I promised an update on some of the stuff I’ve been reading and here it is, long overdue! Starting with my favourite writer for children, Philip Reeve. I’ve read two of Philip’s books over the Summer, and I’ve still got a few left that I haven’t found time for yet, so no doubt I’ll be writing about those at some point.

Philip’s latest offering set in the world of Mortal Engines is Scrivener’s Moon and it’s another classic. Beautifully written, as ever, and totally spellbinding in every sense, Philip shows us a whole new side to Fever Crumb in this book. The story takes her down a relationship path that I doubt many saw coming, while launching her headlong into another fascinating adventure. Aside from the breathtaking action, the maelstrom of emotion and the usual mix of extraordinary characters that appear throughout this series, this book does a huge amount of world-building that fans will love as they learn the origins of the cybernetic Shrike and something of the history that has shaped the world in Philip’s mind. I had been waiting with baited breath for this title and it did not disappoint.

One aspect I particularly like about stories in this series is that nobody is safe. The author shows no favouritism to his characters. No one is wrapped in cotton wool to enjoy the adventure. They suffer and we suffer with them. And (more often than in most books for children) major characters who the reader has come to know and love, die – sometimes through brutal, horrible circumstance. Scrivener’s Moon is no exception when it comes to major characters meeting ugly ends. I do hope Philip will keep coming back to this world with future stories, as it really is one of the all-time classic sff adventure series for young people.

The second Philip Reeve title I read this summer was Larklight – a book I’d picked up in bookshops many times and for some reason wasn’t drawn to in the same way I was to all of Philip’s other titles. Having now read the first in the trilogy, however, I find I am once again hooked by the author’s incredible imagination and word-wizardry. Larklight is a much lighter read than Mortal Engines, with so many fun concepts, bizarre creatures and crazy adventures that I found myself wondering why the series has not proved more popular. Steam punk has been a growing genre over recent years and Philip has mastered it, as he seems to master every genre he turns his hand to.

I’m very much looking forward to reading the rest of the series now. Mothstorm and Starcross are sitting on my bookshelf begging me to read them, but I do try to read books by lots of authors, and I don’t get anywhere near enough time to read all the books I want, so I’m going to hold off for a while and savour them when I next go on holiday.

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