RAILHEAD - PHILIP REEVE

​  The Great Network is a place of wonder and mystery. Beautiful locomotives and drones. Station angels, hive monks and mischevious boys just like Zen. The maze of a million gates, where trains whizz through the galaxy in a heartbeat. This complex maze links hundreds of rich and varied world, each one different from the other. 
    The story follows Zen, a street urchin on the bottom rungs of society, barely able to support his family. Soon he becomes entangled with a shady master criminal, Raven, who sends Zen and Nova on a mission and has a sinister plan for the Network...
   This book is full of inventive concepts and intriguing ideas and I was driven to keep reading. There's an alien species called hive monks, who worship the "Insect Lines", a set of railway lines beyond the network. These compelling sci-fi concepts make Railhead such an original and captivating book. 
   The characters are vivid and believable. Zen is a prejudiced likable petty thief who is desperately trying to break free from his poverty-stricken lifestyle. Nova, a female Moto and Raven, a mix between an anti-hero and a villain, you decide. 
   Overall, I absolutely loved this book. I recommend it for children aged between 11-14. Filled with twists and turns, amazing description and lovable characters; you are gripped from the beginning. Will Zen complete Raven’s robbery and be able to ride on his beloved intergalactic trains once again? Read this incredible book to find out!

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