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Predator Cities x 4 and Guide to the Traction Era
In a terrifying and brutal future world, cities are mounted on giant wheels. They hunt each other to the death. Cataclysmic wars and stalking robotic hunters are revisted in a stunning relaunch of one of the greatest post-apocalyptic adventure series ever written. All four installments of Philip Reeve's internationally bestselling quartet are now available as a single ebook, featuring exclusive bonus material - the previously unpublished THE TRACTION CODEX.
1405 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 7, 2012
5 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Philip Reeve
171 books2,724 followersPhilip Reeve was born and raised in Brighton, where he worked in a bookshop for a number of years while also co-writing, producing and directing a number of no-budget theatre projects.
Philip then began illustrating and has since provided cartoons for around forty children's books, including the best-selling Horrible Histories, Murderous Maths and Dead Famous series.
Railhead, published by Oxford University Press, will be published in the UK in October 2015
Pugs of the Frozen North, written with Sarah McIntyre, is out now.
Philip then began illustrating and has since provided cartoons for around forty children's books, including the best-selling Horrible Histories, Murderous Maths and Dead Famous series.
Railhead, published by Oxford University Press, will be published in the UK in October 2015
Pugs of the Frozen North, written with Sarah McIntyre, is out now.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 7, 2017
01-08-17: This book has been unfairly sitting in my "Currently Reading" queue as I move from book to book, and it really doesn't deserve it, as it's a fun, compelling series. (Of course, I also have to get back to the "Shannara" series, which is an entirely different resolution...)
01-11-17: And done. A solid 4 stars. (And don't let the aforementioned lapse deter you from reading this excellent series: that was purely a "Me" thing, not a "Book" thing!!)
01-11-17: And done. A solid 4 stars. (And don't let the aforementioned lapse deter you from reading this excellent series: that was purely a "Me" thing, not a "Book" thing!!)
November 16, 2024
I honestly enjoyed the series, in a casual evening read way. Suitably epic with grand themes and enjoyable characterisation, yet never anything too shocking or surprising. Would read the others in the series for completeness.
July 16, 2020
I guess it was OK. It was readable and some parts were even fun. The world is very interesting, but there isn't really a very good origin story for it. I was hoping The Traction Codex was going to give some extra information, but it did not. The central philosophy of the book is also never discussed. Municipal Darwinism, the setup philosophy of the story never gets a supporting explanation. It is ok not to bother with it in one book, but in 4+?
The moving cities are interesting, but as much as he tries to make them diverse, they become boring by book 2.
The Stalkers are by far the best invention of the whole series and the most complex characters too. Reeve, you suck at writing people, but you are great at writing robots. Why not just write a book where robots are the only characters? Hester is the character every person would find it easy to empathize with, but the author keeps referring to "the things she has done" as evil things when they are mostly just pragmatic solutions albeit a bit over the top. Most of the time, the characters criticizing her are the ones who profited the most from her actions. Perhaps the worst thing done to this totally badass character was coupling her with whiny Tom, with whom she gets obsessed and falls into some sort of love. Tom, we are told, loves her too, despite the fact that in 4 books, the author never writes a single act or thought of Tom that would lead us to believe that he really loves her. Because of him, Hester gets stuck for 15 years in a boring corner of the world, with people who hate her for being ugly (another annoying thing throughout the book is the constant reminders of how ugly Hester is), raising a child who doesn't appreciate her and is the female version of Tom. Just as idiotic, whiny, ready to like (and willing to f***) every rich idiot, no matter how vile, as soon as the person they "love" is not in front of them. Somehow, we are supposed to see these little shits as "the good guys" which makes me question the morals of the author, really.
I had such high hopes for this series while I was reading the first book, but it was such a disappointment.
Politics in this world could have been much more interesting and complex. Sadly, he failed badly at it. He had no explanation for the logic behind the Tractionists and kept assigning bad acts randomly to the Anti-Tractionist League just so it wouldn't be too obvious that they were the only ones who made sense. All those cool things were enough for one book to distract the reader but a larger story needed a better basis and a better developed world.
The moving cities are interesting, but as much as he tries to make them diverse, they become boring by book 2.
The Stalkers are by far the best invention of the whole series and the most complex characters too. Reeve, you suck at writing people, but you are great at writing robots. Why not just write a book where robots are the only characters? Hester is the character every person would find it easy to empathize with, but the author keeps referring to "the things she has done" as evil things when they are mostly just pragmatic solutions albeit a bit over the top. Most of the time, the characters criticizing her are the ones who profited the most from her actions. Perhaps the worst thing done to this totally badass character was coupling her with whiny Tom, with whom she gets obsessed and falls into some sort of love. Tom, we are told, loves her too, despite the fact that in 4 books, the author never writes a single act or thought of Tom that would lead us to believe that he really loves her. Because of him, Hester gets stuck for 15 years in a boring corner of the world, with people who hate her for being ugly (another annoying thing throughout the book is the constant reminders of how ugly Hester is), raising a child who doesn't appreciate her and is the female version of Tom. Just as idiotic, whiny, ready to like (and willing to f***) every rich idiot, no matter how vile, as soon as the person they "love" is not in front of them. Somehow, we are supposed to see these little shits as "the good guys" which makes me question the morals of the author, really.
I had such high hopes for this series while I was reading the first book, but it was such a disappointment.
Politics in this world could have been much more interesting and complex. Sadly, he failed badly at it. He had no explanation for the logic behind the Tractionists and kept assigning bad acts randomly to the Anti-Tractionist League just so it wouldn't be too obvious that they were the only ones who made sense. All those cool things were enough for one book to distract the reader but a larger story needed a better basis and a better developed world.
July 15, 2016
A thoroughly enjoyable four book read. For a series that claims to be for children, it here is a maturity to the stories that adults will like, along with some nice bits of hidden humour to boot.
No spoilers, but the end has a nice emotional resonance, and I was not disappointed.
Hester has to be my favourite character throughout the books, and Tom a close second. There is such a nice contrast between them that makes their relationship complex, but enjoyable to read about.
The stars of the show, though, have to be the traction cities themselves. i just love the idea of things that huge being able to move about, and the way that the author gives them a personality, be it something animalistic or historically poignant, really brings them to life. My favourite city? It has to be Harrowbarrow. or possibly Brighton.
No spoilers, but the end has a nice emotional resonance, and I was not disappointed.
Hester has to be my favourite character throughout the books, and Tom a close second. There is such a nice contrast between them that makes their relationship complex, but enjoyable to read about.
The stars of the show, though, have to be the traction cities themselves. i just love the idea of things that huge being able to move about, and the way that the author gives them a personality, be it something animalistic or historically poignant, really brings them to life. My favourite city? It has to be Harrowbarrow. or possibly Brighton.
October 7, 2020
DNF
This is frustratingly terrible.
This is frustratingly terrible.
March 24, 2017
A great adventure read! Aimed at teenager/young adult, it nonetheless has some surprisingly gruesome passages. Narrative flows easily and I found it engaging. The little British pop-culture references scattered throughout were humorous.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews