A review by ztaylor4
Mortal Engines by Stanisław Lem

3.0

Despite some fun stories, this collection suffered from problems that felt inherent to the experimental format of the robotic fable. Even when a story is successful as an example of what a robotic creation myth might sound like, that story isn't necessarily a compelling read. While appreciating the stories, I sometimes felt like I had read too many alternatives fables without the takeaways of traditional fables.

The last two stories are almost novellas and a break from the fable format. While I liked reading them,
Spoilertheir endings both felt anti-climactic
.

I'd give this book a 3.5 if I could, and some stories rose to the level of 4's, but none felt like must-reads. The translation felt very natural, and I'd give it a 5, although I haven't read other editions.