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Railhead #2
Black Light Express
There was nothing, and then there was a train. A train with two a petty thief from a dead-end town, and an android girl who could be more human than the rest of us. Join Zen and Nova as they find out what really lies beyond the end of the universe . . . Take a ride in Philip Reeve's incredible imagination as he returns with this stellar follow-up to Railhead. Full of extraordinary beings and utterly real, complex characters, of thrills and thoughtfulmoments, this is a stunning step beyond the universe which will appeal to both sci-fi fans and foes alike.
353 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 10, 2016
81 people are currently reading
1425 people want to read
About the author
Philip Reeve
171 books2,727 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 160 reviews
November 13, 2018
4 1/2 stars. A seriously underrated, underread series.
Reeve has created a whole universe of fantastical wonders in Railhead and Black Light Express. To be honest, I wasn't rushing out to read this sequel because I worried it couldn't possibly be as good as the first one, which introduced some of the best world-building I've ever seen. As I said in my review, Railhead is a book for the curious, for those who ask questions, and wonder about the secrets and mysteries of the great wide universe. But in Black Light Express, we are taken even further into the expanse of space.
This series imagines a future where a network of train tracks run through space, taking their passengers all over the charted universe. In the last book, Reeve used this as a platform to tell a fast-paced story of a heist - street thief Zen Starling impersonates an aristocrat and infiltrates the Emperor's train - but this book gets even nastier. The new Empress, Threnody, is targeted by an ambitious, power-hungry family who want to take the throne for themselves.
Threnody escapes, but soon finds herself needing the help of Zen Starling, the Motorik - Nova, multiple trains, and an asexual recidivist who wishes she'd just been selfish in the first place and left the Empress to fend for herself (I love Chandni so much!).
It's politics and power struggles in the dark depths of space. It's humanoid robots and Hive Monks and sentient trains who are snarky as fuck. (Seriously, the Ghost Wolf is a fantastic character and it's a train. It's just so damn sassy, though.) It's friendships and betrayals and tough decisions. It's funny and it's sad.
Reeve's world is rich with detail, constantly moving at a fast pace but never lacking in depth and complexity. It's so many things: a bloody political battle for power, a futuristic space story, a thoughtful consideration of what it means to be human, and a wide-eyed adventure into the unknown. I really hope there's more to come.
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Reeve has created a whole universe of fantastical wonders in Railhead and Black Light Express. To be honest, I wasn't rushing out to read this sequel because I worried it couldn't possibly be as good as the first one, which introduced some of the best world-building I've ever seen. As I said in my review, Railhead is a book for the curious, for those who ask questions, and wonder about the secrets and mysteries of the great wide universe. But in Black Light Express, we are taken even further into the expanse of space.
This series imagines a future where a network of train tracks run through space, taking their passengers all over the charted universe. In the last book, Reeve used this as a platform to tell a fast-paced story of a heist - street thief Zen Starling impersonates an aristocrat and infiltrates the Emperor's train - but this book gets even nastier. The new Empress, Threnody, is targeted by an ambitious, power-hungry family who want to take the throne for themselves.
Threnody escapes, but soon finds herself needing the help of Zen Starling, the Motorik - Nova, multiple trains, and an asexual recidivist who wishes she'd just been selfish in the first place and left the Empress to fend for herself (I love Chandni so much!).
It's politics and power struggles in the dark depths of space. It's humanoid robots and Hive Monks and sentient trains who are snarky as fuck. (Seriously, the Ghost Wolf is a fantastic character and it's a train. It's just so damn sassy, though.) It's friendships and betrayals and tough decisions. It's funny and it's sad.
Reeve's world is rich with detail, constantly moving at a fast pace but never lacking in depth and complexity. It's so many things: a bloody political battle for power, a futuristic space story, a thoughtful consideration of what it means to be human, and a wide-eyed adventure into the unknown. I really hope there's more to come.
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December 13, 2018
4 stars for this sci-fi novel that will be blow any (middle-grade) reader’s mind to the galaxy and beyond.
Why this series is so unknown and underrated is a big mystery to me, because the Railhead books have of the most incredible and creative world-building I’ve ever read. In these novels the universe is huge but not overwhelming, rich with details but never overcomplicated. You’ll find alien races, virtual gods, androids or “Motoriks” and humans living side by side – and it works. It works amazingly well.
We start this book with our main characters of Railhead, 12-year old street thief Zen Starling and Motorik Nova, exploring the many worlds connected to the train tracks that run through space. Wherein the first book the fast-paced plot resolved around a spectacular heist, this book deals with the consequences of how that heist ended. The political world isn’t thrilled with new Empress Threnody on the throne (the Empress herself isn’t either), and the Guardians decide to take drastic measures to keep the information about the new K-gate a secret. Soon an all-out war looms on the horizon, which no train can outrun.
In this vast galaxy old friends and new characters have to deal with betrayal, friendships, humanity, and a fight for the truth. And not only the humans though: the sentient space trains (the GhostWolf was fantastic!), the mystical Guardians, and we have a return of my personal favorites, the Hive Monks. Everyone has something to win and something to lose, and so this story is exciting and sad and funny all at the same time.
Something that I feel needs a mention is how diverse these characters are. Almost all the humans that we meet are black, the Motoriks and the aliens live completely outside the human-gender norms, and small-time criminal Chandni, our new main character, is confirmed asexual. It’s so great to see such an inclusive middle-grade book, because if you already start broadening minds at a young age, it will help kids have a more open world-view when they are older.
So really, there is no excuse not to give this series a try. Reeve's books have everything you could wish for: an action-packed plot, extraordinary world-building, well developed characters and a writing style that keeps you reading on as fast as a speeding train. Gods, I hope we get a third book.
Read here my reviews of the other books in the Railhead series: #1 Railhead | #3 Station Zero
Why this series is so unknown and underrated is a big mystery to me, because the Railhead books have of the most incredible and creative world-building I’ve ever read. In these novels the universe is huge but not overwhelming, rich with details but never overcomplicated. You’ll find alien races, virtual gods, androids or “Motoriks” and humans living side by side – and it works. It works amazingly well.
We start this book with our main characters of Railhead, 12-year old street thief Zen Starling and Motorik Nova, exploring the many worlds connected to the train tracks that run through space. Wherein the first book the fast-paced plot resolved around a spectacular heist, this book deals with the consequences of how that heist ended. The political world isn’t thrilled with new Empress Threnody on the throne (the Empress herself isn’t either), and the Guardians decide to take drastic measures to keep the information about the new K-gate a secret. Soon an all-out war looms on the horizon, which no train can outrun.
In this vast galaxy old friends and new characters have to deal with betrayal, friendships, humanity, and a fight for the truth. And not only the humans though: the sentient space trains (the GhostWolf was fantastic!), the mystical Guardians, and we have a return of my personal favorites, the Hive Monks. Everyone has something to win and something to lose, and so this story is exciting and sad and funny all at the same time.
"I can't leave anyway, " said Threnody self-pityingly, "Where would I go? What would I do? I'm nothing now. I've gone from a Noon to a no one in a space of a few days..."
(Chandni rolled her eyes and started to play a tiny invisible violin.)
