For my project, I need as much detailed information about the book as possible. Not only did this require making notes and re-reading certain parts of the book, but I have also produced a short questionnaire for fans of the book to complete. My hope is that Mr Reeve will also view this questionnaire and take time to answer some of the questions, as I have been thoroughly searching for a means to contact him, but the only way I have thus far found is through Facebook.
For anyone who wishes to answer, please leave a comment below with all of your answers. Thank you very much.
1) Do you believe that there is any symbolism
behind the term ‘Mortal Engines’ and the main themes of the book? Explain.
2) Name 3 elements of the book that stood out for
you and explain why.
3) There is a distinct lack of description of the
character of Tom Natsworthy in the book. Describe how you pictured the
character in your own mind.
4)
Is there a particular style of architecture that
you imagined there to be throughout the book?
5) What other examples of media (film, book, game,
art) would you liken to the style of Mortal Engines?
6) Hester Shaw only has one eye. Do you imagine her
with an eye-patch, a closed eye or a gaping hole?
7) Do you picture Airhaven as having air bags
beneath it, holding up the city, or airbags on ropes, attached above?
8) What is St Michael’s In the Sky?
9)Do you imagine the 13th Floor
Elevator as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by
ropes?
10)
Do you imagine the Jenny Hanniver as a zeppelin
style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
1) Do you believe that there is any symbolism behind the term ‘Mortal Engines’ and the main themes of the book? Explain.
ReplyDeleteIn the most general sense in that the cities are mortal and fragile and their world can change in an instant.
2) Name 3 elements of the book that stood out for you and explain why.
The imagination, the sheer outrageous and amazing concept of it and the reason I picked it up, the beautiful evocative original book covers.
3) There is a distinct lack of description of the character of Tom Natsworthy in the book. Describe how you pictured the character in your own mind.
A shy, tense and thoughtful young man.
4) Is there a particular style of architecture that you imagined there to be throughout the book?
No
5) What other examples of media (film, book, game, art) would you liken to the style of Mortal Engines?
A little known film Dark City (Rufus Sewell). Quite noir and gothic.
6) Hester Shaw only has one eye. Do you imagine her with an eye-patch, a closed eye or a gaping hole?
Eye patch
7) Do you picture Airhaven as having air bags beneath it, holding up the city, or airbags on ropes, attached above?
Above
8) What is St Michael’s In the Sky?
Pass! Defer to Mr Reeve!
9)Do you imagine the 13th Floor Elevator as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
More zeppelin style
10) Do you imagine the Jenny Hanniver as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
I always imagined more spindly and gondola like
1) The phrase represents the nature of the 'food chain' of cities, which eat and kill each other like animals. The scene where Tom sees the dead city of Motoropolis is indicative of this.
ReplyDelete2)- The very first scene, where people are stood on the decks of London watching Salthook eaten, as it is a beautiful and moving image.
- Hester's flashbacks: watching her parents get killed and meeting Shrike. These scenes are vivid and extremely dramatic, and help round out the tragic nature of Hester.
- The ending sequence where London is destroyed. I was stunned when I first finished the book at how bleak and stirring this ending was. Despite the sad ending, there is an underwhelming feeling of hope, and Hester's last line "You aren't a hero, and I'm not beautiful" sums the story up perfectly.
3) I never really pictured his face. I suppose this is because Tom is a fairly 'everyman' character. He is defined by his innocence and bravery, which drew my attention away from what he might look like.
4) I imagined everything to be metallic, rusty and looking as though it were pieced together with bolts and screws (particularly in places like Speedwell and Airhaven). In London, I imagined there to be many old stone buildings covered in scaffolding and newer constructions.
5) I think the books would make a fantastic series of films (I heard Peter Jackson has the rights, which for me would be a dream come true). The style of the books is quite epic. I've seen some wonderful pieces of art based on the books.
6)I see her with a hole, but not gaping; perhaps closed shut by the wound. I've been trying to draw her for years but haven't ever succeeded.
7) Above. I'm fairly sure that's how the books describe it.
8) IIRC, it's a cathedral in Airhaven. I picture it as the highest point of the city, perhaps in the very middle.
9) Neither; I picture it as a sleek, small jetplane-like vehicle.
10) I picture it as a long, low gondola under a huge gasbag.
Hope this helps; the Mortal Engines books are my favourites and it's lovely to hear of someone else who likes them too.
1) Uh, sure, i guess? This is not my area of expertise.
ReplyDelete2)The concept, the imagination, the characters.
3) Yeah, i never really pictured Tom either. Maybe a bit like the dude from that Treasure Planet film: a bit awkward and gangly.
4)Utilitarian, with this coating of slightly faded grandeur. Like, wood and brass over steel.
5) I'd love a game set in the world. Something clever maybe, like the Walking Dead game or an older adventure game.
6) Not just bare, but not an eyepatch... maybe just like a bandanna or something? It might have to be scrunched up and scarred or otherwise like 90% of her face is cloth.
7) Above. Maybe a few below for stability. This big cloud of gasbags, with the buildings clinging on beneath like barnacles.
8) No idea. Church?
9) A big, lumbering zeppelin style thing.
10) Small zeppelin style. Like a yacht. One of those things that's only just big enough to live in. Like a graceful flying RV.
I'm a Literature student and Reviews blogger who loves these books so I'll do my best to answer your questions!
ReplyDelete1) Do you believe that there is any symbolism behind the term ‘Mortal Engines’ and the main themes of the book? Explain.
The title is a quote from Shakespeare's 'Othello' if that helps, but in this context I think it refers to features of the story that blur the boundaries between the natural and the mechanical, such as the stalkers or the predatory cities themselves. It also refers to how the cities' way of life is unsustainable. More broadly, it could be read as a metaphor for human beings as well.
2) Name 3 elements of the book that stood out for you and explain why.
