Fever Crumb [Hardcover]

 

 

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Reason for Reading: The plot was intriguing and this is my type of book.

A foundling baby girl found by the Order of Engineers, a male society, is taken into the fold and raised to be one of them. The baby came with a note stating her name is Fever and since Dr. Crumb found her it was reasonable that he was the one who took the main caregiver role. 14 year-old Fever is now being sent off to assist an archaeologist, Kit Solent, in his home but when she arrives there she starts having memories of the place that are not her own. Kit seems to expect something from her and the memories become stronger. When riots hit the city, people come after her looking to kill her. She must escape but whose memories is she taking with her?

This is the first book I have read by Reeve and I wasn't aware that this was the beginning of a prequel series to another series he has already written until I had started the book. That information does not hinder the reading of this book at all, though I'm sure others who have read the Mortal Engines series will probably have insider information that I am unaware of that may make the reading experience more enjoyable.

I did enjoy the story. It is unique. Set in a future earth, so very far in the future in fact that our current time now is known as the Ancients and bits and pieces of our technology are traded and collected even when they are rusted pieces of junk. But anything that actually still works is highly prized and valued. Otherwise this future world is more or less of a medieval nature in culture and custom. Fever is a completely likable main character and I took to her right away. She grows as a person throughout the book starting off timid from a sheltered almost monk-like childhood. As she enters the world outside her boundaries she slowly gains confidence and a voice, strength, determination and becomes more in control of herself while shedding her timidity.

My main problem with the book was that the plot line was slow. It started off well and interesting and then just seemed to lag for me. It took me a lot longer than it should have to read the book. I never totally lost interest but I often wanted it to hurry up and "get on with it!" When the pace picked up and the plot was advancing I was hooked but my interest did come and go. The ending was fast paced and went in an unexpected direction. It feels to me that book two will take Fever to meet many new characters and I'm certainly interested in where all the threads that have been left hanging will continue so I will be reading book 2. I'm just hoping the pace will be more consistent.

Young Fever Crumb was abandoned at an early age. Taken in by the Order of Engineers, Fever was apprenticed to be the first female engineer within the organization. She has learned many things under the tutelage of Dr. Crumb, and now a request has been made.

A notable archaeologist, Kit Solent, has sought out Fever to help him dispel a myth. He has found a possible treasure trove of information, but the key to unlocking the secret lies within Fever's memories. Fever will be used as a tool to uncover the mysteries of Auric Godshawk - a prominent technomancer who was also a Scriven.

The Scriven came to power once they discovered their genetic abnormalities. Someone believes that Fever is a Scriven and will do anything to eliminate her. Fever's logic and rationalism will be tested, and the one thing that she fought so hard to control will bubble to the surface.

FEVER CRUMB, a prequel to the HUNGRY CITY CHRONICLES, is an excellent novel that stands well on its own. Readers who are familiar with the "steampunk" genre will appreciate this novel, and how technology, or rather the lack thereof, is used throughout the story.

I especially liked the main character, Fever. She is a no-nonsense type of gal - logical, straightforward, and unwilling to allow her emotions get the better of her; however, her façade does crack a bit as the story progresses. My hope is that Reeve will attempt to tie these books together, and then further develop the story of Fever. I will wait patiently for sequels!

Reviewed by: LadyJay

Steampunk fans are probably already familiar with Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines Quartet, in which the city of London roams around like a hungry mechanized beast. But (obviously) it wasn't always like that, and "Fever Crumb" reveals just how all this weirdness came to be -- a slowly-unfolding exploration of how a mysterious young girl held the key to London's future, which is only handicapped by an abrupt ending.

Fever Crumb was found by an Engineer as an abandoned baby, and now she is the only female Engineer apprentice. Eventually she is sent off to London to work with the archaeologist Kit Solent, who is attempting to uncover a vast vault belonging to the last Scriven king. But Fever's odd appearance and Vulcanesque manner soon raises suspicions among the townspeople, who suspect her of being a Scriven.

For your information, the Scriven were a spotted subspecies who once ruled London with an iron fist. Eventually normal humans rebelled, killed and skinned them alive.

But strangest of all, the Scriven relics seem to be stirring strange memories in Fever's head -- memories that she couldn't possibly have. With the nomadic Movement converging on London and a legendary Scriven-killing Skinner trying to murder her, Fever must discover where her strange memories came from and just who she is. Because as it turns out, her past is intricately linked with London's strange future....

The world of "Fever Crumb" is a sort of steampunk/medieval world, built on the ashes of our present-day civilization. And he has some pretty brilliant ideas for that -- cults that worship "Hari Potter," a brotherhood of rigid Engineers, and even some of the changed language (if you search the streets, you're going "a-googling"). But Reeve also explores some timeless ideas -- such as the racism from both Scriven and normal humans.

Reeve spends the first half of the book winding together all the mysteries about Fever's brain, blood and murky past, and then spends the second half picking them apart. He has a vivid, clear writing style that evokes some weird, wondrous stuff (the Movement's nomadic cities, the half-ruined future world), and he isn't afraid to include some tragic plot twists.

The only downside is that the book simply cuts off at the end, with few details about the massive changes about to happen. So many enormous changes take place, and we just don't see them.

It's a little hard to warm up to Fever, since she's so stiffly analytical and "reasonable" about everything (example: she thinks literature is worthless, doesn't embrace fun, etc). But she starts to unbend gradually as she gets to know Kit and his children. And there's a colorful array of characters who are all painstakingly explored -- the kindly if distant Dr. Crumb, the earnest Kit, a haughty Scriven princess, a corrupt businessman, the grimly determined Skinner Bagman and his nervy apprentice.

"Fever Crumb" is a solid prequel to the Mortal Engines books, melding timeless themes with some delightfully quirky steampunk. Hopefully there's more to Fever's story.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Strong fourth book in series
This is a strong fourth book in an already delightful series. I couldn't wait for the Canadian release so I had a copy shipped from the UK, and it was well worth the effort... Read more

Published on Oct 22 2009 by Peter Tyrrell

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