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Railhead #3
Station Zero
What happens after the adventure of a lifetime? For Zen, it's a safe, comfortable life of luxury. But it's not what Zen wants. He misses the thrill of riding the rails, of dodging danger, and of breathing the air of different planets. Most of all of course he misses Nova, lost to him forever in a distant world. But then one day a mysterious message arrives, and that's all Zen needs to head right off, ready for anything. Except that no one could be ready for what he finds...Thrilling, thought-provoking, and breathtaking, this finale to the Railhead trilogy weaves a web of wonder, full of characters and events you will never forget.
302 pages, Hardcover
First published May 3, 2018
10 people are currently reading
646 people want to read
About the author
Philip Reeve
171 books2,720 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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May 12, 2018I lied. I did not read this book. Instead it came up on my Goodreads feed with the heading
"Based on your reading preferences, you might enjoy...." followed with details of this book.
Having read nothing but non-fiction for about 3 years, what is there about this book that could possibly, in a million years, appeal to me? Even when I DID read fiction, this is light years outside my comfort zone. I think the last science fiction book I read was 46 years ago.
A message to Goodreads
Please try harder.
"Based on your reading preferences, you might enjoy...." followed with details of this book.
Having read nothing but non-fiction for about 3 years, what is there about this book that could possibly, in a million years, appeal to me? Even when I DID read fiction, this is light years outside my comfort zone. I think the last science fiction book I read was 46 years ago.
A message to Goodreads
Please try harder.
December 13, 2018
All aboard! This incredible space-train finale really shoots for the stars, and finish the series with a bang 🌟.
The Railhead books has always been one of my favorite scifi-series, and while it’s sad to see it come to an end, the ending itself was a good one.
It’s been a year since the Khoorsandi-gate opened up the Web of Worlds (and all it’s aliens) to the human empire. While the Noon family loves exploiting those new worlds, railhead Zen Sterling is left rich, famous, and bored.
Thankfully a mysterious message leads Zen to flip everything into chaos, upsetting several omnipotent Guardians and awakening something new in the trains that will change the whole rail-system, once again.
“It certainly makes a dramatic end to the story,” the Guardian admitted. “The question is, have you turned out to be the hero or the villain?”
So much is going on in this last book – Zen’s mission, Nova’s plans, a potential war, powerful Guardians, Threnody coming into power – that I was worried how Reeve would wrap everything up, but he did a wonderful job. A bit too neatly, but okay.
Some elements didn’t work out – the Emperor was barely a threat, Zen’s character development is zero – but Flex, the heist at the Slow Train, and Threnody’s relationship with the Kraitt were amazing.
And the trains! GhostWolf and the Damask Rose are my favorite characters and to see them again was the best part of this finale.
Above all, the questions this series raises about humanity, personality (how much is your clone you?), and stability VS. change are and stay relevant. That, and the fact that all the characters are POC and no one bats an eye about LGBTQ-relationships. :)
I personally give the finale 3,5 stars but the overal Railhead-story definitely is worth 4: the creative world-building, the fascinating characters (The Hive Monks!), the wild adventures at all the different planets...they all were a joy to read and meet. ❤️
“Listen, there on the wind, there on the radio waves, faint and wild and far away and forever singing, the trains, the trains, the trains.”
Read here my reviews of the other books in the Railhead series: #1 Railhead | #2 Black Light Express
The Railhead books has always been one of my favorite scifi-series, and while it’s sad to see it come to an end, the ending itself was a good one.
It’s been a year since the Khoorsandi-gate opened up the Web of Worlds (and all it’s aliens) to the human empire. While the Noon family loves exploiting those new worlds, railhead Zen Sterling is left rich, famous, and bored.
Thankfully a mysterious message leads Zen to flip everything into chaos, upsetting several omnipotent Guardians and awakening something new in the trains that will change the whole rail-system, once again.
“It certainly makes a dramatic end to the story,” the Guardian admitted. “The question is, have you turned out to be the hero or the villain?”
So much is going on in this last book – Zen’s mission, Nova’s plans, a potential war, powerful Guardians, Threnody coming into power – that I was worried how Reeve would wrap everything up, but he did a wonderful job. A bit too neatly, but okay.
Some elements didn’t work out – the Emperor was barely a threat, Zen’s character development is zero – but Flex, the heist at the Slow Train, and Threnody’s relationship with the Kraitt were amazing.
And the trains! GhostWolf and the Damask Rose are my favorite characters and to see them again was the best part of this finale.
Above all, the questions this series raises about humanity, personality (how much is your clone you?), and stability VS. change are and stay relevant. That, and the fact that all the characters are POC and no one bats an eye about LGBTQ-relationships. :)
I personally give the finale 3,5 stars but the overal Railhead-story definitely is worth 4: the creative world-building, the fascinating characters (The Hive Monks!), the wild adventures at all the different planets...they all were a joy to read and meet. ❤️
“Listen, there on the wind, there on the radio waves, faint and wild and far away and forever singing, the trains, the trains, the trains.”
Read here my reviews of the other books in the Railhead series: #1 Railhead | #2 Black Light Express
April 28, 2019
4.5
If you are looking for an amazing sci-fi, you NEED to try this series. They are so underrated, and they are honestly incredible - the diversity, creativity, the characters and the writing are all amazing, and I thoroughly recommend it to everyone. I love the world as well, because whilst it is not perfect in anyway, there are a lot of positive sides to it that is quite rare to see in a lot of sci-fi/fantasy books.
If you are looking for an amazing sci-fi, you NEED to try this series. They are so underrated, and they are honestly incredible - the diversity, creativity, the characters and the writing are all amazing, and I thoroughly recommend it to everyone. I love the world as well, because whilst it is not perfect in anyway, there are a lot of positive sides to it that is quite rare to see in a lot of sci-fi/fantasy books.
May 3, 2018
This whole series has been a complete joy of wonder and imagination and space and trains, and this final installment is no different. The universe is getting bigger, the worlds are getting weirder and right at the heart of it all is Zen, rich now but utterly miserable from missing Nova. He’s come a long way since the poor thief riding trains in the first book, yet at heart he’s still the same. Which means both trouble and adventure are just around the corner.
New K-gates opening up in abandoned places with tracks that lead to nowhere; the human empire torn in two with war massing on both sides; the once omnipotent Guardians uncertain of what to do; and always, always the trains, crossing the universe and singing songs that no human understands… Everything hangs in an uneasy balance, and Zen’s just the person to flip it all back into chaos again. Without even trying.
There were plenty of times when I wondered how this could possibly be the last book in the series. There’s so much to get through – a potential war, the mystery of the Railmaker, Zen’s mission, Nova’s plans, Threnody’s awakening – yet somehow, some way, this book manages to wrap it all up. I’ll admit I wasn’t that interested in Threnody’s adventures – although I did like her changing perception of the Kraitt – and Nova felt more distant than ever, but it was nice to see Flex again, the Guardians were surprisingly entertaining, and Zen is always interesting to follow around. Plus the trains. The trains! Damask Rose and Ghost Wolf are my absolute favourite characters from the whole series, so I loved seeing them both again.
Fast and intense, this book rattles along, frequently questioning what makes a person and whether being human is the only way to be, while also pitting progress against safety. It’s exciting throughout, almost heartbreaking at times, yet funny and hopeful too. It was a fitting end to an excellent series – the only downside is that it’s over.
(ARC provided by the publisher.)
New K-gates opening up in abandoned places with tracks that lead to nowhere; the human empire torn in two with war massing on both sides; the once omnipotent Guardians uncertain of what to do; and always, always the trains, crossing the universe and singing songs that no human understands… Everything hangs in an uneasy balance, and Zen’s just the person to flip it all back into chaos again. Without even trying.
There were plenty of times when I wondered how this could possibly be the last book in the series. There’s so much to get through – a potential war, the mystery of the Railmaker, Zen’s mission, Nova’s plans, Threnody’s awakening – yet somehow, some way, this book manages to wrap it all up. I’ll admit I wasn’t that interested in Threnody’s adventures – although I did like her changing perception of the Kraitt – and Nova felt more distant than ever, but it was nice to see Flex again, the Guardians were surprisingly entertaining, and Zen is always interesting to follow around. Plus the trains. The trains! Damask Rose and Ghost Wolf are my absolute favourite characters from the whole series, so I loved seeing them both again.