My favourite aspect of this series is the characters; they are an almost Dickensian gallery of grotesques. Hester and Shrike are two of my favourite characters in literature, and Tom's character balances them out perfectly. On a more personal level, as someone with a visible scar, it was really inspiring for me as a child to read about an ugly and complicated heroine like Hester, particularly considering the fact that she acts as a love-interest. She was probably the first 'imperfect' heroine I came across in my reading.
Other than the characters, I also loved the way an outlandish concept was made to seem so plausible, the fact that there is no black-and-white morality, and how surprisingly moving the series turned out to be - I cried at 'A Darkling Plain'!
3) There is a distinct lack of description of the character of Tom Natsworthy in the book. Describe how you pictured the character in your own mind.
I agree with greenpanda that Tom is not described physically because he is a sort of 'everyman' amidst the colourful cast of characters, but I think he is supposed to be dark haired (if not, then I got this from the original cover art) and he is described multiple times from the persepctive of some of the young female characters as 'handsome', so I pictured him as attractive in a sweet, awkward, unthreatening way.
4) Is there a particular style of architecture that you imagined there to be throughout the book?
Victorian steampunk, with lots of metal work with visible bolts etc.
5) What other examples of media (film, book, game, art) would you liken to the style of Mortal Engines?
The steampunk style and eponymous architecture of the Studio Ghibli/Hayao Miyazaki anime film 'Howl's Moving Castle' reminded me of 'Mortal Engines'.
6) Hester Shaw only has one eye. Do you imagine her with an eye-patch, a closed eye or a gaping hole?
A scarred, slightly concave area of skin where her eye used to be, with whatever remains of her eyelids sealed together. I don't think she is described as covering up her missing eye in any way, just the lower part of her face.
7) Do you picture Airhaven as having air bags beneath it, holding up the city, or airbags on ropes, attached above?
Lots of air bags above, holding it up by ropes.
8) What is St Michael’s In the Sky?
I can't remember, but it sounds like it might be a cathedral of some sort?
9) Do you imagine the 13th Floor Elevator as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
A sleek, black, zeppelin style airship.
10) Do you imagine the Jenny Hanniver as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
Philip Reeve posted a drawing on his blog recently comparing the shapes and sizes of several of the main airships from the series, and the Jenny was tiny! I saw it zeppelin style, but much smaller and less elongated in shape, with a red balloon.
Hope some of that helps - can't wait to see what you come up with!
twitter brought me here. I love seeing peoples renditions of the Mortal Engines universe so I'll try and help out the best I can.
ReplyDelete1. Yes, it reminded me of the symbolism used in many Ghibli films which is we must respect nature.
2a. It's use of language to bring the characters and world to life.
2b. The relationship between the characters felt so real. It wasn't one dimentional or over the top.
2c. I already loved the book but the last few chapters of the book won me over and I just wanted more.
3. I guess I never pictured how he looked as I read his parts in a first person view. *I hope that makes some sort of sense...*
4. Erm... just run down ruined versions of of the cities now with bits of metal girders in places. Also a lot of badly patched up jobs and shanty town like in the lower levels and less fortunate cities.
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonderful_Days
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shannara - I've only read part of one of the books but one of the covers instantly made me think of Mortal Engines
Parts of The Matrix universe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastion_(video_game) - I think the music for it fits perfectly when reading too.
and many many more things...
6. Closed eye.
7. Attached from above.
8. Church?
9. Zeppelin.
10. Air bag attached to a gondola by ropes.
1) Do you believe that there is any symbolism behind the term ‘Mortal Engines’ and the main themes of the book? Explain.
ReplyDeleteThe term immediately evokes a sinister association which is carried throughout the series. The notion of Tractionism as a force for good is established as the majority opinion - and immediately deconstructed. The series goes to great length to show just how deadly (mortal) the cities (engines) are.
2) Name 3 elements of the book that stood out for you and explain why.
1. The shades-of-grey morality was a great contrast to the black-and-white morality most YA novels have. Both the Tractionists and the Green Storm are portrayed as "bad guys", but both also have heroes and people who genuinely try to do good. Hester and Shrike also serve as brilliant anti-hero characters.
2. The diversity. People from all genders, races and sexual orientations are cast as heroes, villains, anti-heroes and anti-villains.
3. The worldbuilding. We never lose sight of the fact that there is a whole world out there that is considerably larger than just the parts where the plot takes us.
3) There is a distinct lack of description of the character of Tom Natsworthy in the book. Describe how you pictured the character in your own mind.
This is standard tactic for YA novels - leaving the protagonist as nondescript as possible to allow the readers to fill the "shell" with their own life.
4) Is there a particular style of architecture that you imagined there to be throughout the book?
Apart from a general steampunk look-and-feel, no.
5) What other examples of media (film, book, game, art) would you liken to the style of Mortal Engines?
None come to mind.
6) Hester Shaw only has one eye. Do you imagine her with an eye-patch, a closed eye or a gaping hole?
Since neither a patch nor a gaping hole are mentioned and instead her scars being continuously emphasised, I imagine her with extensive scar tissue running across a closed eye.
7) Do you picture Airhaven as having air bags beneath it, holding up the city, or airbags on ropes, attached above?
Airbags on ropes, attached above.
8) What is St Michael’s In the Sky?
Another airbourne city like Airhaven? I don't know.
9)Do you imagine the 13th Floor Elevator as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
A zeppelin.
10) Do you imagine the Jenny Hanniver as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
A gondola with an air bag.
I’ll have to divide man answer into two posts. I love these books.
ReplyDelete1) Do you believe that there is any symbolism behind the term ‘Mortal Engines’ and the main themes of the book? Explain.
Whether or Not Reeve intended it, there absolutely is an allegorical power to the term and to the imagery. The Traction cities can never be wholly separated from the present day, nor the language from our own. There are environmental and economic themes that colour the characters and the readers perception of this world and should always be kept in mind.
