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Fever Crumb #3
Scrivener's Moon
In a future land once known as Britain, nomad tribes are preparing to fight a terrifying enemy - the first-ever mobile city.
Before London can launch itself, young engineer Fever Crumb journeys to the wastelands of the North to seek out the ancient birthplace of the Scriven mutants. In the chaotic weeks before battle begins, Fever finds a mysterious black pyramid. The extraordinary secrets it contains will change her world forever.
The seventh awe-inspiring adventure in the World of Mortal Engines series by superb writer Philip Reeve, at the height of his powers.
Before London can launch itself, young engineer Fever Crumb journeys to the wastelands of the North to seek out the ancient birthplace of the Scriven mutants. In the chaotic weeks before battle begins, Fever finds a mysterious black pyramid. The extraordinary secrets it contains will change her world forever.
The seventh awe-inspiring adventure in the World of Mortal Engines series by superb writer Philip Reeve, at the height of his powers.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
126 people are currently reading
2365 people want to read
About the author
Philip Reeve
171 books2,721 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 - 30 of 264 reviews
June 1, 2011
SPOILER ALERT
SHE IS A GAY!!
SHE IS A GAY!!
October 27, 2013
I'm a big fan of Philip Reeve. I enjoyed the first two volumes of the Fever Crumb trilogy even more than the four-volume Mortal Engines series and the three-volume Larklight, so I had high hopes for Scrivener's Moon.
I pretty much hate books that are long not because of necessity, but because of poor editing. This book has the opposite problem. The pacing rushes us through one new discovery after another, without letting us enjoy the gradual discovery of the origins of the Scriven, the lost "cousins" to the Scriven, and what happened in the Downsizing. Much of the history of the Scriven and the Downsizing is provided via an info-dump offered by with no opportunity for readers, or Fever, to make their own guesses. Where's the suspense? These discoveries should have been hinted at gradually, one clue at a time.
Another complaint: There is a large amount of head-hopping. At first, it is broken up by chapter, or at least by scene, but as the story hits the last third, there are numerous instances of head-hopping within a single scene.
The best writing, unfortunately, is not from Fever's perspective, but from that of Charley Shallow. Unfortunately, he becomes so uniformly evil, he eventually becomes a caricature, rather than a complex and believable character. I felt this was a lost opportunity.
This book has a GBLT subplot, which parents should know before deciding whether the book is right for their family members. Even those readers who are comfortable with it may find that segment of the book poorly written. Regardless of my personal beliefs about the appropriateness of LBGT material in YA novels, I'm docking the book for mishandling of this subplot.
More complaints: Like another commenter mentioned, I wanted Arlo back. It seemed odd to spend so much time on him in volume two of the trilogy, then dump not only him, but his scientific discoveries. I also wanted more of the Nightwights.
Mostly, I wanted Reeve back to his usual quality. There are moments of clever writing, elegant description, and humor in Scrivener's Moon, and I appreciated getting the scoop about the Downsizing, etc. at long last, but overall, I'd consider this novel a disappointment.
I pretty much hate books that are long not because of necessity, but because of poor editing. This book has the opposite problem. The pacing rushes us through one new discovery after another, without letting us enjoy the gradual discovery of the origins of the Scriven, the lost "cousins" to the Scriven, and what happened in the Downsizing. Much of the history of the Scriven and the Downsizing is provided via an info-dump offered by with no opportunity for readers, or Fever, to make their own guesses. Where's the suspense? These discoveries should have been hinted at gradually, one clue at a time.
Another complaint: There is a large amount of head-hopping. At first, it is broken up by chapter, or at least by scene, but as the story hits the last third, there are numerous instances of head-hopping within a single scene.
The best writing, unfortunately, is not from Fever's perspective, but from that of Charley Shallow. Unfortunately, he becomes so uniformly evil, he eventually becomes a caricature, rather than a complex and believable character. I felt this was a lost opportunity.
This book has a GBLT subplot, which parents should know before deciding whether the book is right for their family members. Even those readers who are comfortable with it may find that segment of the book poorly written. Regardless of my personal beliefs about the appropriateness of LBGT material in YA novels, I'm docking the book for mishandling of this subplot.
More complaints: Like another commenter mentioned, I wanted Arlo back. It seemed odd to spend so much time on him in volume two of the trilogy, then dump not only him, but his scientific discoveries. I also wanted more of the Nightwights.
Mostly, I wanted Reeve back to his usual quality. There are moments of clever writing, elegant description, and humor in Scrivener's Moon, and I appreciated getting the scoop about the Downsizing, etc. at long last, but overall, I'd consider this novel a disappointment.
March 1, 2017
This was such a brilliant book, but at the same time such a harrowing read! I guess when the main plot of a book is a huge war then it's clearly not going to be all sunshine and daisies, but there were some really awful moments. (Gwen Natsworthy's hair flapping in the breeze like a flag. :\ ) Charley Shallow was a chilling villain. What a psychopath! His cold, calculated reasoning was horrible and yet you could see that it made sense. I think Dr Crumb's gradual transition into a completely rational man of science was just as chilling, though, if not more so, because he started off as likeable. It's strange: in Fever Crumb I liked Dr Crumb and thought him a far better parent than Wavey. But as I read this book I found myself warming to Wavey and completely going off Dr Crumb. How people change!
Anyway, onto the things I did love. First and foremost: Cluny Morvish!!! Oh my goodness, Cluny. Her broad hips and her mammoth-coloured hair and the way she "didn't just roll her Rs; she bowled them". And her hunting and tracking skillz! How amazing was she! And the love story! I can't praise highly enough books where there's a girl/girl romance that happens as naturally as a boy/girl relationship with no fuss or indication that this is different or special. And Cluny and Fever worked so well together! I never liked immature Arlo, so I was glad that Fever got over him and moved on. Fever and Cluny were so different, and there were moments of huge betrayal between them, but in the end they learnt from each other. So wonderful. ♥
I also loved the nightwights, and the whole mystery of Skrevanastuut, and the journey that Fever, Cluny, and Marten made to get there. Mammoths! And the scenery of the north with the icebergs and the beach and the Fuel Country. I absolutely pored over the map at the front of the book.
There were some really amusing bits too. Like when Cluny and Marten are talking about nightwights and Fever says, "The Guild of Engineers does not accept the existence of nightwights." Three pages on, when they're being attacked by nightwights, Fever thinks, "So much for the Guild of Engineers. If she ever got back alive to London she would have to set them straight on the anthropology of the north." I suppose that's also a nice illustration of how Fever gradually comes to reject the more extreme aspects of her upbringing among the engineers. Her eventual acceptance of her feelings was lovely.
I would be happy for the series to end here, with everything hopeful and happy and settled, but at the same time I would love to read more about Fever and Cluny! I confess: I am more than a little bit smitten with them both.
Anyway, onto the things I did love. First and foremost: Cluny Morvish!!! Oh my goodness, Cluny. Her broad hips and her mammoth-coloured hair and the way she "didn't just roll her Rs; she bowled them". And her hunting and tracking skillz! How amazing was she! And the love story! I can't praise highly enough books where there's a girl/girl romance that happens as naturally as a boy/girl relationship with no fuss or indication that this is different or special. And Cluny and Fever worked so well together! I never liked immature Arlo, so I was glad that Fever got over him and moved on. Fever and Cluny were so different, and there were moments of huge betrayal between them, but in the end they learnt from each other. So wonderful. ♥
I also loved the nightwights, and the whole mystery of Skrevanastuut, and the journey that Fever, Cluny, and Marten made to get there. Mammoths! And the scenery of the north with the icebergs and the beach and the Fuel Country. I absolutely pored over the map at the front of the book.