Fast and intense, this book rattles along, frequently questioning what makes a person and whether being human is the only way to be, while also pitting progress against safety. It’s exciting throughout, almost heartbreaking at times, yet funny and hopeful too. It was a fitting end to an excellent series – the only downside is that it’s over.
(ARC provided by the publisher.)
September 6, 2018
[L]isten, there on the wind, there on the radio waves, faint and wild and far away and forever singing, the trains, the trains, the trains...Initially I was going to give this 4.99 stars but seriously, even though I loved Chandni Hansa, I don't think not having her physically appear in this book really counts as a fault. So here, HAVE MY 5 STARS.
What a book. Laughed out loud, hyperventilated because S H I T W E N T D O W N, and literally sobbed my eyes out at one point. Reeve writes in such a lovely style - wonderfully evocative words spinning starlight portraits of each lushly imagined world. Yet never purple, never info-dumpy, always a joy to read. Reeve's writing reminds me a bit of Neil Gaiman and Patrick Ness, two other authors who I admire immensely - their writing is just so beautiful and emotive and spiced with splashes of humour alternatingly sardonic and witty.
Also, THE CHARACTERS. I NEED TO SHOUT OUT THE TRAINS. I am so emotionally attached to the sentient locos in this series, it's unreal. The Damask Rose and Ghost Wolf are SO well-developed and I'm so fond of them - which is really a testament to Reeve's characterisation because they don't have faces, only voices. And what voices they have. Reeve has written the trains so well that now I will have to cry myself to sleep nightly probably because I'll never hear trainsong floating from world to world across the galaxy and beyond.
Right, now I'm going to devote a lil' paragraph to my bbs Zen (human) and Nova (Motorik, aka v advanced android). They are literally one of my favourite ships of all time, and I wanted to PUNCH SOMEONE IN THE FACE WHEN , but thank god Reeve is not PULLMAN, YES, I'M STILL SALTY EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN YEARS, LYRA AND WILL DESERVED BETTER. Zen and Nova's characters grow so much throughout the trilogy.
She did not know why he meant so much to her. There were so many wonders in the realms of the Railmaker, so many life forms on the Web of Worlds, and Zen was just one particular collection of atoms; it was silly that she needed him so badly... But she was very glad that he was there with her. He was her favourite collection of atoms.
Their love is also important as a theme throughout this book because it is real, despite everyone telling Zen that love with a 'wire dolly' (slur for Motorik) is no substitute for human company, despite Nova being able to live simultaneously in hundreds of copies of herself while Zen is just the one human...yet Nova is Nova, just as much a person as Zen is a person, as are the trains, as are the weird and inhuman aliens living on the Web of Worlds. Do you even have to be a human to be a person?
There's all sorts of interesting questions in this book, e.g. about virtual vs real (what's to say the simulation is less real?). Living a hundred different lives simultaneously may initially seem like the realm of AI and 'non-human', but Reeve (through Nova) points out that through our daydreams, memories, stories told and games played, humans do carry on multiple selves - and which is less real than the other? And the question if whether being the hero or the villain even matters at the end, as long as you've won. And possibly the most important, overarching question of this trilogy: Is safety within the known and controllable worth the price of isolationism? Censorship? The loss of what-could-be?'Let them be free', said Mordaunt 90.Pre-review:
Just ordered my copy!! So excited omg
June 15, 2018
I'm wary of my rating for this, and I might reconsider because I'm beginning to appreciate how difficult it is to tie up a trilogy, but right now, having finished the book within the last 10 minutes I'm a bit disappointed with how easily some things were sorted out. I'd always suspected that the Railhead trilogy would end as it did , but not quite how it did it. The world of Railhead is a glorious one and Zen and Nova are great characters. I would really like to give this four stars, but the ending wasn't quite right for me. #Update 15th June: I’ve changed my rating from 3 to 4 stars after reading two books, Steeplejack and Arabella of Mars, both of which are clearly 3 star books in my opinion, and Station Zero outclasses them by some margin.# One final word: don't mess with a Zodiac C-12. Just don't.
May 11, 2018
CRYING
ABOUT
TRAINS
-
I haven't done formal reviews of any of Philip's books, even though they are my always-favorites. So I'll just list a lot of good things.
-I love trains and space trains and the majesty reeve is able to convey about traveling, and why people love it
-aliens and alien cultures and future culture! world-building is still top notch
-Amazing AI stuff. The best AIs I've read, where you both see the humanity and inhumanity of them, and that isn't divided into fields of 'humans love' 'inhumans don't feel'. It's complex and beautiful, and the Guardians, Motoriks, and trains are all different entities and all very awesome people.
-Even though I still cry a lot, a nice happy sort of conclusion over all that just makes me smile and feel good and excited. This book COULD be a saga that doesn't really end, unlike ME, railhead has always been more loose and open ended. But it ends perfectly here.
-CRYING ABOUT TRAINS
-the worldbuilding is so top notch, but I also love how funny it is. Reeve's ability to have humor in simple descriptions, sort of observations on how the world (probably) will be, is incredible. There's a lot of small details that aren't demanding your attention, aren't over the top jokes, but are quite funny.
-There's also just some good jokes
-The diversity of the alien enviroments is wonderful. Again. Reeve is famous in my heart for his ability to make worlds, and railhead is all about a bunch of different worlds. We see living plants, bio domes, moving coral, dinosaur parks, endless metropolis, alien slums, and so much more, all different and wondrous.
-We sort of see a return of a lot of 'old friends', to avoid spoilers. It's good to see all of them again!
-The series has always been more interested in world development than character, but the characters are still well drawn and engaging. I really do like Threony in this, even if I can never spell her name- she really comes into her own. Zen and nova are so sweet and lovely to follow, also.
-I was disapointed with how small this book was, but it felt so much huger than it was by virtue of the writing and story!
ABOUT
TRAINS
-
I haven't done formal reviews of any of Philip's books, even though they are my always-favorites. So I'll just list a lot of good things.
-I love trains and space trains and the majesty reeve is able to convey about traveling, and why people love it
-aliens and alien cultures and future culture! world-building is still top notch
-Amazing AI stuff. The best AIs I've read, where you both see the humanity and inhumanity of them, and that isn't divided into fields of 'humans love' 'inhumans don't feel'. It's complex and beautiful, and the Guardians, Motoriks, and trains are all different entities and all very awesome people.
-Even though I still cry a lot, a nice happy sort of conclusion over all that just makes me smile and feel good and excited. This book COULD be a saga that doesn't really end, unlike ME, railhead has always been more loose and open ended. But it ends perfectly here.
-CRYING ABOUT TRAINS
-the worldbuilding is so top notch, but I also love how funny it is. Reeve's ability to have humor in simple descriptions, sort of observations on how the world (probably) will be, is incredible. There's a lot of small details that aren't demanding your attention, aren't over the top jokes, but are quite funny.
-There's also just some good jokes
-The diversity of the alien enviroments is wonderful. Again. Reeve is famous in my heart for his ability to make worlds, and railhead is all about a bunch of different worlds. We see living plants, bio domes, moving coral, dinosaur parks, endless metropolis, alien slums, and so much more, all different and wondrous.
-We sort of see a return of a lot of 'old friends', to avoid spoilers. It's good to see all of them again!
-The series has always been more interested in world development than character, but the characters are still well drawn and engaging. I really do like Threony in this, even if I can never spell her name- she really comes into her own. Zen and nova are so sweet and lovely to follow, also.
-I was disapointed with how small this book was, but it felt so much huger than it was by virtue of the writing and story!
April 3, 2025
Story: 4 stars
Audio: 4 stars
Narrator: Malk Williams
Audio: 4 stars
Narrator: Malk Williams
November 22, 2020
This book concludes the trilogy, and does a great job of it. This series could be called first-class young adult space opera. With lots of aliens, and various types of AIs that can embody themselves in various ways. And instead of spaceships, the trains and rails. It has the usual main character tropes of the young thief-turned-universe-changer, the young Empress who comes into her own, and a assorted supporting cast. This book resolves pretty much all of the loose ends, in unexpected ways and not without loss and heartbreak. And leaves on a closing note of, what's the opposite of xenophobia? I guess that's openness and curiosity. Refreshingly optimistic.
July 16, 2023
4.5 stars
Can't believe this made me invested in a romantic relationship between two trains...
