Book Review: 'Mortal Engines: Book 1 - Mortal Engines' by Philip Reeve

Cover art by Ian McQue

Inspired to add to my reading list by the movie, which I enjoyed, and the rave reviews of the book series, 'Mortal Engines', book one of the 'Mortal Engines Quartet' of books by Philip Reeve, is set in a dystopian far future, where cities, now mobile, roam the 'hunting grounds' - vast open wastelands left decimated by a devastating 'Sixty Minute War', searching and devouring other cities and small towns for parts and workers to fuel and keep the huge traction cities running. London, where the majority of the story is set, is one of these huge traction cities. A city that is also divided into classes, with its poorer residents and workers at the bottom and the richer more powerful at the top of the tiered city.

And it's in London where we're introduced to the main cast of characters. Tom Natsworthy, a young and idealistic apprentice at the Guild of Historians, who remains loyal to the city. Hester Shaw, a teenage girl with an horrific scar over half her face, in London with a vow to kill Thaddeus Valentine, an historian at the city of London, who murdered her parents and inflicted the scar down her face. Katherine Valentine, adopted daughter of Thaddeus Valentine, who with the help of Bevis Pod, an engineer she befriends, seeks out the truth of her father's activities, uncovering details of a recovered machine called MEDUSA, found by Hester's mother and part of a computer from a super weapon that was used in the Sixty Minute War, and now part of Lord Mayor of London, Magnus Crome's plan to rebuild the superweapon to use against the Anti Traction League and destroy the shield wall of Batmunkh Gompa, that protects the League.

It's a very entertaining and engaging read. There's plenty of action and adventure; Tom and Hester are both thrown off the London and get mixed up with slave traders, pirates, the enigmatic Anna Fang and the Anti Traction League and more, and there's also lots of intrigue too as Katherine and Bevis investigate Thaddeus Valentine and the MEDUSA weapon. The characters are compelling too, finding myself getting drawn into their narratives as the story progresses.

I listened to the audiobook option, narrated by Barnaby Edwards, and if you can, definitely check that out. Barnaby's performance is really good. The different vocalisations and accents brought the characters to life, adding a sense of vivid realism and a different dimension to the story.

It's a thoroughly enjoyable story with a good cast of YA main characters that trundles along at a brisk pace with plenty going on, but not too much, to keep you invested. As I read the book after watching the movie, there are differences in storyline and in the fates of the characters, but it didn't detract from enjoying either of them, and would recommend both the book and the movie. Looking forward to the next instalment in the series, 'Predator's Gold'.

Available from Amazon, Waterstones, Audible Audiobooks and all good bookstores.