Seriously, Chandni is a sarcastic shit 75% of the time, I love her.
Something that I feel needs a mention is how diverse these characters are. Almost all the humans that we meet are black, the Motoriks and the aliens live completely outside the human-gender norms, and small-time criminal Chandni, our new main character, is confirmed asexual. It’s so great to see such an inclusive middle-grade book, because if you already start broadening minds at a young age, it will help kids have a more open world-view when they are older.
So really, there is no excuse not to give this series a try. Reeve's books have everything you could wish for: an action-packed plot, extraordinary world-building, well developed characters and a writing style that keeps you reading on as fast as a speeding train. Gods, I hope we get a third book.
Read here my reviews of the other books in the Railhead series: #1 Railhead | #3 Station Zero
January 2, 2018
Zen and Nova have passed through the new gate into a whole new part of space with strange aliens and a whole new rail network. But they've left chaos in their wake, with the new Noon Empress in a difficult position, Chandni Hansa literally on ice and Malik marooned on Desdemor. There are mysteries to unravel on both sides of the new railgate, with new enemies and old friends as well as the secret of the Railmakers themselves.
I love the expansion of the Railhead universe in this book. The Web of Worlds is a fascinating place with interesting aliens, and like the first book, Philip doesn't hesitate to put his characters in extreme jeopardy while playing meaningful roles in the universe. I will say though that I didn't care for some of the turns of character here, particularly towards the latter half of the book. Some don't make a lot of sense ( also ) and others feel like railroading (heh) of otherwise sensible characters ()
Still, it's entertaining and creative and will certainly have me buying a subsequent volume if it appears.
I love the expansion of the Railhead universe in this book. The Web of Worlds is a fascinating place with interesting aliens, and like the first book, Philip doesn't hesitate to put his characters in extreme jeopardy while playing meaningful roles in the universe. I will say though that I didn't care for some of the turns of character here, particularly towards the latter half of the book. Some don't make a lot of sense ( also ) and others feel like railroading (heh) of otherwise sensible characters ()
Still, it's entertaining and creative and will certainly have me buying a subsequent volume if it appears.
December 31, 2016
I don't know why this series has so few ratings... These books are so extraordinarily imaginative and rich in detail, it's a joy to join the leads on their journey through the galaxy. But in this one, there was a bit too much going on for one book, so 4 wonderful stars it is!
August 10, 2019
I struggled to re-connect to the characters in this second outing for the sentient trains and the interstellar rail network they run on and the humans they carry with them. Oddly, it's the machines, particularly Nova, the android, that I had most sympathy with. The revelations were disappointingly similar to those of another SF novel that is much better and the series in general suffers from my constantly being reminded of other writers' books. Nevertheless it's an amusing enough adventure and I'm sure I'll get around to the third one at some point.
February 12, 2022
4.5/5 STARS
In book 1, Railhead, readers enter a universe in which humans can travel through space on sentient locomotives using “K-gates” to other worlds. No one knows where these mysterious portals came from or who laid the rails, but legend has it that the Station Angels of book 1 had something to do with these mysterious “railmakers.” Book 1 also introduces us to a cast of humans, machines and a small number of robots called “motorik” who are nearly human themselves. The plot revolves around the politics of this universe--emperors, corporate families and the public perception of the motorik.
I loved book 1 largely for its potential and its tight writing, both of which speak to the author's talent and imagination. 4/5 stars because it was hard to stay interested during some of this set up, even though I knew I would love the climax.
Book II, Black Light Express, builds on top of everything its predecessor set up. Reeve still never skimps on the wondrous descriptions:
Khoorsandi…lay at the end of the Orion Line: a small, dull moon whose moss-moors and knee-high forests were bathed in the brownish light of its mother planet, the gas-giant Anahita. But once every four years, its orbit swung it close enough to Anahita that her gravitational field gave it an almighty wrench. Then it became clear that Khoorsandi's dullness was an illusion, and that its landscape was really a jigsaw of granite and basalt rafts floating on a deep sea of fire. Vents and geysers opened, swarms of pop-up volcanoes shoved their snouts through the blazing moss, and the dwarf tress hastily scattered their flameproof seeds and died a fiery death.
Black Light Express also further explores relationships kindled during the course of book 1; the non-human members of the cast have a lot of heart and I got very attached to them.
SPOILERS for BOOK I!
I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about humans falling in love with their technology—it’s a little weird, like Pygmalion or as if Lucy Pevensie fell in love with Mr. Tumnus when she grew up. Where exactly is Reeve going with this? I’m not sure, and the ending of this book leaves it entirely open, which definitely intrigues me.
But I’m still quite pleased with what we get in BLE. It smashes the lies of The Guardians by taking us railheads to alien worlds and showings us lots of marvelously inventive specimens of organic and technological evolution. Most importantly, the characters will totally get you in this perfect sequel.
I agree with Emily May: this series is seriously under-read.
In book 1, Railhead, readers enter a universe in which humans can travel through space on sentient locomotives using “K-gates” to other worlds. No one knows where these mysterious portals came from or who laid the rails, but legend has it that the Station Angels of book 1 had something to do with these mysterious “railmakers.” Book 1 also introduces us to a cast of humans, machines and a small number of robots called “motorik” who are nearly human themselves. The plot revolves around the politics of this universe--emperors, corporate families and the public perception of the motorik.
I loved book 1 largely for its potential and its tight writing, both of which speak to the author's talent and imagination. 4/5 stars because it was hard to stay interested during some of this set up, even though I knew I would love the climax.
Book II, Black Light Express, builds on top of everything its predecessor set up. Reeve still never skimps on the wondrous descriptions:
Khoorsandi…lay at the end of the Orion Line: a small, dull moon whose moss-moors and knee-high forests were bathed in the brownish light of its mother planet, the gas-giant Anahita. But once every four years, its orbit swung it close enough to Anahita that her gravitational field gave it an almighty wrench. Then it became clear that Khoorsandi's dullness was an illusion, and that its landscape was really a jigsaw of granite and basalt rafts floating on a deep sea of fire. Vents and geysers opened, swarms of pop-up volcanoes shoved their snouts through the blazing moss, and the dwarf tress hastily scattered their flameproof seeds and died a fiery death.
Black Light Express also further explores relationships kindled during the course of book 1; the non-human members of the cast have a lot of heart and I got very attached to them.
SPOILERS for BOOK I!
I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about humans falling in love with their technology—it’s a little weird, like Pygmalion or as if Lucy Pevensie fell in love with Mr. Tumnus when she grew up. Where exactly is Reeve going with this? I’m not sure, and the ending of this book leaves it entirely open, which definitely intrigues me.
But I’m still quite pleased with what we get in BLE. It smashes the lies of The Guardians by taking us railheads to alien worlds and showings us lots of marvelously inventive specimens of organic and technological evolution. Most importantly, the characters will totally get you in this perfect sequel.
I agree with Emily May: this series is seriously under-read.
May 1, 2017
So good I almost can't stand it. The world, the characters, the nonstop action that doesn't sacrifice language or character - Reeve is a freaking genius and I don't understand why he's not better known among younger readers because omg these are so worth reading.
