Railhead

Philip Reeve

Apr 2016 · Capstone

About this eBook

The Great Network is an ancient web of routes and gates, where sentient trains can take you anywhere in the galaxy in the blink of an eye. Zen Starling is a nobody. A petty thief from the filthy streets of Thunder City who aimlessly rides the rails of the Network. So when the mysterious stranger Raven offers Zen a chance to escape the squalor of the city and live the rest of his days in luxury, Zen can't believe his luck. All he has to do is steal one small box from the Emperor's train with the help of Nova, an android girl. But the Great Network is a hazardous mess of twists and turns, and that little box just might bring everything in this galaxy Ü and the next Ü to the end of the line. The highly anticipated novel from Carnegie-medal-winning author Philip Reeve, Railhead is a fast, immersive, and heart-pounding ride perfect for any sci-fi fan. Step aboard Ü the universe is waiting.

Ratings and reviews

I would give it more of a 3.5 star than a 3 or 4. The world building is a little hit or miss at times. When he does it well, it really shines and shows the author's talent. When it's bad... well it makes it boring and makes you want to just skip chapters. The world itself is insanely interesting and I found myself a little annoyed when the author would spend page after page meticulously describing the layout of a single carriage on a train and gloss over something really interesting mentioned elsewhere. I loved all of the characters, all are morally ambiguous, and the main plotline kept me hooked from the start. I'm already invested so I will probably continue on and finish the trilogy. if you don't enjoy some intense world building (especially world building revolving around some boring aspects) you may consider giving this a pass, otherwise it is a great scifi adventure!

I really enjoyed this book, reminded me of the North Central Positronics trains in Stephen King's The Dark Tower series.

Amazing vibe, on of my favorites, super creative and something to really get into. This deserves a movie...

About the author

Philip Reeve wrote his first story when he was just five years old, about a spaceman named Spike and his dog, Spook. Philip has continued writing and dreaming up adventures and is now the acclaimed author of the Mortal Engines series, the Fever Crumb series, Here Lies Author (2008 Carnegie Medal Winner), and many other exciting tales. Born and raised in Brighton, England, Philip first worked as a cartoonist and illustrator before pursuing a career as an author. He lives in Dartmoor with his wife, Sarah, and their son, Sam.