Mortal Engines: Thunder City

One of the deep joys of fantasy literature is familiarity, which might sound odd in the context of a series about a dystopia in which cities are no longer static but mobile, roaming a future wasteland and gobbling each other up. But for those who of us who love multi-volume world-building, it’s hugely satisfying to return to a series and travel through familiar landscapes. Philip Reeve introduced us to this particular world in 2001 when Mortal Engines was first published, and followed it with three more novels and various prequels and add-ons. Right from the beginning these stories were stamped with originality – not quite cyberpunk, nor science-fiction, but wholly themselves. The characters are fascinating, quirky, and complex; the writing is clear, elegant, and often wryly funny; the plots work like the smoothly oiled traction engines that power the cities; and there’s enough action to keep even the most dedicated game-player happy. There were dark rumours a few years back that Mr Reeve had decided not to add to the canon, so fans will be relieved to hear that he has relented with this tale of Arcade Fighter Tamzin Pook and her odyssey with a band of friends from disaster to redemption, with plenty of twists and turns between. This is certainly a worthy addition to the series, ideal for moody young teens with a penchant for immersive, propulsive adventures. Let’s hope there are further city-eating-city tales coming down the pipeline…