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Perdido Street Station Review

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Perdido Street Station ReviewMy first reaction after reading Perdido Street Station is what a shame it would be to try to classify this book as fantasy, science fiction, steam-punk or horror. These categories seem too limiting for a book that breaks the boundaries of each. Mr. Mieville calls it "weird fiction", a throwback term to those pulp novel days when some of the greats like Lovecraft and Howard were penning their strange tales. Meiville fits in well with this crew, only with the modern edge you would expect from a writer in the digital age.
Call it whatever you want, its a ride you won't quickly forget. Mieville creates a world, so detailed from the sewers to tops of the the city government, that you are transported to a place that seems both foreign and familiar at the same time. There is a clear sense of caste, characters whose station in life is as complicated as the problem at hand (I won't spoil it). War, poverty, corruption, racism and all topics thrown into the mix; and while the social commentary is evident, it's easily digestible with the fantastic elements, unusual characters, and face-paced action.
It is the first of three books, but feels solid as a standalone novel, so no fear of falling into a cliffhanger and committing you to the series (although after reading this, you will rush to buy The Scar).
Enjoy!
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Between Equal Rights: A Marxist Theory Of International Law (Historical Materialism Book Series) Review

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Between Equal Rights: A Marxist Theory Of International Law (Historical Materialism Book Series) ReviewA challenging read, but essential for understanding international law and its relationship to imperialism, both theoretically and historically. He makes an original and convincing argument that the legal form itself, the law, is directly and fundamentally implied by the existence of commodities. Not only that, but he argues that the ownership of commodities, in the final analysis, is based on the ability to use force to control that commodity, and that violence is fundamental to the legal form, both within and between states.
Armed with this Marxist approach, he is able to explain why international law is law, despite the lack of an armed authority above the world's states to enforce it, which is a big theoretical dilemma that (bourgeois) political science majors and specialists in the field of International Relations (IR) have fruitlessly wrestled with for decades. He also explains why international law persists and why states continue to use it, despite the fact that it is routinely ignored by the dominant powers (the U.S., Israel, Russia, China, etc).
The book closes with the historical development of international law and shows how it is connected with the creation of the world market beginning in the late 1400s and the rise of capitalism as the planet's dominant economic system which completely altered political structures, morals, and ideological norms as it subordinated everything to its logic.
I plan on reading "Law and the Rise of Capitalism" by Madeleine Levy and Michael Tigar soon to help me understand this book.Between Equal Rights: A Marxist Theory Of International Law (Historical Materialism Book Series) Overview

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Breaking Windows: A Fantastic Metropolis Sampler Review

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Breaking Windows: A Fantastic Metropolis Sampler ReviewThis book is an excuse to re-read the best stuff from the Fantastic Metropolis Web site.
Read Moorcock's editorial, which is sort of a second introduction after Luís' exploration of the city in speculative fiction and the genesis of the site, to get a sense of what Fantastic Metropolis is all about. There's no manifesto, just a committment to creativity, diversity, and originality. Luís did an excellent job culling the best of the best from the site, and keeping the reading interesting with essays, interviews, lists, and of course fiction. And the book even *looks* good.Breaking Windows: A Fantastic Metropolis Sampler Overview

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The City & the City Review

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The City & the City ReviewI read this book last year in hardback, and have recently read it a second time. It really was my beach read last year, the first book I read laying by on the beach on vacation. It was different, and more of a mystery story than I expected. The premise is unique - two cities existing in the same physical space that overlaps somehow. And that exist in our modern world. You are left wondering about how the separation happened, how it is maintained, and what is the complete story behind it. THAT is what demands a sequel, that I hope China will write one day. I am giving the story four stars instead of five because I really wanted more back story of the city, and the story could have been longer. However, it was the perfect size for a beach read, it does wrap up the mystery, and there are lots of directions the author can take if he wants to do another book with the same detective character.
Reading this book, you are plunged into this very strange concept of the two cites occuping same space right away. As the story develops, you learn how people living there deal with their unusual reality. The reader follows the main character, a police detective, as he investigates a murder. As he finds out more about the murder, the clues may lead to a bigger mystery and conspiracy. Finding out all the pieces of the puzzle as the detective does is part of the fun.
I adore China Mieville, his prose, his writing style and his unique concepts. I love most everything he has written. His books set in Bas-Lag are very intricate and complex and long. This book is NOT set in Bas-Lag, it is shorter than those novels, and a satisfying read by itself. Highly recommended.
One more recommendation: If you ever have the chance to hear the author in person, go see him. He is very gracious in person. He has a wonderful voice and I enjoyed hearing him read from one of his works when I had the chance to see him at a signing event.The City & the City Overview