2) Name 3 elements of the book that stood out for you and explain why.
Oh I couldn't begin! All of it. But I especially feel that the Poverty and the effect that has on the residents of the cities is very important, and this ties in with the war in the second two books. Everyone is desperate and afraid and different characters deal with that in different ways. The culture is very important. Everywhere should be filled with a mish-mash of cultural iconography that's clearly been accumulated over hundreds of years but that never quite blends all together.
Lastly the landscape. It would be easy to forget how alien and strange it is. The tracks crossing the wilderness like geoglyphs and the mountains eaten to the core like apples leaving strange, monument valley-esque remains. There are some great images of natural chemical lakes in Africa and of course Saltflats. This is a surreal world.
3) There is a distinct lack of description of the character of Tom Natsworthy in the book. Describe how you pictured the character in your own mind.
He somehow manages to be both scrawny and flabby at the same time. But he has an endearing smooth face and smiling eyes. He's tall enough to emphasise his slight figure.
4) Is there a particular style of architecture that you imagined there to be throughout the book?
Existing architecture patched up with metal. At least for london. Very important to show how the houses are fixed to the deck too. For smaller scavenger towns look to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo for the Shanty towns that have sprung up there, with house built upon house with no order at all. Houses should be tall and cramped in the middle decks of cities, and the decks should be at least 3-4 stories apart. It should manage to be grim but not too claustrophobic in the centre of cities but of course ever city is different. The Heart of Archangel should be a round open space (the Mechonis Field from Xenoblade chronicles is a good comparison).
5) What other examples of media (film, book, game, art) would you liken to the style of Mortal Engines?
It's very difficult to say. They are so very unique. For life in the cities, Bladerunner would be an interesting comparison (Philip K. Dick sci-fi in general is always worth a look-in).
6) Hester Shaw only has one eye. Do you imagine her with an eye-patch, a closed eye or a gaping hole?
ReplyDeleteNone of the above. It's a wealed scar that runs across her face diagonally. This has several effects. First, the eyebrow above the scar should be dented to show the bone broken underneath, then the eyehole should be closed over with thick scar tissue and then her nose should be gouged out at one side and crooked to her upper lip, which has the effect of lifting her mouth at one side. I love Mortal engines art, but I have yet to see any that gets Hester's face right.
7) Do you picture Airhaven as having air bags beneath it, holding up the city, or airbags on ropes, attached above?
Airbags underneath it, because airbags on ropes above it would risk entangle landing airships. It would also make sense to have columns containing vertical turbines to keep the platform balanced and to make sure that all the external engines are covered safely. I also picture airhaven as having a wire grid running over it's streets like a covered market. This would have fire safety precaution and things like that and would help prevent visitors being blown away. People standing outside for ling periods of time would likely Carabiner themselves to something. It gets real windy up there.
8) What is St Michael’s In the Sky?
I had to quickly look up the reference. I'd imagine it as a very big very complicated airship that travels across cities in an evangelical manner, like Airhaven but smaller and focused on a specific religion. Giving it a churchlike facade would be an interesting challenge. The above poster's suggestion of it being the central temple of Airhaven also works.
9)Do you imagine the 13th Floor Elevator as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
Something in between. It's a sleek gondola that is separated from it's gasbag by a sturdy metal scaffolding. The nose of the 13th FLoor Elevator should be sharp and it's envelope very streamlined.
10) Do you imagine the Jenny Hanniver as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
A zeppelin. The Jenny Hanniver should have a fishlike appearance. with raggedy fins and rigging up it's gasbag. (there are several references to airships being accessibly through trapdoors on the top of their gasbags). The steering fins in particular should have a homemade fishy look about them.
Also, even though it slightly defies logic, all the envelopes of all the airships should be depressed inwards rather than outwards onto their frames.This serves to emphasise their frailty and to make them look faster and less pompous. Having as many moving parts on the ouside as possible also makes the Jenny Hanniver look more homemade and loved.
Good luck with the project. I have a close friend who is planning the same thing for her third year. I'll get her to fill this out too.
Have fun with it. Make sure Mr Reeve puts it on his blog when its done so I can see.
-Dan
Thank you so much for these answers. You've given a really detailed set of data which will help me immensely. I'll ensure I post all of my work up on here, and send it on to Mr. Reeve when it's done. Keep checking the blog if you're interested or have anything specific to add.
Delete1)I haven't read the other comments yet because I don't want to confuse myself with other people's theories so I don't know if anyone's mentioned this - but I guess 'mortal engines' is a quote from Othello. So obviously there's the "mortal engines" in the sense that these are cities that move and can be eaten etc. But also, there are the plans ('engines') of the mortals, and the phrase kind of has a detached kind of tone, as though it's someone like Shrike kind of surveying the "great" plans of the humans unfold, and the characters like Tom, Hester, Kate and Bevis are just tiny little cogs which, in my opinion, have sprung free of their original positions and rattle around the system, unsure of where they belong. (Sorry that was so long, I was having trouble trying to express it.)
ReplyDelete2)The biggest thing that stands out for me is the cyclical nature of humans; that a war completely obliterated the planet, and it's slowly been rebuilt, but now a war threatens to obliterate the planet again and no one can see the connection. This continuum of humans killing humans.
Another element that stood out is the fact that there is no "bad" side. Everyone is right, everyone is wrong.
Obviously another theme that stuck out is love - the whole theme is probably not love, but sort of human attachment, but I like to think of it in terms of love and all the different kinds of love, including loving yourself - like especially with Hester, who can't seem to figure out how to do that unless she's holding a gun. I find all that really interesting.
3)Dark hair, lightly pink cheeks, a little bit gangly, not particularly tall. Always has the same childlike expression in his eyes, like whatever he's looking at, he's never seen this before and he needs to figure it out and find out everything about it.
