Starting this month, Netflix will now be your one-stop shop for adaptations of Scott Westerfeld’s work. The bestselling author of young adult fiction has hit the proverbial jackpot with not one, but two of his works being brought to subscribers’ screens: the Leviathan and the Uglies series. But don’t think these two sci-fi properties will be cookie-cutter versions of one another; if you’re familiar with Scott Westerfeld’s work, you’ll know that these two series are nothing alike. And with one being made into live action and the other animated, there’s sure to be something there for everyone. So, whether you’re interested in a futuristic dystopia fixated on beauty, or a steampunk-style alternate history of World War I, strap in for a double feature you won’t want to miss.

UGLIES

It’s the early 2000s, and amongst the other heavy hitters of the YA dystopia era — The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner and, later, Divergent — comes another addition to the genre. Unlike the others dystopian societies of its peers, the world of Uglies is comparatively peaceful, with plentiful resources to provide for its citizens. It has no televised death matches, no mysterious deadly labyrinth that must be traversed, no high-stakes placement test for its citizens to determine their role in society. In fact, all its citizens are guaranteed a place in the most desirable faction: that of the Pretties. For those who aren’t yet members of this exclusive group, known as the Uglies, they can rest assured that upon their sixteenth birthday, they’ll receive the operation that will forever change their life. 

That’s right — the secret to becoming a Pretty is a mandatory cosmetic surgery, bankrolled by the government. If alarm bells are going off in your head, that’s a good sign. But to nearly 16-year-old Tally Youngblood, the world of Uglies is all she’s ever known, and she sees nothing abnormal with surgery — in fact, she’s desperate for it. Her days are filled with scanning her appearance and watching AI technology calculate what she might look like after the surgery, all the while internalizing just how “ugly” her current face is.

It’s a premise that’s gotten only too relatable since its publication in 2005 — and maybe an upside to the fact that the movie took almost two full decades to be released. In that time, we’ve seen the rise of Snapchat filters that morph the user’s face and whatever’s going on with “cortisol facial harmony balancing” on TikTok. In fact, the movie is coming at a critical time in the discussion of cosmetic surgery — right on the heels of viral news stories of how dermal fillers can migrate throughout the body, and the growing concerns of what unrealistic beauty standards do to our own self-image and mental health.

Are you intrigued by the world of Uglies? Check out the trailer below, or watch the full movie this Friday, September 13th.

LEVIATHAN

Now, let’s turn back the clock to June 28th, 1914; the day Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie Chotek, are assassinated. The event kickstarts the conflict that becomes known as World War I — and for their son, Prince Aleksandar of Hohenberg, it marks the beginning of a hunt for his life. He and a few of his father’s loyal men must now escape in their Stormwalker, a metal war machine typical of the Clanker powers. For this isn’t just a war of politics, but a way of life; on one side of the war are those whose technology revolves around steampunk-style walkers, and on the other are the biopunk Darwinists, who develop genetically modified animal hybrids known as “beasties.”

One such Darwinist is Deryn Sharp, a girl determined to serve in the Royal Air Service. But with the British military firmly closed to women, Deryn must pass as a boy under the name “Dylan” to chase after her love of flight. Assigned to the fabricated whale airship, the titular Leviathan, Deryn proves herself to be a talented midshipman, but it’s a constant battle to keep her true identity a secret. And when her path collides with Alek, the stakes only grow higher — because amidst a war spreading across the globe, a friendship that transcends the boundaries between Clankers and Darwinists might just prove to be treason.

Longtime fans of this series (myself included!) are beyond excited for this upcoming adaptation. Produced by Orange, the Japanese animation studio behind Trigun Stampede and Beastars, the adaptation will also include an original song composed by Joe Hisaishi of Studio Ghibli fame. Netflix has only just released the teaser trailer, which you can watch here:

There’s no official release date yet, only the knowledge that the adaptation will come to Netflix at some point in 2025. But that makes this year the perfect time to read the original trilogy while you wait. With heart-pounding action, compelling characters and illustrations courtesy of artist Keith Thompson, the Leviathan series is as unique as it is unforgettable. And don’t just take my word for it — it’s received starred reviews by Kirkus and School Library Journal, as well as winning the 2009 Aurealis Award for Best Young Adult Novel. You can check out the original book trailer here, courtesy of Simon & Schuster:

 

So, are you ready to be caught up in the mid-air clash between Clankers and Darwinists? Or will you be climbing aboard a hoverboard into the world of Uglies? No matter which adventure you choose, you’re in for a hell of a ride.

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