There were some really amusing bits too. Like when Cluny and Marten are talking about nightwights and Fever says, "The Guild of Engineers does not accept the existence of nightwights." Three pages on, when they're being attacked by nightwights, Fever thinks, "So much for the Guild of Engineers. If she ever got back alive to London she would have to set them straight on the anthropology of the north." I suppose that's also a nice illustration of how Fever gradually comes to reject the more extreme aspects of her upbringing among the engineers. Her eventual acceptance of her feelings was lovely.
I would be happy for the series to end here, with everything hopeful and happy and settled, but at the same time I would love to read more about Fever and Cluny! I confess: I am more than a little bit smitten with them both.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2023
This book was the perfect way to end the prequel trilogy. I loved how it all evolved and seeing how the beginning of how the Mortal engines came about was fantastic.
February 28, 2015
My favourite thing about this entire book? The relationship between Fever Crumb and Cluny Morvish. So this isn't a review of the whole book, just that, and it's fairly incomplete as reviews go anyway because I already wrote about this on my blog and it's essay-length and it wouldn't fit here.
You have to understand the significance of it just because of who the characters are before you can start, of course: a female Engineer taught since childhood not to feel emotions (though she previously succumbed to feelings for Arlo Thursday) and a girl from a Northern nomadic tribe with beliefs wrapped up in superstition and everything Fever thinks is silly.
Of course, it's also a rare f/f relationship in mainstream YA fiction that's only a subplot to the main story, and involves the protagonist. Can we say QUEER FEMALE PROTAG? Yes we can. Yes we most certainly can.
I greatly admire Fever Crumb. As a female character, she’s something we don’t often see: scientific, intelligent, calculating, she makes her way in a male-dominated field even within the novel itself and holds her own. She’s not only clever but well-educated, and although she’s brave it’s not necessarily in the stand and fight way, but in a more cerebral way.
Imagine my disappointment when, in book two, Fever behaved exactly like every other female teenage character I’ve ever read and fell in love with a dashing young man who built flying machines. (Okay, maybe not the last bit.) Isn’t it a shame? I thought. Isn’t it a shame that this wonderful character that I admired and looked up to turned out to be straight as a ruler?
And then, in the third book, she sees Cluny riding on a mammoth and feels something. It’s a throwaway line, but I noticed it. And I thought, I ship it. Of course, I was fully under the impression it was just wishful thinking, because it was so long since I first read the book that I had no memory of what came later, and for a futuristic world in which morals and societal values are so different, Reeve’s creation was looking just a little bit too straight for me.
Maybe a lot too straight. So wasn’t I delighted when, as the book progressed, it became apparent that Fever really did have feelings for Cluny? And wasn't I even more delighted when, as the novel progressed, I came across the best presentation of a queer female character I've ever read -- or at least, the one with which I could identify EXACTLY, which spoke to me on a deep and personal level?
I needed to read this book a year ago. I really did.
People have raised objections about the relationship, so I wrote a super detailed post refuting those issues on my blog -- it's too long for a review here. 'A Feverish Love Story' (-- Miriam Joy Writes) Because I was so happy about it, and I loved it so much, and that's what pushed this up to 5 stars instead of the 4 I probably would have given it otherwise. (Maybe even three. Who can say? It'd have been a different book.)
You have to understand the significance of it just because of who the characters are before you can start, of course: a female Engineer taught since childhood not to feel emotions (though she previously succumbed to feelings for Arlo Thursday) and a girl from a Northern nomadic tribe with beliefs wrapped up in superstition and everything Fever thinks is silly.
Of course, it's also a rare f/f relationship in mainstream YA fiction that's only a subplot to the main story, and involves the protagonist. Can we say QUEER FEMALE PROTAG? Yes we can. Yes we most certainly can.
I greatly admire Fever Crumb. As a female character, she’s something we don’t often see: scientific, intelligent, calculating, she makes her way in a male-dominated field even within the novel itself and holds her own. She’s not only clever but well-educated, and although she’s brave it’s not necessarily in the stand and fight way, but in a more cerebral way.
Imagine my disappointment when, in book two, Fever behaved exactly like every other female teenage character I’ve ever read and fell in love with a dashing young man who built flying machines. (Okay, maybe not the last bit.) Isn’t it a shame? I thought. Isn’t it a shame that this wonderful character that I admired and looked up to turned out to be straight as a ruler?
And then, in the third book, she sees Cluny riding on a mammoth and feels something. It’s a throwaway line, but I noticed it. And I thought, I ship it. Of course, I was fully under the impression it was just wishful thinking, because it was so long since I first read the book that I had no memory of what came later, and for a futuristic world in which morals and societal values are so different, Reeve’s creation was looking just a little bit too straight for me.
Maybe a lot too straight. So wasn’t I delighted when, as the book progressed, it became apparent that Fever really did have feelings for Cluny? And wasn't I even more delighted when, as the novel progressed, I came across the best presentation of a queer female character I've ever read -- or at least, the one with which I could identify EXACTLY, which spoke to me on a deep and personal level?
I needed to read this book a year ago. I really did.
People have raised objections about the relationship, so I wrote a super detailed post refuting those issues on my blog -- it's too long for a review here. 'A Feverish Love Story' (-- Miriam Joy Writes) Because I was so happy about it, and I loved it so much, and that's what pushed this up to 5 stars instead of the 4 I probably would have given it otherwise. (Maybe even three. Who can say? It'd have been a different book.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2019
This series started out with so much fun and promise and great gods, look at the mess we're in now.
The narrator of the audiobook sounds like she's A) drunk, and B) didn't bother reading or listening to even small snippets of the previous books.
I can't stand any of the characters anymore, they're all so obnoxious and unrelateable. Worst of all, they're tremendously inconsistent. I was willing for Fever to be a bit of a pain in the ass in the second book while she's finding out who she is in the world outside of the engineer's order. But there's just no end in sight: she's just dull as hell.
Dr. Crumb was my favorite person in the first book - So much emotion at battle with the rational way he's chosen to live! Such a robust personal story! So bottled up! But nope, even good old Dr. Crumb is just another inconsistent dry character with no direction in an inconsistent dry story with no direction.
Also, can Fever not fall in love with every person she spends 5 minutes with? For fuck sake. Can't think of a way to make your crappy character better? Make her bisexual! That's always interesting!
The narrator of the audiobook sounds like she's A) drunk, and B) didn't bother reading or listening to even small snippets of the previous books.
I can't stand any of the characters anymore, they're all so obnoxious and unrelateable. Worst of all, they're tremendously inconsistent. I was willing for Fever to be a bit of a pain in the ass in the second book while she's finding out who she is in the world outside of the engineer's order. But there's just no end in sight: she's just dull as hell.
Dr. Crumb was my favorite person in the first book - So much emotion at battle with the rational way he's chosen to live! Such a robust personal story! So bottled up! But nope, even good old Dr. Crumb is just another inconsistent dry character with no direction in an inconsistent dry story with no direction.
Also, can Fever not fall in love with every person she spends 5 minutes with? For fuck sake. Can't think of a way to make your crappy character better? Make her bisexual! That's always interesting!
Read
October 10, 2011I liked how this book furthers Fever's story and continues to fill in the gap between these prequels and the world of Mortal Engines. These prequels add a great backstory and depth to the Mortal Engines series by illustrating the situations that precipitated the decisions that created the Municipal Darwinism that we see later on.
The introduction of the Nightwights as Scriven descendants was an interesting development and added even more depth to this amazing world. I was as appalled as Fever when the Morvish burned all the records of the Ancients and therefore all the knowledge they possessed.