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King Rat Review

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King Rat ReviewAfter reading Mieville's phenomenal "Perdido Street Station" I rushed right out to buy his first novel, "King Rat." I could have delayed my haste. While also stylish and distinctively written, this dark, urban fantasy, compared to his second work, is a rough cut, much more loosely written and barely approaching the wonders or skill of writing present in the following novel. While I may be grudging of comment by comparison, "Perdido Street Station" is a masterpiece of speculative fiction, whereas "King Rat" reads as a someways good but fledgling effort. In many respects there is little to distinguish it from early Charles De Lint, though Mieville comes across here as more hip and involved with the music he provides as an underlying theme.
While certainly a departure from the ordinary fantasy, written with a degree of verve and suspense, drawing, as another reviewer has stated, upon the folklore of the Piper of Hamelin and tales of the rat king, placed within the context of modern day London and its vibrant, in part underground music scene, this tale lacks both the riveting use of language and the vivid world creation found in the author's second novel. Unlike "Perdido Street Station," as others have additionally noted, here the characters remain relatively flat, perhaps in part intentionally reflecting the cartoon characters referenced in the novel. As earlier stated, more loosely written and evolved, the cord of metaphor underlying the basic storyline never seems as fully integrated or realized as in Mieville's second novel, unable to entirely lift the tale above the surface of its active, running narrative, or significantly set it apart from other and equally skilled writers of urban fantasy.
Though I suspect fans of urban fantasy may find my observations too harsh, or critical by comparison, it is doubtful had I even not read "Perdido Street Station" that I would have been enamoured with this novel. Good but far from great, this is a very respectable first effort that should be applauded for what it attempts, even if not entirely successful. One catches glimpses of the brilliance later displayed and captured fully in "Perdido Street Station," as well as the author's desire to push speculative fiction beyond its normal boundaries. Nonetheless, I can only give this effort at best three and a half stars.King Rat Overview

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Un Lun Dun Review

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Un Lun Dun ReviewOn my son's tenth birthday he will get this book. This will happen in a little over seven years from now.
Mieville has ventured into YA fiction with Un Lun Dun and it is a tremendous accomplishment within the genre. This is the story of a journey to another London that exists near the one we are familiar with. But things are different and there are some big problems for the two young ladies who find themselves in Un Lun Dun. Mieville's hallmark - imaginative monsters - is here and they exist in wonderful, fanciful piles. His punning creations are groan-worthy and painted a number of rueful smiles on my face. Mieville wants readers to have the joy of surprise, so I'm keeping quite about the details. But I guarantee you will never think of giraffes the same way ever again. There are also marvelous characters and companions, all vivid and memorable.
Un Lun Dun subverts your typical fantasy formula. The chosen one doesn't seem to be getting it done, prophecies are falling apart, and quests are veering outside of expectations. Mieville has been both lauded and slammed for being a "message" author. The message for youngsters is pretty straightforward - don't wait to be saved by the hero, question authority, try hard, and with the help of good friends and you can change things for the better.
Mieville has to this date been a very adult writer but he reigns in both the violence and the vocabulary to truly make this a YA title. There is violence and danger, but it is not excessive. He does keep the sense of excitement through the book and the pacing is very brisk. Un Lun Dun is not a departure for Mieville; he is just doing for young adult fantasy what he has already done for regular fantasy. He has given us a smart, non-formulaic, but always entertaining book.Un Lun Dun Overview

