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Mortal Engines Quartet #3
Infernal Devices
The brilliant sequel to Mortal Engines and Predator's Gold. Anchorage has become a static settlement on the shores of the Dead Continent, and its inhabitants have been living peacefully for sixteen years. But now trouble is approaching - in a limpet sub, and fast. The Lost Boys are back, and they'll do anything to get what they want. Tom and Hester's daughter Wren is their eager dupe, bored and desperate for adventure. When the theft of the mysterious Tin Book of Anchorage goes wrong, Wren is snatched away in the limpet, who knows where. Tom and Hester set off to rescue her, but this is the end of their quiet life on Anchorage. The journey will stir up old needs, old secrets - and send them into perilous waters...
341 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
886 people are currently reading
10879 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 1,120 reviews
April 13, 2018
here's the thing.
The world and the plot of this series are fantastic
But the characters break my heart and not in the way you want them to.
The absolute character assassination of Hester Shaw really ruins this series for me. In the first book and for most of the second book you can understand Hester, she's still not particularly likeable for the people around her, but the things she says and does make sense given her life. In Predator's Gold she did something awful, but you could understand her messed up reasoning, and most importantly in the first two books she has redeeming qualities. But in this book it gets worse, every time Reeve has the opportunity to show us Hester isn't a two dimensional killing machine that lacks any empathy for anyone other than Tom, he decides instead to show us that's exactly what she is. I don't know maybe in A Darkling Plain it's all fixed somehow and you can see he's done this to her for a reason, but right now it just seems like he's taken this complex character and turned her into something awful. As someone who loved Hester I want to keep loving her but Reeve makes that absolutely impossible, maybe that's his intention but if that's the case then I can't say it's a reading experience I'm into. I don't really want to read about characters I loved become people you can't defend tbh :/
As for Tom, while he's not as bad as Hester I've found him really hard to like since Predator's Gold. I don't know I guess I just can't forgive his behaviour in that book, and while he's not as bad in this one it really irks me that he can't stop commenting on how pretty other women are and how ugly his wife is, like ! we get it ! Hester's ugly ! don't u think it's a pretty shitty thing to keep saying about someone you apparently love though :/
As for his love for Hester, for the past two books I feel like we only ever see Tom claim to love Hester, but never do or think anything that actually validates that, you see Hester with her boarderline dangerous love for Tom (tbh it's more than boarderline but) and then Tom who doesn't even seem to return any feelings at all? It's just occasionally he'll say something about loving her in passing? idk it's weird
Wren is okay. I found her irritating in the beginning but I think you're supposed to, she got a lot better but I wouldn't like die for her or anything lol
As I said, the world and the plot are very good and are what are keeping me reading. But I am forever a characters over plot person, and reading this series is just making me sad because I don't want to watch this happen to characters I used to love
I like Theo though, I thought he was a good addition. Also why is Shrike lowkey my favourite character lol
The world and the plot of this series are fantastic
But the characters break my heart and not in the way you want them to.
The absolute character assassination of Hester Shaw really ruins this series for me. In the first book and for most of the second book you can understand Hester, she's still not particularly likeable for the people around her, but the things she says and does make sense given her life. In Predator's Gold she did something awful, but you could understand her messed up reasoning, and most importantly in the first two books she has redeeming qualities. But in this book it gets worse, every time Reeve has the opportunity to show us Hester isn't a two dimensional killing machine that lacks any empathy for anyone other than Tom, he decides instead to show us that's exactly what she is. I don't know maybe in A Darkling Plain it's all fixed somehow and you can see he's done this to her for a reason, but right now it just seems like he's taken this complex character and turned her into something awful. As someone who loved Hester I want to keep loving her but Reeve makes that absolutely impossible, maybe that's his intention but if that's the case then I can't say it's a reading experience I'm into. I don't really want to read about characters I loved become people you can't defend tbh :/
As for Tom, while he's not as bad as Hester I've found him really hard to like since Predator's Gold. I don't know I guess I just can't forgive his behaviour in that book, and while he's not as bad in this one it really irks me that he can't stop commenting on how pretty other women are and how ugly his wife is, like ! we get it ! Hester's ugly ! don't u think it's a pretty shitty thing to keep saying about someone you apparently love though :/
As for his love for Hester, for the past two books I feel like we only ever see Tom claim to love Hester, but never do or think anything that actually validates that, you see Hester with her boarderline dangerous love for Tom (tbh it's more than boarderline but) and then Tom who doesn't even seem to return any feelings at all? It's just occasionally he'll say something about loving her in passing? idk it's weird
Wren is okay. I found her irritating in the beginning but I think you're supposed to, she got a lot better but I wouldn't like die for her or anything lol
As I said, the world and the plot are very good and are what are keeping me reading. But I am forever a characters over plot person, and reading this series is just making me sad because I don't want to watch this happen to characters I used to love
I like Theo though, I thought he was a good addition. Also why is Shrike lowkey my favourite character lol
January 31, 2020
I am really enjoying this series! Steampunk has not always been my favorite genre. I think it looks cool in the fan art and cosplay I see online, but I often struggle to connect with the stories and style of writing. That has been very far from the case with the Hungry City Chronicles. Also, I think this series keeps getting better as the story moves along.
I really like what the author has done with the multiple characters and storylines. They all exist independently of each other, but they also intertwine very organically. And, to go with this, the descriptions and the action are awesome. I can easily create a movie of it in my head while I am reading.
And, speaking of the characters – I am loving all the different characters and their complexity. There is some amazing character development in such a short story. While some of the people are caricatures – thinking of Pennyroyal here – they fit in perfectly to the development. And, I cannot say too much without spoiling, but, for one of the characters there is a swing to the Dark Side the likes of which has not been seen since Anakin Skywalker!
As you can probably tell, I highly recommend this series. Don’t start with this book, though. Go back to the beginning and start there – it is an uphill adventure from the very beginning in the most fantastic of ways!
I really like what the author has done with the multiple characters and storylines. They all exist independently of each other, but they also intertwine very organically. And, to go with this, the descriptions and the action are awesome. I can easily create a movie of it in my head while I am reading.
And, speaking of the characters – I am loving all the different characters and their complexity. There is some amazing character development in such a short story. While some of the people are caricatures – thinking of Pennyroyal here – they fit in perfectly to the development. And, I cannot say too much without spoiling, but, for one of the characters there is a swing to the Dark Side the likes of which has not been seen since Anakin Skywalker!
