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[Daft_Prince]

I'd argue that learning not to use cavalry isn't worth 16 million deaths. The idea that a World War is a good thing because you'll learn to do it better next time sounds like pretty awful reasoning.

[Andrew aka awesome]

Simply put; it wouldn't be a good thing.

But after receiving a medal and all, you'd think they'll be cool with it... except that the males will be shamed that a girl had outdone them in service quality... ( That sounded wrong, but yeah).

alright i know for a fact that in WW11 a girl disguised as a man was at a ceremony got best hero or some random medal and her officer said something like my best man is their anything you want to say? she took off her uniform and yelled i'm a girl, guess what happened, she was disgraced, deprived of the medal and fired and the crowd booed

[Bramblepool]

Shed probably get discharged and sent home to Glasgow then the crew would be sworn to secrecy as to not cause a scandal.  Either that or she would murder the captain take over the leviathan and hang anyone that defyed her.  Either one.

[tridecagirl]

One reporter disguised herself for front line reporting. When she revealed herself, she was sent to a sanitorium.

[TractionEra]

Which is part of the reason I think that Westerfeld saying that WWI not happeneing is a GOOD thing...yeah, right. Now, instead of being mowed down by machine guns, those cavalry men are going to be blasted to bits by fabricated rockets...actually, that's not a bad thing. I wanted the Clankers to burn in Goliath, and that didn't happen. But now...they shoved off one ass-raping, and they just got themselves in line for an even BIGGER one.
Who wants to guess that America would nuke THEM too as well as Japan when WWII happens in the Leviathan universe?

Both sides used cavalry charges, not just the Central Powers. If the Clankers are the level technologically they are in Leviathan, than by World War II they'd probably have Wernher's two-stage ICBM and a lot of the tech that never came to light until after German scientists were taken by allied countries. And I don't see America using nukes on Germany. I honestly see them skipping World War II altogether and going straight to a Cold War between Germany and America (unless the Bolshevik revolution made the USSR into a Clanker state).

I have to say, Scott really made the Germans out to be clear cut villains with no redeeming qualities. We're told that Germany wanted to attack Great Britain so they started the war, but we're never shown any real proof of this. The alliance system was such a mess at the time that I doubt any competent strategist would have tried to exploit it to start a war with Britain. He made Darwinists out to be the clear good guys, even though they're on the same level as Dr. Frankenstein as far as depravity goes.

[Straif]

Fair points...wasn't thinking to well when I wrote this...(late night.)
As for the good/bad guy thing, I think that's jsut a side effect of writing about war to pre-teens and teens, especcially ones who (for the most part) can't tell the difference between an assault rifle and a machine gun.

[TractionEra]

I cannot accept that excuse. That's just talking down to your readers if you write like that. It's insulting and I don't think that's what Scott was doing.

I reference a lot in my arguments, but in Margaret Peterson Haddix's Shadow Children series, she managed to make a group of people who killed children as part of their job description just as relatable as the main characters. She showed that they weren't evil without removing the stigma that they were still the enemy and were to be brought down.

That series is marked as being for ages 8-12, while Leviathan is marked for ages 12 and up. By that logic pre-teens and teens have gotten dumber since 1998 (Original publishing date of Among the Hidden).

[Straif]

And you just said exactly what I think; Teens HAVE gotten dumber since 1998. A LOT dumber. Why do you think shows like Adventure Time do so well (no offence if you like the show), Twilight sells like it's made of gold wrapped in cocain, and good stuff like Mortal Engines never gets heard of?

[TractionEra]

The sad thing is that I'm inclined to agree with you. I've never sat down and taken the time to watch more than a few seconds of Adventure time (I hardly watch tv anymore), but what I have seen isn't exactly quality entertainment. The fact that explosion are enough to distract people from glaring plot holes or generally boring and tired plots (I'm looking at you, Transformers) is a testament to that fact.

[Andrew aka awesome]

don't you think it's funny how far away from the main part people can get? i don't even remember the main part and this is my post! or is it? )?

[Straif]

don't you think it's funny how far away from the main part people can get? i don't even remember the main part and this is my post! or is it? )?

Its yours, and we were discussing what would happen if Deryn's true gender was revealied to everyone. Main problem; there's only so much you can say about that.

[Daft_Prince]

It was all pretty well layed out by Dr. Barlow.

[gavinfuzzy]

And you just said exactly what I think; Teens HAVE gotten dumber since 1998. A LOT dumber. Why do you think shows like Adventure Time do so well (no offence if you like the show), Twilight sells like it's made of gold wrapped in cocain, and good stuff like Mortal Engines never gets heard of?

I kinda like adventure time... 

And yes, I just realized Mortal Engines DID get brought into bookstores locally, up to the 2010 reissue... just never sold, and they were recalled back to the warehouse. 

[Straif]

It was all pretty well layed out by Dr. Barlow.

Exactly.

[Luna Lovegood]

And you just said exactly what I think; Teens HAVE gotten dumber since 1998. A LOT dumber. Why do you think shows like Adventure Time do so well (no offence if you like the show), Twilight sells like it's made of gold wrapped in cocain, and good stuff like Mortal Engines never gets heard of?

I kinda like adventure time... 

And yes, I just realized Mortal Engines DID get brought into bookstores locally, up to the 2010 reissue... just never sold, and they were recalled back to the warehouse. 

SO THAT"S why I can't find a copy.