Book Review - Mortal Engines

Mortal Engines by Philip Reeves (Scholastic, 2001)

Mortal Engines, is definitely one of those books that will make other authors scratch their heads and think, "Why didn't I think of that?!"

The reason for the head-scratching and wondering, is because Mortal Engines is a complex, well-written, imaginative book.  It is the first book in a series of 4 books, called the Mortal Engines quartet.

The idea itself is astounding on its own; a dystopian future, where cities have become almost like predators and move around the land eating other cities.  The idea builds on and on, until you have a realistic, mind-blowing book.

The characters were a mixed bag; some were believable and others played a predictable role. My favourite character is Hester Shaw, but I won't tell you why! 

In conclusion, Mortal Engines is a brilliant book that deserves five stars. It is a genuine, thoughtful, creative novel.

I recommend this book to anyone who liked His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, the Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness, Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody or Leviathan by Scott Westerfield.

Nick, 11, Canberra