Kevin's Watch

Murrin wrote:

Spoiler

Well, it wasn't entirely sudden an unexpected - he'd been following them around for quite a while, remember (there were quite a lot of mentions of people thinking they were followed, glimpses of a figure in the dump watching them, etc). I think he just wants to keep Half-a-Prayer a mystery, a legend in the city (which is what Yagharek was offered the chance to become).

Yeah, now that I think about it, you've got a point there.

Incidentally, I'm about 2/3 of the way through The Scar. It took a little longer to really get into it, but I've been hooked for a while now.

I agree, it is harder to get into. I'm up to Five: Storms. Certain elements are a little predictable, perhaps - for example, I can guess quite easily what Silas Fennec has done, and how both Tanner and Bellis will react when they find out.

Just found a cover pic, of his next work Looking for Jake Here

Regarding The Scar, I agre e about the begining and noted it in my review. Defintely picks up in the latter half though. I revewed The Scar Here. Would defintely love some feedback over agreements/disagrerments etc.

In the end I consider Perdido Street Station a modner fantasy masterpiece, and The Scar on a level just below, due to its early flaws (but still damn good IMHO).

Ainulindale wrote:Just found a cover pic, of his next work Looking for Jake Here

Regarding The Scar, I agre e about the begining and noted it in my review. Defintely picks up in the latter half though. I revewed The Scar Here. Would defintely love some feedback over agreements/disagrerments etc.

In the end I consider Perdido Street Station a modner fantasy masterpiece, and The Scar on a level just below, due to its early flaws (but still damn good IMHO).

Just finished The Scar a little while ago and will move on to Iron Council tonight.

Another great book, if not quite on the same level as Perdido Street Station. I agree with your review in that the slightly slow beginning does drag it down a little. The rest of the story more than makes up for it, though I would have been interested to hear a little more about the history of the anophelii. His depiction of the anophelii women is suitably gruesome, though. Yeesh....

The recurring "scar" theme was interesting as well.

That said, Mieville is definitely one of the best authors I've read in a long time for sheer creativity alone, to say nothing of his writing ability in general. Wow.

Bah, you've overtaken me. I've been reading a whole section each night, too.

Murrin wrote:Bah, you've overtaken me. I've been reading a whole section each night, too.

Muhahahaha!

Well, time to begin Six: Morning Walker. Then I've got six more books to read.

Finished Iron Council yesterday.

I'm waiting for the paperback.

The ending for The Scar was good - better than the ending of Perdido Street Station, I think. I like the way that, although we know what happened, we'll never be sure how - there're too many possibilities.

Murrin wrote:I'm waiting for the paperback.

The ending for The Scar was good - better than the ending of Perdido Street Station, I think. I like the way that, although we know what happened, we'll never be sure how - there're too many possibilities.

Yeah, that was an interesting ending.

Spoiler

Hedrigall's return had me wondering just how much of the story actually happened, given the infinite possibilities leaking out of The Scar....

Iron Council was also good, if not quite up to the same level as the previous books.

I started reading Perdido Street Station today, and after four chapters I threw it across the room.

I'm home from work sick tonight, and running a fever.

This is not a good book to be reading when you you have a fever.

Its just soooooo busy and soooooo weird.

Normally, when reading a book this unusual I would be bouncing up and down with glee, ecstatic to find something that is not your stereotypical lost-prince-on-a-quest-to-save-the-world-from-supernatutral-dark-lord drivel. Under these circumstances, it was just too much for my brain to deal with, so I ended up in a fetal ball, with my head under the covers, and falling asleep for a few hours due to being overstimulated. Even had to turn off my stereo, which was playing soft jazz, because even that was giving me a headache.

I hope to try it again in a few days, when I am feeling better.

I so wanted to like this book, and this author!!!

Can someone please give me some encouragement to try again in a couple of days??

duchess of malfi wrote:I started reading Perdido Street Station today, and after four chapters I threw it across the room.

I'm home from work sick tonight, and running a fever.

This is not a good book to be reading when you you have a fever.

Its just soooooo busy and soooooo weird.

Normally, when reading a book this unusual I would be bouncing up and down with glee, ecstatic to find something that is not your stereotypical lost-prince-on-a-quest-to-save-the-world-from-supernatutral-dark-lord drivel. Under these circumstances, it was just too much for my brain to deal with, so I ended up in a fetal ball, with my head under the covers, and falling asleep for a few hours due to being overstimulated. Even had to turn off my stereo, which was playing soft jazz, because even that was giving me a headache.

I hope to try it again in a few days, when I am feeling better.

I so wanted to like this book, and this author!!!

Can someone please give me some encouragement to try again in a couple of days??

Speaking as a recent Mieville convert: I highly recommend giving it another shot.

Definitely one of the best books I've read recently for sheer creativity and style alone.

I will try again in a couple of days...but man, oh man, that book was a complete trip to try to read when you have a fever.

Spoiler

I'm just glad I didn't have any nightmares about having torrid sex with a great, big intelligent bug.

duchess of malfi wrote:I will try again in a couple of days...but man, oh man, that book was a complete trip to try to read when you have a fever.

Spoiler

I'm just glad I didn't have any nightmares about having torrid sex with a great, big intelligent bug.

LOL...I remember having a weird dream about having a massive caterpillar as a pet one night after I started reading Perdido Street Station.

I tossed Iron Council across the end of the room, and I had no fever. I just thought it sucked. It read like I type at KW, which is to say, it's not worth being published. I finished it eventually, and I think it was ok. The Scar was better, but Perdido Street Station never inspired me to replace the paperback I lost after two chapters.

Sylvanus wrote:I tossed Iron Council across the end of the room, and I had no fever. I just thought it sucked. It read like I type at KW, which is to say, it's not worth being published. I finished it eventually, and I think it was ok. The Scar was better, but Perdido Street Station never inspired me to replace the paperback I lost after two chapters.

Don't hold back...tell us how you really feel!

Can someone please give me some encouragement to try again in a couple of days??

The only thing I can offer is I think I'm at least marginaly/reasonably well read and I think Perdido Street Station is the most audacious display of creativity and imagination, all told in a peerless prose that is absolutely unique to Mieville. I read this novel and simply couldn't believe soemthing this creative could come from our genre. The best book since at least The Book of the New Sun IMHO (and me putting the word least is a huge statement!)

The Scar doesn't disappoint afterwards.

Mieville is the only author that makes me sound like a damn fan-boy:)

Just a heads up Emerald City is reporting China Mieville jusy won the Arthur C. Clarke Best Novel Award for Iron Council.