Like Reeve’s other books, the characters are complex and extremely compelling; his world is exciting, unique, and richly drawn. I especially liked the moral dilemmas explored. Fever Crumb struggles to find a balance between her logical reasoning and her emotions.
Still an awesome, awesome series. The more of these prequels I read the more I wonder if they should be read before or after the original 4 Mortal Engines books.
The introduction of the Nightwights as Scriven descendants was an interesting development and added even more depth to this amazing world. I was as appalled as Fever when the Morvish burned all the records of the Ancients and therefore all the knowledge they possessed.
Like Reeve’s other books, the characters are complex and extremely compelling; his world is exciting, unique, and richly drawn. I especially liked the moral dilemmas explored. Fever Crumb struggles to find a balance between her logical reasoning and her emotions.
Still an awesome, awesome series. The more of these prequels I read the more I wonder if they should be read before or after the original 4 Mortal Engines books.
December 5, 2023
Детальніше – у 16 випуску подкасту "небагатослів".
Книга про те, як Фівер повернулася до Лондона, але її матері не сиділося на місці, тож вони вдвох попрямували в пошуках загадкової піраміди, яка ховає відповіді на питання – але ніхто не певен, на які саме.
Дуже сумно, що Філіп Рів так і не дописав цю тетралогію. Пройшло 12 років, і він запевняв, що четвертої книги не буде. Камон, написати 8 книжок з 9 у цьому всесвіті і кинути? Не так давно він щось склеїв для книжки про Анну Фенґ, то чому б не для цієї?
Обірвав на самому цікавому. Чим закінчиться трансформація доктора Крама? Чи загине Чарлі він палаючого метеорита? (Сподіваюся.) Чи повернеться Арло і чи буде любовний трикутник? Головне, чи докопається Фівер до розгадки причин апокаліпсису? Ну, і ще щось про те, як Лондон катався по висохлому Північному морю.
Книга про те, як Фівер повернулася до Лондона, але її матері не сиділося на місці, тож вони вдвох попрямували в пошуках загадкової піраміди, яка ховає відповіді на питання – але ніхто не певен, на які саме.
Дуже сумно, що Філіп Рів так і не дописав цю тетралогію. Пройшло 12 років, і він запевняв, що четвертої книги не буде. Камон, написати 8 книжок з 9 у цьому всесвіті і кинути? Не так давно він щось склеїв для книжки про Анну Фенґ, то чому б не для цієї?
Обірвав на самому цікавому. Чим закінчиться трансформація доктора Крама? Чи загине Чарлі він палаючого метеорита? (Сподіваюся.) Чи повернеться Арло і чи буде любовний трикутник? Головне, чи докопається Фівер до розгадки причин апокаліпсису? Ну, і ще щось про те, як Лондон катався по висохлому Північному морю.
April 27, 2019
Excellent finish to the series. Fever has found her feet and her voice finally. Experiencing a huge loss, she becomes more herself than she ever could have been stifled by the engineers she grew up with. It would be amazing if there was more of her story, but I am looking forward to reading the Mortal Engines now.
September 27, 2013
Probably, this will be the last book in the Fever Crumb series. It's fulfilled what was probably its main purpose, to show how the age of traction cities (shown many years later, in far more detail, in the Hungry City Chronicles) began. I read those books first, though strictly speaking you wouldn't have to. It might actually be preferred, since I had a fair idea of what would become of the nomad tribes' war on mobilized London before it even began.
Scrivener's Moon has more than one viewpoint character. For the most part, there are three: Fever herself, Charley Shallow (the Skinner's boy from Fever Crumb), and Cluny Morvish (a nomad prophetess, new to this book). But you also get glimpses inside the heads of quite a few other characters. Jarring? Not terribly, actually, to me, but I'm sure a lot of readers will hate it. That said, it's rough to spend much time in Charley's head, watching him morph into an almost sociopathic antagonist. Cluny was a great addition, though. She's a lovely character, with strength, determination, and a good heart. Watching Fever fall in love with her was bittersweet. I appreciate that the ending gave another closure for me to feel satisfied, but was left open enough that I can decide how some things will go in the future.
I was not, however, thrilled with Sarah Coomes's narration. I hadn't particularly liked how she had read A Web of Air, and I liked her narration even less here. She has a tendency to oversell her delivery, especially for some characters. (Poor Wavey.) She reads Charley as being much younger than he actually is. He's a young man, but she makes him sound like he's twelve or so. And her accents range from passable to mildly embarrassing. Philip Reeve had done a fine job narrating Fever Crumb, and I wish he'd been back for this one. Or at least somebody with a better grasp of Scottish and German accents.
Scrivener's Moon has more than one viewpoint character. For the most part, there are three: Fever herself, Charley Shallow (the Skinner's boy from Fever Crumb), and Cluny Morvish (a nomad prophetess, new to this book). But you also get glimpses inside the heads of quite a few other characters. Jarring? Not terribly, actually, to me, but I'm sure a lot of readers will hate it. That said, it's rough to spend much time in Charley's head, watching him morph into an almost sociopathic antagonist. Cluny was a great addition, though. She's a lovely character, with strength, determination, and a good heart. Watching Fever fall in love with her was bittersweet. I appreciate that the ending gave another closure for me to feel satisfied, but was left open enough that I can decide how some things will go in the future.
I was not, however, thrilled with Sarah Coomes's narration. I hadn't particularly liked how she had read A Web of Air, and I liked her narration even less here. She has a tendency to oversell her delivery, especially for some characters. (Poor Wavey.) She reads Charley as being much younger than he actually is. He's a young man, but she makes him sound like he's twelve or so. And her accents range from passable to mildly embarrassing. Philip Reeve had done a fine job narrating Fever Crumb, and I wish he'd been back for this one. Or at least somebody with a better grasp of Scottish and German accents.
June 28, 2011
This latest in the series of prequels to Reeve's Hungry City Chronicles continues the high standard Reeve set with the first series. There is a very different feel to these pre-Traction stories, more personal and less bleakly epic than the original series, but solid in their own right. Significantly, Reeve continues to capture the moral realism -- with good but flawed characters making difficult choices in a complex world -- that made the Hungry City books such winners.
My only complaint is with a character development out of left field -- SPOILER ALERT! -- in which Fever Crumb finds herself falling in love with an Arkhangelsk warrior maiden. It's handled respectfully, but there's just a faint whiff of pandering, particularly as it follows on the heels of Fever's unremarkable romance with Arlo Thursday in the previous novel.
My only complaint is with a character development out of left field -- SPOILER ALERT! -- in which Fever Crumb finds herself falling in love with an Arkhangelsk warrior maiden. It's handled respectfully, but there's just a faint whiff of pandering, particularly as it follows on the heels of Fever's unremarkable romance with Arlo Thursday in the previous novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2019
All right... not fantastic. I lost steam with the plot and characters. It was cool to see this book show the humble beginnings of the Mortal Engines series. You get to see London at its origin when it gets its wheels.
But...
I don't know. There's some good characterization (what I've come to expect with Reeve), and you hate the villain, as well as be able to see why he's doing it.
There just seems to be more to it, like there should be a sequel that just ain't coming.
Oh well.
I still liked it, but I wasn't wowed like the rest of the stories Reeve has written.
But...
I don't know. There's some good characterization (what I've come to expect with Reeve), and you hate the villain, as well as be able to see why he's doing it.
There just seems to be more to it, like there should be a sequel that just ain't coming.
Oh well.
I still liked it, but I wasn't wowed like the rest of the stories Reeve has written.
June 22, 2025
What a great conclusion to Fever Crumb's story!
I really appreciate that Reeves doesn't treat his readers like spoiled children. We can manage not having every little thing resolved, we even deserve not to have closure sometimes.
