The Manual Is OUT!

Posted on by scott

The full-color, slightly larger format, all-singing and all-dancing art book to the Leviathan series, also known as The Manual of Aeronautics, is OUT NOW. Actually, several people have found them on store shelves over the weekend, but today is the official release date. (Well, tomorrow morning in the United States. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN . . . )

You can go buy the Manual with your monies! Or ask your librarians for it, or get it online at Powell’s, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or IndieBound.

UPDATE: Oh yeah, the paperback of Goliath also came out today!

One of my favorite features of the Leviathan series is that each of the books has a splendid color endpapers by Keith, and the Manual is no exception. Which means I get to follow my tradition of revealing the endpapers on publication day.

As a wrap up of the series, Keith and I wanted to do something that encapsulated the whole series, with pretty much all of the characters in it. Also there was a certain piece of fan art about Deryn and Alek posing for the cover photo on Goliath. So we thought it would be cool for Keith to create the photo shoot for the Clanker/Darwninist Co-Existence Treaty signing!

Most likely, the image below wouldn’t really happen in the world of the Leviathan. I mean, all these characters wouldn’t all get credit for what they did to end the Great War (and all of those machines and beasties in the background would be a bit of a mess). But think of this as a visual confection, a collage that reveals the themes of the book (not unlike the frontispiece of that OTHER Leviathan).

So this is what we went with, and from this humble idea Keith created this awesome image:

Click here for the HUGE and zoomable version. And then see if you can find all the amusing (or sad) details.

Feel free to comment on the Manual in this comment thread, given that there aren’t really spoilers for an art book. (Or are there? Hmm.)

So I guess this is KIND OF THE END. You know? I mean, I’ll certainly post about the Leviathan series again, and people will go on talking about it and cosplaying it, and as new people are born and taught to read, they’ll discover it for the first time. Also, it’s completely possible that someone will make graphic novels or movies or interpretive dances of it, or that I will do more work in that universe someday.

But that doesn’t change the fact that with the Manual finally out, the Leviathan series is kind of . . . over now, at least in its original flavor version. *MAKES SAD FACE WITH TINY TEAR*

It’s been a great five years of working with the awesome Keith Thompson, who really threw his genius into this project, making it much better and bigger and realer than I could ever have hoped it would be. (I’m pretty sure I’ll be working with him again. Steampunk card game!)

It’s also been great having so many voluble, passionate, opinionated, and ridiculously creative fans. Thank you for coming along for the ride, and especially for all the amazing fan art. You are the best.

Seriously. Barking spiders to all of you.

235 thoughts on “The Manual Is OUT!”

  4. aawwww!!! I love the end papers.
    It’s adorable.
    LEVIATHAN WILL NEVER BE OVER IN OUR HEARTS :'(
    <3

  8. Erin-la:

    Hah! I knew someone would spot that box pretty quickly, but SERIOUSLY you got it in the FIRST non-Scott comment! EVERYONE WINS A PRIZE.

  9. Oh dear…poor Rusty. TAAAAAZA, DROP HIM! I guess that’s one reason why Deryn’s smirking though. Newkirk’s gonna get it LOL Poor Bauer and Hoffman, barely getting in XD

  10. Oh my barking spiders.
    GAH I CAN’T EVEN GO THROUGH AND LOOK FOR ALL THE DETAILS BECAUSE I CAN’T STAND THE AWESOME.
    Why must my parents never take me to the bookstore? I want the Manual so badly now. *sadface*
    Oh, I just zoomed in and saw Dr. Barlow’s expression… 😀

  11. Very sad. This series was the manifestation of two whole years of my life. CAN’T WAIT TO GET THE MANUAL THOUGH. THE BOX…….

  12. They signed a coexistence treaty in 1916? I hope the manual includes some synopsis of the actual war and maybe the terms of the treaty, because this potentially ruins all of my ideas for Leviathan universe WWII. It does, however, mean my prediction about them skipping to a Cold War have more basis and I can also delve into the post-war mentality about Darwinism.

    I’ve decided that I actually like this. =)

  15. This is also amazing! I love the detail and how they’re organized, and I can’t wait to get the Manual!

  17. ADELA AND LILIT IN THE SAME PICTURE (my height different headcanon is CANON!!!!)

    I AM PLEASED, SCOTT AND KEITH.

    No really, this is beautiful and I am ecstatic that those two (and other rarely seen castmembers, like NEWKIRK) are in color!! (IN THE SAME PICTURE. ADELA IS TALLER. LILIT COULD TOTALLY BE… Okay sorry will try to save the OTP feels for the blog.)

