Mortal Engines

The Hungry City Chronicles Mortal Engines Quartet, #1

by Philip Reeve

Paperback, 326 pages

English language

Published Sept. 1, 2004 by Harper Collins US UK.

ISBN:: 978-0-06-008209-3

"It was a dark, blustery afternoon in spring, and the city of London was chasing a small mining town across the dried-out bed of the old North Sea."

The great traction city London has been skulking in the hills to avoid the bigger, faster, hungrier cities loose in the Great Hunting Ground. But now, the sinister plans of Lord Mayor Mangus Crome can finally unfold.

"It was a dark, blustery afternoon in spring, and the city of London was chasing a small mining town across the dried-out bed of the old North Sea."

Thaddeus Valentine, London's Head Historian and adored famous archaeologist, and his lovely daughter, Katherine, are down in The Gut when the young assassin with the black scarf strikes toward his heart, saved by the quick intervention of Tom, a lowly third-class apprentice. Racing after the fleeing girl, Tom suddenly glimpses her hideous face: scarred from forehead to jaw, nose a smashed stump, a single eye glaring back at him. "Look at what your Valentine did to me!" she screams. "Ask him! Ask him what he did to Hester Shaw!" And with that she jumps down the waste chute to her death. Minutes later Tom finds himself tumbling down the same chute and stranded in the Out-Country, a sea of mud scored by the huge caterpillar tracks of cities like the one now steaming off over the horizon.

In a stunning literary debut, Philip Reeve has created a painful dangerous unforgettable adventure story of surprises, set in a dark and utterly original world fueled by Municipal Darwinism -- and betrayal.

2 editions

Scott reviewed Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve (Mortal Engines Quartet, #1)

Great world buidling

4 stars

I saw the movie first. And wanting more in that world. And no sequel in sight, I decided to start up the series. And come out with no clear winner. One has strengths over the other.

In both, they build a world that is like no other I have seen. After an apocalypse or two, cities became structures that roll on treads. And hunt other cities. That is how they gain resources. The book really explores this concept of "municipal Darwinism". But human-wise, it looks at the story of 3 young adults. Two stewing in the privilege of a big city, and discovering the thorns it hides. And one that long knew about them, but only cares about revenge.

I will say, Shrike's story is better done in the movie. But the book and movie has somewhat different endings. Neither the better, imo. One is more kind, the …

I saw the movie first. And wanting more in that world. And no sequel in sight, I decided to start up the series. And come out with no clear winner. One has strengths over the other.

I will say, Shrike's story is better done in the movie. But the book and movie has somewhat different endings. Neither the better, imo. One is more kind, the other more brutal. I was better able to emotionally connect with the characters in the movie. But that improved in the book midway thru.

I very much enjoyed this book. And look forward to more in the series.

Trae reviewed Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve (Mortal Engines Quartet, #1)

Review of 'Mortal Engines' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

This is one of those wild situations where I liked the movie over the book...this is an extremely visual/descriptive story. The world is something much different from what we have now and found Reeves description of this lacking. Each element, city, machine was woefully under described and I couldn’t make a connection. Part of it may be because it is definitely written to a British/Londoner audience, but it just needed more. Secondly, Reeves rushes through the emotionally poignant parts quickly. Could of major emotionally charged points were very fast, and lacked the care it required.