Strong end to a solid trilogy with a great cast of characters, Zen and Threnody especially.
Can't believe this made me invested in a romantic relationship between two trains...
Strong end to a solid trilogy with a great cast of characters, Zen and Threnody especially.
February 1, 2019
Publishing Date: January 2019
Publisher: Capstone
ISBN:9781684460533
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 2.8/5
Publisher’s Description: What happens after the adventure of a lifetime? For Zen, it’s a safe, comfortable life of luxury. But it’s not what Zen wants. He misses the thrill of riding the rails, of dodging danger, and of breathing the air of different planets. Most of all of course he misses Nova, lost to him forever in a distant world. But then one day a mysterious message arrives, and that’s all Zen needs to head right off, ready for anything. Except that no one could be ready for what he finds…Thrilling, thought-provoking, and breathtaking, this finale to the Railhead trilogy weaves a web of wonder, full of characters and events you will never forget.
Review: This took me a long time to complete so perhaps this review might convey a lack of consistency. The reason is that this particular download was only for an Adobe Reader and not Kindle. Big PITA.
This novel had it’s ups and downs yet was fairly entertaining. While the movement was very good, there were times that the story line languished under the personal ruminations of various characters. The tech and subsequent SciFi were very good and highly creative. For a final novel of the trilogy, this was a let down. The build of tension that is expected was diluted with multiple scenes and the expected details of a war, were glossed over.
Zen is a great character that carries this series on his shoulders but was somehow relegated to “meh” status in this installment.
Publisher: Capstone
ISBN:9781684460533
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 2.8/5
Publisher’s Description: What happens after the adventure of a lifetime? For Zen, it’s a safe, comfortable life of luxury. But it’s not what Zen wants. He misses the thrill of riding the rails, of dodging danger, and of breathing the air of different planets. Most of all of course he misses Nova, lost to him forever in a distant world. But then one day a mysterious message arrives, and that’s all Zen needs to head right off, ready for anything. Except that no one could be ready for what he finds…Thrilling, thought-provoking, and breathtaking, this finale to the Railhead trilogy weaves a web of wonder, full of characters and events you will never forget.
Review: This took me a long time to complete so perhaps this review might convey a lack of consistency. The reason is that this particular download was only for an Adobe Reader and not Kindle. Big PITA.
This novel had it’s ups and downs yet was fairly entertaining. While the movement was very good, there were times that the story line languished under the personal ruminations of various characters. The tech and subsequent SciFi were very good and highly creative. For a final novel of the trilogy, this was a let down. The build of tension that is expected was diluted with multiple scenes and the expected details of a war, were glossed over.
Zen is a great character that carries this series on his shoulders but was somehow relegated to “meh” status in this installment.
November 4, 2018
A strong, deeply satisfying — but not quite happy and definitely not too neat — ending to a brilliant and criminally underrated series. The world is just brilliant, unlike anything else out there; maybe this could be a comp for Railsea, but really it’s totally original. I’m hoping the world gets the Fever Crumb treatment — a revisit in the form of a different time. I’d love more guardians, more world.
May 25, 2019
A fitting ending to a good series. Not my favorite series but the plot was very interesting and kept twisting and turning.
December 23, 2021
Wraps up most of the loose threads left standing, and brings the series to a generally satisfying close. My only real criticism is that everything feels a little too neat, a little too easy. Not exactly rushed, just that there feels like a minimum of effort expended by the main characters. This feels especially true for Zen, who mostly just... rides along. Emperor Prell turns out to basically be a nonentity, too. Threnody has had the most character development through the series, and it was certainly interesting to see where she left off. I appreciate the ambiguity Reeve left her with. Zen and Nova's endings are unexpected, but feel right for the characters. A good enough ending, just a little too easy.
May 12, 2020
An imaginative, exciting conclusion to a fantastic trilogy!
June 19, 2023
New Words Learnt - 1
4.5 stars, rounded up to five here because the trilogy deserves this.
This review will contain major spoilers, and although I will try and mark as many as I can, the tone used might still give away things I do not intend to, plus this review contains spoilers for the previous two books which I will not be flagging so this your general warning and proceed with caution. Book review first, then trilogy review afterwards.
Following the ending of Black Light Express, I couldn't see many directions this one could go . There were a couple, but you had to reignite the story from near scratch to regain momentum. But perhaps rather than a full stop, proceedings were paused. Elon Prell is the emperor, the Railmaker is still but a mystery, and our lovebirds are separated. War is brimming, Zen is alone and miserable, and our lovable AI gods have gone full on paranoid. Well, luckily Philip Reeve is a master storyteller who can effortlessly restart a story just as easily as he can end it.
I've said it once and I'll say it again, I love the world-building in this series. 19 new planet names in this book, taking our overall tally to 76planet names + 2moon names. Some of the planet names are actually Station names like Grand Central and Golden Junction but I just threw them in with the rest of the other ones for good measure. Anyway, the reason I felt that the WB is so good is that because if you take the characters and the story out of the world, it still felt as fleshed out as ever. The characters weren't dictating the world around them (in a literary sense), but instead they were interacting with it, and it was as simple as adding a little bit of history to this place or that person. The results were so rewarding. I also love the glossary at the end that adds extra information, even if it can end up contradictory to what's mentioned in the books (Threnody I or II?), or include a typo as seen on p272 in the Deeka section 'beieve' (I'm sorry!).
I love the different parts the book is divided in, I loved the Trainsong part because of its great revelation . I will say that even though the ending was what you would expect from a Philip Reeve series ender, I did not personally agree with everything, but for the most part it was an action-packed, emotional, high stakes finale that wrapped up most things . One final thing I did want to mention which I've been wondering since book one is what exactly does Eastern Branches mean on a galactic scale? East, West, North and South don't make any sense in space at all.
Characters was once more a great mixture of recurring and new . Their interactions and dialogue was entertaining as ever.
I loved the writing which once more built up the tension and played with my emotions. One line I especially loved came from Damask Rose on p196 "Sometimes it is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.” I love it so much. Another one is .
P156, Line 8 is missing an opening speech quote which confused the hell out of me for a minute. I think that's everything for the book review.
SERIES REVIEW:
A seriously underrated, under-read trilogy that deserves the same level of attention the Mortal Engines Quartet got. It ticks all the right boxes for a sci-fi series, the world-building is extensive and detailed, the stakes and emotions are high and personal, the writing is amazing, the characters are memorable and quotable, and this has become one of my favourite series.
P.S. If it rocks your boat, there is also a surprisingly high amount of representation here as well.
4.5 stars, rounded up to five here because the trilogy deserves this.
This review will contain major spoilers, and although I will try and mark as many as I can, the tone used might still give away things I do not intend to, plus this review contains spoilers for the previous two books which I will not be flagging so this your general warning and proceed with caution. Book review first, then trilogy review afterwards.
Following the ending of Black Light Express, I couldn't see many directions this one could go . There were a couple, but you had to reignite the story from near scratch to regain momentum. But perhaps rather than a full stop, proceedings were paused. Elon Prell is the emperor, the Railmaker is still but a mystery, and our lovebirds are separated. War is brimming, Zen is alone and miserable, and our lovable AI gods have gone full on paranoid. Well, luckily Philip Reeve is a master storyteller who can effortlessly restart a story just as easily as he can end it.
I've said it once and I'll say it again, I love the world-building in this series. 19 new planet names in this book, taking our overall tally to 76planet names + 2moon names. Some of the planet names are actually Station names like Grand Central and Golden Junction but I just threw them in with the rest of the other ones for good measure. Anyway, the reason I felt that the WB is so good is that because if you take the characters and the story out of the world, it still felt as fleshed out as ever. The characters weren't dictating the world around them (in a literary sense), but instead they were interacting with it, and it was as simple as adding a little bit of history to this place or that person. The results were so rewarding. I also love the glossary at the end that adds extra information, even if it can end up contradictory to what's mentioned in the books (Threnody I or II?), or include a typo as seen on p272 in the Deeka section 'beieve' (I'm sorry!).
I love the different parts the book is divided in, I loved the Trainsong part because of its great revelation . I will say that even though the ending was what you would expect from a Philip Reeve series ender, I did not personally agree with everything, but for the most part it was an action-packed, emotional, high stakes finale that wrapped up most things . One final thing I did want to mention which I've been wondering since book one is what exactly does Eastern Branches mean on a galactic scale? East, West, North and South don't make any sense in space at all.
