Behemoth

Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld, 485 pages

Bottom of Form

“The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker Powers. Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally together aboard the airship Leviathan, they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan's peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory. Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies, and brave hearts to face what's ahead.” I can’t believe that I waited so long to read Westerfeld’s books.  I love this series and teens who like steampunk, adventure, or fantasy will want to read it.

Tool Of War

Tool Of Warby Paolo Bacigalupi, 377 pages

“Set in a dark future devastated by climate change, Tool of War is the third book in a major adventure series by a bestselling and award-winning science fiction author and starring the most provocative character from the acclaimed novels Ship Breaker and The Drowned Cities. In this gripping, eerily prescient sci-fi thriller that Kirkus described as "masterful," Tool--a half-man/half-beast designed for combat--proves himself capable of so much more than his creators had ever dreamed. He has gone rogue from his pack of bioengineered "augments" and emerged a victorious leader of a pack of human soldier boys. But he is hunted relentlessly by someone determined to destroy him, who knows an alarming secret: Tool has found the way to resist his genetically ingrained impulses of submission and loyalty toward his masters... The time is coming when Tool will embark on an all-out war against those who have enslaved him. From one of science fiction's undisputed masters comes a riveting and all-too-timely page-turner that explores the intricate relationships connecting hunter and prey, master and enslaved, human and monster.” This was amazing.  It may be my favorite book in this series so far.  Tool was a masterful character and even if the other characters were weak or the action sparse, it probably would have been worth reading just for the development of Tool’s character.  Teens who like fantasy and dystopian novels will definitely want to read this.

The Rules

The Rules by Stacey Kade, 410 pages

Ariane isn’t who she seems to be.  When she was six, she escaped from a genetic lab with the help of her adoptive father, who had recently lost his own daughter.  Ariane has his daughter’s name and life and since the girl had lived with her mother, no one in town knew anything was wrong.  Except that Ariane had some trouble fitting in, partly because of her early upbringing but also because she wasn’t completely human.  Still, Ariane’s life has been okay, as long as she follows all of her father’s rules, designed to keep her safe.  Ten years later, Ariane is finally letting her emotions get the better of her and has decided to break the rules, which could have devastating consequences.  This was a good story with a definite science fiction bent.  This isn’t very hard science.  It reads a little more like a typical high school reality romance with a science fiction twist.  It is a good story that will probably have more girl appeal.

Leviathan

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, 440 pages

"In an alternate 1914 Europe, fifteen-year-old Austrian Prince Alek, on the run from the Clanker Powers who are attempting to take over the globe using mechanical machinery, forms an uneasy alliance with Deryn who, disguised as a boy to join the British Air Service, is learning to fly genetically-engineered beasts."  I'm a relative newcomer to Westerfeld's books but I really liked the first book in this series.  I'm sorry it took me so long to get to it.  I liked this a lot better than the Pretties series, which was good but not great.  This was much better and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.