  18. Also no, it is not over. I refuse to let the fandom I’ve had the biggest involvement in go. My friend, Joey, and i started planning the animated movie and theme park today, guys. I am not letting this die.
    I love you guys and the books far too much. They’ve had such an impact on me, my writing, my art, my school work (I have not one, but TWO passed AP examxs to thank you for, Scott- WW1 interested save me in AP Euro, and one of my AP English essays was about you recommending my writing on this blog) and who I am as a person. And I’ve met my best friend in the entire world, thanks to this series- and a good dozen amazing friends as well.

    I refuse to say it’s over, but thank you, Scott, and thank you, fandom. You’ve changed my life for the better.

  21. totally awesome. and i mean AWESOME. only FIVE MORE FREAKIN’ HOURS UNTIL I GET THE MANUAL! cool link, Emily.

  22. Omg! I loled at Bauer and Hoffman having to stand behind Klopp. And Newkirk! Hes blonde! And Lilit is kick-ass as usuall! And Deryn and Aleks expressions are priceless! And Aleks on a box (sorta) !

  23. No, it isn’t over. I refuse to believe that. IT CANNOT BE OVER.

    but really, it never really will die out. As long as us fans have any say in the matter. Thank you Scott, for writing such a barking amazing trilogy. The Leviathan random has probably been the best random I have ever been part of and my obsession has literally changed my personality. Thankyou, Scott, for doing all that you do.

  24. Scott-la I love you! and I love Keith 🙂 beautiful work.
    Also, love the two guys trying to shake hands on the elephant tusk and on the big cannon

  25. i’ve never been this into a series and had it end. it is kind of sad.

    scott-la, you could always make a leviathan-centric biography of tesla. that would be really cool.

  26. Im soooo sad the leviathan series and everything to do with it is over but the zoomability on that picture makes up for it 🙂

  27. Poor Rusty. I love how Tesla’s trying to get into the picture too-looks almost as if he’s been shoved into the corner! xD Need to write something involving Leviathan at some point, now that I’m on writer’s vacation. I’m surprised Volger’s mustache is gray-I always imagined it to be black (maybe it’s because of the illustrations being in black and white?). It looks like Newkirk’s about to sneeze, or he’s laughing (probably laughing).

    Love it, Scott. Great series, and a great way to end it! Here’s to more awesomeness to come!

  28. *dies* THAT’S what Newkirk looks like?! That is so awkward. Nobody look at my fanart ever again.

    ANYWAY- I love the tributes to Zaven and the Archduke! And the tribute to the scene that started it all is right in the middle of the whole shabang- a huxley with a person(coughderyncough) hanging from it.

    oh, and I just noticed- there are two people fistbumping on the tusk of the darwinist elephantine and the clanker canon.

  29. Well, that was rather sad, the whole “it’s the end” mindset but there will always be more fanart and fanfiction to keep the series going at least. I’m sure once my mother gets home with my copy of the manual, I will be drawing for weeks. Alek should stand all he way up on the box so he can finally be taller than Deryn. In a way, the illustration reminds me of one of those family pictures no one ever wants to be in so the end result is a combination of grumpy people, people trying to contain their laughter over some joke that’ll be lost in time and the people who look very reluctant to be included.

  30. My question: what’s in the box?? And I love that Newkirk is wiping his nose. Why does it have to be over?!! >sobs< Such awesome books and amazing artwork.

  31. I feel like a complete failure because I don’t really understand what’s so important about the box. Excuse me while I go re-read the entire series again…

  32. It looks like Newkirk is giving himself a finger mustache. Speacking of mustaches, did Keith give Tazza one or is Tazza eating an animal? LOL

  34. I’m so happy and heartbroken at the same time. The one thing you never ask a Harry Potter fan is what they will do when the series is over. They’re answer is always that it is never over. THE SAME GOES FOR LEVIATHAN.

  36. Tazza is eating Rusty omigoooood lol and the background and all the tiny people I just can’t even and the box and Lilit is looking at Deryn who’s looking at Alek who’s looking back and oh it’s just so beautiful.

    FEAR NOT! It is never the end as long as there is…FANFICTION!