Characters was once more a great mixture of recurring and new . Their interactions and dialogue was entertaining as ever.
I loved the writing which once more built up the tension and played with my emotions. One line I especially loved came from Damask Rose on p196 "Sometimes it is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.” I love it so much. Another one is .
P156, Line 8 is missing an opening speech quote which confused the hell out of me for a minute. I think that's everything for the book review.
SERIES REVIEW:
A seriously underrated, under-read trilogy that deserves the same level of attention the Mortal Engines Quartet got. It ticks all the right boxes for a sci-fi series, the world-building is extensive and detailed, the stakes and emotions are high and personal, the writing is amazing, the characters are memorable and quotable, and this has become one of my favourite series.
P.S. If it rocks your boat, there is also a surprisingly high amount of representation here as well.
March 4, 2019
Philip Reeve has written many books for children and teenagers and is most known for his book series called The Mortal Engines. This series was even made into a movie just this year. In addition, he is known for a few other series besides The Railhead Trilogy such as the Buster Bayliss series and the Larknight trilogy. Books similar TO STATION ZERO and the Railhead Trilogy include the Legend Trilogy by Marie Lu because they follow almost the exact same concept. Another good book similar to STATION ZERO is THE CHILDREN OF CASTLE ROCK by Natasha Farrant.
In the final installment of the Railhead Trilogy, Zen Starling has pretty much anything anyone can ask for. He’s rich, has a nice and luxurious home, owns his own car and even is somewhat famous. However there’s one problem: he’s unhappy, unhappy about his past actions and unhappy about some of the mistakes that he made. One day when Zen receives a message comes through the Datasea with coordinates of Nova's voice, he immediately takes this as a chance to escape his home and once more be the rebel and rail rider he once was. Not to mention, he wishes to see Nova, a motoric, because he was unsure about what had happened to her and had feelings for her.
In the midst of all of this, things are at a stalemate between the Prell Empire and the Noon Empire. The Noon Empire wishes to explore a bunch of new worlds that were just discovered but, on the contrary, the Prell Empire wishes to shut down this new K-gate for good. I don’t wish to spoil the book but Nova and Zen meet again and together they decided to try and find out the secrets behind the Railmaster. The one problem is that the Guardians are willing to do everything to prevent this from happening and now the question becomes, why? Zen and Nova escape dangers, receive help from unexpected allies, and in the midst of it, their bond strengthens.
This book was a pleasure to read because the plot of the whole story was amazing and like a roller coaster with many flips and unexpected turns. In addition, some of the characters that were in the first book came back. I won’t list names, you will just have to wait and see! The Guardians were more interesting and the story of the Railmaster because very intriguing. All of the mysteries and questions you had throughout the whole series gets explained by the end of the story which is good.
There were many good things about this book but at the same time, there were some flaws that should be noted. For instance, in some series, you are able to start reading at a random book and then come back to read the rest. This is not the case with STATION ZERO, it is necessary for you to read the other two books in the trilogy otherwise you won’t understand what’s happening and why they are happening. Also, the first 50 pages or so of the book were bridging any time lapse that occurred from the previous book to this one. Lastly, in my opinion, Philip, the author finished off the whole series to neatly leaving me with very little questions to ponder about.
I would recommend this book to anyone that’s a fan of mystery action books. In my opinion, STATION ZERO combined Harry Potter and the Legend Trilogy together and ended up making something more modern. Therefore it’s fair for me to say that STATION ZERO is one of the best conclusions to a trilogy that I have read in a while. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did!
In the final installment of the Railhead Trilogy, Zen Starling has pretty much anything anyone can ask for. He’s rich, has a nice and luxurious home, owns his own car and even is somewhat famous. However there’s one problem: he’s unhappy, unhappy about his past actions and unhappy about some of the mistakes that he made. One day when Zen receives a message comes through the Datasea with coordinates of Nova's voice, he immediately takes this as a chance to escape his home and once more be the rebel and rail rider he once was. Not to mention, he wishes to see Nova, a motoric, because he was unsure about what had happened to her and had feelings for her.
In the midst of all of this, things are at a stalemate between the Prell Empire and the Noon Empire. The Noon Empire wishes to explore a bunch of new worlds that were just discovered but, on the contrary, the Prell Empire wishes to shut down this new K-gate for good. I don’t wish to spoil the book but Nova and Zen meet again and together they decided to try and find out the secrets behind the Railmaster. The one problem is that the Guardians are willing to do everything to prevent this from happening and now the question becomes, why? Zen and Nova escape dangers, receive help from unexpected allies, and in the midst of it, their bond strengthens.
This book was a pleasure to read because the plot of the whole story was amazing and like a roller coaster with many flips and unexpected turns. In addition, some of the characters that were in the first book came back. I won’t list names, you will just have to wait and see! The Guardians were more interesting and the story of the Railmaster because very intriguing. All of the mysteries and questions you had throughout the whole series gets explained by the end of the story which is good.
There were many good things about this book but at the same time, there were some flaws that should be noted. For instance, in some series, you are able to start reading at a random book and then come back to read the rest. This is not the case with STATION ZERO, it is necessary for you to read the other two books in the trilogy otherwise you won’t understand what’s happening and why they are happening. Also, the first 50 pages or so of the book were bridging any time lapse that occurred from the previous book to this one. Lastly, in my opinion, Philip, the author finished off the whole series to neatly leaving me with very little questions to ponder about.
I would recommend this book to anyone that’s a fan of mystery action books. In my opinion, STATION ZERO combined Harry Potter and the Legend Trilogy together and ended up making something more modern. Therefore it’s fair for me to say that STATION ZERO is one of the best conclusions to a trilogy that I have read in a while. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did!
January 8, 2019
I did it again. I requested a book that concludes a trilogy I haven't read. Oops.
Because I didn't read the previous books in this series I'm afraid my review is probably going to be a bit more critical than if I had read them. The first thing I'm going to say is that I had problems immersing myself in the world set by Reeve, and a lot of the concepts, characters and terms used took a bit of getting used to. For wanting of a better phrase, I "had trouble getting into it".
I do believe that the best books, whether part of a series or not, can be read as standalone novels. There should be enough detail in a book for any reader to follow and enjoy it without having read the previous books. This was not particularly easy to follow at first, but I did begin to enjoy it after a short while.
As this is a conclusion to a trilogy, I really don't want to give too much away. It begins with Zen Starling sneaking onto an alien train - as this is set in a universe with intergalactic railways. He's sent a mysterious message, which he believes to be from an entity called Nova. I eventually learned that this was a "Motorik" that Zen fell in love with. She was trapped in the Black Light Zone (which I'm afraid I can't really explain at all). Anyway, Zen wants to find her. But it turns out that there's more to the story than just her.
As I can't give the plot away too much I'm going to have to be really vague with my review. The most notable thing may be how Reeve portrays technology. For example, the trains in this book seem to be conscious. All phenomenons are carefully explained through science, and there is even a theme of discussion over whether Motoriks are people or not. I thought this was really interesting, and definitely a relevant topic to include in a sci-fi novel. There is also the theme of aliens being people, too, rather than being seen as lesser beings.
My favourite characters (if they can be called that) may actually have been the trains. I won't give anything away, but I seriously admired them!
The bigger themes in this novel were a bit confusing to me. For example, the Railmaker. I understood what it was (kind of) but I didn't really get why it was quite so important. And Raven. I had no idea who he was at first - he was obviously introduced in an earlier book, and so the reader was expected to be familiar with him by now.
There were a lot of really interesting, well-developed concepts in this, and I really admired how most things were explained through science and not left to 'magic' or some unknown force. I am aware that I would probably have a different opinion if I had read the rest of the series first, so I am very sorry I was unable to do that. As a standalone novel I'd give this 3 stars, but as it is not actually a standalone, I will give it 3.5.
Because I didn't read the previous books in this series I'm afraid my review is probably going to be a bit more critical than if I had read them. The first thing I'm going to say is that I had problems immersing myself in the world set by Reeve, and a lot of the concepts, characters and terms used took a bit of getting used to. For wanting of a better phrase, I "had trouble getting into it".
I do believe that the best books, whether part of a series or not, can be read as standalone novels. There should be enough detail in a book for any reader to follow and enjoy it without having read the previous books. This was not particularly easy to follow at first, but I did begin to enjoy it after a short while.