This book neatly develops existing characters and introduced new ones without overloading the plot. Borglum and his Knuckle Sandwich were a great addition and the Morvish were likeable characters.
The sudden and graphic gore in these books never ceases to startle me. Whenever I think I'm reading a book for a younger audience, someone gets cut into pieces or a head explodes. I genuinely love it because it keeps surprising me.
It felt a bit weird how Shrike gets shoehorned into important plot points. I mean, I get it, he's a bit like R2D2 and C3PO, weaving the stories together but it just felt like too much of a coincidence that it was always him who's present.
And I keep repeating myself, these books could easily be twice the length and I wouldn't be mad about it. There's just so much potential for more lore and world building but I understand why it is limited to what it is.
I really appreciate that Reeves doesn't treat his readers like spoiled children. We can manage not having every little thing resolved, we even deserve not to have closure sometimes.
This book neatly develops existing characters and introduced new ones without overloading the plot. Borglum and his Knuckle Sandwich were a great addition and the Morvish were likeable characters.
The sudden and graphic gore in these books never ceases to startle me. Whenever I think I'm reading a book for a younger audience, someone gets cut into pieces or a head explodes. I genuinely love it because it keeps surprising me.
It felt a bit weird how Shrike gets shoehorned into important plot points. I mean, I get it, he's a bit like R2D2 and C3PO, weaving the stories together but it just felt like too much of a coincidence that it was always him who's present.
And I keep repeating myself, these books could easily be twice the length and I wouldn't be mad about it. There's just so much potential for more lore and world building but I understand why it is limited to what it is.
May 5, 2025
I feel like Reeves wrote another fiction series totally unrelated to mortal engines and then changed enough nouns to force it into the world of Mortal Engines. The lore of this new world was about different races of humans, mad scientists, mutant animals, and flying machines. The concepts were all interesting, but trying to fit them into a world that we already know wound up being more work than immersion.
I like the idea of someone else's memories and thoughts in the main character's head. I loved that about Wheel of Time. It's a fun concept and you can go a million directions with it.
Fever was an interesting main character. The supporting cast was bland. The pacing was slow.
With Reeves changing Shrike's name due to pressure from his editor, and making Fever's sexuality give the readers whiplash (presumably because of pressure from fans), the whole trilogy felt kind of like a half-baked Frankenstein of different ideas jerked in different directions. Just slap the name of a successful series on it and you can tide your publishers over for a few years while you come up with another book.
I like the idea of someone else's memories and thoughts in the main character's head. I loved that about Wheel of Time. It's a fun concept and you can go a million directions with it.
Fever was an interesting main character. The supporting cast was bland. The pacing was slow.
With Reeves changing Shrike's name due to pressure from his editor, and making Fever's sexuality give the readers whiplash (presumably because of pressure from fans), the whole trilogy felt kind of like a half-baked Frankenstein of different ideas jerked in different directions. Just slap the name of a successful series on it and you can tide your publishers over for a few years while you come up with another book.
December 21, 2020
I liked this book it’s an amazing conclusion of the series. I would have loved a fourth book but since we all know that isn’t going to happen we just have to accept it. Fever crumb is written in a beautiful way. There is a lot of character development and I love who Phillip Reeve built up his world. I love the details in the world history and the story. Fever Crumb is an amazing bi character who tries to find here way in this harsh world.
I would recommend this series so readers of:
The mortal engines (ofcourse)
Dune
The hitchhikers guide through the galaxy
Gone (Micheal Grant)
I would recommend this series so readers of:
The mortal engines (ofcourse)
Dune
The hitchhikers guide through the galaxy
Gone (Micheal Grant)
Currently reading
November 28, 2025Okay, so I technically finished this book, but the situation is complicated. See, I was listening to it as an audiobook, using my earbuds. But partway through, I lost them, making it much more difficult to read. My pace nearly halted, and when I occasionally got around to listening, I couldn't stay consistently focused.
My point is there's a high chance I'll re-read this one in the near future. I vaguely understand most of the plot, but I think I would benefit from a second listen.
It doesn't help that I fell asleep during the epilogue.
My point is there's a high chance I'll re-read this one in the near future. I vaguely understand most of the plot, but I think I would benefit from a second listen.
It doesn't help that I fell asleep during the epilogue.
February 8, 2024
Actually 4.25
Went through the whole book wanting to punch Charley Shallow in the face. And in the end even if I still do, I couldn't help but admire that selfish will to get ahead. Still want to punch him though.
And Fever Crumb's story. What a journey it was only downside is that while this obviously sets up a potential 4th book the other said the chances are unlikely. It was bittersweet knowing that.
Went through the whole book wanting to punch Charley Shallow in the face. And in the end even if I still do, I couldn't help but admire that selfish will to get ahead. Still want to punch him though.
And Fever Crumb's story. What a journey it was only downside is that while this obviously sets up a potential 4th book the other said the chances are unlikely. It was bittersweet knowing that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2020
Actual rating: 3.5*
It was enjoyable, and a nice ending to the trilogy but it didn't add much to the universe in all I find. Overall nice to read and I'm glad with how Fever ended up, even if the ending felt a little rushed.
It was enjoyable, and a nice ending to the trilogy but it didn't add much to the universe in all I find. Overall nice to read and I'm glad with how Fever ended up, even if the ending felt a little rushed.
August 21, 2020
This book is about how London is turning into a mobile city that can move and eat other cities for parts. The whole operation is led by the guild of engineers, who see everything "rationally" with no human feelings whatsoever. No one likes the idea of the moving city except those obsessed with power and the engineers, who see it as progress. Meanwhile, Fever Crumb (the main protagonist) is going on a quest to investigate the Scriven race and the technology inside her brain that gives her access to her grandfathers memories. The reason why I liked this book was partly because of the characters. One of my favorite characters is Charley Shallow, who started out as an abused kid but turned into a trickster that cleverly makes his way up to power. He can change how certain situations seem to benefit himself and make him seem like a better, more useful person.
January 3, 2025
Felt like it could’ve been two separate books rather than 1. Very good though!
May 23, 2021
Exciting and surprising until the end.
This book was exciting and surprising until the end. Full of adventures and changes to keep you hooked into it.
This book was exciting and surprising until the end. Full of adventures and changes to keep you hooked into it.
May 24, 2019
My favorite of the three.
February 17, 2019
Here I am, having read all 3 books in the trilogy without reviewing any of them yet. It feels silly to go through and write full reviews on the first two, now that I've finished the whole series, so I will put most of my thoughts into this review.
First thought - I enjoyed this series significantly less than the original Mortal Engines quartet. I grew to love the world and characters so much in Mortal Engines, but all three of these books fell flat for me. They lacked the same type of magic and personality I had loved from Mortal Engines. Maybe this can all be blamed on the writing, but I think the biggest problem for me was the audiobook renditions. First, this trilogy was not voiced by the same narrator as the Mortal Engines, my beloved homeboy Barnaby Edwards. But the injustice does not end there -- ALL THREE BOOKS in this series were narrated by A DIFFERENT PERSON. EXCUSE ME?? How do they even allow this to happen? The first book was read by the author himself, which was all fine and dandy. Clearly not Barnaby, but I could forgive. The second book is read by a LADY, so talk about a huge shift in character voice. And, as I've already forewarned, the third book is read by yet another woman, who had very specific accents and inflections for characters I had just been getting used to in Book Two. Not only did this prove for a horrifically less enjoyable experience, but it made the main character, Fever Crumb's, growth as a character seem unrealistic and unsatisfying. As a character who starts out an emotionless engineer, and is supposed to evolve rather drastically away from that in her character arc at the end of Book Three ... to say that it fell flat would be an understatement.