    I just realized my entire life is so sad…

  37. Actually I just realized that my fanfiction with a Darwinist and Clanker WWII depended upon a treaty that allowed the integration of each society into the other, which then made people like Hitler mad, and they started a revolution and overturned the treaty because Darwinists were “polluting their nations” and instead of a holocaust against Jews, it was against the Darwinists…it’s so complicated. It’s over a hundred pages, and I’m nowhere near finished yet…

  38. NO!!! Leviathan is my favorite series of yours, Scott! It makes me sad to hear it’s over. But I still have the manual…

  39. I feel really stupid asking this, but who’s rusty?
    sorry, haven’t read the series in a long time…

  40. oh my god the end papers! they are absolutely barking brilliant! the pigeon
    by Tesla’s photo-INGENIOUS his extreme fixation of pigeons was one of his more quirky obsessions, i think. and am sooooo sad that that this trilogy+art book is, technicality-wise, OVER! LEVIATHAN FOREVER!!!!! trust me Scott, we, as your loyal (slightly crazed) fans will see to make sure that this never dies! trust me, when i have children, this will be their bedtime story!

  41. I have quite a few things to say. Also I changed my name to my Leviathan-self, not my Uglies-self, as a tribute to this amazing series.
    1.NOOOOOOOOOOOOO LEVIATHAN WILL NEVER END NEVER FOR AS LONG AS FOREVER!
    2.You’re the author. You’re supposed to say “Don’t worry! Leviathan is so awesome it will never end!”, not “Well I guess this is the end of Leviathan goodbye.”

    3.I’m pretty sure Leviathan is going to end up like Alice in Wonderland and Treasure Island and Pride and Prejudice (Did I spell that right?), and become one of those books the world will never forget.

    4.And speaking of people being born and learning to read, my aunt’s having a baby and it’s going to be a boy and I keep trying to persuade her to name him Alek.
    Me: But it’s such a wonderful name! And so unique!
    Aunt: I told you, his name is going to be Mason.
    Me: No offense, but that’s so BORING. Alek is an amazing name and it’s also very handsome and how many boys do you know named ALEK????
    Aunt: HIS NAME WILL BE MASON AND THAT’S THAT.
    Like Volger, I have very poor persuasion skills. But even if his name is MAson I’ll still get him to read Leviathan when he gets big enough.

  42. OH I FORGOT TO MENTION: I’m in the middle of making a Leviathan card game right now. Just sayin’.

  43. when does your game release, Joe? i’m finally able to pull my nose out of the Manual long enough to comment. Scott, i’m assuming that you wrote the captions. i love what Alek and Volger do in their spare time. but what happens to the Throne? or do i need to pull up a world-history textbook for that?

  44. and by the way Scott can you please update that about you page in Bonus Stuff because there’s some great questions, but over 4800 comments. i also hear that ya spend part of the year in New York do you accept house visits? or is that your undercover/vacation time?

  45. I have to comment on the fact that so many people are saying it will never end, but not mentioning many ideas to keep it going (I blame my teachers for making me think far into the future). So here’s one idea that includes a little explaining.
    I have to assume that there was a similar mentality when Uglies drew to a close too. Thinking about this (and other things) led me to have an idea. (And I’m sorry this is so long-winded and thorough. Again, I blame my teachers.)
    Anyways. Extras was a companion novel to the Uglies trilogy, being set in the same world but having the same characters not be leads. I think that Scott should continue that line of thought. So here’s the idea I’ve taken so long to get to:
    A companion novel to the Leviathan series that includes everyone (or at least Deryn and Alek) but the main characters would be completely new.

  47. @39- Rusty is the talking frog repeater thingy (wow great explanation, PWH). Let me try that again, Rusty is Eddie Malone’s memory frog and it basically records and repeats what it hears… I think. You’ll notice in the illustration frog legs hanging out of Tazza’s mouth.

  49. OMBS I’m SO EXCITED! Mine has officially shipped from Amazon!
    …
    And I’m also really, really sad. Why must you use the “O” word? (NOT Omnibus.) It will never be over! Leviathan shall always live on, whether it be in fanfiction/art, a movie (fingers crossed! As long as it’s good.), or that long plane ride from Australia during which you are struck by inspiration and write another bonus chapter (or bonus book. Just saying)(you could also write fanfiction for your own books 😀 ), this series will never be “over”. I won’t allow it. *crosses arms and harrumphs like a child*
    And yes, that was very sappy. Deal with it.

  50. What???? It’s OVER???? I have loved this series since God-knows-when and now it’s OVER??? I must write me a fanfic.
    And everybody stop being all happy that Rusty got eaten. I liked that frog. Come on people, it may have been a bit troublesome here and there, but would you be just as happy if Kermit got eaten? Hm?

    …sorry. I’m a frog lover.

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