July 22, 2021
Railhead ended with interstellar thief Zen Starling and his robotic friend and lover Nova escaping the encroaching forces of the Network Empire by riding their train through a newly-built teleportation gateway to an entirely alien railway network. That sentence sounds completely bonkers if you haven’t read Railhead, but the general gist is that it’s a space opera set in a far-future universe where people travel on intelligent trains, moving between different star systems by virtue of a network of mysterious gateways; there’s some confusion as to whether they were built by a long-vanished alien race, or by the Guardians, the pantheon of god-like AIs who have exercised benevolent rule over the human race for centuries now.
Black Light Express is a fast-paced, enjoyable sequel to Railhead. Reeve has a lot of fun in Stark Trek mode during the first half, inventing all kinds of bizarre alien species for Zen and Nova to encounter as they travel upon what turns out to be the original interstellar network. As always, he shows a great flair for creating morally grey characters, and for expanding upon characters who were seemingly introduced to serve purely as villains – like Kobi Chen-Tulsi, a spoilt rich jerk in Railhead but somebody a bit older and wiser now. I also enjoyed seeing more of the Guardians, which were brushed upon in Railhead but are explored more thoroughly here.
Reeve also explores the concept of unconventional love, whether it’s Zen and Nova or the even stranger relationship between Malik (one of those morally grey antagonists from Railhead) and the human “interface” of the Guardian Mordaunt 90. This is a particularly interesting thing to see in the YA genre, in which authors these days are very cognisant of the fact that their target audience includes what you might call at-risk teenagers. The obvious example I’m thinking of is the need for closeted gay kids to see valid, celebrated gay relationships on the page and on the screen – but it’s quite easy to just throw in a couple of gay characters. Instead, by depicting unconventional relationships with a sci-fi slant that will never apply at all in the real world, Reeve has come up with a creative and thoughtful metaphor that young readers can interpret more broadly: a statement that love knows no boundaries, is not necessarily linked to sex, and can manifest in surprising and unexpected ways.
But that’s just a small part of it, one which I thought was particularly original and worth noting – Reeve’s not writing some manifesto on love. Black Light Express is still mostly adventures and explosions and all-powerful AIs and alien ruins and snarky trains. I don’t love the Railhead series quite as much as I loved the Mortal Engines series, but I’m pretty sure that’s just the nostalgia factor. These books are brilliant examples of YA sci-fi which deserve a place in every school library, and Reeve remains of Britain’s most criminally underrated authors. I hope we get a third entry in the series next year.
Black Light Express is a fast-paced, enjoyable sequel to Railhead. Reeve has a lot of fun in Stark Trek mode during the first half, inventing all kinds of bizarre alien species for Zen and Nova to encounter as they travel upon what turns out to be the original interstellar network. As always, he shows a great flair for creating morally grey characters, and for expanding upon characters who were seemingly introduced to serve purely as villains – like Kobi Chen-Tulsi, a spoilt rich jerk in Railhead but somebody a bit older and wiser now. I also enjoyed seeing more of the Guardians, which were brushed upon in Railhead but are explored more thoroughly here.
Reeve also explores the concept of unconventional love, whether it’s Zen and Nova or the even stranger relationship between Malik (one of those morally grey antagonists from Railhead) and the human “interface” of the Guardian Mordaunt 90. This is a particularly interesting thing to see in the YA genre, in which authors these days are very cognisant of the fact that their target audience includes what you might call at-risk teenagers. The obvious example I’m thinking of is the need for closeted gay kids to see valid, celebrated gay relationships on the page and on the screen – but it’s quite easy to just throw in a couple of gay characters. Instead, by depicting unconventional relationships with a sci-fi slant that will never apply at all in the real world, Reeve has come up with a creative and thoughtful metaphor that young readers can interpret more broadly: a statement that love knows no boundaries, is not necessarily linked to sex, and can manifest in surprising and unexpected ways.
But that’s just a small part of it, one which I thought was particularly original and worth noting – Reeve’s not writing some manifesto on love. Black Light Express is still mostly adventures and explosions and all-powerful AIs and alien ruins and snarky trains. I don’t love the Railhead series quite as much as I loved the Mortal Engines series, but I’m pretty sure that’s just the nostalgia factor. These books are brilliant examples of YA sci-fi which deserve a place in every school library, and Reeve remains of Britain’s most criminally underrated authors. I hope we get a third entry in the series next year.
April 20, 2017
The first book in this series was absolutely amazing, this one is just as good. I highly recommend this series. It has everything you could possibly want in a young adult steampunk/fantasy.
The world this is set in is so amazing, I have never encountered anything similar. The last book introduced us to world where you could travel between interstellar train stations, where trains are living beings with attitude, there are hive beasts made up of a community of insects that think as one, and so, so much more. This one continues and introduces us to so much more than even that.
I loved the way this author writes. He tells a story full of descriptionsurprises and detail. He paces well and wastes no words on nonsense or to add girth, I hate when you can tell scenes were added to lengthen page count. His writing fits the story perfectly.
I am surprised that is not a more popular series, it is that good. Start with the first book this is not a series I recommend reading out of order, you would be lost if you tried.
Netgalley provided ebook.
The world this is set in is so amazing, I have never encountered anything similar. The last book introduced us to world where you could travel between interstellar train stations, where trains are living beings with attitude, there are hive beasts made up of a community of insects that think as one, and so, so much more. This one continues and introduces us to so much more than even that.
I loved the way this author writes. He tells a story full of descriptionsurprises and detail. He paces well and wastes no words on nonsense or to add girth, I hate when you can tell scenes were added to lengthen page count. His writing fits the story perfectly.
I am surprised that is not a more popular series, it is that good. Start with the first book this is not a series I recommend reading out of order, you would be lost if you tried.
Netgalley provided ebook.
August 7, 2017
The nitty-gritty: Magical, exciting, emotional and full of human truths,
Black Light Express
takes what Philip Reeve started in
Railhead
, expands upon it, and makes it even better.
Last year I was blown away by a little book that I had never heard of called Railhead . When I finished it, several things occurred to me. One: Why had this amazing book not been on my radar? Two: Why isn’t anyone else reading it? and Three: When is the sequel coming out? I can’t answer the first two questions, but I can answer the third question and tell you that Black Light Express is now out in the world. I’m always a little worried about follow-up novels, especially when the first book holds such a special place in my heart. But I needn’t have worried. Black Light Express is just as good. Reeve has created a unique science fiction world where a seemingly infinite number of stars and planets are connected by trains. Yes, you read that correctly. Sentient trains no less! This second book is a sequel in the truest sense of the word: you must read Railhead first in order to understand what’s going on. Having said that, there are minor, unavoidable spoilers for Railhead in this review, so new readers beware.
The story picks up about nine months after the explosive conclusion to Railhead . Zen and Nova, having escaped through a brand new K-gate, have been traveling the worlds of this new galaxy in their sentient train, the Damask Rose. They’ve ended up on the planet of Night’s Edge, home of the giant, whale-like Night Swimmers, and life is very good. Having accepted the fact that they can never return home, the two have not only embraced the strange and sometimes dangerous worlds of this new network of planets, but they’ve fallen in love. Never mind that Zen is human and Nova is a motorik, a nearly human android. True love has no boundaries, as they have come to find out.