As you can probably tell, I highly recommend this series. Don’t start with this book, though. Go back to the beginning and start there – it is an uphill adventure from the very beginning in the most fantastic of ways!
December 26, 2019
Also, ich weiß nicht, ob ich wren mag ... irgendwie ist sie komisch und macht mir etwas Angst... wenn Kinder sich so entwickeln, na dann Juchu? Ich bin gespannt, wie es im vierten Band weiter geht, ob die ganzen Probleme wohl von den Figuren überwunden werden können?
January 9, 2018
The first, and perhaps the biggest, shock was when I realized that the book is set 16 YEARS after the last one. Tom and Hester in their thirties, have a fifteen year old daughter named Wren. Anchorage has long since settled on dry land and have been content with a simple life there.
Now, I’ve said this before, but this series has a very odd and unusual style of narration, the tone, if you would. It’s dystopia, the first two were YA but this one was a mix since the main characters were 15-30 years old. All dystopian books, YA ones mostly, have this mood. It’s very specific. Grim, dark and brooding with splashes of humor and romance. You start reading one and instantly recognize it. But these books are strange in this aspect. The writing feels juvenile, the things happening sometimes do seem childish or funny, the very opposite of grim, dark and brooding. But just when you let yourself not take it seriously, it gets vicious and boy, does it go there. This stark contrast that exists in the tone of the book, this union of two opposites is what surprised me every time while I read these three books.
It’s like being lured into a false sense of security. You never see it coming, it’s so sudden. From this:
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a fake explorer in possession of a good fortune must be in search of a wife, and Pennyroyal had got himself lumbered with Boo-Boo Heckmondwyke.”
To this:
“The first bullet rebounded from the Autolycus with a clang; the next two hissed away over the lake; the fourth hit Gargle between the eyes. Something thick and wet splattered Wren’s face and clothes.”
The story forms a neat little circle with the other previous books where everything connects and does so in a believable way. The characters of the story are, pardon the cliché, layered and complex. The old ones more so than the new ones. I’ll take Hester first. She was a surprise in this one through and through. I didn’t expect it but it made perfect sense.
Hester and Tom got married after she told him of her pregnancy presumably. The scarred girl spent the first fifteen years of her life, alone, miserable and surviving on thoughts of revenge. She had no one to love and no one who loved her. Until she met Tom. I never detected even a hint of true, unblemished affection from Tom for Hester. While she put herself on the line for him again and again and made him her entire world, it looked like he did it for lack of choice. I was team Hester a hundred percent in the first two books because Tom just wasn’t loyal enough.
In this book, after Wren goes away, Hester’s cold side resurfaces again. She was never truly at peace, Freya thinks at one time and that was true. Why? Because that asshole Tom never gave her a sense of security in all the years he spent with her. She wasn’t convinced, thought that he was with her because he had to not because he wanted to and if he had another option he would have taken it. THAT was how insecure she felt. Then she had her daughter and was happy for the first time thinking that there will finally be someone who truly loved her for who she was, no matter how ugly her face was. Wren grew up to be a total brat and started disliking her mother like other people did. Those two people were the only ones Hester ever loved and all she got in return was this. It’s enough to drive anyone over the edge.
And so we see Hester in Infernal Devices as she finally gets a chance to try to prove her “usefulness” to her family by rescuing her daughter. She is ruthless in the book and kills without preamble or mercy. I felt sorry for her, hated her, felt sorry for her, hated her and felt sorry for her again. The second biggest shock was her not dying because by God, she had it coming. In the end, her decision was the one that made sense.
Which brings me to ol’ boy Tom. He is a sniveling jerk who you don’t hate but certainly dislike a lot. Not because he does terrible things. By all means, he’s the nicest character in the book. It’s his treatment of Hester and behavior around her that boils my blood. He makes her feel like she’s not enough, that’s hell to go through, and when she leaves, he runs after her. This has happened twice with a difference of 16 years in between. And I’ve never heard him express his love for Hester. Instead he always thinks how great it’d be if someone else was with him. She saves his life, he cowers behind her. Two decades of being together should have at least given him some perspective on how his wife feels and how she thinks. He’s just so STUPID.
I loved seeing Shrike and Anna Fang again. His turmoil was another fun dynamic to explore. Out of the new characters I loved Oenone Zero the most and Wren the ungrateful wretch the least. The plot was like shards-of-metal-flying-after-an-explosion sequence played in reverse. Going everywhere but became whole at the end.
The thing that stood out most to me in this book was Hester’s struggle. At first I didn’t like the fast forward into the future but in the grand scheme of things it was the right choice.
January 1, 2026
Português
Li o volume anterior desta série em 2019, e é curioso como o tempo, por vezes, parece não avançar quando permanecemos emocionalmente presos a um universo ficcional; noutras, escapa‑nos por entre os dedos sem que o percebamos. Regressar ao mundo de Tom e Hester trouxe-me exatamente essa sensação agridoce. Ainda guardava com nitidez as linhas gerais do enredo, a cronologia e o ambiente da história — o que, para mim, é sempre um bom sinal. Significa que não foi apenas uma leitura passageira, agradável mas facilmente esquecida; ficou comigo.
Neste volume, acompanhamos também Wren, a filha de Tom e Hester. Admito que o salto temporal inicial me causou algum estranhamento, mas rapidamente me adaptei e acabei por apreciar muito o rumo que a narrativa tomou. Foi um prazer reencontrar personagens “antigas”, ao mesmo tempo que descobria novas figuras que vieram enriquecer este mundo pós‑Guerra dos Sessenta Minutos.
E, convenhamos, estas visões pós‑apocalípticas já não parecem assim tão descabidas…
English
I read the previous volume of this series back in 2019, and it’s curious how time sometimes seems not to move at all when we remain emotionally anchored to a fictional world; other times, it slips through our fingers before we even notice. Returning to the world of Tom and Hester brought me exactly that bittersweet feeling. I still remembered the broad strokes of the plot, the timeline, and the atmosphere — which, to me, is always a good sign. It means the book wasn’t just a pleasant pastime, easily forgotten; it stayed with me.