May I have felt differently if I had read these three books, rather than listened to the audio version? Perhaps. But I feel confident in saying that I still wouldn't have enjoyed them as much as their predecessors.
#Barnabyforever
(The above information has been bothering me for quite some time, so excuse my heated exuberance).
That all being said, there were still positive components to this trilogy's existence. Some of them are as follows:
- Learning the origin story of London. Getting to meet Quirkus and things that are alluded to in the Mortal Engines. Having already met Tom Natsworthy's London, it was interesting to see it's baby beginnings. (Also, shout out to a Natsworthy ancestor! Who totally dies ... so, good thing there were other Natsworthy's to carry on the line to Tom!)
- Seeing the battle between opposing forces in this story, and the mirroring struggle that will later befall Mortal Instruments world. The fight against the advancement of technology, and traction cities, and municipal darwinism.
- Learning the origin story of Shrike ... or should I say, Grike.
- Getting to meet Clooney - I'm convinced her role in her society has some sort of link to the Margravine we see later in Mortal Engines, Freya. Also, there has to be a reason that there's a dwarf character in this series, and the margravine in the future always has a dwarf working under them?
- I appreciated that we eventually found out who and what the Scriven were.
- Mr. Reeve has a way with names.
Some more mention of more negative things:
- All of a sudden, in this third book, there are MAMMOTHS?? People be riding mammoths now, without really having introduced this fact in the first two books and it ... just ... bothered me.
- The ending of this book, of the series, wasn't nearly as satisfying as the final Mortal Engines scene.
- What happened with Fever Crumb and the remaining Night White Scriven? Maybe it's just me, but I don't remember there being mention of Scriven or anything in Mortal Engines world?
- Also, I use Scrivener to write, so it seemed weird to have the word take on this whole new life in this series.
Anyway. There were some benefits to reading this trilogy, but I'd rather mostly forget about it, and go on remembering Tom and Hester and Wren and Shrike and Anna Fang and Professor Pennyroyal forever.
First thought - I enjoyed this series significantly less than the original Mortal Engines quartet. I grew to love the world and characters so much in Mortal Engines, but all three of these books fell flat for me. They lacked the same type of magic and personality I had loved from Mortal Engines. Maybe this can all be blamed on the writing, but I think the biggest problem for me was the audiobook renditions. First, this trilogy was not voiced by the same narrator as the Mortal Engines, my beloved homeboy Barnaby Edwards. But the injustice does not end there -- ALL THREE BOOKS in this series were narrated by A DIFFERENT PERSON. EXCUSE ME?? How do they even allow this to happen? The first book was read by the author himself, which was all fine and dandy. Clearly not Barnaby, but I could forgive. The second book is read by a LADY, so talk about a huge shift in character voice. And, as I've already forewarned, the third book is read by yet another woman, who had very specific accents and inflections for characters I had just been getting used to in Book Two. Not only did this prove for a horrifically less enjoyable experience, but it made the main character, Fever Crumb's, growth as a character seem unrealistic and unsatisfying. As a character who starts out an emotionless engineer, and is supposed to evolve rather drastically away from that in her character arc at the end of Book Three ... to say that it fell flat would be an understatement.
May I have felt differently if I had read these three books, rather than listened to the audio version? Perhaps. But I feel confident in saying that I still wouldn't have enjoyed them as much as their predecessors.
#Barnabyforever
(The above information has been bothering me for quite some time, so excuse my heated exuberance).
That all being said, there were still positive components to this trilogy's existence. Some of them are as follows:
- Learning the origin story of London. Getting to meet Quirkus and things that are alluded to in the Mortal Engines. Having already met Tom Natsworthy's London, it was interesting to see it's baby beginnings. (Also, shout out to a Natsworthy ancestor! Who totally dies ... so, good thing there were other Natsworthy's to carry on the line to Tom!)
- Seeing the battle between opposing forces in this story, and the mirroring struggle that will later befall Mortal Instruments world. The fight against the advancement of technology, and traction cities, and municipal darwinism.
- Learning the origin story of Shrike ... or should I say, Grike.
- Getting to meet Clooney - I'm convinced her role in her society has some sort of link to the Margravine we see later in Mortal Engines, Freya. Also, there has to be a reason that there's a dwarf character in this series, and the margravine in the future always has a dwarf working under them?
- I appreciated that we eventually found out who and what the Scriven were.
- Mr. Reeve has a way with names.
Some more mention of more negative things:
- All of a sudden, in this third book, there are MAMMOTHS?? People be riding mammoths now, without really having introduced this fact in the first two books and it ... just ... bothered me.
- The ending of this book, of the series, wasn't nearly as satisfying as the final Mortal Engines scene.
- What happened with Fever Crumb and the remaining Night White Scriven? Maybe it's just me, but I don't remember there being mention of Scriven or anything in Mortal Engines world?
- Also, I use Scrivener to write, so it seemed weird to have the word take on this whole new life in this series.
Anyway. There were some benefits to reading this trilogy, but I'd rather mostly forget about it, and go on remembering Tom and Hester and Wren and Shrike and Anna Fang and Professor Pennyroyal forever.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2020
Another back-listed book/series is finally complete! I have been working on this series as audiobooks over the past couple weeks. I will say that it was a decent ending but like the other two books that came before this one, it was still only a fine read.
There is definitely a lot of action/things going on because everything is wrapping up and London is on the move. It has been cool to see how the Mortal Engines started.
Fever Crumb just wasn’t a character I ever connected with or really cared to much about. I probably would have enjoyed this series more if I had. I also wasn’t really a fan of her love interests as they were both on the insta-love spectrum and I just can’t deal with that.
Overall, I’m glad I read it so I can see where it all started but unlike the Mortal Engines Quartet, I won’t be revising this series.
There is definitely a lot of action/things going on because everything is wrapping up and London is on the move. It has been cool to see how the Mortal Engines started.
Fever Crumb just wasn’t a character I ever connected with or really cared to much about. I probably would have enjoyed this series more if I had. I also wasn’t really a fan of her love interests as they were both on the insta-love spectrum and I just can’t deal with that.
Overall, I’m glad I read it so I can see where it all started but unlike the Mortal Engines Quartet, I won’t be revising this series.
June 6, 2018
The story progressed nicely, Fever's character grew leaps and bounds. The world grew as well. Allot of threads that could be picked up on, or at the very least thought and debated.
I still have issue with the slams toward religion, and the agenda pushing by the author. It tainted the overall story for me, and I had a hard time holding my interest because of it.
I still have issue with the slams toward religion, and the agenda pushing by the author. It tainted the overall story for me, and I had a hard time holding my interest because of it.
March 15, 2011
Another year, another Mortal Engines prequel. The previous two, Fever Crumb and A Web of Air were OK. They were really quite good when compared to most books out there for teens. The problem was that they just couldn't live up to the pure brilliance, and I say that with conviction, of the original Mortal Engines quartet.
Scrivener's Moon is, without doubt, the strongest prequel yet. It is brilliant. Grander, darker, with more scope, it brings the series back to its roots of long voyages, big showdowns and, of course, hulking great traction cities. The gritty, dirty, noisey cities trapesing across dusty wastelands, heroic battles, and journeys to far off lands, these are the things that made the original books something special, it's what made them great, and it's was makes this new book almost equal to them. Almost.
That's not to say that there weren't flaws, but in truth they were fairly minimal. A few silly jokes made me grimace - mainly place names like Hamster's Heath and Hamsterdam, which felt overly childish - but there were a couple, often aimed at older readers, that did make me smile – Mott & Hoople Orphanage being one of note. There was also a little teen angst that I hadn't noticed in the other books, such as Fever, our heroin, getting a little confused with her sexuality and resigning herself to admiring from afar. It didn't bother me much though, and I'm starting to think I'm just nit-picking for the sake of it.
