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Spoiler warning!
This article or section contains plot spoilers for the Mortal Engines quartet. Proceed at your own risk. |
"Urbivore" is a short story written by Philip Reeve prior to starting the Mortal Engines quartet. He has stated that he wrote it to "lay claim" to the concept of predator cities before anyone else came up with the same idea.
It contains similar elements to the world of Mortal Engines; however, this is not canon as the history is different and Municipal Darwinism operates slightly differently.
Plot[]
Rebecca Fox, an Aviatrix, is trying to warn the mayor of a small town that London is coming to eat them. However, the townsfolks don't believe her, as they do not think that London would eat them as their town is too small. A man who knows Fox believes that London is coming, but is not sure whether it is going to eat them or not.
Differences from Final Series[]
- London is still the first traction city. Brunel and Darwin, though, first set it in motion instead of Nicholas Quirke.
- There is a male aviator and Navigator named Fang.
- Traction cities are thought to only eat big towns and trade with small ones. (Possibly, the story takes place before traction cities were plentiful and fuel was less of an an issue.)
- The cities of Arkangel and Zanzibar are mentioned; these cities appeared in the quartet.