As this is a conclusion to a trilogy, I really don't want to give too much away. It begins with Zen Starling sneaking onto an alien train - as this is set in a universe with intergalactic railways. He's sent a mysterious message, which he believes to be from an entity called Nova. I eventually learned that this was a "Motorik" that Zen fell in love with. She was trapped in the Black Light Zone (which I'm afraid I can't really explain at all). Anyway, Zen wants to find her. But it turns out that there's more to the story than just her.
As I can't give the plot away too much I'm going to have to be really vague with my review. The most notable thing may be how Reeve portrays technology. For example, the trains in this book seem to be conscious. All phenomenons are carefully explained through science, and there is even a theme of discussion over whether Motoriks are people or not. I thought this was really interesting, and definitely a relevant topic to include in a sci-fi novel. There is also the theme of aliens being people, too, rather than being seen as lesser beings.
My favourite characters (if they can be called that) may actually have been the trains. I won't give anything away, but I seriously admired them!
The bigger themes in this novel were a bit confusing to me. For example, the Railmaker. I understood what it was (kind of) but I didn't really get why it was quite so important. And Raven. I had no idea who he was at first - he was obviously introduced in an earlier book, and so the reader was expected to be familiar with him by now.
There were a lot of really interesting, well-developed concepts in this, and I really admired how most things were explained through science and not left to 'magic' or some unknown force. I am aware that I would probably have a different opinion if I had read the rest of the series first, so I am very sorry I was unable to do that. As a standalone novel I'd give this 3 stars, but as it is not actually a standalone, I will give it 3.5.
July 24, 2018
It was... fine. Didn't enjoy it as much as the previous two.
Even though 'lots' happened, it felt like not much happened? The whole thing seemed weirdly rushed, and some of the characters totally changed direction/motivation/made stupid decisions for the plot to move forward, which irritated me. Their actions were not justified by development.
Also felt more transparently political; the author was more on board.
My suspense of disbelief has been tugging at me all through these books, and I realised what it was. The Guardians, supposedly ancient in their knowledge and wisdom, read like a bunch of scared toddlers arguing. It's illogical, inconsistent and - once I noticed it - pretty annoying.
I also struggled to have any empathy for any of the characters. I wanted to know more about the Railmaker; it felt like a copout that we weren't given more there.
Did NOT like the way Threnody's story ended. It felt very contrived. So did Zen's, for that matter.
He didn't have sufficient character development throughout the series. There was a half-hearted attempt to correct that in this book, but it only highlighted how unlikeable he really was as a protaganist.
On the plus side, the trains. By far the best thing about this whole series.
Even though 'lots' happened, it felt like not much happened? The whole thing seemed weirdly rushed, and some of the characters totally changed direction/motivation/made stupid decisions for the plot to move forward, which irritated me. Their actions were not justified by development.
Also felt more transparently political; the author was more on board.
My suspense of disbelief has been tugging at me all through these books, and I realised what it was. The Guardians, supposedly ancient in their knowledge and wisdom, read like a bunch of scared toddlers arguing. It's illogical, inconsistent and - once I noticed it - pretty annoying.
I also struggled to have any empathy for any of the characters. I wanted to know more about the Railmaker; it felt like a copout that we weren't given more there.
Did NOT like the way Threnody's story ended. It felt very contrived. So did Zen's, for that matter.
He didn't have sufficient character development throughout the series. There was a half-hearted attempt to correct that in this book, but it only highlighted how unlikeable he really was as a protaganist.
On the plus side, the trains. By far the best thing about this whole series.
June 25, 2018
Zen Starling has just about everything he thought he ever wanted. A nice house, plenty of money, his own car, mild fame...and he is utterly miserable. When a message comes through the Datasea with coordinates in Nova's voice, he jumps at the chance to escape the trappings of Noon ritzy, imperial life and hit the rails again with a new mission.
Things are at a very uneasy stalemate between the Prell empire and the Noon empires. Everyone knows that as soon as the guardians hint to Elon Prell he's allowed, he's going to eagerly attack...and likely decimate the new Noon empire and likely their new alien allies too. The Noons want to negotiate, but is there even a chance of a peaceful end to this?
After spending time as a fugitive, Threnody is finding her life as empress definitely more comfortable in many ways...but somewhat awkward in other ways. She must decide if she is content being a pampered puppet and the face of the empire for more power hungry family members or if it'd be worth the fight to take back the reins.
And Nova, well Nova thinks she knows how to make the Railmaster live again. But that is an idea that makes the Guardians very, very nervous and they'll do just about anything to stop it from happening.
Once again Reeve has taken us on a most imaginative adventure over rails across space. There are new twists and turns. A few old characters we haven't seen much since the first book are back. The Guardians are more and more interesting (and in extremely imaginative locations), and the history of the Railmaster is more and more intriguing (and yes, that plot line is finally answered in this one). I can't decide how I feel about the ending of this book (and with it the entire series, because this is the last - though things are just open enough if Reeve gets inspired we could find ourselves traveling through K-gates again in the future). I can't figure out if Reeve is genius enough to have created all this tech and a world in which he could write things out the way he did and make just about any reader happy with the ending...or if he couldn't choose how to end things and thus wrapped things up the way he did . It was either brilliant or extremely indecisive, and I guess only Reeve will ever know. Given his brilliant world building throughout the series, I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. In all, I am ok with the ending he chose, not blown away, and not mad, but I'll definitely be holding out hope for future inspiration and more adventures through the K-gates because as we saw at the beginning of this book, Zen Starling needs excitement on the rails to keep himself (and us readers) happy.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content beyond a couple kisses (man and a robot who is something more, and girl with girl). There are a few battle scenes with fatalities and serious injuries. At worst some blood is described, no guts or anything, but the seriousness of the injuries and deaths is conveyed.
Things are at a very uneasy stalemate between the Prell empire and the Noon empires. Everyone knows that as soon as the guardians hint to Elon Prell he's allowed, he's going to eagerly attack...and likely decimate the new Noon empire and likely their new alien allies too. The Noons want to negotiate, but is there even a chance of a peaceful end to this?
After spending time as a fugitive, Threnody is finding her life as empress definitely more comfortable in many ways...but somewhat awkward in other ways. She must decide if she is content being a pampered puppet and the face of the empire for more power hungry family members or if it'd be worth the fight to take back the reins.
And Nova, well Nova thinks she knows how to make the Railmaster live again. But that is an idea that makes the Guardians very, very nervous and they'll do just about anything to stop it from happening.
Once again Reeve has taken us on a most imaginative adventure over rails across space. There are new twists and turns. A few old characters we haven't seen much since the first book are back. The Guardians are more and more interesting (and in extremely imaginative locations), and the history of the Railmaster is more and more intriguing (and yes, that plot line is finally answered in this one). I can't decide how I feel about the ending of this book (and with it the entire series, because this is the last - though things are just open enough if Reeve gets inspired we could find ourselves traveling through K-gates again in the future). I can't figure out if Reeve is genius enough to have created all this tech and a world in which he could write things out the way he did and make just about any reader happy with the ending...or if he couldn't choose how to end things and thus wrapped things up the way he did . It was either brilliant or extremely indecisive, and I guess only Reeve will ever know. Given his brilliant world building throughout the series, I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. In all, I am ok with the ending he chose, not blown away, and not mad, but I'll definitely be holding out hope for future inspiration and more adventures through the K-gates because as we saw at the beginning of this book, Zen Starling needs excitement on the rails to keep himself (and us readers) happy.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content beyond a couple kisses (man and a robot who is something more, and girl with girl). There are a few battle scenes with fatalities and serious injuries. At worst some blood is described, no guts or anything, but the seriousness of the injuries and deaths is conveyed.
December 26, 2018
With how much a fan I am of Philip’s Mortal Engines quartet, it’s no surprise that the Railhead series was on my radar. True to form of Reeve’s high-concept scifi designs, leaping into the world of Railhead was an absolute delight. I can’t wait to finally have a matching set of the new cover design with the upcoming release of Station Zero in the new art style much more befitting of the theme of the novels.
If you’re new to the Railhead series and are just looking at reviews before trying the books, Read. Them. The Railhead universe is such an amazing and diverse sci-fi space opera set to a theme of locomotive space travel. The trains aren’t just settings for the scenes however. They are characters themselves powered by AI’s as unique and individual as any of the main characters. Reeve goes well out of his way toward making alien species truly feel alien, with appearance and culture that stimulates the mind on what could really be out there. It’s such a well detailed and well-paced take on what could have been a barebones idea. I easily rank Railhead within in my top five scifi series.