In this volume, we also follow Wren, Tom and Hester’s daughter. I’ll admit the initial time jump felt a bit jarring, but once I settled into it, I really enjoyed the direction the story took. It was wonderful to revisit familiar characters, and equally exciting to meet new ones who undoubtedly enrich this post–Sixty Minute War world.
And honestly, these post‑apocalyptic scenarios don’t feel all that far‑fetched anymore…
Li o volume anterior desta série em 2019, e é curioso como o tempo, por vezes, parece não avançar quando permanecemos emocionalmente presos a um universo ficcional; noutras, escapa‑nos por entre os dedos sem que o percebamos. Regressar ao mundo de Tom e Hester trouxe-me exatamente essa sensação agridoce. Ainda guardava com nitidez as linhas gerais do enredo, a cronologia e o ambiente da história — o que, para mim, é sempre um bom sinal. Significa que não foi apenas uma leitura passageira, agradável mas facilmente esquecida; ficou comigo.
Neste volume, acompanhamos também Wren, a filha de Tom e Hester. Admito que o salto temporal inicial me causou algum estranhamento, mas rapidamente me adaptei e acabei por apreciar muito o rumo que a narrativa tomou. Foi um prazer reencontrar personagens “antigas”, ao mesmo tempo que descobria novas figuras que vieram enriquecer este mundo pós‑Guerra dos Sessenta Minutos.
E, convenhamos, estas visões pós‑apocalípticas já não parecem assim tão descabidas…
English
I read the previous volume of this series back in 2019, and it’s curious how time sometimes seems not to move at all when we remain emotionally anchored to a fictional world; other times, it slips through our fingers before we even notice. Returning to the world of Tom and Hester brought me exactly that bittersweet feeling. I still remembered the broad strokes of the plot, the timeline, and the atmosphere — which, to me, is always a good sign. It means the book wasn’t just a pleasant pastime, easily forgotten; it stayed with me.
In this volume, we also follow Wren, Tom and Hester’s daughter. I’ll admit the initial time jump felt a bit jarring, but once I settled into it, I really enjoyed the direction the story took. It was wonderful to revisit familiar characters, and equally exciting to meet new ones who undoubtedly enrich this post–Sixty Minute War world.
And honestly, these post‑apocalyptic scenarios don’t feel all that far‑fetched anymore…
September 4, 2008
This "sixteen-years-later"-quel suffers from the main problem of letting your characters grow up off screen: when you get back to them they are no longer the people you grew to love or hate or (at least) know. Hester, the grumpy-but-lovable urchin from the previous books, has become a hardened, hateful and hate-filled grown-up with next to no good qualities. She has also who has somehow turned into a warrior extraordinaire in the years she spent in the sleepy backwater of Anchorage-in-Vineland, which strains my credibility in a different way. Her husband has changed from the cerebral-but-lovable former Apprentice Historian into an ineffectual, balding middle-aged man. In fact, the only characters who resemble their previous incarnations were the Stalkers, which are basically Reeve's take on Doctor Who's Cybermen.
I'll read the last volume in the series, if only to find out what happens, but while I can recommend the first two books I don't see any reason to continue reading after the second book.
I'll read the last volume in the series, if only to find out what happens, but while I can recommend the first two books I don't see any reason to continue reading after the second book.
January 24, 2019
I got angry while reading this book.
I loved the first book, then found the second mediocre. But this one just plainly got on my nerves, and I'm honestly debating whether or not to continue the series.
First of all, this book starts off with a huge time skip of 16 years. A bit odd, but okay. We meet Tom and Hester's daughter Wren, who I didn't like at first but who grew on me over the course of this book.
She wasn't the problem I had with this book, neither was the plot. My issue with this book were Tom and Hester themselves, and mostly Hester. The two characters I absolutely loved from the first book. I'll be going into some spoiler territory here.
It just feels like they didn't change in all that time, they didn't grow as people or grow more mature. If anything, they regressed into one dimensional versions of themselves. Hester especially seemed to have turned into the worst possible version of herself. I almost didn't recognize her, and I definitely didn't like her. Which is horrible because she was one of my favorites in the first book.
Also, can we stop with the talk about how ugly Hester is, for once? Please? I'm so tired of it! It's mentioned in every book, it's the root cause of her insecurities and presumably the underlying reason for her bad behavior, and it's just... not great.
I'm really debating just reading a summary of the fourth book and moving on, but I'm not sure.
I loved the first book, then found the second mediocre. But this one just plainly got on my nerves, and I'm honestly debating whether or not to continue the series.
First of all, this book starts off with a huge time skip of 16 years. A bit odd, but okay. We meet Tom and Hester's daughter Wren, who I didn't like at first but who grew on me over the course of this book.
She wasn't the problem I had with this book, neither was the plot. My issue with this book were Tom and Hester themselves, and mostly Hester. The two characters I absolutely loved from the first book. I'll be going into some spoiler territory here.
It just feels like they didn't change in all that time, they didn't grow as people or grow more mature. If anything, they regressed into one dimensional versions of themselves. Hester especially seemed to have turned into the worst possible version of herself. I almost didn't recognize her, and I definitely didn't like her. Which is horrible because she was one of my favorites in the first book.
Also, can we stop with the talk about how ugly Hester is, for once? Please? I'm so tired of it! It's mentioned in every book, it's the root cause of her insecurities and presumably the underlying reason for her bad behavior, and it's just... not great.
I'm really debating just reading a summary of the fourth book and moving on, but I'm not sure.
March 20, 2019
This one.. made me so freaking mad. So mad, that I held off on listening to the last book until this morning.
Infernal Devices is about Hester and Tom's freaking kid. I was so excited and pumped for this book. Just to see all her adventures now.. but no, I was in complete and utter disappointment. First, Wren - their kid - sort of runs away. Then when H and T go to save her from being a complete dumb ass.. she gets kidnapped.
Throughout the story you see them trying to save their little girl. However, this story took some dark twists and turns. It turns out that Hester totally didn't want a kid.. and regrets her and shit. Then Wren goes to think she doesn't have a mother anymore after a heated argument. Like do people not understand that things are said or taken way too far when someone is upset?
So many low blows came out towards the end.. and I have no idea what the hell the next book will bring me. If Tom ends up with anyone other than Hester I will lose my shit. Heads will roll guys. I want them to all be a happy family again.
