(Not to be confused with the character of the same name.)
Fever Crumb is the first book in the Fever Crumb trilogy, which is the prequel to the Mortal Engines quartet. It was released 2009, and the main protagonist is Fever Crumnb.
Setting[]
- Main article: Timeline
The story is set a thousand years before the events of Mortal Engines, and Traction Cities have not yet begun their reign. Archaeology is the main trade and wheeled land-ships move about Europe. The Nomad Wars were being fought and are an important part of the story. It is set sixteen years after the Scriven Uprising. The book is set before London becomes the first traction city and the development of the technology used to create it.
Synopsis[]
Fever Crumb is the adoptive daughter of Dr. Crumb, a member of the guild of Engineers. However, the Northern Nomads are making their way south and London is in danger. Fever Crumb is the hope to save London. She must overcome rioting protestors, burning buildings and a secret that will change the world forever. Soon London must fall, that is sure; but who shall control the remains, the Nomads from the Frozen North, or The Londoners?
Plot[]
Fever Crumb is an apprentice to the engineer Crumb in London. She is the only female in the Guild of Engineers.
Fever Crumb and Dr. Crumb are making paper boys when a message arrives, asking that Fever Crumb help them with an archaeological dig. Fever leaves Godshawks Head and boards a land-ship and heads off into pre-tractionist London. Fever does not know anything about her real parents; all she knows is that she was found in a basket as a baby during the Scriven uprising with a bracelet around her wrist which said "her name is Fever". She walks through the crowded city streets. A market lady tries to sell her something, but soon starts screaming and calling her a Scriven due to her eyes. A crowd gathers, but Fever is saved by Kit Solent, who is not a Stalker at the time. Meanwhile, word gets out about what happened in the street. And Ted Swiney, a power-hungry bartender, wants all the information he can receive on Fever.
Within a few days of working for Kit, she is recognized by Bagman Creech, the legendary killer of Scriven. He tries to kill her, forcing to flee the city. The Scriven were a race superior to humans and were violent rulers of London until rebellion forced them out. Bagman is a hunter who wants to get rid of any evidence of Scriven. It is revealed that the mother of Fever, Wavey Godhsawk, is a Scriven, and more importantly, she is the daughter of the Scriven leader Auric Godshawk. As both of them eventually leave London to join "The Movement", Kit is wounded in an attack. They make it to the "The Movement" and Kit eventually dies. The body of Kit Solent is turned into a Stalker (a mechanical undead warrior) called Shrike, one of many turned into Stalkers that year. Her mother performs the transformation. Shrike does not possess the memories of his previous life, knowing only the Movement's objectives. The movement moves to attack London and Land admiral Quercus challenges the London Mayor, a fight in which he is victorious. Fever and her mother Wavey return to the vault buried beneath the former home of Auric Godshawk.
Within the vault are plans and engines constructed by Auric to move London, making it mobile. Shrike kills the other Shrikes accompanying them and leaves. Fever heads to the Solent children, hoping to protect them. Unknown, a person named Charley Shallow followed them, and uses a magneto gun, carried by Fever, to attack Shrike. It was only designed to hurt robots and shoots Fever. However, Fever does not die, and falls to the ground, having certain mechanical parts inside her. Charley, believing killed Fever, walks away. Shrike does not hurt anyone. Fever takes the Children and escape, paddling down a river and joins a traveling group of actors, welcoming them in.
Gallery[]
| Mortal Engines Series |
|---|
| Fever Crumb • A Web of Air • Scrivener's Moon Traction City • The Haunted Sky • Night Flights In the Bleak Midwinter Mortal Engines • Predator's Gold • Infernal Devices • A Darkling Plain The Traction Codex • The Illustrated World of Mortal Engines Mortal Engines (film) |