Characters and events never stand still in the Railhead series. For those of you returning to the Railhead universe after Black Light Express, Zen, befitting his railhead nature, decides that the life of luxury is not for him after a message arrives to his home seemingly to come from his lost Nova. Through his adventures to find her, it’ll take him across even more wild vistas and sights to see. All the way from the lap of luxury, to the depths of the Black Light Zone, all the way to desolate worlds hiding wonderous secrets.
There’s several side plots that are wrapped up nicely and we see the ripples of those plots echo and shape the main plotline with this novel. Therondy, the war between the Noon and Prells, and of course the Guardians. We not only see what the Damask Rose and Ghost Wolf have gotten up to, but we meet a variety of new trains as well to add to the ever-growing roster. There’s some twists and turns that I hadn’t seen coming, and a new character that I absolutely loved. It’s worth seeing this series to till the end of the line. Trust me. I'll be looking toward picking up the physical release of Station Zero quite soon.
Please note:
I received a free advance digital copy of the latest edition strictly for the purpose of review. I am not affiliated with the Author or Publisher in any capacity at the time of its writing outside of receiving said review copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed during this review are strictly my own.
If you’re new to the Railhead series and are just looking at reviews before trying the books, Read. Them. The Railhead universe is such an amazing and diverse sci-fi space opera set to a theme of locomotive space travel. The trains aren’t just settings for the scenes however. They are characters themselves powered by AI’s as unique and individual as any of the main characters. Reeve goes well out of his way toward making alien species truly feel alien, with appearance and culture that stimulates the mind on what could really be out there. It’s such a well detailed and well-paced take on what could have been a barebones idea. I easily rank Railhead within in my top five scifi series.
Characters and events never stand still in the Railhead series. For those of you returning to the Railhead universe after Black Light Express, Zen, befitting his railhead nature, decides that the life of luxury is not for him after a message arrives to his home seemingly to come from his lost Nova. Through his adventures to find her, it’ll take him across even more wild vistas and sights to see. All the way from the lap of luxury, to the depths of the Black Light Zone, all the way to desolate worlds hiding wonderous secrets.
There’s several side plots that are wrapped up nicely and we see the ripples of those plots echo and shape the main plotline with this novel. Therondy, the war between the Noon and Prells, and of course the Guardians. We not only see what the Damask Rose and Ghost Wolf have gotten up to, but we meet a variety of new trains as well to add to the ever-growing roster. There’s some twists and turns that I hadn’t seen coming, and a new character that I absolutely loved. It’s worth seeing this series to till the end of the line. Trust me. I'll be looking toward picking up the physical release of Station Zero quite soon.
Please note:
I received a free advance digital copy of the latest edition strictly for the purpose of review. I am not affiliated with the Author or Publisher in any capacity at the time of its writing outside of receiving said review copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed during this review are strictly my own.
May 20, 2018
There's a lot to chose from when you stand in front of a YA shelf at your local bookshop. I used to ask for recommendations from the staff but that's led to many disappointing books and wasted money. One of the issues I have with YA is I feel like I'm reading the same thing over and over again. It's like the Emperor's New Clothes, only no one else has realised they stuck in an endless repetition of reading the same book just under a different name.
What I love and Reeve's books, and the Railhead series especially, is that it's different. Here is a proper science fiction book for the YA reader and that's not something you come across very often.
Station Zero was a brilliant end to the Railhead trilogy, it left me wanting more (as the end of every series should) but with a feeling on contentment in the knowledge that, while I may have left these characters behind, their lives will continue. Station Zero does feel slightly different to Railhead and The Black Light Zone in that I felt there was less action. While it was there, I didn't find myself being bombarded with flashy (and sometimes pointless) fight scenes, or desperate attempts for survival that involves lots of running and jumping. Not that there is anything wrong with such scenes, but they are belong more to the middle grade books, which Station Zero is not. This book managed to be mature while remaining exciting. The world building was solid, but there is not so much detail that it detracts from the plot. I cared for the characters, Threnody especially, and I even enjoyed the fact that her and Zen didn't get on, even though they're both basically on the same side.
The one complaint I have about this book is how difficult it was to buy. On the day of publication I went to the massive Waterstones in Picadilly and was told that, not only was it not in stock, only one shop in the country had it in stock and they only had one copy. And where was that shop? Glasgow... I then walked down the road to Hatchards to be told they also didn't have it in stock either. I was in Canada the week after and went into Chapters - of course they didn't have it in stock. Back in the UK a week after publication date and Waterstones still didn't have it in stock. A work meeting sent me to Oxford and I popped into the OUP shop to find it not only in stock, but displayed in the window. This book was too hard to buy, someone take note!
Edit: There is an alien species in this book called The Ones Who Remember the Sea, but I bet there’s one of them who’s totally forgotten the sea and has to blag it each time it comes up in conversation.
What I love and Reeve's books, and the Railhead series especially, is that it's different. Here is a proper science fiction book for the YA reader and that's not something you come across very often.
Station Zero was a brilliant end to the Railhead trilogy, it left me wanting more (as the end of every series should) but with a feeling on contentment in the knowledge that, while I may have left these characters behind, their lives will continue. Station Zero does feel slightly different to Railhead and The Black Light Zone in that I felt there was less action. While it was there, I didn't find myself being bombarded with flashy (and sometimes pointless) fight scenes, or desperate attempts for survival that involves lots of running and jumping. Not that there is anything wrong with such scenes, but they are belong more to the middle grade books, which Station Zero is not. This book managed to be mature while remaining exciting. The world building was solid, but there is not so much detail that it detracts from the plot. I cared for the characters, Threnody especially, and I even enjoyed the fact that her and Zen didn't get on, even though they're both basically on the same side.
The one complaint I have about this book is how difficult it was to buy. On the day of publication I went to the massive Waterstones in Picadilly and was told that, not only was it not in stock, only one shop in the country had it in stock and they only had one copy. And where was that shop? Glasgow... I then walked down the road to Hatchards to be told they also didn't have it in stock either. I was in Canada the week after and went into Chapters - of course they didn't have it in stock. Back in the UK a week after publication date and Waterstones still didn't have it in stock. A work meeting sent me to Oxford and I popped into the OUP shop to find it not only in stock, but displayed in the window. This book was too hard to buy, someone take note!
Edit: There is an alien species in this book called The Ones Who Remember the Sea, but I bet there’s one of them who’s totally forgotten the sea and has to blag it each time it comes up in conversation.
September 12, 2018
Never thought you'd get emotional about a train? This series, and it's climax, will make you think again. Despite this being one of those books where characters can seem quite aloof and unemotional, there are a surprising amount of times that its will make your heart ache.
Zen's isolated and suffering a severe bout of melancholy over his separation from Nova, Threnody's off doing important things (aka being used as a puppet yet again), the Guardians are debating if/when to destroy the new gates, the Prells have taken half the Empire from the Noons, and Nova... Well, she's been busy out in the Web of Worlds. She needs Zen to be a thief again one last time to help her change everything not just for humanity, but for the universe.
Firstly, wow. The characters have come a long way since their slightly cliche'd beginnings at the start of Railhead. Zen's still selfish but he's learning to care. Threnody's passiveness in the face out authority is finally being challenged (owing no small part to Black Light Express's Chandni Hansa - sadly missing from this book but her job had been done.) The changes are so subtle that unlike many YA character arcs, they aren't about going from one extreme to another. The trains are another triumph, somehow making an AI with no human-like qualities into such powerful characters. Ghost Wolf and Damask Rose are so beautifully brought to life, and their relationships with the other characters are so wonderfully real. Everything reflects the nuance and understatement of real life rather than YA melodrama.
There's a huge amount of non-judgemental representation in this book. Ethnicity, sexuality, gender (a non-binary Motorik) are all presented just... as-is. No one is a victim or villain or hero because of these things - they just are. And maybe that's how it should be.
Unlike the previous book, the story got started with a bang and just kept going. It's one of those "just one more page" reads, paced so perfectly you just need to know what's going to happen next. Some people might find the ending a cop-out, others be disappointed that it's not a perfect YA Happily Ever After, but I think it fit the tone of the book perfectly.