Infernal Devices is about Hester and Tom's freaking kid. I was so excited and pumped for this book. Just to see all her adventures now.. but no, I was in complete and utter disappointment. First, Wren - their kid - sort of runs away. Then when H and T go to save her from being a complete dumb ass.. she gets kidnapped.
Throughout the story you see them trying to save their little girl. However, this story took some dark twists and turns. It turns out that Hester totally didn't want a kid.. and regrets her and shit. Then Wren goes to think she doesn't have a mother anymore after a heated argument. Like do people not understand that things are said or taken way too far when someone is upset?
So many low blows came out towards the end.. and I have no idea what the hell the next book will bring me. If Tom ends up with anyone other than Hester I will lose my shit. Heads will roll guys. I want them to all be a happy family again.
June 7, 2023
Very action-packed book
September 20, 2012
Between the end of Predator's Gold and the beginning of Infernal Devices, sixteen years have passed. In that time, Anchorage has become a static city, Hester and Tom have married, and their daughter has grown into a teenager. A huge risk for the author to take. I was emotionally invested in Hester and Tom, and wasn't ready to pass that on to their daughter, Wren. Luckily, they still play a large part in the storyline.
Wren did not make a good first impression on me. Within the first 50 pages, she's casually decided to steal an artifact she doesn't understand from the Anchorage museum and run away to join the Lost Boys. A very poorly thought-out decision, and one that shows that she's inherited her mother's empathy shortage and her father's sometimes dim assurance that everything will always work out for the best.
Tom himself is more or less unchanged. He's grown into exactly the sort of man that I would have expected. Hester, on the other hand... I would have thought that sixteen years of being safe and happily married to the man she loves would have softened her some. It has, for some reason, hardened her even more. The author doesn't offer an explanation, per se, but I think he's implying that the certain knowledge that even her husband and daughter find her embarassingly ugly has eaten at her.
Eventually, the action settles at Brighton, where Pennyroyal has become mayor. So much of what happens is really setup for the next book, but there's still enough meat to the story to be mostly satisfying on its own. There are more touches of humor here than in the first two books in the series, including what must be the best name for an airship ever: Damn You, Gravity! Nice, big cliffhanger, and I'm anxious to see where this will go.
Wren did not make a good first impression on me. Within the first 50 pages, she's casually decided to steal an artifact she doesn't understand from the Anchorage museum and run away to join the Lost Boys. A very poorly thought-out decision, and one that shows that she's inherited her mother's empathy shortage and her father's sometimes dim assurance that everything will always work out for the best.
Tom himself is more or less unchanged. He's grown into exactly the sort of man that I would have expected. Hester, on the other hand... I would have thought that sixteen years of being safe and happily married to the man she loves would have softened her some. It has, for some reason, hardened her even more. The author doesn't offer an explanation, per se, but I think he's implying that the certain knowledge that even her husband and daughter find her embarassingly ugly has eaten at her.
Eventually, the action settles at Brighton, where Pennyroyal has become mayor. So much of what happens is really setup for the next book, but there's still enough meat to the story to be mostly satisfying on its own. There are more touches of humor here than in the first two books in the series, including what must be the best name for an airship ever: Damn You, Gravity! Nice, big cliffhanger, and I'm anxious to see where this will go.
June 9, 2022
OCENA: 4,5 ⭐️
September 17, 2018
2/5 stars
SIGH. That's all I can say, really. SIGHHHH.
So, while the first book in this series got 5 stars, the second got 3 stars, and for book three I've decided to go with 2 stars and a DNF @ around 40%. I'm honestly not even sure I'll read the fourth book now.
I hate when a series goes downhill!
Basically, this book takes place sixteen years after the end of book two, and follows Hester and Tom's daughter Wren instead of Hester and Tom themselves (although they do come into it more later). One chapter in and I already had a bad taste in my mouth: Wren is obnoxious, bratty, makes bad decisions, and is not at all fun to read about, and Hester and Tom don't even seem like the same characters were all loved in Mortal Engines.
I tried to persevere, but it got to the point where I thoroughly disliked every single character (even when I liked them in other books) and didn't even want to read about them anymore. I may try again a couple months from now, because I do love the world the books are set in, but...we'll see.
All in all, I recommend you read Mortal Engines as standalone (totally possible) and just stop there.
SIGH. That's all I can say, really. SIGHHHH.
So, while the first book in this series got 5 stars, the second got 3 stars, and for book three I've decided to go with 2 stars and a DNF @ around 40%. I'm honestly not even sure I'll read the fourth book now.
I hate when a series goes downhill!
Basically, this book takes place sixteen years after the end of book two, and follows Hester and Tom's daughter Wren instead of Hester and Tom themselves (although they do come into it more later). One chapter in and I already had a bad taste in my mouth: Wren is obnoxious, bratty, makes bad decisions, and is not at all fun to read about, and Hester and Tom don't even seem like the same characters were all loved in Mortal Engines.
I tried to persevere, but it got to the point where I thoroughly disliked every single character (even when I liked them in other books) and didn't even want to read about them anymore. I may try again a couple months from now, because I do love the world the books are set in, but...we'll see.
All in all, I recommend you read Mortal Engines as standalone (totally possible) and just stop there.
July 27, 2025
عودة لمغامرات توم وهيستر في عالم مورتال انجن اللي بيحصل فيه مدن كبيرة بتمشي على عجل وبتبلع بعضها بعض (فكرة جامدة جدًا بصراحة).
الجزء ده بييجي بعد أحداث الكتاب الثاني وهنا بنلاقي توم وهيستر عايشين حياة هادية نسبيًا، بس طبعًا الدنيا مش هتفضل هادية كتير.
الجزء ده بييجي بعد أحداث الكتاب الثاني وهنا بنلاقي توم وهيستر عايشين حياة هادية نسبيًا، بس طبعًا الدنيا مش هتفضل هادية كتير.
May 24, 2011
2.5 stars
Philip Reeve’s Hungry City Chronicles is one of the more original and imaginative young adult series out there. Infernal Devices is the third book in the series and it is set 18 years after Predator’s Gold.
Tom and Hester are all grown up with a teenage daughter. Tom is a loving husband and a doting father to Wren. Hester – I’ll get to her later. They live in the static city of Anchorage and their lives are dull and uneventful in contrast to the adventures of the previous book.
