Traction City (novella): Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|2008 novella by Philip Reeve}} |
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{{Infobox book | |
{{Infobox book | |
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| name = Traction City |
| name = Traction City |
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| image = Traction City.jpg |
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| author = [[Philip Reeve]] |
| author = [[Philip Reeve]] |
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'''''Traction City''''' is a novella by [[Philip Reeve]] and is a prequel to the ''[[Mortal Engines Quartet]]''. It was released as a flip book alongside |
'''''Traction City''''' is a novella by [[Philip Reeve]] and is a prequel to the ''[[Mortal Engines Quartet]]''. It was released as a flip book alongside Chris Priestly's teachers' tales of terror for [[World Book Day]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www5.scholastic.co.uk/zone/book_philip-reeve.htm|title=Philip Reeve|publisher=scholastic|accessdate=2011-07-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090518142120/http://www5.scholastic.co.uk/zone/book_philip-reeve.htm|archive-date=2009-05-18|url-status=dead}}</ref> The novella is set in London and introduces street urchin Smiff, policeman Anders, and a young [[Anna Fang]]. |
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Set on London and introducing street urchin Smiff, policeman Anders and a young Anna Fang. |
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The story was later expanded into the short story titled "Traction City Blues" as part of the ''Night Flights'' short story collection, released in July 2018. |
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==Plot summary== |
==Plot summary== |
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Smiff is depicted as an orphan who lives on the lowest tier of London and scavenges items that have fallen through the cracks from higher tiers. Whilst scavenging, he witnesses a murder where the attacker has removed the right hand. |
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Smiff is an orphan who lives on the lowest tier of London and scavenges for items fallen from higher tiers. Whilst searching, he witnesses a murder where the attacker has removed the right hand from the victim. Smiff later goes to the police station, where a teenage Anna Fang has been arrested by corporal Nutter as an Anti-Tractionist saboteur. Smiff explains the murder to Sergeant Anders, who, alongside Nutter, leaves to investigate the murder. Constable Pym searches the records for similar incidents and find several reports thereof. Anders and Nutter return to the police station, where Anna Fang explains that she has been following the [[Stalker (Philip Reeve)|stalker]] called the Collector, whom she wants to recruit to the Anti-Tractionist cause. Anders uses Anna as bait for the Stalker. They are surrounded by a group of Engineers (a powerful guild in London), who explain that they brought the Collector to London, but lost control over it. Afterwards the head of the engineers orders the death of the two police officers and Anna; but Smiff assists their escape. The engineers are killed by the Collector, who severs the right hands as a replacement for its own missing hand. Anders distracts the Collector, and uses Anna's explosive to destroy it. Afterwards, he allows Anna Fang to escape, and Smiff to stay at the station. |
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While not a fan of the police Smiff goes to the Airdock Green police station where a teenage Anna Fang has just been arrested by corporal Nutter as an Anti-Tractionist saboteur for carrying an explosive device. Smiff explains about the murder to Sergeant Anders who alongside Nutter leaves to investigate and come across the culprit who turns out to be a stalker. Meanwhile, constable Pym searches the records for similar incidents and finds reports about accidents that have occurred within a fortnight where the right hand has been removed and concludes that they were murders by the same killer. |
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Anders and Nutter return to the police station where Anna Fang explains that she has been following the stalker called The Collector who she wants to recruit to the Anti-tractionist cause. When asked why she feels The Collector wouldn't just attack her she talks about Shrike, another stalker who is a bounty hunter who refuses to harm children (like her). Anders concludes that it is highly likely that this is true given the fact that Smiff survived his encounter with The Collector. He decides to use Anna as bait to give them enough time to strap the explosive device she was found with to the stalker. |
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Along the way they find a dead apprentice engineer with a missing right hand who is younger than Anna Fang. They are surrounded by a group of Engineers who are a powerful guild in London. The Engineers explain that they brought The Collector on to London to see if they could use stalkers as soldiers, but lost control of The Collector. Afterwards the head of the engineers orders the death of the two police officers and Anna. Smiff had followed Anders and throws a tin and shouts explosive, scattering the engineers, which gives the group time to find cover. |
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The engineers regroup and charge towards the, are killed by The Collector who proceeds to chop of their right hands to see if they are a suitable replacement for his own missing hand. Concluding that the right hands aren't a match, The Collector heads towards the group. Anders tries to talk to him hoping to sacrifice himself to give the others time to escape. As he steps out he remembers Anna's explosive. While talking to The Collector he manages to distract him long enough to strap the explosive to him and escape. Afterwards he allows Anna Fang to escape, telling her to travel to the Anti-Traction league and allowing Smiff to stay at the station. |