Also, that tone once again is British. Very British.
The Railhead trilogy caught me because of it's amazing, imaginative world. It nearly lost me in Black Light Express, but Station Zero is a worthy and satisfying end to a YA series that pushes the boundary of what makes a character relatable even when they're in such alien surroundings. A beautiful, touching end to a fascinating cyberpunk deep-space odyssey.
Zen's isolated and suffering a severe bout of melancholy over his separation from Nova, Threnody's off doing important things (aka being used as a puppet yet again), the Guardians are debating if/when to destroy the new gates, the Prells have taken half the Empire from the Noons, and Nova... Well, she's been busy out in the Web of Worlds. She needs Zen to be a thief again one last time to help her change everything not just for humanity, but for the universe.
Firstly, wow. The characters have come a long way since their slightly cliche'd beginnings at the start of Railhead. Zen's still selfish but he's learning to care. Threnody's passiveness in the face out authority is finally being challenged (owing no small part to Black Light Express's Chandni Hansa - sadly missing from this book but her job had been done.) The changes are so subtle that unlike many YA character arcs, they aren't about going from one extreme to another. The trains are another triumph, somehow making an AI with no human-like qualities into such powerful characters. Ghost Wolf and Damask Rose are so beautifully brought to life, and their relationships with the other characters are so wonderfully real. Everything reflects the nuance and understatement of real life rather than YA melodrama.
There's a huge amount of non-judgemental representation in this book. Ethnicity, sexuality, gender (a non-binary Motorik) are all presented just... as-is. No one is a victim or villain or hero because of these things - they just are. And maybe that's how it should be.
Unlike the previous book, the story got started with a bang and just kept going. It's one of those "just one more page" reads, paced so perfectly you just need to know what's going to happen next. Some people might find the ending a cop-out, others be disappointed that it's not a perfect YA Happily Ever After, but I think it fit the tone of the book perfectly.
Also, that tone once again is British. Very British.
The Railhead trilogy caught me because of it's amazing, imaginative world. It nearly lost me in Black Light Express, but Station Zero is a worthy and satisfying end to a YA series that pushes the boundary of what makes a character relatable even when they're in such alien surroundings. A beautiful, touching end to a fascinating cyberpunk deep-space odyssey.
November 25, 2018
On the Road Again, Eventually
This is the third and final volume in the "Railhead" trilogy. I read and very much enjoyed the first two volumes, but while this is a fine book it does present a few opening challenges.
There are some trilogies that allow the reader to enter at any point. This does not strike me as one of those trilogies. Without having read the first two books I don't think a reader would get, much less fully appreciate, the wonderful world that Reeve has created. This book has enough subtle shout-outs and exposition to remind a faithful reader of the premise, plot and characters, (Zen, Threnody, Nova, Flex, the Noon/Prell conflict, Raven, and so on), but that's just enough to remind a forgetful reader of the main characters and events; not enough to really bring a newbie up to speed. So, the bottom line is I wouldn't start here but would emphatically encourage any reader to head for book one.
Even for a knowledgeable fan, the opening is not auspicious. The first fifty pages follows the end of the second book in going all space opera and even very Game of Thrones-y. The Noon group and the Prell Empire and the galactic politics throw the fun characters and the fun world, and even the K-bahn, into the background. I was discouraged and felt it was all very Natalie Portman as Queen what's-her-name in Star Wars. But wait, (ONLY A MILD SPOILER), about fifty pages in Zen gets as tired of the story as I was, blows town to ride the rails, hooks up with Damask Rose, (the coolest sentient train ever), and the actual book starts. We're back having adventures and traveling worlds, and sneaking and lurking. The Guardians show up as the most hilariously nutsy gods ever, and we find out what Station Zero is. Now we're talking.
So, bottom line. Don't start here, but definitely read the whole series. Stay patient with this one because we do eventually start to ride the rails again and there are still many new wonders to see.
(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
This is the third and final volume in the "Railhead" trilogy. I read and very much enjoyed the first two volumes, but while this is a fine book it does present a few opening challenges.
There are some trilogies that allow the reader to enter at any point. This does not strike me as one of those trilogies. Without having read the first two books I don't think a reader would get, much less fully appreciate, the wonderful world that Reeve has created. This book has enough subtle shout-outs and exposition to remind a faithful reader of the premise, plot and characters, (Zen, Threnody, Nova, Flex, the Noon/Prell conflict, Raven, and so on), but that's just enough to remind a forgetful reader of the main characters and events; not enough to really bring a newbie up to speed. So, the bottom line is I wouldn't start here but would emphatically encourage any reader to head for book one.
Even for a knowledgeable fan, the opening is not auspicious. The first fifty pages follows the end of the second book in going all space opera and even very Game of Thrones-y. The Noon group and the Prell Empire and the galactic politics throw the fun characters and the fun world, and even the K-bahn, into the background. I was discouraged and felt it was all very Natalie Portman as Queen what's-her-name in Star Wars. But wait, (ONLY A MILD SPOILER), about fifty pages in Zen gets as tired of the story as I was, blows town to ride the rails, hooks up with Damask Rose, (the coolest sentient train ever), and the actual book starts. We're back having adventures and traveling worlds, and sneaking and lurking. The Guardians show up as the most hilariously nutsy gods ever, and we find out what Station Zero is. Now we're talking.
So, bottom line. Don't start here, but definitely read the whole series. Stay patient with this one because we do eventually start to ride the rails again and there are still many new wonders to see.
(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
August 27, 2019
This third book in the Railhead trilogy was most excellent. I really loved this trilogy and this conclusion. ❤
Perhaps it's odd, but I laughed out loud at least twice during the main battle scene in the end of this book, first on page 249, then again on page 250, and finally on page 259.
The first was when Threnody's trains were battling the Prell's. We were gifted with this scene: lol 🤣🤣🤣
The second scene on page 250 involved the Worm: lol 🤣
And the third scene that made me chuckle a bit was a conversation between the Damask Rose and the Ghost Wolf that ended on page 259.
I also cried at several scenes in the story. All toward the end. But I didn't mark them and all I'll say about the scenes is that I really wish Also, I was fairly heartbroken by the scene where 😭😭😭
But thankfully the end was a really good one. It wrapped everything up very nicely. I really loved it. ❤
Now I just need to hope for a paperback box set of this trilogy, add it to my collection, and then I'll be all set. ❤
First read August 12-21 (but not on 8/13-18), 2019.
Perhaps it's odd, but I laughed out loud at least twice during the main battle scene in the end of this book, first on page 249, then again on page 250, and finally on page 259.
The first was when Threnody's trains were battling the Prell's. We were gifted with this scene: lol 🤣🤣🤣
The second scene on page 250 involved the Worm: lol 🤣
And the third scene that made me chuckle a bit was a conversation between the Damask Rose and the Ghost Wolf that ended on page 259.
I also cried at several scenes in the story. All toward the end. But I didn't mark them and all I'll say about the scenes is that I really wish Also, I was fairly heartbroken by the scene where 😭😭😭
But thankfully the end was a really good one. It wrapped everything up very nicely. I really loved it. ❤
Now I just need to hope for a paperback box set of this trilogy, add it to my collection, and then I'll be all set. ❤
First read August 12-21 (but not on 8/13-18), 2019.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2018
The final volume in the Railhead Trilogy. This is a triumphant piece of writing maintaining and exceeding the standard set by the first two stories. Station Zero is a masterwork. It retains the usual (for Reeve) gripping dual narrative format. Threnody Noon, a puppet empress of the Noon empire flexes her muscles and asserts herself in a Game of Thronesish (Game of drones perhaps) stand off with the sinister Prell family. Meanwhile, in a complex narrative alive with tech Zen Starling sets off to rediscover his Motorik, Nova after receiving a coded summons. Other characters are also boldly drawn and the complex worlds Reeve has developed are fully realised. No spoilers here and it would be difficult to summarise the narrative of Reeve's ambitious novel. There are hints of themes that are bravely drawn. Gender identity is played with throughout as is a growing element that explores sexuality and notions of gender. This is appropriate in that many of Reeve's ideas focus on coming of age narratives within worlds where the stakes are always high. There is great fun throughout with different aspects of different worlds, be it the feuding Guardians themselves; the mysterious notion of the all seeing almighty Railmaker and even the wonderful character that is Raven.... all in all this isn't just a satisfying tying up of all the narrative threads. It isn't even a summing up of all the information that Reeve has quietly drip fed through all the narratives of the trilogy. It is a completely satisfying conclusion that encapsulates the same ambition that made Mortal Engines a huge hit. Reeve even leaves a little wriggle room for another volume- and is aware that only sales will make this happen perhaps. This confirms him (if we didn't know already) as a major writer of fiction for children and young adults, whilst also growing a wider adult fan base. What next from Reeve? The anticipation is all.............
