Comments on: SF Writers: China Mieville

By: Matt W

Matt W — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:44:01 +0000

IMO Iron Council is the best of his three Bas Lag books. The prose (already great in PSS and The Scar) truly shines here. It’s written more like a fable than a novel. And how could you not love the return of the Weaver, all of the fantastic golems Judah makes, and a visit to the Cacotopic Stain? I think it’s actually a good thing that it’s more overtly political than the other two; it fits with Dr. Mieville’s assertions about how spec-fic should always do more than simply provide escapism.

By: lonepilgrim

lonepilgrim — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:22:18 +0000

I just finished The Scar and enjoyed it even more than PSS. I found it more tightly structured and better written because it didn’t over egg the mix with more and more exotic creatures. Them mosquito women were enough for me.

I hope you’re going to keep this series going Martin. I’d like to read your thoughts on Michael Moorcock, William Gibson, Arthur C. Clarke, Greg Bear, Neil Stephenson and, following his recent demise, J.G. Ballard.

By: lonepilgrim

lonepilgrim — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:51:13 +0000

I’ve just finished PSS following the recommendations above and quite enjoyed it – although I do think CM lays on the exotica with a trowel in places. I like the Weaver and the Garuda characters, both of whom have hints of a genuine alien consciousness – but others like Lin seem more like humans in bug costumes – they might look different but their attitudes and behaviour are much the same as Isaac and the rest.

Still, it kept my attention and I’ll probably give The Scar a read sometime soon.

By: chap

chap — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:23:25 +0000

When I first discovered Mieville I had to periodically put the book down to excitedly jump around the room like a sugared-up ten year-old. The Scar is my favourite, but PSS is magnificent too, and one should probably read it first for context.

By: Pete Baran

Pete Baran — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:39:56 +0000

Un Lun Dun is OK, though tiptoes a bit too close to King Rat for my liking – he clearly loves London and cities (clear from PSS). It does do a good job, as you say, of undermining kids fantasies of being “The Chosen One” or the sekrit princess, though in other places it does get a little Phantom Tollbooth with its access via libraries etc.

The biggest problem with King Rat is its desire to tie into a drum and bass subculture, European myth and rubbish slackerdom.

I loved PSS and The Scar, but though Iron Council was a bit inconsequential and lacked the key through characters to make me care. PSS has a devastating ending, really sad and one you wish he would pull out a plot nullifier to undo, but rightly he doesn’t. I am more scared of moths now than I used to be!

By: Martin Skidmore

Martin Skidmore — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:52:20 +0000

I’ve not read that – I didn’t even know it existed, to be honest.

By: Alex S

Alex S — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:47:39 +0000

The children’s book Un Lun Dun is also well worth a look – just as the adult novels delight in subverting fantasy tropes, here he gleefully trashes several elements from recent children’s books (and is as happy to take swipes at self-appointed Rebel In Chief Philip Pullman as at Harry Potter et al).

By: Kat but logged out innit

Kat but logged out innit — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 22:06:56 +0000

I really enjoyed PSS but I can’t for the life of me remember how they resolved the whole moth problem (I remember what happened to the main characters VERY well though, jebus that was harrowing). I swear my memory has got worse in the last few years.

By: Martin Skidmore

Martin Skidmore — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 21:33:35 +0000

Whoops, quite correct – badly written.

I don’t know why there was that spectacular improvement. There are some similarities, but the untrammelled imagination and, as you say, teeming creativity of PBS is an extraordinary leap.

By: Andrew F

Andrew F — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 21:30:19 +0000

Isn’t The Iron Council his fourth, but his third in that world? I want to go reread Perdido Street Station now. Also I concur about King Rat sadly not being much good – do you think it was the decision to dispense with realism that caused the considerable improvement for PSS?

One thing I remember noting from when I first read it was that it’s actually paced for a big book (my paperback edition was 600+ pages) – a major character only turns up halfway through – while still being very busy on every page.