It is Wren’s yearning for adventure and excitement that gets her into trouble. In one of those teenage TSTL moments, Wren makes a decision that changes her world. She is kidnapped and taken away from her family and ends up on the floating resort city of Brighton. Tom and Hester leave their comfortable home to search for Wren.
I love Philip Reeve’s quirky writing style. I’m always entertained by his imaginative world, creative gadgets, fantastic names, and the huge cast of characters. However, this book seemed to be the weakest book in the series so far. I think that rapidly aging two loved characters was the issue for me. Gone was the brave and dashing Tom. He was replaced by a middle aged character with chest pains.
Hester, who I loved in the first two books, was absolutely vile in this book She was ruthless, selfish, and jealous of her daughter. Hester doubts that her husband loves her; she feels that he loves his daughter more. She tells her daughter that she hates her and she is actually happy when her daughter was kidnapped.
There is one more book left in the series A Darkling Plain. I’m looking forward to reading it soon.
Philip Reeve’s Hungry City Chronicles is one of the more original and imaginative young adult series out there. Infernal Devices is the third book in the series and it is set 18 years after Predator’s Gold.
Tom and Hester are all grown up with a teenage daughter. Tom is a loving husband and a doting father to Wren. Hester – I’ll get to her later. They live in the static city of Anchorage and their lives are dull and uneventful in contrast to the adventures of the previous book.
It is Wren’s yearning for adventure and excitement that gets her into trouble. In one of those teenage TSTL moments, Wren makes a decision that changes her world. She is kidnapped and taken away from her family and ends up on the floating resort city of Brighton. Tom and Hester leave their comfortable home to search for Wren.
I love Philip Reeve’s quirky writing style. I’m always entertained by his imaginative world, creative gadgets, fantastic names, and the huge cast of characters. However, this book seemed to be the weakest book in the series so far. I think that rapidly aging two loved characters was the issue for me. Gone was the brave and dashing Tom. He was replaced by a middle aged character with chest pains.
Hester, who I loved in the first two books, was absolutely vile in this book She was ruthless, selfish, and jealous of her daughter. Hester doubts that her husband loves her; she feels that he loves his daughter more. She tells her daughter that she hates her and she is actually happy when her daughter was kidnapped.
There is one more book left in the series A Darkling Plain. I’m looking forward to reading it soon.
November 18, 2022
Im Biss etwas zäh zu Beginn aber im Kern dann doch recht knackig 😂
March 25, 2018
There are some serious character issues with Hester...
World: Simply the best part of the book and the reason I am still reading this series. The world is dense, it's quirky and is a thing all it's own. I like how this book continues the world from Predator's Gold and we get to see more of it is always a great thing, the best part.
Story: The story is fun, it's face paced, it's dry and quirky at the same time and heavy and broody in another same time. I like the tone, I like the world and the story that takes place in this world. The continuation of the story with the time jump was not what I expected but also fun, it reminded me of Brian Jacques' Mattimeo. The action is brisk, the situations dire, but I did feel that it was hindered by the poor characters which has been an issue I've had with this series for a while (more below). I think I'll read the final book just to see how this series ends.
Characters: Hester is a problem, in fact I think the characters in general are an issue in this book. Either Reeve does not like children, young adults, and humans in general or I'm reading his books wrong. Hester has been a character which I've had issues with as her moral compass is pretty suspect and as a hero her three book arc has been unchanged and 16 years has not changed, yes as humans we all have flaws and think dark thoughts but seriously I don't know how I can cheer for someone who SPOILERS wished she did not have her daughter and did what she did with Fishcake (pie...I forgot his name already), that's just wrong and no. Then there's Tom which is still a wishy washy naive idiot and him being the moral compass is okay but not the best. Wren...I know young teens do act like the way she does but as I said I feel Reeve doesn't like young people or humans in general and Wren is the same, she's petulant and selfish...and then she is also the moral compass in the end. These are the main issues I've had and them being the main characters it's an issue. I don't know...I'm torn, these characters don't make me like the people in this book, but the world is so good.
I like this book cause of the world but man the characters are rough. Why are we still fixating on Hester's appearance...other than Reeve thinks it's a big deal and cares so much...after 3 books...
Onward to the next book!
World: Simply the best part of the book and the reason I am still reading this series. The world is dense, it's quirky and is a thing all it's own. I like how this book continues the world from Predator's Gold and we get to see more of it is always a great thing, the best part.
Story: The story is fun, it's face paced, it's dry and quirky at the same time and heavy and broody in another same time. I like the tone, I like the world and the story that takes place in this world. The continuation of the story with the time jump was not what I expected but also fun, it reminded me of Brian Jacques' Mattimeo. The action is brisk, the situations dire, but I did feel that it was hindered by the poor characters which has been an issue I've had with this series for a while (more below). I think I'll read the final book just to see how this series ends.
Characters: Hester is a problem, in fact I think the characters in general are an issue in this book. Either Reeve does not like children, young adults, and humans in general or I'm reading his books wrong. Hester has been a character which I've had issues with as her moral compass is pretty suspect and as a hero her three book arc has been unchanged and 16 years has not changed, yes as humans we all have flaws and think dark thoughts but seriously I don't know how I can cheer for someone who SPOILERS wished she did not have her daughter and did what she did with Fishcake (pie...I forgot his name already), that's just wrong and no. Then there's Tom which is still a wishy washy naive idiot and him being the moral compass is okay but not the best. Wren...I know young teens do act like the way she does but as I said I feel Reeve doesn't like young people or humans in general and Wren is the same, she's petulant and selfish...and then she is also the moral compass in the end. These are the main issues I've had and them being the main characters it's an issue. I don't know...I'm torn, these characters don't make me like the people in this book, but the world is so good.
I like this book cause of the world but man the characters are rough. Why are we still fixating on Hester's appearance...other than Reeve thinks it's a big deal and cares so much...after 3 books...
Onward to the next book!
April 26, 2021
In the past two books I was most disappointed by the writing of the characters in the series. In this book I think I've reached my breaking point.
I'm tired of hearing what a good guy Tom is. In the first book he was just bland. In the second book he turned out to be a cheater - one of the things I just don't forgive for. In the third book it was pretty clear that he has been quite a lousy husband to Hesta for the many years of them being together. And yet, everyone kept repeating what a nice guy he is.
