Mortal Engines is the first book in Philip Reeve's Hungry City Chronicles. Though the series takes place way in the future, it has the feel of a steampunk novel.In the future, cities move about. They are on huge tracks and the travel to find resources - meaning smaller cities, suburbs and town they can overpower and incorporate into themselves. It is a time of Municipal Darwinism.
Tom is a low level apprentice in the Historian guild in the city of London. His parents died when he was younger and since they were historians he is being raised to be one. When London overtakes a smaller town, Tom is sent to the Gut to make sure any artifacts with possible historical significance are given to the Museum to process.
In the Gut he runs into the city's Head Historian, the archeologist (and Tom's hero) Thaddeus Valentine and his daughter Katherine. When a young woman who has been captured with the new city breaks out of line and tries to kill Valentine, Tom stops her and the runs after her to capture her.
In the chaos both Tom and the girl he was chasing, Hester Shaw, end up down a garbage chute and dropped below the city into the Out-Country - sea of mud and huge caterpillar tracks from passing cities. Now London is steaming off to the horizon while Tom and Hester have to find a way back, Tom back to the only city he has ever lived in and Hester to avenge the killing of her parents.
Reeve is a master of imagination and plot. Mortal Engines is the first book in a six book series that will delight fans of adventure, science fiction and steampunk. After reading his Larklight trilogy, I vowed to read all of Reeve's books -and am looking forward to every page of the Hungry City Chronicles.
Reeve, Philip. (2001). Mortal Engines. New York: EOS.
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