations. I was able to see a few, but mostly I just saw titles. I'll be picking up a physical copy of the book and checking them out. The ones I did get were still awesome. I love this Clanker vs Darwinist world that Westerfeld has created.
I highly recommend this for fans of the first in the series, and for those who don't mind a little steampunk mixed in with World War I.
Now that Great Britain has officially entered World War I, Deryn and Alek find themselves official enemies. Alek knows that he has to escape the Leviathan before his secret is out and he becomes an ultra-important prisoner of war, and Deryn knows that she has to let him go. The two find themselves in Constantinople (or is that Istanbul?), where the Germans are making trouble for the Brits, and developing a weapon that could be devastating for the Leviathan. Can Alek prevent a war, and can Deryn save her beloved ship?
I am still loving this series. Deryn is such a feisty character. She's super-intelligent, practical, and not afraid to do the right thing. She's also finding it harder and harder to keep her identity a secret from Alek. Her solutions to problems are always ingenious and she just leaps off the page for me.
I don't have quite as much to say about Alek. I like him, but compared to Deryn, he's kind of boring.
A new character, Lilit, is introduced in this book, and I loved her too. She's a lot like Deryn, but she's able to live as a girl and still show the boys a thing or two about driving Clanker machines. She's fantastic and I hope we see more of her.
The action just didn't let up, and I was always interested to see how things were going to work out.
The ending was a bit weak because I thought it just stopped. I actually flipped forward and backward a few times on my nook to make sure I hadn't missed anything. As far as I can tell, I didn't. It just ended. Not exactly on a cliffhanger, but just in an odd place.
I received an e-galley from the publisher, and I have to say that I missed the illustrations. I was able to see a few, but mostly I just saw titles. I'll be picking up a physical copy of the book and checking them out. The ones I did get were still awesome. I love this Clanker vs Darwinist world that Westerfeld has created.
I highly recommend this for fans of the first in the series, and for those who don't mind a little steampunk mixed in with World War I.
thestoryowl's review against another edition
5.0
Another great installment! I love the little nuances that tie these stories to real life historical events! I'm so excited for the next book!
annkniggendorf's review against another edition
5.0
Perfect. The middle book of a trilogy is oftentimes weaker with an unfinished feel to it. This is not the case here, though the series is really of connected books. Behemoth clearly keeps you glued to your reading chair for the last part of the series!
mmeagan's review against another edition
5.0
Totally hooked on this one!
When I finished the first book, Leviathan, I said to myself that I better immediately start the next instalment in the same sitting or else I might drift away from the series and never finish. I was interested enough in Leviathan which gave 3 stars but I wasn't invested yet.
That was not the case with the second book, Behemoth! This one was so much better! Now that the characters and world building was set up, the story just took off. I couldn't get through it fast enough and I wanted to start the third book immediately not because I was trying to trick myself into finishing the trilogy but because I couldn't wait to find out what happened next! The ending to this book was truly satisfying. I also loved how and when the title came into play in the story.
When I finished the first book, Leviathan, I said to myself that I better immediately start the next instalment in the same sitting or else I might drift away from the series and never finish. I was interested enough in Leviathan which gave 3 stars but I wasn't invested yet.
That was not the case with the second book, Behemoth! This one was so much better! Now that the characters and world building was set up, the story just took off. I couldn't get through it fast enough and I wanted to start the third book immediately not because I was trying to trick myself into finishing the trilogy but because I couldn't wait to find out what happened next! The ending to this book was truly satisfying. I also loved how and when the title came into play in the story.
penguini1976's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this much, much better than the first one. Hopefully the next one is just as good!
bougies_et_etoiles's review against another edition
4.0
I definitely took significantly longer to finish this book than the first book. However I can say for sure that the series only gets more interesting as I go along. Excited to see what Goliath has in store for our characters!