4)I think, because I always had the David Frankland versions about before I'd read them, I imagined the cities in terms of that style. More metal than stone, lots of spires and arches. I suppose due to the style of Philip Reeve's writing I imagined there to be lots of detail in many of the buildings in the cities; like on stone I'd imagine little fiddly patterns or carvings.
5)I can't think of anything specific right now. Usually stuff with lots of rust and deep, dark colours.
6)I definitely imagined a closed eye that she can't open because the nerves are shut down and the scar goes through the eyes anyway, but pretty much you know that whatever's behind her eyelids is too mashed up to matter anyway.
7)I imagined the airbags beneath it, I suppose. But maybe a few above as well every now and then. But the airbags beneath it I imagined were all packed together and were huge, possibly so the underside is bigger than Airhaven itself.
8)I'm just making this up, but maybe if there's a picture of it in the museum, then it must have historical value, and the cathedral in Coventry (near where I live) is apparently also called St Michael's, and it's a pretty awesome cathedral famous for being blown up - and if there are any places there you'd attract tourists, then the cathedral is one of them. So I like to think maybe Airhaven was once Coventry or near Coventry, and when they went up into the sky, they took the ruins with them to keep the tourist trade or to keep a part of their heritage, possiblyyyyy. So for me, it's the ruins of Coventry cathedral on Airhaven. But that's probably only because I know Coventry cathedral ha.
9)Zeppelin style airship, but with a smoother design, to make it look more cool and swish and James Bond-y than your average zeppelin type.
10)Like a gondola attached to a really ugly air bag by ropes.
1) Do you believe that there is any symbolism behind the term ‘Mortal Engines’ and the main themes of the book? Explain.
ReplyDeleteI suppose you could say that it represents how the system is ultimately flawed, and that the traction cities are doomed to hunting themselves to extinction; that one day, all their engines will die.
2) Name 3 elements of the book that stood out for you and explain why.
Similar to some earlier comments, the beautiful cover illustration have always captured my imagination. But within the stories itself, it was the way that Philip Reeve painted such vivid pictures of so many different scenes and landscapes. And most importantly, the rereading value is infinite.
3) There is a distinct lack of description of the character of Tom Natsworthy in the book. Describe how you pictured the character in your own mind.
Tom strikes me as the tall and lanky kind, though with quite a sharp and hollowed face - he's never really lived a life of luxury. He's not weedy, but certainly far from strong. I imagine him mostly spotless (though judging by how Wren is mentioned to have a few chin-spots in Infernal Devices, I wouldn't be surprised if Tom has a few too - especially as the story continues and the stress builds). I'd imagine he either doesn't grow facial hair easily.
4) Is there a particular style of architecture that you imagined there to be throughout the book?
I always imagined London as having a mishmash of styles, much akin to the actual city, though held together with very Victorian-looking , Brunel-esque engineering, with pipes running through everything; Tunbridge Wheels would have a similar style, albiet more run-down. Peripatiapolis is definitely more Mediterranean or Balkan in appearance.
5) What other examples of media (film, book, game, art) would you liken to the style of Mortal Engines?
The Artemis Fowl book series has a similar mix of seriousness and humour but very little similarity in terms of the aesthetics. I suppose the joy of Mortal Engines, though, is how incomparable it is.
6) Hester Shaw only has one eye. Do you imagine her with an eye-patch, a closed eye or a gaping hole?
A closed eye, no doubt about it!
7) Do you picture Airhaven as having air bags beneath it, holding up the city, or airbags on ropes, attached above?
A circular ring of long airship gasbags tethered together, which are easily larger than the town itself. I had always pictured Airhaven as quite a plain-looking town but I did once see a work of fanart which showed it with colourful, Montgolfier balloon-style gasbags hoisting the city up. It shouldn't be a problem for navigation as the airship docks all project far outside the ring, with safety netting underneath; the only way to dock with the town is by approaching it side-on.
8) What is St Michael’s In the Sky?
I honestly can't remember this element from the books :(
9)Do you imagine the 13th Floor Elevator as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
A zeppelin - a sleek, black one which looks more like a massive and sinister cocktail stick than the more generic, rounded zeppelin gasbag shape. As far as the cabin goes, it's quite curvaceous, with the rocket pods elegantly projecting from the sides without any extenuous tubing or similar.
10) Do you imagine the Jenny Hanniver as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
Normally I imagined her as a small blimp, though in my last read-through I altered my mental image of her so that she's a somewhat more ungainly cargo zeppelin. The problem with this image, though, is that it seems impractical for maintainance by just two people, plus in the Jenny's escape from the Green Storm Foxbats in Predator's Gold, if she were as large as I'd imagined her it would be practically impossible for her to manoeuvre how she's described as doing in the book (such as flying between the decks of a passing city).
Best of luck with this project!
1) Do you believe that there is any symbolism behind the term ‘Mortal Engines’ and the main themes of the book? Explain.
ReplyDeleteThe cities, towns etc are animals; predators and prey and there is an entire established food chain. As with true nature, the only certainty is death. It is just the same for traction cities and towns and all the rest. Their life is finite, it's just a matter of how long they can survive. The healthiest and luckiest will last the longest, but death comes for them all in time.
2) Name 3 elements of the book that stood out for you and explain why.
Love; although it's not specifically a series of romance novels, the theme of love is ever present throughout, and is written so convincingly in every case. There is romantic love at its finest and deepest, love between family members. Strange and curious love such as an undead soldier might feel for a lost child. Stockholm syndrome perhaps, amongst the lost boys and uncle. Love for your city. Love of the sky. Love for your god or gods and goddesses. Love is at the centre of everything; many of the bad deeds are done for love.
Grey Areas; particularly when it comes to morality. No character is all good. Neither are they all bad. Every character has depth. A villain is not just a villain - they have a story of their own and reasons behind their actions, there is no evil for evil's sake. Throughout the war, it is never clear if either side is "right" and the other "wrong". Nothing is clear cut.