There are some great new editions character-wise. Cluny, a headstrong warrior princess afflicted by visions of a terrible future, is likeable and realistic, whilst the strange, seemingly heartless Charley is a great villain – one that you can never quite understand, yet in a weird way feel sorry for. There is also a new race of people, the cave-dwelling Nightwights. These strange, terrifying creatures may hold a key to Fever's own past.
All in all Scrivener's Moon is the Mortal Engines series back on form. It was great to learn more about the history of their world and I thoroughly look forward to returning to it in the near future. It has made me desperate to go back and read the originals, and that is high praise indeed.
Thank you, Philip Reeve.
Highly Recommended.
Scrivener's Moon is, without doubt, the strongest prequel yet. It is brilliant. Grander, darker, with more scope, it brings the series back to its roots of long voyages, big showdowns and, of course, hulking great traction cities. The gritty, dirty, noisey cities trapesing across dusty wastelands, heroic battles, and journeys to far off lands, these are the things that made the original books something special, it's what made them great, and it's was makes this new book almost equal to them. Almost.
That's not to say that there weren't flaws, but in truth they were fairly minimal. A few silly jokes made me grimace - mainly place names like Hamster's Heath and Hamsterdam, which felt overly childish - but there were a couple, often aimed at older readers, that did make me smile – Mott & Hoople Orphanage being one of note. There was also a little teen angst that I hadn't noticed in the other books, such as Fever, our heroin, getting a little confused with her sexuality and resigning herself to admiring from afar. It didn't bother me much though, and I'm starting to think I'm just nit-picking for the sake of it.
There are some great new editions character-wise. Cluny, a headstrong warrior princess afflicted by visions of a terrible future, is likeable and realistic, whilst the strange, seemingly heartless Charley is a great villain – one that you can never quite understand, yet in a weird way feel sorry for. There is also a new race of people, the cave-dwelling Nightwights. These strange, terrifying creatures may hold a key to Fever's own past.
All in all Scrivener's Moon is the Mortal Engines series back on form. It was great to learn more about the history of their world and I thoroughly look forward to returning to it in the near future. It has made me desperate to go back and read the originals, and that is high praise indeed.
Thank you, Philip Reeve.
Highly Recommended.
May 7, 2023
the anti-climactic end to an otherwise good trilogy
After Wavey found Fever in Mayda and dragged her back to London, Fever discovers that Wavey and her allies are remaking London, destroying the many town buildings and placing them on a vehicle to be driven across the sea to the mainland of Europe. Fever decides that she wants to go north because she has been receiving visions of a black pyramid in the frozen north. Wavey decides that she wants to tag along, and so they go off, but along the way they get attacked by an ancient Arkhangel who are against London, and the eldest daughter of that faction Cluny Morvish also has visions of London just like the future ruler of Anchorage Freya Rasmussen in Predators gold.
This book was disappointing for me as I really enjoyed both Fever Crumb and A Web of Air, so seeing the climactic showdown be this was honestly disappointing. The plot for the most part is fine, as is the introduction to yet another creature that dies before mortal engines, the Nightwights. Apparently they were mentioned in Fever Crumb, but I must have missed that part, but yeah, they were Scrivens who lived underground, ate people, and acted like wolves. The plot point that Fever is slowly becoming Godshawk was really clever, with Auric even taking over at one point when Fever disassociated from the pain of being shot with an arrow and her questioning her attraction to Cluny or if it's just Auric and his attraction shining through.
The characters are okay, if not a little bland. Fever has completed her character arc as someone who has learned to accept her own emotions, and Dr. Crumb regresses into a cold, calculated man after Wavey's sacrifice, which did actually make me appreciate her a little bit. Shrike is in this book; I don't know why, but he is, and Charlie is horrible; he is like fishcake now; he will kill for anyone who appears to be a parental figure, which includes that figure's actual kids. Charlies romance with Gwen NATSWORTHY Was weird, yeah, Natsworthy is like Tom Natsworthy; she is a higher up in a traction city resistance group, which he was all for until he heard London's engine roar. That's when he realised what true power is like.
World 4/10
Characters 4/10
Plot 6/10
overall enjoyment 4/10
After Wavey found Fever in Mayda and dragged her back to London, Fever discovers that Wavey and her allies are remaking London, destroying the many town buildings and placing them on a vehicle to be driven across the sea to the mainland of Europe. Fever decides that she wants to go north because she has been receiving visions of a black pyramid in the frozen north. Wavey decides that she wants to tag along, and so they go off, but along the way they get attacked by an ancient Arkhangel who are against London, and the eldest daughter of that faction Cluny Morvish also has visions of London just like the future ruler of Anchorage Freya Rasmussen in Predators gold.
This book was disappointing for me as I really enjoyed both Fever Crumb and A Web of Air, so seeing the climactic showdown be this was honestly disappointing. The plot for the most part is fine, as is the introduction to yet another creature that dies before mortal engines, the Nightwights. Apparently they were mentioned in Fever Crumb, but I must have missed that part, but yeah, they were Scrivens who lived underground, ate people, and acted like wolves. The plot point that Fever is slowly becoming Godshawk was really clever, with Auric even taking over at one point when Fever disassociated from the pain of being shot with an arrow and her questioning her attraction to Cluny or if it's just Auric and his attraction shining through.
The characters are okay, if not a little bland. Fever has completed her character arc as someone who has learned to accept her own emotions, and Dr. Crumb regresses into a cold, calculated man after Wavey's sacrifice, which did actually make me appreciate her a little bit. Shrike is in this book; I don't know why, but he is, and Charlie is horrible; he is like fishcake now; he will kill for anyone who appears to be a parental figure, which includes that figure's actual kids. Charlies romance with Gwen NATSWORTHY Was weird, yeah, Natsworthy is like Tom Natsworthy; she is a higher up in a traction city resistance group, which he was all for until he heard London's engine roar. That's when he realised what true power is like.
World 4/10
Characters 4/10
Plot 6/10
overall enjoyment 4/10
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2017
I personally did not like this book. I was very excited about reading this because the prior two books of the series we pleasant and very enjoyable. Yet, when I began this book I was surprised to find that the book was especially boring. The words seem to drawl on and the plot seemed too predictable. Of course, there were good parts too, such as when fever's mother died. Now, I'm not saying that I enjoy the main character suffering. What I'm saying is that I liked the impact it had on the reader when Fever finally sees Wavey as a real mother. Also, the fact that Wavey sacrifices herself for Fever was utterly heat wrenching and fantastic at the same time. On the other hand, I found the ending to be quite dull. It did not seem to move the reader in a way that most authors have achieved. But frankly comparing this book with the likes of the books I have read would be deemed unfair. I also did not prefer the relationship Fever had to the one she had in the Web of Air. And for all of you who have taken the time to read this review and are wondering, no, I don't only dislike them because they are lesbian. I just think it lackes the cuteness like of her with Arlo. When it comes to Charlie Shallow I was thoroughly disappointed. I was left feeling a need for vengeance that left me unsatisfied when I did manage to finish the book. The explorations of the pyramid had me on and off reading as well. For me, it just left too many unanswered questions. And I feel the same about the books ending. I did enjoy the elements of how people chose religion over common sense and of how those who did chose common sense led them to forget their humanity all together. One example of this is Dr.Crumb. I did like how after Fever left after their argument in the moving city, he said he did care. That was a very happy part on my account. Yet, it was interesting how he decided to leave people to die and how he did not look fazed as his seemingly died daughter turns out to be alive. In conclusion, I did enjoy some aspects of this book but in the end, the con's outweighed the pros.
