Review - Goliath (Leviathan, Book 3) by Scott Westerfeld (5/5 stars)

Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Steampunk
Size: 560 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: September 20th, 2011
ISBN: 978-1416971777
Stand Alone or Series: 3rd (and final) book in the Leviathan series
Source: Bought
Rating: 5/5 stars

This is the third and final book in the Leviathan series by Westerfeld. As with the previous books in the series, we have an epic story full of adventure, and some beautiful picturesa to go along with it.

Alek and Deryn continue on their quest to both end World War I and restore Alek to his Austrian throne. Things gets crazy when they stumble upon mad scientist Tesla, who claims that he can end the war with a huge weapon known as Goliath. Deryn is running out of time to confess her love for Alek; although things would be easier on that front if Alek actually knew Deryn was a girl...

I love this world. With the Darwinists (people who make crazy animal machines) and the Clankers (people who use mechanical steampunk technology) you never know what crazy animal or invention you will run into next. This book is full of a ton of airship adventuring, politics, and just a touch of romance.

The deeper question of what should you sacrifice to stop a war is also addressed in detail and it makes for some interesting thinking material as well as a great story.

Alek and Deryn are wonderful characters with a wonderful relationship. They have been through so much together you just can't help but cheer them on through all of their troubles. The consequences of Deryn revealing that she's a girl are profound and I was constantly pulling for them both.

The illustrations throughout are beautiful and intricate, they match the tone of the story perfectly. This illustrations also help to show some of the items in the story that are a bit hard to picture with words alone (because of their complexity).

The plot moved crazy fast and took a number of unexpected turns. There were a couple points in this book where I couldn't even begin to guess how things would turn out. I loved that it kept me guessing.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It wrapped up the series nicely. This is a wonderfully creative world, with likable characters and a plot that keeps the reader engaged and surprised. I just really, really enjoyed reading this. I can't wait to see what Westerfeld comes up with next!

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
- 100+ Reading Challenge
- Get Steampunked!