mrs_mander_reads
Written on Nov 15, 2012
Alek and Deryn are back onboard the Leviathan. The ship is ordered to pick up Tesla, a Russian inventor who has created a machine he claims can destroy half of the world, which he is using as a threat to impose peace. Alek wants to the end the war, so decides to back Tesla politically, as do the Darwinists. Meanwhile Deryn is still pretending to be a boy, though Alek has figured out her true identity, and promises to keep her secret. With stops in New York, California and Mexico, Deryn and Alek encounter adventure and intrigue at every turn, but when a secret German plan to sabotage Tesla's machine leads to a heart-stopping stand-off, as Tesla threatens to fire his weapon, it's up to the two of them to stop him - or face the end of the world for real…
- ISBN10 1847386806
- ISBN13 9781847386809
- Publish Date 5 July 2012 (first published 31 August 2011)
- Publish Status Out of Stock
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Simon & Schuster Ltd
- Imprint Simon & Schuster Childrens Books
- Format Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
- Pages 560
- Language English
Reviews
lizarodz
Written on Sep 29, 2012
Barking spiders! What an amazing book! Goliath is the perfect ending to the series (although I still want more!) and it’s so sad to say goodbye to all these beloved characters and a wonderful steampunk world.
You can see my review for Behemoth, book #2 in the series here. I love these characters! Deryn is our intrepid heroine and she remains a fascinating, brave, loyal girl that pretends to be a lad. Alek, you are NOT a waste of hydrogen. You are loyal, loving, and most importantly, you have your priorities straight. Alek did a lot of ‘growing up’ in this installment, making some difficult decisions, but I’m sure that it will all be worth it.
The always perspicacious Bovril is my favorite bestie. I just love how he helped Alek figure out the truth about Deryn, even though we’ve heard him say Mr. Sharp many times before. In this novel, we get introduced to a few new characters, such as the loony Mr. Tesla, and we also get to see the always indiscrete and meddlesome Mr. Malone.
The plot is incredible in its imagination. The story is fast-paced, never boring, and SO good. Mr. Westerfled, if you can hear this plea I’m sure that all your fans would love you forever and ever if you were to write about Deryn and Alek again. I’m sure there are many more adventures for this wonderful couple, Dr. Barlow and Bovril. Thank you for the ‘extra chapter and drawing (you can find it here), but I need more :) Okay, I’m done begging. A truly incredibly outstanding story and characters, please read this series!
inlibrisveritas
Written on Jul 6, 2012
As a note, while I try to keep spoilers to the absolute minimum this is the last in a series so if you haven’t read the previous two there is a chance you’ll find out stuff you might not be aware of.
I’m happy to say that this is a fantastic conclusion to Westerfeld’s series. It’s crafted with just as much care and detail as the previous two, and certainly satisfying in it’s end. The steampunk and fabricated animals have certainly made their impact on me in the first two and they certainly get cooler in this one as well. It’s such a cool take on historical events, and Westefled makes sure to add in some awesome twists to the mix. Namely Tesla…I don’t mean the few times it’s mentioned in the second one with the Tesla Cannon…I mean Nikola Tesla. I practically flailed when I found out he was going to actually be in the book as opposed to just a background character. I don’t have a particular love for the man, it’s just that he’s a rather interesting fellow and I love seeing how he’ll be portrayed. Westerfled makes him into a delightful yet frustrating character, and he’s inclusion really brought something fantastic to the story. And the of course there is Deryn’s little secret and the fact that we finally find out how it’s revealed, and I’m glad it came out the way it did. It fit perfectly and it adds tension. The conclusion itself is fitting and left me quite content, and even a bit giddy at Deryn’s future.
Deryn Sharp really deserves to get more credit as a main character. She’s strong, independent, funny, and capable. She doesn’t need someone else to do her job for her, and she’s not so caught up in herself that she won’t accept help when needed. She’s smart in her own right and extremely brave on all accounts. When things get tough she doesn’t run and she doesn’t hide behind anyone. I would love to see more people talk about her, I want more people to talk about her. Alek, is a lovely counterpart to her as well. I love how unlike so many other YA novels he doesn’t trip all over himself trying to impress her or anyone else. He’s a great guy, he’s is at times a “daft prince” but he’s just as brave as Deryn is. Bovril, the loris, is even cooler than I thought he would be in the second book and he turned out to be a rather key element to the book even if all he does is repeat things.
Overall I adore this book, and this series! If you haven’t read it yet I say give it a go. I know the whole World War setting is rather weird for a YA novel, but give it a try anyway. I think a lot of people will be surprised at how well this is written.
wcs53
Written on May 27, 2012
What I enjoy most about these books is the steampunk world in which they are set and the way in which this provides an alternative history of the world at the beginning of World War I. The tensions between the fabricated beasties of the Darwinists and the mechanical machines of the Clankers provide a good foundation for the overall story, where the supporters of each of these ideologies line up against each other for world supremacy. It is interesting to note, however, that in the story there are countries where Darwinists and Clankers are able to coexist in harmony, which may offer hope for their future.
The story, as in the previous two books, takes place mainly on board the 'Leviathan', which is a giant Darwinist fabricated air-beast, made from a whale. The story centres around the two main characters of Alek, a prince without a throne, and Deryn, who is disguised as a boy (Dylan) so that she can fly as part of the British Air Service. The Goliath of the title is a weapon that its brilliant/maniacal inventor claims can end the war.
The first two books end in cliffhangers, but this one ends quite satisfactorily, although if the author wanted he could write the continued story of Alek and Deryn beyond life on board the Leviathan. There are enough loose ends left untied for your imagination, but at least the main ones are brought to a satisfying end.
'Goliath', as with the previous two books, moves at a good pace. It is the kind of book that you are reluctant to put down once you start reading. The action begins in Siberia and ends up in New York, with stops in many other places along the way, including Japan, California, and Mexico.
Although there is the violent backdrop of WWI, none of the fighting is described too graphically. People die, because that is the reality of war. Common Sense Media rates it for 12 years old, which I would say is probably about right.
If you are looking for a great series to read this summer at the beach, or wherever you are going to spend your spare time, then this may be what you are looking for. The series has some very positive role models and may serve as a good read for your young ones if you are worried, at this stage, about the suitability of other popular series such as 'The Hunger Games' or 'Delirium' (please note: I'm not saying that these are bad series, but that parents just need to be aware of their content before letting their younger ones read them - commonsensemedia.org is a great place for guidance in this type of thing).
After reading the 'Leviathan' trilogy I'm ready for some more steampunk. So I'm open to recommendations!
Terri M. LeBlanc
Written on Dec 31, 2011