And then there's Hesta, probably the only character I could root for, but for some reason she was the punching bag for everyone. In the first book I was happy we got a female character that for once wasn't conventionally beautiful and yet she was allowed to have adventures, be strong and find love. But then her scarred face became ALL she was. We were constantly reminded that she was ugly. Every single character kept pitying her, because she was ugly, including her own husband and daughter. And it was all this negativity directed her way that kept pushing her to become more cold and more detached from the humanity. Because a woman apparently can only be defined by her physical appearance. I hated this so much.
A cherry on top was adding a moody, angry and very annoying teenager to the main cast of characters.
The plot was more engaging than in the previous installments, the pacing was a bit better and the world-building expanded even further. Unfortunately, any enjoyment I could have derived from those elements was squashed by the character work.
I'm tired of hearing what a good guy Tom is. In the first book he was just bland. In the second book he turned out to be a cheater - one of the things I just don't forgive for. In the third book it was pretty clear that he has been quite a lousy husband to Hesta for the many years of them being together. And yet, everyone kept repeating what a nice guy he is.
And then there's Hesta, probably the only character I could root for, but for some reason she was the punching bag for everyone. In the first book I was happy we got a female character that for once wasn't conventionally beautiful and yet she was allowed to have adventures, be strong and find love. But then her scarred face became ALL she was. We were constantly reminded that she was ugly. Every single character kept pitying her, because she was ugly, including her own husband and daughter. And it was all this negativity directed her way that kept pushing her to become more cold and more detached from the humanity. Because a woman apparently can only be defined by her physical appearance. I hated this so much.
A cherry on top was adding a moody, angry and very annoying teenager to the main cast of characters.
The plot was more engaging than in the previous installments, the pacing was a bit better and the world-building expanded even further. Unfortunately, any enjoyment I could have derived from those elements was squashed by the character work.
January 19, 2021
I don't know how it's possible but this series is really growing on me, and the books keep improving as the series goes on. Usually I find books about the children of main characters insufferably annoying, but this one surprised me. And true to the form of the past books, so did the characters. I don't want to spoil anyone's read but I have to say that my favorite thing about this author and this series is that the characters often do things I don't expect, but more than that, neither do they do the opposite of what I expect. They usually do something completely askew that is foolish and bizarre, but realistic, totally in line with their established character, and utterly... human. That being said, from where things left off in this third installment, I can't wait to read the next (last?) book in the Hungry City chronicles now.
August 24, 2018
Este señor lo volvió a hacer. Me había decepcionado un poco con el libro anterior, pero con Inventos infernales logró que volviera a enamorarme de la saga y su asombroso worldbuilding. Personajes viejos y nuevos, ciudades nuevas, plot twists a cada rato, un libro emocionante y cargado de acción. Y, lo que tengo que destacar, es lo sorprendente de la evolución de Hester. No quiero decir mucho sobre esto para no hacer un spoiler enorme, pero realmente me sorprendió el giro que tomó el personaje, y me encantó. Muero por leer el final de la saga.
February 19, 2025
These books are certainly non stop action with a slightly edgy darker tone.
This third book leads with Wren...Tom and Hester's daughter who strikes out on her own and gets into her own HUNGRY CITIES trouble. I like how the Author links to characters we love/hate from previous books.
However the real interesting aspect is Tom and Hester's relationship...Hester has her own barrel load of baggage..and it seems to edge her further and further away from her family.
This third book leads with Wren...Tom and Hester's daughter who strikes out on her own and gets into her own HUNGRY CITIES trouble. I like how the Author links to characters we love/hate from previous books.
However the real interesting aspect is Tom and Hester's relationship...Hester has her own barrel load of baggage..and it seems to edge her further and further away from her family.
February 17, 2025
In the third volume, we jump forward 18 years, where Mat and Hester's daughter takes the lead role this time, apparently there is no much more to tell involving Tom and Hester, thus the big leap forward.
Wren has been born and raised in Anchorage, isolated from the whole world, after having to settle as a static city in the closing chapters of vol.2, having been raised hearing the tales of her parents' adventures, she's been feeling the resltess need to get more out of her life, and when the opportunity knocks the door by the lost boys paying a visit to steal some old artefact of the city, Wren jumps at the opportunity and goes off on a voyage that will put her and her family at great peril.
Unlike previous books, this volume ends on a 'to be continued' premise, after all the pairings/ unpairings of the characters in the final pages, although Wren's adventure is brought to an end, yet it is signallig the beginnings of a new final adventure in volume 4.
MiM
Wren has been born and raised in Anchorage, isolated from the whole world, after having to settle as a static city in the closing chapters of vol.2, having been raised hearing the tales of her parents' adventures, she's been feeling the resltess need to get more out of her life, and when the opportunity knocks the door by the lost boys paying a visit to steal some old artefact of the city, Wren jumps at the opportunity and goes off on a voyage that will put her and her family at great peril.
Unlike previous books, this volume ends on a 'to be continued' premise, after all the pairings/ unpairings of the characters in the final pages, although Wren's adventure is brought to an end, yet it is signallig the beginnings of a new final adventure in volume 4.
MiM
August 15, 2024
starting to see why 11 year old me never finished this series
April 27, 2021
At 25%- Ugh. Another spoiled, dumb teenage protagonist. First Freya in book two and now Wren. As an adult, I’m unsurprisingly much more interested in the storylines featuring adults, not teenagers.
The romance in this is still terrible. . It made me so mad.
Other than that, the plot was way more interesting in this installment than in the previous ones. One gets the feeling that everything is coming to a head and the fourth book is going to be explosive. If there was no relationship aspect to this story, I’d give this book 4 stars. As it is with the super annoying teen angst/tstl moments plus the rage inducing husband, it’ll have to be three.
The romance in this is still terrible. . It made me so mad.
Other than that, the plot was way more interesting in this installment than in the previous ones. One gets the feeling that everything is coming to a head and the fourth book is going to be explosive. If there was no relationship aspect to this story, I’d give this book 4 stars. As it is with the super annoying teen angst/tstl moments plus the rage inducing husband, it’ll have to be three.
