Behemoth. Book 2. Scott Westerfeld

Can the tide of World War II be turned by uniting mechanical giants and living bioengineered creatures? What if the fate of all of Europe were in the hands of two teenagers—a fugitive prince on a walking tank and a girl posing as a midshipman?

In Behemoth, Scott Westerfeld continues his gripping alternate-history Leviathan trilogy, where World War I erupts between two opposing technological worlds. On one side are the Tinkers (Germany and Austria-Hungary) with their deadly mechanical armored vehicles. On the other are the Darwinists (Britain and her allies), who create combat creatures through genetics and bioengineering.

This is not just a fast-paced adventure novel. This is a sophisticated alternative steampunk, full of spy intrigue, aerial battles, political conspiracies and deep reflections on where the line between technology, nature and humanity is drawn. Hiding aboard the huge living airship "Leviathan", Alik and Derin set off for the Ottoman Empire, where they are confronted with a mysterious and formidable weapon - "Behemoth".

The special atmosphere of the novel is created by the illustrations of the Canadian artist Keith Thompson. His detailed black and white works help to see the fictional world of "Behemoth" through the eyes of the author and organically complement the story itself.