October 19, 2011
Compared to the original series of Mortal Engines I find the prequels lacking the same character. That is to say the protagonist Fever Crumb is interesting but lacks the same depth of interest as, say, Hester Shaw, Tom Natsworthy and the ever intriguing stalker Shrike.
Scrivener's Moon basically continues the story of Fever Crumb and shows the beginning foundation of the traction cities: cities on wheels. The story begins well and finishes smoothly with an action packed battle sequence and some startling developments but it looses a little pace in the middle. Perhaps its the fact that like many authors Phillip Reeve feels the need to extend his novel to 400 or so pages and hence stretches his plot thinly to cover that extra mileage.
Still Scrivener's Moon is a good read with its strange apocalyptic world and the zany characters that made Mortal Engines so brilliant. Not to mention that Reeve is a creative fellow who comes up with ideas ranging from undead soldiers (stalkers), to animated paper men (all with microchips) and molecular clockwork. Sure it's been classed as a young adult novel but as Shakespear once wrote (no doubt not intending for his words to become cliche) what's in a name? However I must admit the prequel series feels less mature than the original series in both ideas and narration. Despite these flaws it is still a part of a creative world that I very much enjoy visiting.
Scrivener's Moon basically continues the story of Fever Crumb and shows the beginning foundation of the traction cities: cities on wheels. The story begins well and finishes smoothly with an action packed battle sequence and some startling developments but it looses a little pace in the middle. Perhaps its the fact that like many authors Phillip Reeve feels the need to extend his novel to 400 or so pages and hence stretches his plot thinly to cover that extra mileage.
Still Scrivener's Moon is a good read with its strange apocalyptic world and the zany characters that made Mortal Engines so brilliant. Not to mention that Reeve is a creative fellow who comes up with ideas ranging from undead soldiers (stalkers), to animated paper men (all with microchips) and molecular clockwork. Sure it's been classed as a young adult novel but as Shakespear once wrote (no doubt not intending for his words to become cliche) what's in a name? However I must admit the prequel series feels less mature than the original series in both ideas and narration. Despite these flaws it is still a part of a creative world that I very much enjoy visiting.
December 20, 2023
Здесь будут СПОЙЛЕРЫ к первым двум приквелам и к основному квартету. Если не читали - тогда что вы здесь делаете? Это каким поехавшим надо быть, чтобы лезть в отзывы к по сути седьмой книге в цикле, не ознакомившись с первыми шестью?
Снова пришлось воспользоваться машинным переводом, ибо мой уровень знания английского не позволяет мне комфортно читать англоязычный художественный текст (а только комменты на Ютабе и Реддите да отзывы здесь, лол).
Некоторые куски текста не перевелись совсем или перевелись коряво, из-за чего я был вынужден читат�� их в оригинале. Зато я, по всей видимости, узнал, что "англичанский язык" (это который наш современный английский, устаревший для героев из далёкого будущего) из основного квартета в оригинале пишется "anglish" вместо "english". Хотя я на месте переводчика сделал бы "онглийский".
Под конец внезапно выясняется, что самоназвание этих мутантов, "скривенер" (т.е. писец (не животное) - это имя их бога. Чёт я не помню такого. До этого ни разу никто даже не заикнулся, почему они себя так называют.
Это, кстати, было в Институте Скривенера. И это единственная хорошая сцена во всей книге. Только ради неё и стоит продраться сквозь остальную посредственность. Люблю лор и когда мне его раскрывают, несмотря на то, что я нахватался спойлеров, пока читал вики, пытаясь разобраться в таймлайне и датах.
Но у меня всё ещё осталось много вопросов.
- сколько всего особей Homo Superior было создано?
- сколько лет длилось создание этого Человечества 2.0?
- в каком возрасте особь выпускалась во внешнюю среду?
- как обстояли дела с воспитанием и образованием особей? В Horizon: Zero Dawn это лучше было объяснено.
- почему работы прекратились?
- и самый главный вопрос: почему про скривенеров ни слова не было в основном квартете? Да, в конце третьей книги упоминались пирамиды в снегах на севере. А про мутантов почему все молчали? К тому времени их не осталось? А, ну да, 10000 лет жили не тужили, а тут за 500 лет вымерли. Как и мамонты (да, тут есть мамонты). Их тоже в пробирке вывели? Не уловил. И я ещё на ангелов жаловался в прошлой книге...
Автор всё-таки мастер в делании персонажей мyдaкaми. Зачем-то. Причём изниоткуда, out of character.
Эстер в третьей книге, приехав в плавучий город спасать дочь, почему-то радовалась, что оной здесь нет и можно дальше такой красивой цокать каблучками по мостовой, а потом бросила семью.
Чарли, который в первой книге вызывал симпатию как запутавшийся в чувствах беспризорный мальчик, здесь спустя 2 года почему-то стал отмороженным социопатом. Это вообще будто другой персонаж.
Кто-нибудь мне объяснит, зачем Кверкус сказал доктору Крамбу, что погибли и его жена, и дочь? Откуда он это вообще взял? Как узнал? Зачем обманул? Чего он этим хотел добиться? Зачем деморализовывать своего главного учёного прямо на кануне запуска мобильного города? У меня переводчик глюканул, или это действительно не было объяснено? И с каких это пор Кверкус начал использовать слово "man" в значении "блин"/"чувак" а-ля "Oh, man!"/"Вот блин!"? В первой книге такого за ним не наблюдалось. А ещё он кинул всех рабочих, которые построили ему город и с которых он взял налоги, и уехал без них, убив всех лошадей и мамонтов, чтобы эта чернь не смела ехать за Лондоном. Эта сцена напомнила сцену из фильма "2012", когда люди поняли, что их не возьмут. Аж мурашки побежали, когда представил себя на их месте. Жуть.
Ещё в книге есть бессмысленный фан-сервис. Появляется персонаж по фамилии Нэтсуорти. Зачем? Что это даёт сюжету? Что мешало автору написать любую другую фамилию?
И нам показали сцену, которую Шрайк вспоминал, когда очухался после переезда пиратским посёлком в первой книге основного квартета. Ну, прикольно, чё.
Если вы настолько же наивны, как и я, и домучивали книгу в надежде, что вам, наконец, расскажут, что же, в конце концов, это за такой неведомый источник энергии, способный работать 10 тысяч лет (а согласно фэндом-вики с 60-минутной войны прошло именно столько), то можете орально увлажнить пoлoвoй opган автора, потому что кроме "молекулярного часового механизма" никаких подробностей вы не получите.
Предфинальный экшон, где по замыслу автора должна была быть эпичная битва, написана убого, скомкано и сумбурно. Как я ни старался, как ни пытался, так и не смог адекватно себе представить описываемые события. Кто-то куда-то бежит, что-то где-то взрывается. Брат Клуни где-то успел помереть от рук Грайка. Да-да, вы не ослышались. В американском издании имя персонажа поменяли, чтобы читатели на путали его со Шрайком из "Песен Гипериона" Дэна Симмонса.
Я перечитал этот кусок несколько раз, но так и не увидел сцену смерти брата Клуни. А под конец Клуни говорит, после смерти отца теперь её брат будет вождём. И это не косяк переводчика. В оригинале так же.
Когда в первой книге выяснилось,что в башке Фивер есть флешка со сканом сознания её деда, я начал думать, что нам покажут что-то вроде Киберпанка 2077, и дед Фивер будет появляться в самые неожиданные моменты и капать ей на мозги, как делал Джонни Сильверхенд. Но ничего подобного не произошло. Зачем тогда вообще нужно было засовывать память деда в Фивер, если это ни к чему не привело? Зачем было записывать свою копию на флешку, если ты не собирался захватывать тело носителя? Ружьё Бондарчука какое-то. В башке у Клуни, кстати, тоже флешка с сознанием деда-скривена. И это тоже ни к чему не привело.