April 2, 2019
Ohhh this was disappointing. The first two books were so good, and in comparison this was a rather flat end to the trilogy. Everything was laid out a bit too neatly, and the plot threads all tied up at the end -- or at the beginning, such as in Chandni's case. (I was sad she was written out of the story but thankful she at least had a hopeful/happy ending given the nightmare that was her life in Black Light Express.) Also, the more we saw of the Guardians, the more they came across as silly bickering children when they're supposed to be omniscient data gods, so there was never any real sense of threat there.
June 3, 2018
Following straight on from Black Light Express, we find Threnody Noon being used as a figure-head for the Noon family; and Zen Starling wasting his life away doing useless things... we have no clue what has happened to Nova.
But what an excellent way to introduce politics (and all its ramifications) into young adult (aka teenagers) minds - if they are willing to accept. This book DOES use the politics of various factions - and the war/non-war - to show how things can be manipulated and diverged from the straight and narrow. And we are given both sides from the viewpoints of both Threnody and Zen: it made me want to cry at the futility of everything.
So Threnody goes in search of a back-bone to stand up to her manipulative relatives; and Zen goes off to find Nova. Over half of the book is taken into explaining how Nova survived; how she got to Station Zero; what she found out, and what she can now DO. It is quite unnerving.
But don't forget the trains! They are there: the Damask Rose and the Ghost, and we get to know Wolf too. Because of them, Nova is in a place to effectively control and direct much that happens - she is working as the "Railmaker" (and that little side-story is heart-breaking in and of itself!)
I won't go into the ending (because it was VERY CLEVERLY DONE!!) but all I have to say is that I was crying for much of the book. About the futility of some actions; about the guilt Zen felt he deserved; about the conniving cunning of the "god-avatars"; at the lack of concern of some actions; and mostly, about the honour and respect the trains had for each other and people they loved.
A totally wonderful conclusion to a brilliant little trilogy :)
But what an excellent way to introduce politics (and all its ramifications) into young adult (aka teenagers) minds - if they are willing to accept. This book DOES use the politics of various factions - and the war/non-war - to show how things can be manipulated and diverged from the straight and narrow. And we are given both sides from the viewpoints of both Threnody and Zen: it made me want to cry at the futility of everything.
So Threnody goes in search of a back-bone to stand up to her manipulative relatives; and Zen goes off to find Nova. Over half of the book is taken into explaining how Nova survived; how she got to Station Zero; what she found out, and what she can now DO. It is quite unnerving.
But don't forget the trains! They are there: the Damask Rose and the Ghost, and we get to know Wolf too. Because of them, Nova is in a place to effectively control and direct much that happens - she is working as the "Railmaker" (and that little side-story is heart-breaking in and of itself!)
I won't go into the ending (because it was VERY CLEVERLY DONE!!) but all I have to say is that I was crying for much of the book. About the futility of some actions; about the guilt Zen felt he deserved; about the conniving cunning of the "god-avatars"; at the lack of concern of some actions; and mostly, about the honour and respect the trains had for each other and people they loved.
A totally wonderful conclusion to a brilliant little trilogy :)
May 15, 2018
A fitting conclusion to the Railhead trilogy.
We take a ride on the rails across the cosmos once again with Zen Starling, once a thief, now living in tedious luxury. Nova is gone - she's disappeared into the vast reaches of the Black Light Zone - and without her, Zen's life seems pretty meaningless. He's not even allowed to travel to the new worlds that he helped open up. So when he receives a cryptic message, he wastes no time. Nova is out there, and she needs his help.
Threnody is now the head of her family, but the empire they used to rule is now split in two, and she rules only half of it. If that - she feels she's more of a figurehead, a puppet. Her journey to fulfil her potential will be both terrible and awe-inspiring.
And Nova - Nova has become something bigger than before. Much bigger. And yet there's still room in her artificial heart for Zen - and a plan for one last heist. A heist that will solve the mysteries of the Railmaker, the godlike entity who created the rail system that spans the galaxy.
Add in our favourite intelligent trains Damask Rose and Ghost Wolf, a host of malevolent AI gods who'll stop at nothing to prevent the resurrection of the Railmaker, and a civil war between the two halves of the empire, and you've got all the ingredients for a thrilling adventure featuring the characters we've come to love over the series. Like all good sci-fi dealing with artificial intelligence, it questions what it means to be human; it never lets the philosophy slow down the pace, though.
Brilliant, vivid, thrilling, and moving, this is an excellent conclusion to the trilogy. Highly recommended.
We take a ride on the rails across the cosmos once again with Zen Starling, once a thief, now living in tedious luxury. Nova is gone - she's disappeared into the vast reaches of the Black Light Zone - and without her, Zen's life seems pretty meaningless. He's not even allowed to travel to the new worlds that he helped open up. So when he receives a cryptic message, he wastes no time. Nova is out there, and she needs his help.
Threnody is now the head of her family, but the empire they used to rule is now split in two, and she rules only half of it. If that - she feels she's more of a figurehead, a puppet. Her journey to fulfil her potential will be both terrible and awe-inspiring.
And Nova - Nova has become something bigger than before. Much bigger. And yet there's still room in her artificial heart for Zen - and a plan for one last heist. A heist that will solve the mysteries of the Railmaker, the godlike entity who created the rail system that spans the galaxy.
Add in our favourite intelligent trains Damask Rose and Ghost Wolf, a host of malevolent AI gods who'll stop at nothing to prevent the resurrection of the Railmaker, and a civil war between the two halves of the empire, and you've got all the ingredients for a thrilling adventure featuring the characters we've come to love over the series. Like all good sci-fi dealing with artificial intelligence, it questions what it means to be human; it never lets the philosophy slow down the pace, though.
Brilliant, vivid, thrilling, and moving, this is an excellent conclusion to the trilogy. Highly recommended.
June 3, 2018
Wow. My entire review could be just that one word, but it wouldn't be much of a review. This is the thrilling finale to the Railhead series, which focuses on a young man named Zen Starling, who rides the rails of the Network Empire - a series of interstellar railways that run through portals to other worlds, operated by sentient locomotives, and a human colony network run by Empire-style families, with each family going to war every hundred years to take control of the entire Network. Station Zero focuses on Zen and his quests with Nova to eventually end the system of wars, and find the Railmaker - the long-dead being that created the railways themselves. All without getting killed or sent to a colonial blacksite, of course.
Station Zero is the most satisfying book I have ever read, with characters that feel unique and interesting - even ones that appear for a page or two - and plot with twists and turns that are obvious, but still somehow fun to find out. Reeve's writing style is breezy and light, and yet can be serious and forlorn when it needs to be. Unlike most other books I've read, every work in the Railhead series (this one included) matters. There's no fluff or serifs in the dialogue or the text. Every interaction drives the plot forward, and everything is put into place so neatly that you get "aha!" moments every so often.
I have no criticisms of this book at all - just like the other Railhead books, it is absolute perfection.
I honestly love this book so much, and I would rate it the top read of this year for me.
I reccomend it to anyone who loves space, trains, romance, politics, sci-fi, and good-ol fashioned war.
Station Zero is the most satisfying book I have ever read, with characters that feel unique and interesting - even ones that appear for a page or two - and plot with twists and turns that are obvious, but still somehow fun to find out. Reeve's writing style is breezy and light, and yet can be serious and forlorn when it needs to be. Unlike most other books I've read, every work in the Railhead series (this one included) matters. There's no fluff or serifs in the dialogue or the text. Every interaction drives the plot forward, and everything is put into place so neatly that you get "aha!" moments every so often.
I have no criticisms of this book at all - just like the other Railhead books, it is absolute perfection.
I honestly love this book so much, and I would rate it the top read of this year for me.
I reccomend it to anyone who loves space, trains, romance, politics, sci-fi, and good-ol fashioned war.
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