Leviathan

Steampunk series starter... great book & audiobook!

The setting is Europe on the verge of World War I. The major alliances are built around a divide on the technological development of the world--the Darwinists who have chosen to develop biological creations--including living airships powered by specially adapted ecosystems; and the Clankers, using steam engines, metal and gears for their airplanes, zeppelin’s, and tanks. And at the center of the action is Prince Aleskander, heir to the Archduke Ferdinand, and Deryn Sharp, an Airship midshipman pretending to be a boy in order to serve.

The world in Leviathan is fabulously developed and I can heartily recommend both the novel and the audiobook. The novel is beautifully designed, with amazing black and white illustrations, while the audio is superbly read by actor Alan Cumming (Tin Man, X2 X-Men United, The Good Wife).