Back in the Network Empire, the political situation has stabilized, but unrest is brewing just below the surface. Threnody Noon has been appointed Empress, even though her arranged marriage never happened due to the tragic events on the Noon train at the end of the last book. A thief named Chandni Hansa has just been thawed and released from the freezers, a prison where criminals are frozen for the length of their confinement, and she’s been assigned as a lady-in-waiting at the palace. And elsewhere, Kobi Chen-Tulsi, the ex-betrothed of Threnody Noon, is on his way to meet his future wife (although he doesn’t know it yet). But when he discovers a plot by the Prell family to start a war and take over Threnody’s throne, he knows he has to warn her.
As all these stories converge, a mysterious new world is about to be discovered, and the beliefs about the origins of the Great Network could be shattered for good.
Many of the characters from Railhead are back, including my two favorites, Zen and Nova, but there are some new characters as well. My favorite of these is probably Chandni, a career criminal who’s spent at least fifty years on ice for various crimes, and because people don’t age in the freezers, she appears to be a teenager (although she’s actually much older). Chandni is the kind of person who looks out for herself first, but I loved the way she adjusts her attitude over the course of the story and starts to actually care about the people she meets.
Nova continues to be one of my favorite characters ever. She’s a machine who has trained herself to act and look human, because being human is what she desires most in the world. When she and Zen begin to fall in love, she’s worried that Zen won’t ever be able to truly love a machine, but the growth in their relationship was so satisfying. There’s even a brief mention of an old favorite character of mine from Railhead , Flex, who isn’t exactly alive, but nonetheless is still part of the Damask Rose. (You really should read Railhead and then all my cryptic comments will make sense!)
You say you want to hear about the bad guys? Oh there are plenty in this story, never fear! Black Light Express is filled with all kinds of alien lifeforms, because the story takes place on many different planets. One of the creepiest is a race called the Kraitt, humanoid beings that sort of look like lizards or dinosaurs. They have razor-sharp claws and the females are the warriors in the family. They also take a keen interest in Nova when they discover that she’s a motorik, and those were some of the most nail-biting chapters in the story.
And it wouldn’t be a Railhead story if there weren’t some amazing train characters. I didn’t think Reeve could surpass himself, because the Damask Rose and the Thought Fox from Railhead were such wonderful trains. But he does! In Black Light Express a new train called the Ghost Wolf helps Zen, Nova and Chandni escape the Prells and the Kraitt. Ghost Wolf had a wonderful personality that was completely different from the Damask Rose, and I wanted to hang out with him. Really, I just want my own sentient train, let's be honest!
Reeve delves deeper into the mysteries behind the Great Network and the K-gates. In this world, beings called the Guardians are thought to have created the rails between worlds, and they’re worshiped like gods. But Zen and his friends are forced into new places and presented with new ideas about the creation of the Network, and so they must adjust their beliefs about what is true. One of the things I love so much about this series is that the world is so big and intricate, and the story possibilities seem endless.
If you’re thinking to yourself, “Gee, I don’t really like young adult books, and talking trains? I’m not really interested in a story about talking trains. That sounds so juvenile!” Well, you’re dead wrong. This book may be written for the young adult crowd, but as an “older” reader I can tell you that I was mesmerized by Reeve’s imagination, characters and plotting from start to finish. And just as he did in Railhead , the author gave me goosebumps with his keen observations of relationships and what it means to be human, story qualities that transcend genre and demographics.
For everyone who loves a great story, do yourself a favor and read this book. Or read Railhead if you haven’t started the series (see my review below). Reeve has created a rich world with endless possibilities, and I can’t wait to see where he takes us next.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy. Above quote is from an uncorrected proof and may differ in the final version of the book.This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
Zen sat awkwardly watching, with Nova’s head on his lap as if it were a bag or something. He had imagined finding Nova alive, and he had been afraid of finding her dead, but he had not prepared himself for finding her in pieces. He’d been wondering a lot about what made someone human, and he had been ready to believe Nova when she said she was. But it seemed to him now that maybe an important part of being human was that you had just one life, and that when someone took you apart you died. Or, at least, you minded. So thinking of her as a human being wasn’t going to work anymore. He had to accept that she was something very different, and that he still loved her anyway.
Last year I was blown away by a little book that I had never heard of called Railhead . When I finished it, several things occurred to me. One: Why had this amazing book not been on my radar? Two: Why isn’t anyone else reading it? and Three: When is the sequel coming out? I can’t answer the first two questions, but I can answer the third question and tell you that Black Light Express is now out in the world. I’m always a little worried about follow-up novels, especially when the first book holds such a special place in my heart. But I needn’t have worried. Black Light Express is just as good. Reeve has created a unique science fiction world where a seemingly infinite number of stars and planets are connected by trains. Yes, you read that correctly. Sentient trains no less! This second book is a sequel in the truest sense of the word: you must read Railhead first in order to understand what’s going on. Having said that, there are minor, unavoidable spoilers for Railhead in this review, so new readers beware.
The story picks up about nine months after the explosive conclusion to Railhead . Zen and Nova, having escaped through a brand new K-gate, have been traveling the worlds of this new galaxy in their sentient train, the Damask Rose. They’ve ended up on the planet of Night’s Edge, home of the giant, whale-like Night Swimmers, and life is very good. Having accepted the fact that they can never return home, the two have not only embraced the strange and sometimes dangerous worlds of this new network of planets, but they’ve fallen in love. Never mind that Zen is human and Nova is a motorik, a nearly human android. True love has no boundaries, as they have come to find out.
Back in the Network Empire, the political situation has stabilized, but unrest is brewing just below the surface. Threnody Noon has been appointed Empress, even though her arranged marriage never happened due to the tragic events on the Noon train at the end of the last book. A thief named Chandni Hansa has just been thawed and released from the freezers, a prison where criminals are frozen for the length of their confinement, and she’s been assigned as a lady-in-waiting at the palace. And elsewhere, Kobi Chen-Tulsi, the ex-betrothed of Threnody Noon, is on his way to meet his future wife (although he doesn’t know it yet). But when he discovers a plot by the Prell family to start a war and take over Threnody’s throne, he knows he has to warn her.
As all these stories converge, a mysterious new world is about to be discovered, and the beliefs about the origins of the Great Network could be shattered for good.
Many of the characters from Railhead are back, including my two favorites, Zen and Nova, but there are some new characters as well. My favorite of these is probably Chandni, a career criminal who’s spent at least fifty years on ice for various crimes, and because people don’t age in the freezers, she appears to be a teenager (although she’s actually much older). Chandni is the kind of person who looks out for herself first, but I loved the way she adjusts her attitude over the course of the story and starts to actually care about the people she meets.
Nova continues to be one of my favorite characters ever. She’s a machine who has trained herself to act and look human, because being human is what she desires most in the world. When she and Zen begin to fall in love, she’s worried that Zen won’t ever be able to truly love a machine, but the growth in their relationship was so satisfying. There’s even a brief mention of an old favorite character of mine from Railhead , Flex, who isn’t exactly alive, but nonetheless is still part of the Damask Rose. (You really should read Railhead and then all my cryptic comments will make sense!)
