Perdido Street Station by China Mieville

[samvara]

Good grief. Complex, rich and dark. Totally worth reading.

"It's got love, loss, crime, sex, riots, mad scientists, drugs, art, corruption, demons, dreams, obsession, magic, aliens, subversion, torture, dirigibles, romantic outlaws, artificial intelligence, and dangerous cults."

Gah, I think this is the kind of book you have to flap about in person, sorry to be so inarticulate but there's so much and I'm having a hard time finding a bit to grab hold of what with the amazing sciences and magics kinda blending into each other - flintlock guns and mechanical batteries that power thaumaturgical devices, an undine who lives in a Vodyanoi woman's shirt and Isaac's mission to create a Unified Theory incorporating it all.

There's Too Too Abstract Yagharek Not To Be Respected, the garuda whose wings have been sawn off for the crime of "choice theft in the second degree with utter disrespect" who wants Isaac to help him fly again. Buried in the heart of the city is the Weaver, a giant, multidimensional spider with no subconscious who is quite keen on scissors. It lives to increase and protect the beauty of a web only it can see.

It's set in a giant, multiracial, sprawling city controlled by secret police, criminal underbosses, strange religions, ghetto enclaves and the human slaves of a burgeoning artificial intelligence.

Comments

[cricketk.livejournal.com]

China Mieville totally rocks.

I need to read Perdido Street Station. I think it would make the experience of reading Iron Council even better.

[black-samvara.livejournal.com]

I'll lend it to you anyway but does this mean you have Iron Council and could lend it to me?

[cricketk.livejournal.com]

Indeedly doodly.

I've gotten stalled again, but it's not the China Mieville's fault, it's the lack of a leisurely hour in which to read. God knows why I think having Perdido Street Station in my possession will make the appearance of that leisurely hour more likely...

We can do swapsies tomorrow if you like?

[black-samvara.livejournal.com]

Would be great - meeting in the land of chilli-chocs?

I'm reading this stuff much slower than usual - it's a bit like Gormenghast - you don't want to miss a word.

[cricketk.livejournal.com]

Yup. Clillichocland is good.

Also, tomorrow is Wednesday, so there are likely to be fun and lovely people floating around in chillichocland as of about 12.30.

[black-samvara.livejournal.com]

Exactly!

[strangedave.livejournal.com]

IMO The Scar is the best of the three books in that series, I think its even better than Perdido in some ways, particularly a lot stronger ending.

[black-samvara.livejournal.com]

I've got that too - just haven't started it yet. I was fortunate enough to lust after them both in front of someone who wanted to give me a present.

[swoons]

I liked the ending of Perdido Street Station - I thought the choice Isaac made was remarkably well thought out given what he had gone through with Yagharek and I really appreciated Yagharek himself as a character. Having said that it doesn't exactly leave you thinking about bluebirds and butterflies.

[cricketk.livejournal.com]

I loved The Scar. That was very carefully picked for pimping to me. Absolutely brilliant and I agree, a very strong ending.