Stalkers; one of the most wonderful creations the series has to offer, in my opinion. I adore airships. I love the idea of traction cities and limpets and all the rest. But stalkers are something truly special. Shrike and Fang are both such interesting characters who I find impossible not to love despite some of their questionable actions at points.
3) There is a distinct lack of description of the character of Tom Natsworthy in the book. Describe how you pictured the character in your own mind.
Taller than Hester, but only by a little. Fair skin and dark brown hair, slender features. Artists hands. A kind soul that shows in his eyes and in his smile.
4) Is there a particular style of architecture that you imagined there to be throughout the book?
I know nothing of architecture, so mostly I think I imagine buildings and such as more or less like what I see around me, which is a mix of old and new styles seen in England.
5) What other examples of media (film, book, game, art) would you liken to the style of Mortal Engines?
Honestly, it's hard to think of anything that comes close. Series like final fantasy, perhaps, in terms of airships and such. and Harry Potter for the level of world-building through the series. But really, ME is something truly unique to me.
6) Hester Shaw only has one eye. Do you imagine her with an eye-patch, a closed eye or a gaping hole?
A closed eye, where the scar tissue sort of "dips" where the eye socket is - so its sort of like a dent, if that makes sense.
7) Do you picture Airhaven as having air bags beneath it, holding up the city, or airbags on ropes, attached above?
on ropes, attached above.
8) What is St Michael’s In the Sky?
It sounds so familiar, but i just can't remember!
9)Do you imagine the 13th Floor Elevator as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
a sleek dark zeppelin.
10) Do you imagine the Jenny Hanniver as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
more of a gondola.
I hope we get to see your finished project! :) Good luck with it!
1) Do you believe that there is any symbolism behind the term ‘Mortal Engines’ and the main themes of the book? Explain.
ReplyDeleteFor me it's something to do with how a machine really is mortal. It will only last so long, no matter how big or strong it is. Traction cities are literally mortal, constantly on the hunt for food (fuel) to survive.
2) Name 3 elements of the book that stood out for you and explain why.
The fact that Hester is so damaged, and a very bad person, yet I can always sympathize because of how her past continually fuels her rage.
The underlying humanity of Shrike. He's relentless, a literal killing machine, and yet all he seems to want for a large part of the series is to make Hester happy, even if that means he has to consider killing her to do so.
The way bad people get away with bad things, Pennyroyal especially. Cheaters often do prosper and it's great to see this reflected in fiction, rather than get the comeuppance they obviously deserve.
3) There is a distinct lack of description of the character of Tom Natsworthy in the book. Describe how you pictured the character in your own mind.
Tom is the everyman, medium height, skinny build. Probably brown haired and not particularly handsome. Just a normal kid, caught up in extraordinary events.
4) Is there a particular style of architecture that you imagined there to be throughout the book?
I hate to say steampunk, but low tech metal latticework (for light weight) is probably the way most cities would be constructed. I also feel the cities put me a bit in mind of early ironclad ships, with huge rivets, rough steelwork and peeling rust. Dust lightly with some 21st century ultra high tech (that isn't fully understood) and that's what I see.
5) What other examples of media (film, book, game, art) would you liken to the style of Mortal Engines?
The aforementioned Dark City is a good reference point, but I think Mortal Engines is very much a unique thing. I haven't seen a lot like it. However I do imagine Orla Twombly's flying ferrets as looking something a bit like Dick Dastardly and Muttley's flying machines.
6) Hester Shaw only has one eye. Do you imagine her with an eye-patch, a closed eye or a gaping hole?
Hester isn't vain enough for an eyepatch. She probably has her eye scarred shut, and she wouldn't care who saw it.
7) Do you picture Airhaven as having air bags beneath it, holding up the city, or airbags on ropes, attached above?
It would be suspended from gas bags above. Huge ones.
8) What is St Michael’s In the Sky?
It's the church at Airhaven I think, but not in the traditional churchy sense. It's construction would likely be quite ramshackle, from salvaged materials.
9)Do you imagine the 13th Floor Elevator as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
It's be a Zeppelin, but not as we know it. And the cockpit would be built into the envelope. It'd be quite sleek, with only the engines protruding from the main body.
10) Do you imagine the Jenny Hanniver as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
I get the feeling it would be a sort of thrown together goodyear blimp style ship.
1) Sort off, I have not thought of it much but I guess that the engines(with refer to the cities) are in a sense mortal, as they are considered living and have to eat.
ReplyDelete2) The adventure, the scale and the depth of the story/ characters. the reason for this as it adds realism as the characters and story is all woven together brilliantly and you get to see quite a bit of the world and how it has/ is currently developing.
3) never given it much thought, but I guess slightly taller than Hester and basicly and average face that doesn't stand out.
4) Lower in the cities girders and supports everywhere, higher in the cities metal plating covering everything so it is flush. with houses like clio house I think bit more of an eastern/ tatoonien in starwars sort of feel but with stone and rock insteady of compressed sand. In the museum I think of all oldy and wooden. The static settlements I think of Chirch/english countryside feel of all cobblestone and a bit similar to my description of clio house.
5) Nothing comes close to how I picture ME
6) None of the above, I think of her as similar to a gaping hole but somewhat healed up and bruised
7) Attached above, but to the side of the road and above the buildings/ over the edge
8) It is a church that is a building on Airhaven. I imagen that as is is a church it was made is stone but when Airhaven flew they had to reconstruct some of the wall so it was able to withstand the aircurrents and so they rename it so it had In the sky added to the end.
9)Zeppelin style, biggish in size and fairly streamlined.
10) Zeppelin style, but quite smalland compact.
Do you believe that there is any symbolism behind the term ‘Mortal Engines’ and the main themes of the book? Explain.