You say you want to hear about the bad guys? Oh there are plenty in this story, never fear! Black Light Express is filled with all kinds of alien lifeforms, because the story takes place on many different planets. One of the creepiest is a race called the Kraitt, humanoid beings that sort of look like lizards or dinosaurs. They have razor-sharp claws and the females are the warriors in the family. They also take a keen interest in Nova when they discover that she’s a motorik, and those were some of the most nail-biting chapters in the story.
And it wouldn’t be a Railhead story if there weren’t some amazing train characters. I didn’t think Reeve could surpass himself, because the Damask Rose and the Thought Fox from Railhead were such wonderful trains. But he does! In Black Light Express a new train called the Ghost Wolf helps Zen, Nova and Chandni escape the Prells and the Kraitt. Ghost Wolf had a wonderful personality that was completely different from the Damask Rose, and I wanted to hang out with him. Really, I just want my own sentient train, let's be honest!
Reeve delves deeper into the mysteries behind the Great Network and the K-gates. In this world, beings called the Guardians are thought to have created the rails between worlds, and they’re worshiped like gods. But Zen and his friends are forced into new places and presented with new ideas about the creation of the Network, and so they must adjust their beliefs about what is true. One of the things I love so much about this series is that the world is so big and intricate, and the story possibilities seem endless.
If you’re thinking to yourself, “Gee, I don’t really like young adult books, and talking trains? I’m not really interested in a story about talking trains. That sounds so juvenile!” Well, you’re dead wrong. This book may be written for the young adult crowd, but as an “older” reader I can tell you that I was mesmerized by Reeve’s imagination, characters and plotting from start to finish. And just as he did in Railhead , the author gave me goosebumps with his keen observations of relationships and what it means to be human, story qualities that transcend genre and demographics.
For everyone who loves a great story, do yourself a favor and read this book. Or read Railhead if you haven’t started the series (see my review below). Reeve has created a rich world with endless possibilities, and I can’t wait to see where he takes us next.
Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy. Above quote is from an uncorrected proof and may differ in the final version of the book.This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
May 13, 2018
Just now I got notified that book 3 is out, and when I went to check out when the Audio-version will be available I saw that Book 2 was not reflected in my reading list as "Read" - WHAT? How can this be!!! Many things can be said about this series. The world-building here is absolutely phenomenal! The characters are great, and the trains (You get me if you read this, if not just go with it) well they are are in a separate category all together x I am so excited for book 3, am thinking of re-reading book 1 & 2 while I wait x
January 2, 2026
This is one of the most underrated YA sci-fi series. The world-building is some of the best I have ever read! Reeve's world-building even beats out Sanderson's Skywards series for me.
The story starts right up from where we left off in the first book. I loved the exploration and adventures the characters take. My slight critique is that the characacterization was not quite as strong as the first book, but I still felt attached to the main characters.
I'm so excited to read Book 3!
The story starts right up from where we left off in the first book. I loved the exploration and adventures the characters take. My slight critique is that the characacterization was not quite as strong as the first book, but I still felt attached to the main characters.
I'm so excited to read Book 3!
February 27, 2018
2018 CARNEGIE LONGLIST BOOK 8/20
Well, wow. I was not expecting this. Though to be honest, now I think that my review of Railhead was a little harsh. I just really don't think I appreciated it enough when I read it. I really enjoyed this one though! I was really into it and appreciated the world building a LOT more this time. Though technically I don't think this should be on the longlist, as it IS a sequel, and how can you judge a sequel alone? And this isn't a companion novel, you cannot read it without reading Railhead first. I only just managed to remember the details of Railhead from a year ago. But, it is one of the best books on this list (o help me) and I think it deserves some kind of recognition.
Seriously, if you like science fiction, you need to try this one out. The world building really is incredible and I am scowling at my past self for not realising that. There are all these trains that travel through these gates and turn up in other worlds seconds later. And there are these cool guardians and things get complicated (wow my use of the English language is so eloquent). But honestly, it is much better than that. And it is so diverse! Hooray for diverse books! There are people of all different races, sexualities, shapes and sizes (and sometimes species). It kind of reminds me of the later Star Wars films, in that respect. Though I still have the same issues with the love interest being a robot and everything. I still have a hard time getting on with that. But if I suspend my disbelief, I can enjoy it, and I do like Nova as a character.
I think the reason that I enjoyed this one more is in part to the characters. There was more of a range this time. Instead of just Zen, and occasionally a few others, we had Nova, Threnody and Chandni as well. I really enjoyed reading about Threnody and Chandni. I also preferred the plot this time. Heists have never really been my thing, I must admit, so the first book didn't appeal to me that much. However, in this book, there is more adventure and the world really expanded and it was much more action packed and fast paced. I whizzed through this and I am super excited (dare I say it) to read the next book. Yay!
This was an unexpected delight for me. I am annoyed at my self for not appreciating Railhead enough. Seriously, this is a really underrated series, and I really don't think it is middle grade fiction like some people are saying. The world is complex and interesting and this will appeal to anyone who likes science fiction and/or adventure. Go try out Railhead - who knows, it may surprise you.
Well, wow. I was not expecting this. Though to be honest, now I think that my review of Railhead was a little harsh. I just really don't think I appreciated it enough when I read it. I really enjoyed this one though! I was really into it and appreciated the world building a LOT more this time. Though technically I don't think this should be on the longlist, as it IS a sequel, and how can you judge a sequel alone? And this isn't a companion novel, you cannot read it without reading Railhead first. I only just managed to remember the details of Railhead from a year ago. But, it is one of the best books on this list (o help me) and I think it deserves some kind of recognition.
Seriously, if you like science fiction, you need to try this one out. The world building really is incredible and I am scowling at my past self for not realising that. There are all these trains that travel through these gates and turn up in other worlds seconds later. And there are these cool guardians and things get complicated (wow my use of the English language is so eloquent). But honestly, it is much better than that. And it is so diverse! Hooray for diverse books! There are people of all different races, sexualities, shapes and sizes (and sometimes species). It kind of reminds me of the later Star Wars films, in that respect. Though I still have the same issues with the love interest being a robot and everything. I still have a hard time getting on with that. But if I suspend my disbelief, I can enjoy it, and I do like Nova as a character.
I think the reason that I enjoyed this one more is in part to the characters. There was more of a range this time. Instead of just Zen, and occasionally a few others, we had Nova, Threnody and Chandni as well. I really enjoyed reading about Threnody and Chandni. I also preferred the plot this time. Heists have never really been my thing, I must admit, so the first book didn't appeal to me that much. However, in this book, there is more adventure and the world really expanded and it was much more action packed and fast paced. I whizzed through this and I am super excited (dare I say it) to read the next book. Yay!
This was an unexpected delight for me. I am annoyed at my self for not appreciating Railhead enough. Seriously, this is a really underrated series, and I really don't think it is middle grade fiction like some people are saying. The world is complex and interesting and this will appeal to anyone who likes science fiction and/or adventure. Go try out Railhead - who knows, it may surprise you.
December 3, 2017
Fantastical sequel, told with an epic imagination.
