Special thanks to my son, co-writer of this blog entry.
Steampunk fiction is a sub-genre of sci-fi “set in an era or world where steam power is widely used” (wikipedia). Think 19th century Victorian England with a fantasy/sci-fi twist. Scott Westerfeld’s steampunk novel Leviathan (Simon & Schuster, 2009) is set during the beginning of World War I, and follows many of the historical events of World War I. A big part of what makes this novel so interesting is that it mirrors familiar events yet turns them on their head with imaginative techno-creativity.
Young Prince Aleks, son of Archduke Ferdinand, must flee for his life after his parents are assassinated. He makes his escape to Switzerland in a steam-powered “Stormwalker,” a vehicle similar to a Star War’s AT-ST:
Deryn, the female protagonist, lives in England, a “Darwinist Power” which uses genetically altered animals to double as weapons. For example, they have genetically altered whales so they can be used as giant airships–hence the name Leviathan. Deryn wants to join the Air Corps which is barred to females so he disguises herself as a boy, gets accepted, and proves to be a top notch flyer. Deryn is soon entrusted with a secret mission, which grinds to a halt when the Leviathan is shot down in Switzerland. Suddenly Deryn and Aleks’ fate rests on each others’ shoulders. Leviathan is a great book about trust and friendship in unlikely circumstances.