ReplyDeleteIt represents the connections between humans and technology, most obviously present in the Stalker robots.
2) Name 3 elements of the book that stood out for you and explain why.
The racially diverse cast of characters, because that is something rarely seen in scifi/fantasy. The complexity of the characters and the lack of a good vs evil plot, particularly in the later books, because it made for a more realistic and interesting story. Finally, the puns and recycling of modern terms, because they were funny and clever.
3) There is a distinct lack of description of the character of Tom Natsworthy in the book. Describe how you pictured the character in your own mind.
Teenage Tom--tall, gangly, not particularly good posture. Sharp-featured, slightly better than average looking, thick eyebrows, and a mop of light brown hair.
Adult Tom--similar, but he's gotten somewhat heavier. Clean-shaven if he can. Looks younger than he is.
4) Is there a particular style of architecture that you imagined there to be throughout the book?
Not really.
5) What other examples of media (film, book, game, art) would you liken to the style of Mortal Engines?
There's something rather mythological about it, somewhat like an epic poem. Whether this is because of the Greek and Norse names or because of the large-scale battles, general bleak/idealistic duality, or emphasis on suicide, I don't know.
6) Hester Shaw only has one eye. Do you imagine her with an eye-patch, a closed eye or a gaping hole?
Her eye is still there, but closed and somewhat mangled/twisted.
7) Do you picture Airhaven as having air bags beneath it, holding up the city, or airbags on ropes, attached above?
Above.
8) What is St Michael’s In the Sky?
Half Gothic cathedral, half glass-walled postmodern building.
9)Do you imagine the 13th Floor Elevator as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
The latter. Metal bands instead of ropes, though.
10) Do you imagine the Jenny Hanniver as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
See question 9.
1) Do you believe that there is any symbolism behind the term ‘Mortal Engines’ and the main themes of the book? Explain.
ReplyDeleteThat everything, no matter how impressive or strong, will die. That nothing lasts forever (the cities, Batmunkh Gompa, Tom's life on London)
2) Name 3 elements of the book that stood out for you and explain why.
- The size of the cities, and of the world. That cities several miles across can move at incredible speeds.
- The characters. Everyone has a sympathetic motive, even Crome, who just wants to 'make London strong'. But especially Shrike and Hester, the undead Stalker and the half alive girl.
- How everything works as a world. Cities and Anti-Traction League, Airships, cities, slavery, statics.
3) There is a distinct lack of description of the character of Tom Natsworthy in the book. Describe how you pictured the character in your own mind.
Round open face, with curious eyes. Slim, but well-fed. Light brown hair, straight and flat and neat.
4) Is there a particular style of architecture that you imagined there to be throughout the book?
Not really. Batmunkh Gompa would have oriental influences, but as the League comes from all over the world there would be other influences as well. Airhaven would be pipes and ducts and mess.
5) What other examples of media (film, book, game, art) would you liken to the style of Mortal Engines?
Mad Max and Waterworld would be the closest I would say.
6) Hester Shaw only has one eye. Do you imagine her with an eye-patch, a closed eye or a gaping hole?
Closed eye, with just a hint of the mess behind it.
7) Do you picture Airhaven as having air bags beneath it, holding up the city, or airbags on ropes, attached above?
Above. I see Airhaven as a single platform with landing gear beneath it, curled up like insect legs.
8) What is St Michael’s In the Sky?
A temple.
9)Do you imagine the 13th Floor Elevator as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
Zepplin. Much classier for the Head Historian. And different to the Jenny.
10) Do you imagine the Jenny Hanniver as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
A gondola. It seems more rickety and handmade that way.
1) I’ve always associated the ‘mortal’ part with as well as the obvious mortality of characters (Kate, Anna Fang, Valentine, Pod etc) but also the fixed limit of certain ‘styles’ of civilisation – The traction era had a start (and an end as we find out later) as well as the 60 minute war where the world ‘we know’ destroyed itself utterly – everything has it’s end point, despite how powerful or all-encompassing something may seem. The engines bit for me related to the traction cities and ‘Municipal Darwinism’, but I guess, thinking about it a little harder, you could relate it to how humanity constantly tries to advance and progress, despite whatever situations occur – the 60 minute war which wiped out civilisation was such a long time ago, and yet we have ‘advanced’ civilisation, living in huge mechanical constructs which move – that’s progress.
ReplyDelete2) The dystopian future which doesn’t seem so bad – yeah, progress was set back and billions died, but humanity is still here, living in a manner relatively speaking isn’t so different to how we live currently. Granted there are obvious differences – cities move, but the political wrangling, the relationships, the way people ingest culture and how people seek power are recognisable to society today.
Everything is different, but everything is the same - There’s an aspect of the past that wouldn’t disappear – humanity has made new progress, yet the past hangs over it and stifles innovation. I always imagined much of what humanity built in this world to be based on the past, with things like architecture, art, books, societal norms to be unable to free themselves from what came before – anything ‘new’ in this world was actually just a ‘rediscovery’ rather than groundbreakingly new.
The characters are just awesome – it’s not really a clever point, but the personalities created drive the story forward, at an almost relenting pace – It’s an amazingly complex world...
3) He’s always had dark brown hair in my mind, and I’ve always imagined the world to have a fashion sense that was based in 1940’s war/post-war Britain, unless you were rich then it was a weird fusion of 1920’s style with 1980’s colours. He has a bookish quality, and he is physically average but any ‘attractiveness’ comes through his personality.
4) Do you know the game ‘Gears of War’? Now, cross it with ‘Fallout: New Vegas’ and you’ve got an idea where I’m coming from when I say the architecture is ‘post-apocalyptic Victorian’ but with a dash of current steel/glass architecture for things like the guild of engineers – think Canary Wharf/HSBC building in London, the 1990’s idea of modern glass buildings – functional but it’s all a bit tasteless and monolithic
5) I’ve always seen this world as fairly unique – undoubtedly ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ is an obvious choice, and there is definitely a steampunk feel to some of the world, but not a heavy way nor with everything.