December 26, 2016
I loved Railhead – it was pure imagination and wonder, wrapped up in adventure with amazing characters – so I was excited for this sequel. And while I did enjoy it, I also didn’t enjoy it quite as much.
There is still wonder here. The Web of Worlds that Zen and Nova discover is incredible, full of strange and mysterious races, but this story isn’t really much about them. In fact, even though Zen and Nova start this book, they then vanish for a big chunk of it while we catch up with other characters and indulge in a little empire politics.
There is a lot going on in this book, perhaps a little too much at times. There is certainly plenty of action, but it rather overwhelms everything else. I felt a bit apart from all the characters here, even the ones I loved before. Zen is a little less interesting, a bit more tame and heroic, while Nova is still great but completely swept up in events. I couldn’t warm to Chandni and Threnody mostly got on my nerves.
I would have liked more trains too, though it was great to see the Damask Rose again and the Ghost Wolf is amazing. I really want to know what happened with it. And things with the Guardians was certainly interesting.
Overall this is a good read. It’s fast and never dull, rushing from place to place and event to event, leaving very little time to breathe. There is a bit of wonder too at the new Web of Worlds, and there’s certainly danger aplenty as the characters bumble along. It is also clearly far from over, with many questions being left unanswered and potential trouble still brewing. It didn’t bowl me over like Railhead did, but I still really want to know what happens next.
There is still wonder here. The Web of Worlds that Zen and Nova discover is incredible, full of strange and mysterious races, but this story isn’t really much about them. In fact, even though Zen and Nova start this book, they then vanish for a big chunk of it while we catch up with other characters and indulge in a little empire politics.
There is a lot going on in this book, perhaps a little too much at times. There is certainly plenty of action, but it rather overwhelms everything else. I felt a bit apart from all the characters here, even the ones I loved before. Zen is a little less interesting, a bit more tame and heroic, while Nova is still great but completely swept up in events. I couldn’t warm to Chandni and Threnody mostly got on my nerves.
I would have liked more trains too, though it was great to see the Damask Rose again and the Ghost Wolf is amazing. I really want to know what happened with it. And things with the Guardians was certainly interesting.
Overall this is a good read. It’s fast and never dull, rushing from place to place and event to event, leaving very little time to breathe. There is a bit of wonder too at the new Web of Worlds, and there’s certainly danger aplenty as the characters bumble along. It is also clearly far from over, with many questions being left unanswered and potential trouble still brewing. It didn’t bowl me over like Railhead did, but I still really want to know what happens next.
October 22, 2016
A rambling adventure through vast new worlds where Reeve cleverly weaves multiple stories together to one crescendo - a crescendo that also provides scope for a third book.
The worlds of Railhead are so vast though that it sometimes feels like the books only really scratch the surface of the potential and that the significance of events pales compared to the infinity of the universe Reeves has begun to create.
Reeves is never precious about his characters; their strengths are also their flaws and he allows their flaws to follow logic - nothing wraps up neatly just for the sake of a sweet ending.
The worlds of Railhead are so vast though that it sometimes feels like the books only really scratch the surface of the potential and that the significance of events pales compared to the infinity of the universe Reeves has begun to create.
Reeves is never precious about his characters; their strengths are also their flaws and he allows their flaws to follow logic - nothing wraps up neatly just for the sake of a sweet ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2017
"Allora quei così non sanno che sei un Motorik?"
"Penso che ci credano due umani, maschio e femmina. [...] Qui non hanno macchine. Non ho ancora visto niente che sia più avanzato della tecnologia della Vecchia Terra, tranne i loro biotreni, ma penso che nascano, non che siano costruiti."
"Dirai loro chi sei davvero?"
"No" rispose Nova. "E non dirò nemmeno che tu sei un ladro. Questi sono mondi nuovi, Zen. Non dobbiamo più essere quello che eravamo. Possiamo essere tutto ciò che vogliamo."
Continua la storia di Zen e Nova che era cominciata con "Capolinea per le stelle".
Piccola parentesi: la giunti sceglie di stampare il sequel "Treno espresso per l'universo" in brossura, al contrario del primo volume uscito in rigida.
Essendo dei romanzi perfetti per chi ama la fantascienza, prima di iniziare a leggere questo libro dobbiamo essere pronti ad immergerci in una realtà alternativa e molto molto interessante.
Nova è il mio personaggio preferito sin dalla lettura del primo romanzo della serie e continua ad esserlo anche durante la lettura di "Treno espresso per l'universo". La sua voglia di umanità è quasi commovente e lei per me è perfetta e bellissima. Fino alla fine del libro possiamo cogliere il suo spirito di giustizia e sacrificio e pagina dopo pagina ci sta sempre più a cuore.
Zen invece non mi piace particolarmente come protagonista. Non fa nulla di male, ma neanche qualcosa di così eclatante da fargli meritare il mio cuore.
Lo stile di scrittura di questi libri purtroppo continua ad essere lento in parecchie parti (ve lo avevo già anticipato nella recensione di "Capolinea per le stelle") e questo non è assolutamente un aspetto positivo.
Sono sincera con voi quando dico che io di mio ho qualche problemino con la fantascienza nei libri, se ci aggiungono anche uno stile poco coinvolgente il risultato che si ottiene è una lettrice scontenta.
Per fortuna la trama è interessante, si lascia apprezzare e non manca di colpi di scena.
Non riesco a consigliare questa serie come una delle mie preferite, ma vi dico che se siete patiti della fantascienza dovreste darle una possibilità per vedere se fa per voi.
"Penso che ci credano due umani, maschio e femmina. [...] Qui non hanno macchine. Non ho ancora visto niente che sia più avanzato della tecnologia della Vecchia Terra, tranne i loro biotreni, ma penso che nascano, non che siano costruiti."
"Dirai loro chi sei davvero?"
"No" rispose Nova. "E non dirò nemmeno che tu sei un ladro. Questi sono mondi nuovi, Zen. Non dobbiamo più essere quello che eravamo. Possiamo essere tutto ciò che vogliamo."
Continua la storia di Zen e Nova che era cominciata con "Capolinea per le stelle".
Piccola parentesi: la giunti sceglie di stampare il sequel "Treno espresso per l'universo" in brossura, al contrario del primo volume uscito in rigida.
Essendo dei romanzi perfetti per chi ama la fantascienza, prima di iniziare a leggere questo libro dobbiamo essere pronti ad immergerci in una realtà alternativa e molto molto interessante.
Nova è il mio personaggio preferito sin dalla lettura del primo romanzo della serie e continua ad esserlo anche durante la lettura di "Treno espresso per l'universo". La sua voglia di umanità è quasi commovente e lei per me è perfetta e bellissima. Fino alla fine del libro possiamo cogliere il suo spirito di giustizia e sacrificio e pagina dopo pagina ci sta sempre più a cuore.
Zen invece non mi piace particolarmente come protagonista. Non fa nulla di male, ma neanche qualcosa di così eclatante da fargli meritare il mio cuore.
Lo stile di scrittura di questi libri purtroppo continua ad essere lento in parecchie parti (ve lo avevo già anticipato nella recensione di "Capolinea per le stelle") e questo non è assolutamente un aspetto positivo.
