Alan Cumming

The year is 1914, and Europe is on the brink of a devastating and unusual war. On one side are the Clankers, who build massive, steam-driven iron machines packed with heavy weaponry. On the other side are the Darwinists, who have learned to weave the DNA of different animals together to create towering, genetically engineered beasts. Prince Alek is the orphaned heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, fleeing across Europe in a mechanized walker to escape the enemies who destroyed his family. Meanwhile, Deryn Sharp is a fiercely determined girl who has disguised herself as a boy to join the British Air Service. She serves aboard the Leviathan, a massive flying whale that acts as a living airship. When Alek and Deryn's paths unexpectedly cross, two very different worlds collide. Thrown together in the midst of a global conflict, they must form an uneasy alliance. Their survival depends on trusting each other as they navigate a dangerous war filled with extraordinary machines and terrifying creatures.