Fever Crumb (2009) (edit title/settings)

• Rated 4 stars

“Playaway audio version”

• Rated 3 stars

“not bad for a teen book.”

• Rated 4 stars

“Excellent futuristic fantasy! I really found myself worrying about the main character and what would happen to her. The bad guys are interesting enough that, though I obviously didn't want them to win, I did feel for them a bit. The technology is cool, and the setting is quite original!”

• Rated 4 stars

“I'm a fan of Phillip Reeve and this one didn't let me down!”

• Rated 3 stars

“Fever knows a lot of things - she knows the laws of physics, can recite the prime numbers and can tinker with engines. Found orphaned as a baby, Fever was raised by the members of the very logical Order of Engineers and, as the only girl, learned early that feelings are irrational and that everything one does should have a reasonable purpose. Of course, living in a very disorderly and illogical future London makes this very difficult. When a local archeologist comes to the Order requesting Fever's assistance with unearthing some ancient technology, her first real assignment turns into the kind of adventure that can change everything. And before her story is over, she'll know more about herself than she'd ever imagined there was to know.

I can't decide how I feel about this book. On the one hand, it is pretty crazy brilliant. This riotous and violent steampunk London is rich with tidbits of our modern day that are very entertaining. Their pseudo-technology and keen interest in our own day just make for interesting reading. I think my problem was that I never felt truly invested in Fever or even, really, the plot. Near the end of the book I started caring about her but it just took a long time for me to be really engaged in the story. Things moved slowly. I guess though, that it was interesting enough that I couldn't bring myself to return it to the library until I knew how it ended.

The last fifth of the book is what's making me give it three stars instead of two. There was a lot more action in the end and the characters started opening up, but there isn't any sort of romantic storyline, if you're a reader that really needs that. If you really like steampunk, though, I think I would say that this is a worthy work in the genre.”

• Rated 4 stars

“This book is about a girl named Fever Crumb. She lives with an Order of Engineers. The Engineers are the people who figure out problems of science and engineering for this town. Fever Crumb has lived with them since she was a baby. Her guardian is Dr. Crumb.

Fever is soon summoned to assist an archeologist in the city. When she gets there she finds out that she is half Scriven. Scriven is a race in this world that had speckles or spots like leopards and people who are not Scriven resent them for it. Fever also finds out that her dad was Dr. Crumb all along. So, she soon sets out to find her mom that everyone has believed to be dead.”

• Rated 2 stars

“most certainly not reading the next one, but my sister loved it”

• Rated 3 stars

“(Didn't finish.) I liked the prospect, especially Fever's love of all things rational and her explanations of why things are irrational, but the writing bored me. This would be a good book (or series, as it were) for a child 6-12-ish.”

• Rated 4 stars

“This book is actually a prequel to the Hungry City Chronicles, but without even knowing that I really enjoyed it. It is a story about personal discovery and the shocks that such a journey often entails. Fever Crumb is the only female Engineer, having been adopted by Dr. Crumb and raised in the Order of the Engineers in a futuristic England. She becomes Kit Solent’s assistant and she embarks on a project that will shake everything she has ever known to be true.”

• Rated 4 stars

“Fever was adopted by Dr. Crumb and trained as an apprentice in the Order of Engineers, the first girl in this all male Order. She is hired to assist a archaeologist Kit Solvent in a top secret project. While working for Solvent Fever begins to have flashback memories about a past that couldn't be hers. The city of London in a far distant future is racked with violence from fraction within and without. Fever must find a way to survive the turmoil and find her real past. First book in this steam punk series.”