Sono sincera con voi quando dico che io di mio ho qualche problemino con la fantascienza nei libri, se ci aggiungono anche uno stile poco coinvolgente il risultato che si ottiene è una lettrice scontenta.
Per fortuna la trama è interessante, si lascia apprezzare e non manca di colpi di scena.
Non riesco a consigliare questa serie come una delle mie preferite, ma vi dico che se siete patiti della fantascienza dovreste darle una possibilità per vedere se fa per voi.
October 29, 2017
4.5 stars!!!
Apart from taking a hecka long time to read, this was a fabulous book! I really didn't like Railhead much, but I liked it enough to continue with the series, and I'm so glad I did!
The world so interesting! I think the author was really able to run with it in this book because we were already acclimated to the basic world. There are so many interesting new creatures, cultures, planets, and ideas. It was so much fun.
It was hilarious! This is exactly my kind of humor. The talking trains (and other machines) were so so funny. The Ghost Wolf is sweet and the Damask Rose is a cinnamon roll, as always. The railbomb's song was so startling and crazy that I laughed out loud for about two minutes.
The plot was actually really good. The main issue I had with the first book was how boring the plot is. This is not an issue in Black Light Express. There are some minor, cool twists, a complex story arc, and so many fascinating characters. I still didn't like Zen, but he was tolerable. The rest of the characters are much improved, and the new characters that introduced are great!
The emotional wreckage, though. What's that there on the floor? Just a puddle of my tears. It's fine. I'm fine. Everything is fine.
So, yes, I loved this book. I don't know if I'd recommend this series or not, since the first book was pretty disappointing, but this one made me almost nostalgic for the first one! (Does that even make any sense? No, no, it does not.) All I want to know is: WILL THERE BE A THIRD BOOK.
Apart from taking a hecka long time to read, this was a fabulous book! I really didn't like Railhead much, but I liked it enough to continue with the series, and I'm so glad I did!
The world so interesting! I think the author was really able to run with it in this book because we were already acclimated to the basic world. There are so many interesting new creatures, cultures, planets, and ideas. It was so much fun.
It was hilarious! This is exactly my kind of humor. The talking trains (and other machines) were so so funny. The Ghost Wolf is sweet and the Damask Rose is a cinnamon roll, as always. The railbomb's song was so startling and crazy that I laughed out loud for about two minutes.
The plot was actually really good. The main issue I had with the first book was how boring the plot is. This is not an issue in Black Light Express. There are some minor, cool twists, a complex story arc, and so many fascinating characters. I still didn't like Zen, but he was tolerable. The rest of the characters are much improved, and the new characters that introduced are great!
The emotional wreckage, though. What's that there on the floor? Just a puddle of my tears. It's fine. I'm fine. Everything is fine.
So, yes, I loved this book. I don't know if I'd recommend this series or not, since the first book was pretty disappointing, but this one made me almost nostalgic for the first one! (Does that even make any sense? No, no, it does not.) All I want to know is: WILL THERE BE A THIRD BOOK.
August 13, 2017
Revolution and startling revelations amid much violence, many train chases, and narrow squeaks galore. Not sure whether this is the end or the story will continue...it could go either way. But I'm willing to read any sequels that might come down the pike, because the world building is so good.
Choice lines:
"It was really boring, being just a head."
"It was always a problem, what to do with old trains. You couldn’t just scrap them when they became outmoded. Trains were at least as self-aware as people. So you kept them running for as long as possible, upgrading and reconfiguring, rehousing old brains in shiny new bodies. And if there was really no way they could be kept on the rails —if they were hopelessly antiquated or eccentric, or if they were designed for war and there were no wars going on —then you stored them. There were facilities all over the Network where old trains dreamed away their retirement in slow-state sleep, or surfed sections of the Datasea designed to please them: virtual tracks and railway playgrounds, strange chatrooms where the ancient locos could discuss their adventures and grumble about the fancy newfangled models that had replaced them."
Choice lines:
"It was really boring, being just a head."
"It was always a problem, what to do with old trains. You couldn’t just scrap them when they became outmoded. Trains were at least as self-aware as people. So you kept them running for as long as possible, upgrading and reconfiguring, rehousing old brains in shiny new bodies. And if there was really no way they could be kept on the rails —if they were hopelessly antiquated or eccentric, or if they were designed for war and there were no wars going on —then you stored them. There were facilities all over the Network where old trains dreamed away their retirement in slow-state sleep, or surfed sections of the Datasea designed to please them: virtual tracks and railway playgrounds, strange chatrooms where the ancient locos could discuss their adventures and grumble about the fancy newfangled models that had replaced them."
May 12, 2018
Oh, that was so good! Really interesting and imaginative! This series really has some of my favorite world-building–galactic trains, artificial intelligence gods, a world built on the ruins of mysteriously destroyed alien society. I'm really excited for the conclusion in to this series now!
March 28, 2018
Well, that was a long read. I read the first in the 'Railhead' series, 'Railhead', last year, it was actually the first novel I read last year, and the long and short of it is - I fell in love. I fell in love with Philip Reeve's interpretation of science fiction, which was fantastical, and mind-bending, and whimsical, yet tender and big-hearted.
“These are new worlds, Zen. We don't have to be what we were any more. We can be anything that we want. We can be humans together.”
There was so much to explore in that first novel. So much to learn. But in this continuation, I felt that the characters fell flat. And this could be my own fault, having let the novel settle, and in many respects fade from my mind, that when I came upon this second installment, the foundations set by Zen Starling, and Nova, had been unmaintained. So though a good novel, with the first half being better than the second half in my opinion, it pales in comparison to the first. This is why I highly recommend this series, but with a small caveat, read it in quick succession.
“These are new worlds, Zen. We don't have to be what we were any more. We can be anything that we want. We can be humans together.”
There was so much to explore in that first novel. So much to learn. But in this continuation, I felt that the characters fell flat. And this could be my own fault, having let the novel settle, and in many respects fade from my mind, that when I came upon this second installment, the foundations set by Zen Starling, and Nova, had been unmaintained. So though a good novel, with the first half being better than the second half in my opinion, it pales in comparison to the first. This is why I highly recommend this series, but with a small caveat, read it in quick succession.
March 11, 2019
Welp, I'm crying now. This book series has been so beautiful and wonderful so far. I don't know how you can possibly top these two books. Makes me excited for when I can get my hands on the third one.
May 7, 2020
A really fantastic idea, richly imagined and full of excitement and intriguing characters.
This series deserves to be far better known.
This series deserves to be far better known.
October 1, 2023
my heart is full but at the same time a little piece of it just broke off 😭
May 15, 2017
Rare to find a 2nd in a series as strong as book one, but this one's every nano-bit as good as the first or better. The continuing exciting, entertaining and thought-provoking adventures of thief Zen Starling, his Motorik truelove Nova, Empress Threnody and my favorites, those brave quirky amazing sentient trains. They ride the rails throughout the universe, trying to understand it, experience its wonders, and save it and themselves from various narrow-minded, selfish, and nefarious types. Highly recommended, especially for character driven SF fans who like great writing.