В конце оказалось, что Фивер - лесбиянка. Я до последнего надеялся на возвращение Арло, но он так и не появился. Жаль. Мне был симпатичен этот персонаж. Ну и зачем тогда он вообще был нужен во второй книге?
Книга, а равно и вся трилогия кончается ничем. Фивер со своей новой партнёршей ушли из Лондона жить на свежем воздухе в лесу возле племени одичавших в стиле "Машины времени" Уэллса скривенеров, с которыми ранее сталкивались по сюжету. Интересно, как они не эволюционировали за 10000 лет?
Чарли и Кверкус НЕ получили по заслугам (это вообще какой-то фетиш автора - делать злодеям хэппи-энд).
Доктор Крамб уехал дальше командовать прокачкой Лондона.
Шрайк ушёл в закат на 500 лет дожидаться Эстер на берегу после шторма.
Я когда дошёл до этого места, сначала даже не поверил, что это всё. Это вот ради этого я читал три книжки? Серьёзно?!
Снова пришлось воспользоваться машинным переводом, ибо мой уровень знания английского не позволяет мне комфортно читать англоязычный художественный текст (а только комменты на Ютабе и Реддите да отзывы здесь, лол).
Некоторые куски текста не перевелись совсем или перевелись коряво, из-за чего я был вынужден читат�� их в оригинале. Зато я, по всей видимости, узнал, что "англичанский язык" (это который наш современный английский, устаревший для героев из далёкого будущего) из основного квартета в оригинале пишется "anglish" вместо "english". Хотя я на месте переводчика сделал бы "онглийский".
Под конец внезапно выясняется, что самоназвание этих мутантов, "скривенер" (т.е. писец (не животное) - это имя их бога. Чёт я не помню такого. До этого ни разу никто даже не заикнулся, почему они себя так называют.
Это, кстати, было в Институте Скривенера. И это единственная хорошая сцена во всей книге. Только ради неё и стоит продраться сквозь остальную посредственность. Люблю лор и когда мне его раскрывают, несмотря на то, что я нахватался спойлеров, пока читал вики, пытаясь разобраться в таймлайне и датах.
Но у меня всё ещё осталось много вопросов.
- сколько всего особей Homo Superior было создано?
- сколько лет длилось создание этого Человечества 2.0?
- в каком возрасте особь выпускалась во внешнюю среду?
- как обстояли дела с воспитанием и образованием особей? В Horizon: Zero Dawn это лучше было объяснено.
- почему работы прекратились?
- и самый главный вопрос: почему про скривенеров ни слова не было в основном квартете? Да, в конце третьей книги упоминались пирамиды в снегах на севере. А про мутантов почему все молчали? К тому времени их не осталось? А, ну да, 10000 лет жили не тужили, а тут за 500 лет вымерли. Как и мамонты (да, тут есть мамонты). Их тоже в пробирке вывели? Не уловил. И я ещё на ангелов жаловался в прошлой книге...
Автор всё-таки мастер в делании персонажей мyдaкaми. Зачем-то. Причём изниоткуда, out of character.
Эстер в третьей книге, приехав в плавучий город спасать дочь, почему-то радовалась, что оной здесь нет и можно дальше такой красивой цокать каблучками по мостовой, а потом бросила семью.
Чарли, который в первой книге вызывал симпатию как запутавшийся в чувствах беспризорный мальчик, здесь спустя 2 года почему-то стал отмороженным социопатом. Это вообще будто другой персонаж.
Кто-нибудь мне объяснит, зачем Кверкус сказал доктору Крамбу, что погибли и его жена, и дочь? Откуда он это вообще взял? Как узнал? Зачем обманул? Чего он этим хотел добиться? Зачем деморализовывать своего главного учёного прямо на кануне запуска мобильного города? У меня переводчик глюканул, или это действительно не было объяснено? И с каких это пор Кверкус начал использовать слово "man" в значении "блин"/"чувак" а-ля "Oh, man!"/"Вот блин!"? В первой книге такого за ним не наблюдалось. А ещё он кинул всех рабочих, которые построили ему город и с которых он взял налоги, и уехал без них, убив всех лошадей и мамонтов, чтобы эта чернь не смела ехать за Лондоном. Эта сцена напомнила сцену из фильма "2012", когда люди поняли, что их не возьмут. Аж мурашки побежали, когда представил себя на их месте. Жуть.
Ещё в книге есть бессмысленный фан-сервис. Появляется персонаж по фамилии Нэтсуорти. Зачем? Что это даёт сюжету? Что мешало автору написать любую другую фамилию?
И нам показали сцену, которую Шрайк вспоминал, когда очухался после переезда пиратским посёлком в первой книге основного квартета. Ну, прикольно, чё.
Если вы настолько же наивны, как и я, и домучивали книгу в надежде, что вам, наконец, расскажут, что же, в конце концов, это за такой неведомый источник энергии, способный работать 10 тысяч лет (а согласно фэндом-вики с 60-минутной войны прошло именно столько), то можете орально увлажнить пoлoвoй opган автора, потому что кроме "молекулярного часового механизма" никаких подробностей вы не получите.
Предфинальный экшон, где по замыслу автора должна была быть эпичная битва, написана убого, скомкано и сумбурно. Как я ни старался, как ни пытался, так и не смог адекватно себе представить описываемые события. Кто-то куда-то бежит, что-то где-то взрывается. Брат Клуни где-то успел помереть от рук Грайка. Да-да, вы не ослышались. В американском издании имя персонажа поменяли, чтобы читатели на путали его со Шрайком из "Песен Гипериона" Дэна Симмонса.
Я перечитал этот кусок несколько раз, но так и не увидел сцену смерти брата Клуни. А под конец Клуни говорит, после смерти отца теперь её брат будет вождём. И это не косяк переводчика. В оригинале так же.
Когда в первой книге выяснилось,что в башке Фивер есть флешка со сканом сознания её деда, я начал думать, что нам покажут что-то вроде Киберпанка 2077, и дед Фивер будет появляться в самые неожиданные моменты и капать ей на мозги, как делал Джонни Сильверхенд. Но ничего подобного не произошло. Зачем тогда вообще нужно было засовывать память деда в Фивер, если это ни к чему не привело? Зачем было записывать свою копию на флешку, если ты не собирался захватывать тело носителя? Ружьё Бондарчука какое-то. В башке у Клуни, кстати, тоже флешка с сознанием деда-скривена. И это тоже ни к чему не привело.
В конце оказалось, что Фивер - лесбиянка. Я до последнего надеялся на возвращение Арло, но он так и не появился. Жаль. Мне был симпатичен этот персонаж. Ну и зачем тогда он вообще был нужен во второй книге?
Книга, а равно и вся трилогия кончается ничем. Фивер со своей новой партнёршей ушли из Лондона жить на свежем воздухе в лесу возле племени одичавших в стиле "Машины времени" Уэллса скривенеров, с которыми ранее сталкивались по сюжету. Интересно, как они не эволюционировали за 10000 лет?
Чарли и Кверкус НЕ получили по заслугам (это вообще какой-то фетиш автора - делать злодеям хэппи-энд).
Доктор Крамб уехал дальше командовать прокачкой Лондона.
Шрайк ушёл в закат на 500 лет дожидаться Эстер на берегу после шторма.
Я когда дошёл до этого места, сначала даже не поверил, что это всё. Это вот ради этого я читал три книжки? Серьёзно?!
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