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==Reception== |
==Reception== |
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The book has an aggregated rating of 4 stars on [[Goodreads]] |
The book has an aggregated rating of 4 stars on [[Goodreads]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10705434-the-teacher-s-tales-of-terror-traction-city-wbd-pack|title=The Teachers Tale of Terror, Traction City|accessdate=2011-07-17}}</ref> |
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== References == |
== References == |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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{{Mortal Engines}} |
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{{Philip Reeve}} |
{{Philip Reeve}} |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Mortal Engines]] |
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[[Category:2011 British novels]] |
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[[Category:Novels by Philip Reeve]] |
[[Category:Novels by Philip Reeve]] |
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[[Category:Scholastic Corporation books]] |
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[[Category:Novels about orphans]] |
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[[Category:Novels set in London]] |
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{{2010s-sf-novel-stub}} |
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Latest revision as of 01:40, 3 September 2022
 | |
| Author | Philip Reeve |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Series | Mortal Engines Quartet |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | Scholastic |
Publication date | 2011 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | Print (hardback and paperback) |
| Pages | 293 |
| ISBN | 978-1-4071-2427-8 |
| OCLC | 50714166 |
Traction City is a novella by Philip Reeve and is a prequel to the Mortal Engines Quartet. It was released as a flip book alongside Chris Priestly's teachers' tales of terror for World Book Day.[1] The novella is set in London and introduces street urchin Smiff, policeman Anders, and a young Anna Fang.
The story was later expanded into the short story titled "Traction City Blues" as part of the Night Flights short story collection, released in July 2018.
Plot summary
[edit]Smiff is depicted as an orphan who lives on the lowest tier of London and scavenges items that have fallen through the cracks from higher tiers. Whilst scavenging, he witnesses a murder where the attacker has removed the right hand.
While not a fan of the police Smiff goes to the Airdock Green police station where a teenage Anna Fang has just been arrested by corporal Nutter as an Anti-Tractionist saboteur for carrying an explosive device. Smiff explains about the murder to Sergeant Anders who alongside Nutter leaves to investigate and come across the culprit who turns out to be a stalker. Meanwhile, constable Pym searches the records for similar incidents and finds reports about accidents that have occurred within a fortnight where the right hand has been removed and concludes that they were murders by the same killer.
Anders and Nutter return to the police station where Anna Fang explains that she has been following the stalker called The Collector who she wants to recruit to the Anti-tractionist cause. When asked why she feels The Collector wouldn't just attack her she talks about Shrike, another stalker who is a bounty hunter who refuses to harm children (like her). Anders concludes that it is highly likely that this is true given the fact that Smiff survived his encounter with The Collector. He decides to use Anna as bait to give them enough time to strap the explosive device she was found with to the stalker.
Along the way they find a dead apprentice engineer with a missing right hand who is younger than Anna Fang. They are surrounded by a group of Engineers who are a powerful guild in London. The Engineers explain that they brought The Collector on to London to see if they could use stalkers as soldiers, but lost control of The Collector. Afterwards the head of the engineers orders the death of the two police officers and Anna. Smiff had followed Anders and throws a tin and shouts explosive, scattering the engineers, which gives the group time to find cover.
The engineers regroup and charge towards the, are killed by The Collector who proceeds to chop of their right hands to see if they are a suitable replacement for his own missing hand. Concluding that the right hands aren't a match, The Collector heads towards the group. Anders tries to talk to him hoping to sacrifice himself to give the others time to escape. As he steps out he remembers Anna's explosive. While talking to The Collector he manages to distract him long enough to strap the explosive to him and escape. Afterwards he allows Anna Fang to escape, telling her to travel to the Anti-Traction league and allowing Smiff to stay at the station.
Reception
[edit]The book has an aggregated rating of 4 stars on Goodreads.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ "Philip Reeve". scholastic. Archived from the original on 18 May 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ^ "The Teachers Tale of Terror, Traction City". Retrieved 17 July 2011.
| Mortal Engines |
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| Fever Crumb |
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| Companion books |
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| Adaptations |
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