May 24, 2015
Üçüncü kitapta da birinci kitapta yarattığı evrenin ekmeğini çokça yiyor. Sadece, olaylar alışılagelmiş bir hikaye döngüsüne oturtulmuş; değişen tek şey bu.
June 5, 2018
Creo que fue el que más rápido terminé de la saga xD
No por eso significa que tengas menos errores, pero había algo cautivante en el libro.
No por eso significa que tengas menos errores, pero había algo cautivante en el libro.
October 23, 2021
2.5 stars
July 19, 2019
Buongiorno lettori,
ritorno per partecipare al review party di “Macchine mortali. Congegni infernali”, il terzo libro della saga di “Macchine Mortali” di Philip Reeve.
Come saprete se avete letto le mie recensioni precedenti, ero rimasta affascinata dalla trama originale, dalle città trazioniste e, soprattutto nel secondo volume, l’azione continua me l’ha fatto letteralmente divorare.
Sono stata felicissima di poter leggere in anteprima anche questo terzo volume e ringrazio la Mondadori per l’invio della copia digitale.
Avverto che nella recensione ci saranno necessariamente spoiler dei volumi precedenti.
Sono passati circa sedici anni dalla fine di “Macchine mortali. L’oro dei predoni”, adesso l’attenzione si sposta su un’altra protagonista: Wren, figlia adolescente di Tom e Hester.
I tre sono una famiglia felice, vivono ancora ad Anchorage, che da anni si è fermata nel territorio della vecchia America, abbandonando la filosofia del Darwinismo urbano. La loro è una comunità pacifica che vive aiutandosi l’un l’altro, senza regnanti e giochi di potere, soprattutto lontani dal terreno di caccia. La Margravia Freya Rasmussen ha rinunciato al suo titolo e adesso insegna ai più piccoli, Caul vive isolato ma non ha più contatti con i Ragazzi perduti e Hester aiuta nella caccia di animali selvatici.
È finalmente un periodo di pace e tutti sono sereni, se non fosse che la giovane Wren ha ereditato la tempra e lo spirito di avventura dei suoi genitori e quella vita così tranquilla le sta un po’ stretta.
Dopo aver sentito per anni i racconti delle avventure di sua mamma e suo padre vorrebbe vivere anche lei qualcosa del genere, allontanarsi dalla sua città natale. L’occasione si presenta quando arrivano in città senza farsi scoprire alcuni dei Ragazzi Perduti, tra cui Gargle, che anni prima era stato compagno di missione di Caul quando era ancora un bambino, arrivati per rubare un misterioso libro risalente a secoli prima e che fa parte da sempre della collezione della famiglia Rasmussen. Il suo contenuto è sconosciuto a tutti, ma a quanto pare i Ragazzi Perduti vogliono impossessarsene e chiederanno aiuto proprio a Wren, che li aveva scoperti per caso, per recuperare il prezioso volume.
Wren è subito affascinata dalla prospettiva di partire con i ragazzi, questi ladri-pirata alla guida di sottomarini che vivono le avventure che lei sogna da sempre, ma le sue aspettative saranno presto deluse e la sua avventura comincia in modo più rocambolesco di quanto potesse immaginare.
Un’altra protagonista che viene introdotta è la dottoressa Oenone Zero, un chirurgo-meccanico che da anni lavora per lo Stormo Verde per far rinascere come predatori i corpi senza vita dei soldati caduti in battaglia. È lei che ritrova il predatore Shrike, lo risveglia e lo dona come guardia del corpo alla predatrice Fang, che come sappiamo è Anna Fang rinata, e che si è fatta strada con distruzione e uccisioni diventando il leader dello Stormo Verde. La dottoressa Zero si aggiudica una promozione e l’onore di diventare un membro vicino alla predatrice Fang.
Tutto questo fa sì che le carte si rimescoleranno in tavola e tutto ciò a cui si era dato un punto nello scorso libro potrebbe cambiare radicalmente.
In questo terzo volume ritroveremo vecchi personaggi e ne scopriremo di nuovi molto interessanti e che arricchiscono sempre di più la trama.
Lettori, questa è una di quelle serie che migliorano con il progredire dei volumi. Almeno secondo il mio punto di vista, ogni libro che passa arricchisce la storia e richiama trame e sottotrame che erano solo accennate e che alla fine si ricollegano in modo magistrale.
Hester, Tom, Caul e Freya non mi erano piaciuti molto nello scorso capitolo, anche qui hanno un ruolo centrale e spesso seguiamo la loro narrazione, però stavolta li ho apprezzati molto di più come ho apprezzato questo cambio di protagonisti: Wren e la dottoressa Zero e tutti gli altri sono personaggi che non mi hanno deluso e li ho trovati molto più caratterizzati e sfaccettati.
La trama continua a piacermi molto e rimane il punto forte della saga, nonostante il libro precedente sembrasse mettere un punto a tutto e non sentivo granché il bisogno di un seguito, sono felice che l’autore sia stato così bravo da stravolgere tutto e continuare la storia di questi personaggi.
Cosa mi aspetto dal prossimo libro? A questo punto non ne ho proprio idea, la fine è abbastanza sconvolgente e l’unica certezza che ho è che lo leggerò sicuramente.
A presto con nuove recensioni e nel frattempo fate buone letture!
Voto: 4
ritorno per partecipare al review party di “Macchine mortali. Congegni infernali”, il terzo libro della saga di “Macchine Mortali” di Philip Reeve.
Come saprete se avete letto le mie recensioni precedenti, ero rimasta affascinata dalla trama originale, dalle città trazioniste e, soprattutto nel secondo volume, l’azione continua me l’ha fatto letteralmente divorare.
Sono stata felicissima di poter leggere in anteprima anche questo terzo volume e ringrazio la Mondadori per l’invio della copia digitale.
Avverto che nella recensione ci saranno necessariamente spoiler dei volumi precedenti.
Sono passati circa sedici anni dalla fine di “Macchine mortali. L’oro dei predoni”, adesso l’attenzione si sposta su un’altra protagonista: Wren, figlia adolescente di Tom e Hester.
