Philip Reeve - Mortal Engines Quartet (Hungry City Chronicles in US)

The Mortal Engines Quartet is set in the distant future, in an age known as the Traction Era. Earth has been reduced to wasteland by a devastating conflict, known as the Sixty Minute War. Nations no longer exist, except in the lands of the Anti-Traction League; Traction Cities - entire cities mounted on caterpillar tracks for mobility - are fiercely independent city-states, using giant jaws to devour one another for resources. Trade is mostly accomplished by airship, though sometimes cities of roughly equal size (unable to devour each other) will stop to trade. Old-Tech (technology from before the Traction Era, some of which is from the 21st century) is the most sought-after commodity.


The Great Hunting Ground - Consists of Europe and Northern Asia, and is the domain of the Traction Cities. It is a muddy wasteland, as the constant movement of the cities has destroyed all vegetation. The land is referred to by city-dwellers as the "Out-Country." As it is called the Great Hunting Ground it is likely to be the biggest in the world, with the most traction cities.
The Ice Wastes - New name for the Arctic, which is also home to Traction Cities which use iron runners to skate across the ice. In some places the ice is thin and a danger to traction cities as they risk falling in the ocean.
Africa - Africa is split between the Sahara Desert, which is a land of Traction Cities, and the southern regions, run by Anti-Tractionists. Areas of the southern continent include the static cities of Zagwa and Tibetsi, and the highland area known as the Mountains of the Moon.
The Dead Continent - North America, reduced to an irradiated wasteland by the Sixty Minute War. Rumours abound as to whether it is completely dead or not, which provide much of the focus of Predator's Gold. It is proven not to be completely dead; in the north there are forests with some animals which have managed to survive the Sixty Minute War.
Asia - The stronghold of the Anti-Traction League. Eastern China is evidently irradiated from the War, and the Himalayas are now the center of civilization (the mountainous terrain making it impossible for cities to approach).
Nuevo Maya - New name for South America, which was severed from North America when "slow bombs" destroyed Central America during the War. Like Africa and Eurasia, South America is split: static settlements rule the Andes, but the lowlands are filled with ziggurat Traction Cities. Tom and Hester visit Nuevo Maya in the gap between the first two books, but it is never visited in the series itself. Philip Reeve has said that he will explore Nuevo Mayo in more detail some time in the future.[citation needed]
Antarctica - Mentioned only once, and is evidently the domain of oil-drilling Traction Cities. Tom and Hester visit Antarctica in the gap between the first two books, but it is never visited in the series itself.
Australia Though not mentioned in the original series or Fever Crumb, Philip Reeve says that he will explore places like Australia and Nuevo Maya in the future, as he never had a chance to do so in the original quartet.[citation needed]
Anchorage-in-Vineland - The static and stable version of the Traction City of Anchorage that had decided to stop wandering the Arctic wastes and settle in the green and unspoilt land of Vineland (a.k.a. the Dead Continent), what was left of the continent of North America after the Sixty Minute War. When Anchorage was a Traction City, it was not predatory but gained its wealth by trading with other cities, due to more scrupulous leaders.
ODIN