Hungry City Chronicles books in order

Q: "What order should I read the Hungry City Chronicles?"

"Read the main quartet in publication order: Mortal Engines (2001), Predator's Gold (2003), Infernal Devices (2005), and A Darkling Plain (2006). The short story collections Traction City and Night Flights can be read after the main series."

Q: "Is Mortal Engines the same as the Hungry City Chronicles?"

"Yes, the series is known by both names. In the UK and internationally it is often called the Mortal Engines Quartet or Hungry City Chronicles, while the US edition primarily uses the Mortal Engines name."

Q: "Should I read Fever Crumb before or after Mortal Engines?"

"Read the Mortal Engines quartet first. The Fever Crumb trilogy is a prequel set centuries earlier and works better when you already understand the world of Municipal Darwinism that it builds toward."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	Mortal Engines	2001	Philip Reeve	Buy
2	Predator’s Gold	2003	Philip Reeve	Buy
3	Infernal Devices	2005	Philip Reeve	Buy
4	A Darkling Plain	2006	Philip Reeve	Buy
5	Traction City	2011	Philip Reeve	Buy
6	Night Flights	2018	Philip Reeve	Buy

The Hungry City Chronicles is set thousands of years in the future after a devastating war called the Sixty Minute War destroyed civilization. In this world, cities have become mobile predators mounted on caterpillar tracks, consuming smaller towns for resources in a system called Municipal Darwinism. The series follows Tom Natsworthy, a young historian in London, and Hester Shaw, a scarred outcast seeking revenge.

Philip Reeve began the series in 2001 with Mortal Engines, which won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize. The quartet follows the characters across years and continents as they confront the consequences of ancient technology and shifting power. Universal Pictures adapted the first book into a film directed by Christian Rivers and produced by Peter Jackson in 2018.

Frequently Asked Questions

What order should I read the Hungry City Chronicles?

Read the main quartet in publication order: Mortal Engines (2001), Predator’s Gold (2003), Infernal Devices (2005), and A Darkling Plain (2006). The short story collections Traction City and Night Flights can be read after the main series.

Is Mortal Engines the same as the Hungry City Chronicles?

Yes, the series is known by both names. In the UK and internationally it is often called the Mortal Engines Quartet or Hungry City Chronicles, while the US edition primarily uses the Mortal Engines name.

Should I read Fever Crumb before or after Mortal Engines?

Read the Mortal Engines quartet first. The Fever Crumb trilogy is a prequel set centuries earlier and works better when you already understand the world of Municipal Darwinism that it builds toward.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order