I tre sono una famiglia felice, vivono ancora ad Anchorage, che da anni si è fermata nel territorio della vecchia America, abbandonando la filosofia del Darwinismo urbano. La loro è una comunità pacifica che vive aiutandosi l’un l’altro, senza regnanti e giochi di potere, soprattutto lontani dal terreno di caccia. La Margravia Freya Rasmussen ha rinunciato al suo titolo e adesso insegna ai più piccoli, Caul vive isolato ma non ha più contatti con i Ragazzi perduti e Hester aiuta nella caccia di animali selvatici.
È finalmente un periodo di pace e tutti sono sereni, se non fosse che la giovane Wren ha ereditato la tempra e lo spirito di avventura dei suoi genitori e quella vita così tranquilla le sta un po’ stretta.
Dopo aver sentito per anni i racconti delle avventure di sua mamma e suo padre vorrebbe vivere anche lei qualcosa del genere, allontanarsi dalla sua città natale. L’occasione si presenta quando arrivano in città senza farsi scoprire alcuni dei Ragazzi Perduti, tra cui Gargle, che anni prima era stato compagno di missione di Caul quando era ancora un bambino, arrivati per rubare un misterioso libro risalente a secoli prima e che fa parte da sempre della collezione della famiglia Rasmussen. Il suo contenuto è sconosciuto a tutti, ma a quanto pare i Ragazzi Perduti vogliono impossessarsene e chiederanno aiuto proprio a Wren, che li aveva scoperti per caso, per recuperare il prezioso volume.
Wren è subito affascinata dalla prospettiva di partire con i ragazzi, questi ladri-pirata alla guida di sottomarini che vivono le avventure che lei sogna da sempre, ma le sue aspettative saranno presto deluse e la sua avventura comincia in modo più rocambolesco di quanto potesse immaginare.
Un’altra protagonista che viene introdotta è la dottoressa Oenone Zero, un chirurgo-meccanico che da anni lavora per lo Stormo Verde per far rinascere come predatori i corpi senza vita dei soldati caduti in battaglia. È lei che ritrova il predatore Shrike, lo risveglia e lo dona come guardia del corpo alla predatrice Fang, che come sappiamo è Anna Fang rinata, e che si è fatta strada con distruzione e uccisioni diventando il leader dello Stormo Verde. La dottoressa Zero si aggiudica una promozione e l’onore di diventare un membro vicino alla predatrice Fang.
Tutto questo fa sì che le carte si rimescoleranno in tavola e tutto ciò a cui si era dato un punto nello scorso libro potrebbe cambiare radicalmente.
In questo terzo volume ritroveremo vecchi personaggi e ne scopriremo di nuovi molto interessanti e che arricchiscono sempre di più la trama.
Lettori, questa è una di quelle serie che migliorano con il progredire dei volumi. Almeno secondo il mio punto di vista, ogni libro che passa arricchisce la storia e richiama trame e sottotrame che erano solo accennate e che alla fine si ricollegano in modo magistrale.
Hester, Tom, Caul e Freya non mi erano piaciuti molto nello scorso capitolo, anche qui hanno un ruolo centrale e spesso seguiamo la loro narrazione, però stavolta li ho apprezzati molto di più come ho apprezzato questo cambio di protagonisti: Wren e la dottoressa Zero e tutti gli altri sono personaggi che non mi hanno deluso e li ho trovati molto più caratterizzati e sfaccettati.
La trama continua a piacermi molto e rimane il punto forte della saga, nonostante il libro precedente sembrasse mettere un punto a tutto e non sentivo granché il bisogno di un seguito, sono felice che l’autore sia stato così bravo da stravolgere tutto e continuare la storia di questi personaggi.
Cosa mi aspetto dal prossimo libro? A questo punto non ne ho proprio idea, la fine è abbastanza sconvolgente e l’unica certezza che ho è che lo leggerò sicuramente.
A presto con nuove recensioni e nel frattempo fate buone letture!
Voto: 4
April 10, 2019
Probably a beneficiary of low expectations, and because I was concurrently reading the tome-of-never-ending-dull, *cough* American Gods, but this, the third installment in the Mortal Engines series, was entertaining.
The story's protagonist is Wren, Tom and Hester's daughter. She's a solid combination of the best of their personalities: brave and usually sensible like her mother, but compassionate, like her father. Her youthful stupidity drives the early part of the plot, but common sense starts to set in quickly once the story progresses.
I'm rather torn regarding both Tom and Hester's characterization, though. Both are now adults in their thirties. Tom remains naive and overly kind to the point of being Too-Stupid-to-Live, though his dedication to his daughter rings true. Hester, however, has grown even harder and crueler in the ensuing years, and her ambivalence toward her own child is disturbing. And yet, I have to give the writing props for going there, for actually depicting a parent, especially a mother, who isn't transformed by parenting. Hester's attitude toward Wren is wrenching, but I think it expresses the mild ambivalence felt, at times, by even the best of parents toward their children.
As with previous stories, the juxtaposition of mature themes against immature protagonists (including some of the adults) is jarring. But the introduction of a more balanced protagonist in Wren makes the weaknesses palatable.
(Library book)
The story's protagonist is Wren, Tom and Hester's daughter. She's a solid combination of the best of their personalities: brave and usually sensible like her mother, but compassionate, like her father. Her youthful stupidity drives the early part of the plot, but common sense starts to set in quickly once the story progresses.
I'm rather torn regarding both Tom and Hester's characterization, though. Both are now adults in their thirties. Tom remains naive and overly kind to the point of being Too-Stupid-to-Live, though his dedication to his daughter rings true. Hester, however, has grown even harder and crueler in the ensuing years, and her ambivalence toward her own child is disturbing. And yet, I have to give the writing props for going there, for actually depicting a parent, especially a mother, who isn't transformed by parenting. Hester's attitude toward Wren is wrenching, but I think it expresses the mild ambivalence felt, at times, by even the best of parents toward their children.
As with previous stories, the juxtaposition of mature themes against immature protagonists (including some of the adults) is jarring. But the introduction of a more balanced protagonist in Wren makes the weaknesses palatable.
(Library book)
August 13, 2021
The writing style still isn't clicking with me, but all that aside, it still feels like this series is just too full of low blows. And instead of having the characters grow from it, the characters just stay petty, resulting in this ultimate character assassination for everyone. Hester was the worst of them all — the book told me that she and Tom had become adults and had a child but her character in the story stayed jealous and toxic. It's hard for me to feel invested in a story when everyone's motivations just feel underhanded and random.
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