6) She has a scar that basically has gouged her face, across her eye, starting at just above her eyebrow to the bottom of her face. She wears a scarf over most of her face, over her nose, to cover it – but she keeps the eye scar visible to scare people off.
7) I’ve always seen the airbags in the middle – as in, the actual city of Airhaven is constructed around the airbags which are held in a donut-shape. The outside of the ring is the docking bays and engines, while inside the ring, sheltered from the worst elements is a city platform, with shops, buildings, and the church
8) It’s a north European style church, with a spire. It sits in the middle of Airhaven and has a wind vane on top of the spire.
9/10) I imagine all airships in this world to be zeppelin type airships, albeit in different configurations. ‘Balloons’ are hot air balloon types which are only designed for short distances – so the balloon that Hester and Tom escape Airhaven in is basically a hot air balloon, but the Jenny Hanniver and 13th Floor Elevator are zeppelins.
Hello Carrie, and everybody! I've been resisting the temptation to answer these questions myself, as I'm interested to see how other people imagine the books. People do seem a bit confused by St Michael's in the Sky, which I'd always imagined as Airhaven's parish church - a pretty ordinary little church or chapel sitting on the circular high street. I think it's a hang-over from the very first versions of the book, which were much more steampunky and Victorian and didn't yet have all the wild and whacky gods. I can't recall why I kept St Michael's in - maybe I thought it would seem strange if St Paul's was the only Christian building to survive from our times, but I probably just liked the name.
ReplyDeleteThere's an American architect called Lebbeus Woods who might be worth checking out. I had a book of his work called The New City on my desk throughout the writing of the later versions of M.E, and when I describe the Engineerium as a black glass claw it's very much his stuff I'm thinking of. But I was still very into Victorian things at that time, so the wrought and iron and rivets of railway architecture probably overwhelmed the modern buildings. Also, remember, I grew up in Brighton: you shouldn't underestimate the influence of those two Victorian piers on their spindly iron legs, especially the West Pier: it's almost gone now, but in my student days it was a wonderful gull-haunted ruin, like a rotting wedding cake...
Thanks so much for taking such an interest in the books!
Philip
Thank you very much Mr Reeve. St Michael's has confused me a little, and I always seemed to picture it as a large church. It's great that that's been cleared up now. I'm a huge fan of this series of books and it really means a lot that you and so many of your fans have helped me out. I hope that you'll enjoy the final products.
DeleteCarrie
1. Using the old quiz show maxim, 'I have to take your first answer', here is mine. Although after reading the very first answer to no. 1, I think that's closer. But, for what it's worth . . . to parrot Stephen Stills . . . I thought it meant more the half-man half-machine existence of the stalkers, but machines which, although exceptionally difficult to do, can still be killed.
ReplyDelete2. Firstly, the general air of living in hope, for most. Although those on the more affluent traction cities probably thought 'they'd arrived', at least those on the higher tiers. Secondly - total reliance on machinery, for the tractionists at least. Whether gobbling up Cleethorpes (easy to do no doubt), or fighting off some Panzafied pseudo-German monster city, it's all in the mass of metal and what it can do. Lastly, although this is just to fulfil the question, there are many more - that terrible mis-balance between knowing or hoping one can trust another, yet thinking you may get slain in your bed, all for a pan of carrots or a spare gasket and an inner tube.
3. To me, the young Tom seems small for his age, lean and agile yet fragile at the same time, and probably spotty. The older Tom, a middle aged belly. As regards his character, thoughtful yet tense, struggling with the life of cold logic drummed into him yet aware of a freer spirit, yet knows that this is repressed. A comparison I think would be - similar to old Crummy, but in the long run, stronger in mind.
4. Easy this one - for me anyway. And I am sorry if this makes Mr Reeve groan. Highly polished metals and wood, where possible of course, but with an underbelly of rusty oily cogs and wheels and turbines. In other words (groan - sorry Mr Reeve) a damn good lashing of Steampunk architecture, maybe straying into Art Deco at times.
5. Only one I've read, and only one part of it. The area / region depicted in Mr Pullman's Dark Materials - the Brick Marshes, the Gypshun barges, could easily be out of Mortal Engines, or vice versa.
6. I depict her as having an eye not so much closed, as sliced and smashed to pieces, and whatever's left is still there.
7. Now then, do I go back and double-check and cheat? Nah! (In fact, for this question to be asked, maybe there wasn't too much detail about the hows. But, I'd say, just like most air-bag type thingys, Airhaven is a great big air-balloon basket, and is suspended, with the actual bags above.
8. I just visualised it as being any old Rural southern England church (where Miss Marple is likely to warble away on Sunday mornings, but with the oddness coming from its location, a sort of it's-out-of-place type thing.
9. Blimey. Can't recall, but, guessing. I would say more likely to be a Gondola contraption.
10. The Jenny Hanniver is a cobbled affair, so, perhaps fiddled / adapted from being a trad' balloon affair at first, to a sort of mock airship.
I enjoyed this. Cheers.
John Haines
1) I always thought that it was a reference to how the system of Municipal Darwinism is horribly unsustainable; the engines are mortal in the sense that the fuel sources required to run them are more finite than ever, considering the sheer size of them, and that every city is doomed to an eventual death whether it's eaten by a bigger one or will run out of resources and grind to a slow halt.
ReplyDelete2) - The use of airships. There isn't really a deep meaning behind this; I just really like airships.
- The idea of the Traction Cities themselves. The mental image is incredibly striking; something like an evil wedding cake on wheels.
- Shrike. Even before we got his backstory in 'Fever Crumb', I found him a fascinating character and was incredibly curious about who he had been and what led him to become the person he was at the time of the story.