June 14, 2018
I just love this series. I think there were elements of Star Trek TNG with Data/Nova head and making things better for humanity. I really enjoy this whole world in space and the continuation of the first book. It didn't disappoint. Also enjoying the gender diversity and fluidity of the series.
August 15, 2017
While Zen Starling and Nova are exploring the Web of Worlds beyond the new K-gate that Raven opened, the Prell family is plotting to take the empire out of the hands of Threnody Noon with the support of a Guardian. Soon Threnody finds herself on the run with Chandni Hansa, former con artist and thief now for some reason hired as Threnody's lady in waiting. Back in the Web of Worlds Zen and Nova start to figure out that the Railmakers came from an area of the Web of Worlds known as the Black Light Zone. They are curious to explore the area, especially because Nova has a hunch there may be another K-gate there back to the Network Empire. But none of the residents of the Web of Worlds ever go to the Black Light Zone, something very bad happened there. Something so bad that their trains would rather die than go there. Is venturing there worth the risk?
Sorry it's such a vague description there, but I can't summarize the book very much without giving away multiple minor reveals. Suffice it to say, eventually Zen, Nova, Threnody, and Chandni all run into each other and for reasons I can't talk about pretty much have to go into the Black Light Zone. It's a convoluted plot line but most satisfying when it all comes together. And of course, there's more of Reeve's delicious world building of this fascinating and different place he's imagined. There are enough answers that this might be the end of the series, but there's enough open that should he get inspired he can come back too. Some readers may get upset with the ending because but I felt it fit it seemed a bit classy in a way. Oh, and I was super happy by the unexpected reappearance of a character from book one I didn't think would be back. (Sorry, not gonna tell. But I will say it adds an unexpected twist to the world.) Overall, this and the first book are great for the world building and fun scifi adventures that should appeal to guys and girls.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content beyond some kissing. There are a couple battles with casualties. The blood and gore is mostly kept to a minimum but there is a new species they encounter, the Kraitt, which can get nasty and when they are in the fight it's a little more gruesome.
Sorry it's such a vague description there, but I can't summarize the book very much without giving away multiple minor reveals. Suffice it to say, eventually Zen, Nova, Threnody, and Chandni all run into each other and for reasons I can't talk about pretty much have to go into the Black Light Zone. It's a convoluted plot line but most satisfying when it all comes together. And of course, there's more of Reeve's delicious world building of this fascinating and different place he's imagined. There are enough answers that this might be the end of the series, but there's enough open that should he get inspired he can come back too. Some readers may get upset with the ending because but I felt it fit it seemed a bit classy in a way. Oh, and I was super happy by the unexpected reappearance of a character from book one I didn't think would be back. (Sorry, not gonna tell. But I will say it adds an unexpected twist to the world.) Overall, this and the first book are great for the world building and fun scifi adventures that should appeal to guys and girls.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content beyond some kissing. There are a couple battles with casualties. The blood and gore is mostly kept to a minimum but there is a new species they encounter, the Kraitt, which can get nasty and when they are in the fight it's a little more gruesome.
May 20, 2018
I've literally just finished Black Light Express 5 minutes ago, and it's probably the worst time to rate it or to write a review. There is still that feeling of emptiness, like a love affair being over, because the past is the past and the future can never be unknown again: the story is finished and you know how it ends. Except in this case there will be a third part!
I've made no secret elsewhere of my admiration for Philip Reeve's work, and Black Light Express certainly does many of the things that a Reeve book should. There is a breathless climax, and lots of loose threads being tied, with others coming undone just in time to make a sequel interesting, and a lot of very good things about this book. But... I had the feeling several times that the story was an almost uneasy sequel, because certain loose ends left over from Railhead got tied off in unsatisfying ways (for me). It felt a bit as if the plot had slightly changed track (!) from what had been anticipated in writing Railhead, and so some scheduled services were cancelled or ended up in the sidings (OK, I'll stop now...).
Ultimately, though, a great read, and the Great Network is a place for which I would definitely get a season-ticket.
Re-read in anticipation of Station Zero and I'd forgotten how the second part of this rips along at a fantastic pace.
I've made no secret elsewhere of my admiration for Philip Reeve's work, and Black Light Express certainly does many of the things that a Reeve book should. There is a breathless climax, and lots of loose threads being tied, with others coming undone just in time to make a sequel interesting, and a lot of very good things about this book. But... I had the feeling several times that the story was an almost uneasy sequel, because certain loose ends left over from Railhead got tied off in unsatisfying ways (for me). It felt a bit as if the plot had slightly changed track (!) from what had been anticipated in writing Railhead, and so some scheduled services were cancelled or ended up in the sidings (OK, I'll stop now...).
Ultimately, though, a great read, and the Great Network is a place for which I would definitely get a season-ticket.
Re-read in anticipation of Station Zero and I'd forgotten how the second part of this rips along at a fantastic pace.
July 7, 2017
Note: e-ARC received through NetGalley courtesy of the publisher. Thanks to Switch Press.
Oh, Black Light Express... Not as good as Railhead. Let's get that out of the way. It's good in its own right, though, and manages not to suffer from second book disappointment syndrome. Where Railhead was about Zen and Nova's journeys and getting readers into the world, Black Light Express is about taking things elsewhere. The two books mesh together well and it helps to have read the first to really understand the second.
We meet a few new Locos, one of which is just incredible to behold and will stick with you even though it exists on the page for a too short amount of time (or at least feels that way), when things start to go sideways for Threnody in her role as Empress. Because the throne is a precarious place to sit and someone is always gunning for one, I would say. At any rate, we see Zen and Nova's journey continue, though their time is split with that of Threnody and her new bodyguard of sorts Chandni. The names can be a bit cumbersome, but they're hard to get mixed up, at least.
Some side characters from the previous entry appear, too, but the main story is really about building the world and the possibilities that exist outside of the established. The characters are all pushing for something more and something else. Plenty of action, plenty to mull over. Character development does take a backseat at times, but when you're Philip Reeve and can take the time to construct and explore a world so different, the ride is worth the time. I would place this just below Railhead, but certainly recommend it.
Oh, Black Light Express... Not as good as Railhead. Let's get that out of the way. It's good in its own right, though, and manages not to suffer from second book disappointment syndrome. Where Railhead was about Zen and Nova's journeys and getting readers into the world, Black Light Express is about taking things elsewhere. The two books mesh together well and it helps to have read the first to really understand the second.
We meet a few new Locos, one of which is just incredible to behold and will stick with you even though it exists on the page for a too short amount of time (or at least feels that way), when things start to go sideways for Threnody in her role as Empress. Because the throne is a precarious place to sit and someone is always gunning for one, I would say. At any rate, we see Zen and Nova's journey continue, though their time is split with that of Threnody and her new bodyguard of sorts Chandni. The names can be a bit cumbersome, but they're hard to get mixed up, at least.
Some side characters from the previous entry appear, too, but the main story is really about building the world and the possibilities that exist outside of the established. The characters are all pushing for something more and something else. Plenty of action, plenty to mull over. Character development does take a backseat at times, but when you're Philip Reeve and can take the time to construct and explore a world so different, the ride is worth the time. I would place this just below Railhead, but certainly recommend it.
Want to read
August 28, 2016Railhead sequel?!?!?! YASSS
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