What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedScrivener's Moon
Philip Reeve · Book · 2011
If you loved Scrivener's Moon, start with Mortal Engines (Christian Rivers, 2018) — a film on the same thread. Below: 1 film, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Scrivener's Moon across media.
What hooked you in Scrivener's Moon is the way sprawling technological decay forces fragile individuals to navigate dangerous, shifting social hierarchies.
Films on the same thread
Mortal Engines
Christian Rivers · Film · 2018
Shares 2 threads with Scrivener's Moon: Rebellion, Steampunk.
Since you appreciated the mobile city mechanics in Scrivener's Moon, you will find this cinematic exploration of traction cities and class warfare an essential expansion of that same world.
Series on the same thread
Arcane
Christian Linke · Series · 2021
Explores: Sisterhood, Dystopian Society, Technological Advancement vs. Social Decay.
The moral ambiguity and clashing technological ideologies found in Scrivener's Moon are mirrored here, capturing the same tension between societal decay and the desperate pursuit of scientific advancement.
His Dark Materials
Jack Thorne · Series · 2019
Explores: Orphan Protagonist, Moral Ambiguity, Interdimensional Travel.
Much like the orphan-driven survival stakes of Scrivener's Moon, this series centers on a young protagonist navigating a complex, dangerous universe where science and power structures threaten human existence.
See
Steven Knight · Series · 2019
Shares a thread with Scrivener's Moon: Survival.
If the struggle for survival in a harsh, transformed landscape of Scrivener's Moon captivated you, this narrative offers a similarly intense look at tribal warfare within a broken post-apocalyptic society.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Rafał Jaki · Series · 2022
Explores: Cybernetic augmentation, Dystopian society, Mercenary life.
The technological dystopia that defines the Scriven people in Scrivener's Moon finds a gritty parallel here, focusing on how individuals lose their humanity while navigating a corrupt, tech-heavy urban environment.
Podcasts on the same thread
Maintenance Phase
Aubrey Gordon & Michael Hobbes · Podcast · 2026
Explores: scientific literacy, consumer protection, critical thinking.
Just as Scrivener's Moon interrogates the dangerous consequences of mad science, this podcast applies that same critical skepticism to modern health fads, championing the rational inquiry you already value.
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin · Podcast · 2026
Explores: civilizational collapse, human nature, moral ambiguity.
The obsession with civilizational collapse seen in Scrivener's Moon is explored through a real-world lens here, examining the moral ambiguity and historical cycles that drive humanity toward its own destruction.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Scrivener's Moon a standalone story?
Scrivener's Moon is a 2011 book by Philip Reeve. It focuses on the Scriven People, who are described as brilliant, mad, and dead, with the exception of one individual attempting to complete the construction of a giant city on wheels.
What is the central premise of Scrivener's Moon?
The core plot of Scrivener's Moon involves the Scriven People, a group characterized as brilliant and mad. The narrative follows the last surviving member of this group as they work toward the near-completion of their insane creation, a giant city on wheels.
Who is the author of Scrivener's Moon?
Scrivener's Moon was written by Philip Reeve and published in 2011. The book explores the history and actions of the Scriven People, focusing on the final attempts by the last survivor to finalize the construction of a massive mobile city.
Does Scrivener's Moon feature a city on wheels?
Yes, a central element of Scrivener's Moon is the construction of a giant city on wheels. This project is being carried out by the last surviving member of the Scriven People, a group known for being both brilliant and mad.