3) Fairly nondescript. A young man of average build with brown hair and pale skin - think something like Eddie Redmayne, but not quite as long in the face.
4) Not especially, no - London as it is today is a baffling mishmash of architectural styles, so I pictured the buildings of the Traction City as something similar. Batmunkh Gompa always looked vaguely Tibetan in my head.
5) Interesting question. The descriptions of the world were so vivid, however, that I kind of think it would make an excellent setting for a video game - maybe a sandbox RPG like the Elder Scrolls series, allowing a great deal of exploration as well as following a plotline.
6) Gaping hole. I imagined that a sword blow hard enough to take off most of her nose would make short work of her eyelid, and I don't think there's any mention of her wearing an eyepatch.
7) Above, kind of like a giant hot air balloon.
8) I imagine it looks something like your typical English church, only made from timber rather than stone. I don't picture it with a spire, though - don't want to risk puncturing a gasbag.
9) Zeppelin.
10) Again, Zeppelin-style, but much smaller and more cobbled-together-looking.
Hope this is some help!
1) Do you believe that there is any symbolism behind the term ‘Mortal Engines’ and the main themes of the book? Explain.
ReplyDeleteI suppose just that the cities have taken on a life of their own. The cities are individuals and their characters have been shaped by who lives on them and decides how they are going to be perceived.
2) Name 3 elements of the book that stood out for you and explain why.
Airships - I loved everything about the airships. It seems such an amazing way to live.
Old Tech - I really liked how the people seemed sort of oblivious to objects that we used daily, thinking Mickey Mouse was a god etc.
Tom&Hester - I loved the story between these two. Like they said their relationship wasn't perfect but it just seemed real, my favourite aspect of the books by far.
3) There is a distinct lack of description of the character of Tom Natsworthy in the book. Describe how you pictured the character in your own mind.
I can't really explain how I pictured him ... he just kind of forms in my head whenever I read it. Like it has been said he's sort of your everyday man.
4) Is there a particular style of architecture that you imagined there to be throughout the book?
A sort of steampunk look. I found myself imagining even the supposedly nice places to live to be dirty and rusty.
5) What other examples of media (film, book, game, art) would you liken to the style of Mortal Engines?
I really hope to see the films be made. Peter Jackson has the rights so I'm sure he'll deliver for all the fans.
6) Hester Shaw only has one eye. Do you imagine her with an eye-patch, a closed eye or a gaping hole?
I imagined her with an eye that has been forced closed by the scar. She didn't seem to worry about covering it up so I shouldn't think it would be a gaping hole.
7) Do you picture Airhaven as having air bags beneath it, holding up the city, or airbags on ropes, attached above?
I pictured it being held up with air bags beneath it. That was it would be easier for the airships to dock without having to worry about colliding with an air bag.
8) What is St Michael’s In the Sky?
I want to say a church ... not sure.
9)Do you imagine the 13th Floor Elevator as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
More of a sleek zeppelin style airship ... very polished.
10) Do you imagine the Jenny Hanniver as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
Air bag attached to a gondola. I saw it as something that would only just be adequate enough to live in, lots of scars and holes in it from its travels.
Awesome to see people love these books!
1) Do you believe that there is any symbolism behind the term ‘Mortal Engines’ and the main themes of the book? Explain.
ReplyDeleteI see it as an analogy for how destructive the human race is. First the Sixty Minute War causing massive topographical changes, then Traction Cities churning up the Earth, then eating each other.
I also see it as an interpretation of the future of humans - when we make the decision to totally disregard nature in our struggle to survive with an ever growing population.
2) Name 3 elements of the book that stood out for you and explain why.
a. That (in one of the books, can't remember which) the Middle East is described as a series of atomic craters. This struck a chord, considering the amount of unrest in the region.
b. Trying to wrap my head around the sheer size of a Traction City (especially the larger ones like Murnau or Manchester), and what such a city would look like. I'm still struggling with that.
c. That, in the end of the book, the age of Traction ends, and the description of the post-Traction world. It disappoints me that this era wasn't detailed more; it's almost as if the human race has found peace and tranquillity after millennia of war and turmoil.
3) There is a distinct lack of description of the character of Tom Natsworthy in the book. Describe how you pictured the character in your own mind.
Quite plain really, probably due to lack of features described. I imagine him around 5'7"/5'8", quite lean (the fact he's thin is mentioned in Infernal Devices), dark hair.
4) Is there a particular style of architecture that you imagined there to be throughout the book?
I imagine a type of architecture that would be necessary upon a moving city; on the lower tiers, low quality metal sheets bolted/welded together. Moving up through the tiers, better quality metals, maybe wood elements. Further up still, maybe stonework where the vibrations wouldn't affect it, high quality metal and glass buildings. I imagine the superstructure of a city itself to be gargantuan pillars and girders of metal, probably very rusted and heavily repaired.
5) What other examples of media (film, book, game, art) would you liken to the style of Mortal Engines?
The film John Carter makes me think of Mortal Engines, with its moving city. However, I think the Traction Cities of the book would look substantially different to the city in the film - that city isn't being hunted by anything, so a city being hunted I'd think would be built differently somehow.
6) Hester Shaw only has one eye. Do you imagine her with an eye-patch, a closed eye or a gaping hole?
A closed eye, with a scar across it.
7) Do you picture Airhaven as having air bags beneath it, holding up the city, or airbags on ropes, attached above?
Air bags underneath.
8) What is St Michael’s In the Sky?
Probably a church of 1 of the many religions in the book, but I'm not quite sure.
9)Do you imagine the 13th Floor Elevator as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
Like a miniature Zeppelin.
10) Do you imagine the Jenny Hanniver as a zeppelin style airship or an air bag attached to a gondola by ropes?
More like an air bag attached by ropes, considering it was cobbled together using spare parts.
Hope this helps, really enjoyed filling it out :)