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The City & The City Review

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The City & The City ReviewI have awarded five stars to lesser books in the past, but now the bar has been raised; I know what a five-star novel is really like after reading _The City & The City_.
It's a detective novel written in the first-person; the narrator is Inspector Tyador Borlu of the Beszel Extreme Crime Squad. The writing style is relatively spare, reminescent of Dashiell Hammett. The narrator constrains himself strictly to observable phenomena and tells us nothing of characters' inner thoughts or emotional states, which makes the action seem very immediate and the narration very stark. Police procedures are presented believably but without too much detail. The case itself is not terribly elaborate. It starts with a murder, but about two-thirds of the way through I felt that the murder was no longer the focus. Inspector Borlu's investigation leads to fringe political groups, an archaeological site, a foreign country, and to somewhere else entirely. The setting of the novel is what makes the story work. There wouldn't be a story if it wasn't set in Beszel and Ul Qoma. It's a totally original concept, like nothing I have ever read before.
Beszel is a gloomy, decaying city which seems to be located somewhere in Eastern Europe. Ul Qoma is a bright, bustling city that seems either Arabic or Turkish. The relationship between the two cities is the central theme of the book. I can't tell you much about it without spoiling the beautiful unfolding of the novel. Of course Inspector Borlu takes everything for granted because he lives there; it's all familiar to him .. so instead of explaining things as one would to a foreign visitor, he lets details emerge through descriptions of sights and events, and the reader slowly pieces together details of the setting. One's understanding of the situation gets deeper as the novel progresses, and even though it is completely absurd, I found myself easily suspending my disbelief and becoming totally absorbed in the story. This impossible setting is PERFECTLY executed so as to seem plausible. Beszel and Ul Qoma deserve to be included in the Atlas of Fictional Places, they are so well constructed. Even the languages (as reflected in names of people and places and a few idiomatic sayings) consistently support the mood and "flavor" of the two cities.
The two cities may be a clever metaphor for the Situation of Man, but the book's highbrow literary qualities will not get in the way of its pure entertainment value. The best fiction I have read so far this year.The City & The City Overview

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G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (G.I. Joe (IDW Unnumbered)) Review

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G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (G.I. Joe (IDW Unnumbered)) ReviewG.I.Joe is a worthwhile story in that it gives us a real background to how Cobra came about. It has great characters and a fair amount of surprises in it. The action is well described and the sites we go to give the story its broad appeal to me. I recommend it very highly. Thank you Mr. Collins for giving us a book that takes us in depth to G.I.Joe vs Cobra.G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (G.I. Joe (IDW Unnumbered)) Overview

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Shadowrun #5: Aftershock A Shadowrun Novel Review

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Shadowrun #5: Aftershock A Shadowrun Novel ReviewI wasn't a huge fan of the book. I felt it did a good job setting up the Shadowrun world, but some of the characters beyond irritating.
You have a male elf who the author makes out as perfect. He's fighting small armies single-handedly and throws out terrible one-liners all while keeping a grin on his face. I hated everything about this character and his creepy, incestuous-implied relationship with his sister elf.
The male elf has a sister who is a caster. The irritating thing with movies/books that involve magic is it's like watching an episode of the old batman show; there is always a magic gadget (spell in this case) that saves the party from impending doom. It's nice to know that the caster can muster up powerful magic on a moment's notice that she has next-to-no experience with.
The orc hacker is odd - at best. She has no real purpose in the book except to make problems for the runners. She had potential to be interesting but gets all but written out of the book halfway through.
Not all of the characters are bad. Hood (troll), Roland (human), and Jhones (dwarf) kept me reading.
The story itself does a good job recreating the Shadowrun world. It's a silly at times and the ending was a little disappoint.Shadowrun #5: Aftershock A Shadowrun Novel Overview

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The Shooting Star (The Adventures of Tintin) Review

