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A review by adrianhon
Mortal Engines by Stanisław Lem
5.0
It's hard for me to explain how impressed I was by this book. I've always been a fan of Lem since reading The Cyberiad, and the sheer range of stories and skill he displays here is staggering. The Three Electroknights, Uranium Earpieces, and Automatthew's Friend are among the funniest short stories I've read, sci-fi or not – certainly the equal of Douglas Adams.
But then you have King Globares and the Sages, and in particular, The Hunt and The Mask, each serious masterpieces in their own right. The Mask, while sadly a little dated in terms of its dealings with gender, is otherwise astonishing in breadth and ambition and if it were published today, would be up for pretty up all the awards possible.
But then you have King Globares and the Sages, and in particular, The Hunt and The Mask, each serious masterpieces in their own right. The Mask, while sadly a little dated in terms of its dealings with gender, is otherwise astonishing in breadth and ambition and if it were published today, would be up for pretty up all the awards possible.