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The Shooting Star (The Adventures of Tintin) ReviewAfter a string of stories loosely based on mystery/crime plots, 'The Shooting Star' initiates the formula that would become fairly standard in the Tintin books to come: the science-fiction adventure, a kind of modernist Jules Verne. A huge meteorite flying past earth splinters a large fragment which lands near the North Pole. Containing a new metal called phostlite, named after the astronomer who detected it, Tintin and Snowy join an expedition of world-class scientists to lay claim to the rock, in a ship captained by one Haddock, now unlikely President of the Society for Sober Sailors (despite smuggling crates of whiskey for the journey). Their quest, however, is pre-empted by another expedition, financed by crooked Sao Rico banker, cigar-chomping (anti-Semitic caricature?), Bohlwinkel.
The first dozen pages of 'Star' are unequalled in literature for sustaining a nightmare mood of unaccountable suspense and anxiety (appropriate given the Occupation context [1941] in which the story was written). The meteor is introduced as both a speedily growing incandescence in the night sky, and by a melting heat afflicting the usually drizzly Brussels, the tar on the roads melting, armies of rats fleeing the gutter, car-tyres popping and mad prophets pronouncing millenarian judgements. The spangled blackness of the sky is offset by the dreamlike twilight blue that illuminates the streets. When Tintin rushes to the observatory, he finds the spanking, steely modern technology run by an eccentric gaggle of Dickensian relics, all black frock-coated dodderers, running around in the vicious circles of their own self-absorption, headed by the appropriately-named, anvil-headed Phostle. When he encourages Tintin to look into the giant, cannon-priapic telescope for himself, he sees a colossal spider heading towards the planet.
No work could keep up that sweat-making momentum, and Herge wisely lets the narrative dip, mixing comedy (including Haddock's pathetic attempts to sneak a nagan, Snowy's incessant raids on the kitchen, and the sight of the world's finest minds keeling over in green-faced sea-sickness) with race-against-the-clock suspense as our heroes strive to reach the meteor, despite various chilling sabotage attempts by their rivals. The meteor itself is a creation worthy of Swift, soon erasing memories of 'The Black Island'. The affirmative faith in science that propels the action is undermined by the instabilities of the sinking meteor, with its magnified lifeforms (including flies and spiders) and exploding toadstools (among the book's many great visual effects, the best is possibly the shrinking in successive frames of our hero as the mushroom enlarges). The massive apples that knock Tintin on the head may be an ironic allusion to the great Enlightenment hero Newton, who could be said to usher in modern science, and the famous fruit in the Garden of Eden (like Adam, or Columbus, Tintin explores virgin land), a warning against the dangers of pursusing too much knowledge (earlier predicted by the decline into madness of the scientist Philippus); nature will always fight back, in ever more aggressive and distorted forms.The Shooting Star (The Adventures of Tintin) Overview

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Mutineer (Kris Longknife) Review

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Mutineer (Kris Longknife) ReviewI kept saying to myself, 'this is really bad,' every page or so, but I finished the book anyway, so it does have something to recommend it.
Good points:
- Good characters, well portrayed.
- Good action scenes.
- A neat technology, 'smart metal,' which lets ships change shape depending on what you need them for. Though we never really see how it happens--we just see before and after.
- The protagonist was probably an alcoholic as a child, something I've never seen done in literature before, but again the camera blinks and we later hear that 'maybe it was just the pills her mother made her take,' and she occasionally has a drink, and except for some angst it doesn't affect her.
- The Palm Pilot equivalents of the future with personalities. It's been done before, but it's handled nicely here.
Bad points:
- The title is poor, since Kris is only a mutineer for a few pages, about 350 page into the book.
- The name Longknife is implausible enough, but a kris _is_ a long knife. That's just over the top...
- Enemies are sometimes straw figures. After an initially convincing setup they often roll over and play dead as needed. Allies too--why wouldn't her father, the Prime Minister of her planet, investigate attempts on her life?
- Technology often appears just to do some job, isn't explained, and then goes away.
- In a similar vein, her great-grandfathers are over a hundred and still active, but the longevity situation is never mentioned and there are no other old characters.
- Somewhat muddled politics, only explained gradually over the course of the book.
- The family relationships are also only explained hundreds of pages into the book.
- Both of Kris's paternal grandfathers are named Longknife. Either there's inbreeding going on or it didn't occur to the author how names are handed down.
- Quiet a bit of heavy-handed sermonizing, which I skipped over.
- Lots of minor errors, e.g.,
+ p.297 has Grandpa Ray storming Black mountain instead of Grandpa Trouble
+ we've been told it's the 24th century, but p.319 has a date in the 25th century
+ Kris is described as tall, but on p.364 we're told she weighs 123 pounds.
In a nutshell, it's a fun enough read if you don't take it too seriously, but it needed more editing.Mutineer (Kris Longknife) Overview

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The Scar Review

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The Scar ReviewWow. I can't believe The Scar hasn't been reviewed yet. Out of 5 China books (PSS, IC, C&C and Kraken), it comes in as a strong second behind Perdido. In fact, the two are almost neck and neck. Perdido probably just gets a sentimental first because it was my first China. The Scar flows beautifully and effortlessly, has great visuals and character development. Reels you in and won't let you go. And yes, the monsters (and the unique realms within which they dwell) really *are* cool. If you haven't read any China, go get yourself to the nearest bookstore and purchase Perdido & The Scar. Amazing Fantasy. Truly deserving of all the accolades.The Scar Overview

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