|
Tekopo posted:So I’ve read PSS, The Scar, Iron Council, Embassytown and TC&TC. What next? This Census Taker is probably my favorite outside of those. Railsea is also pretty good. You could read Kraken, I guess?
|
#
?
Jan 14, 2018 06:55
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 14, 2024 00:59 |
|
|
I like Last Days of New Paris a lot. Not on the level of Scar or Embassytown but it's definitely one of his better works and all the winks at surrealist art and poetry are extremely enjoyable.
|
|
#
?
Jan 14, 2018 12:31
|
|
|
I'd go for Looking for Jake. It's a great set of stories.
|
|
#
?
Jan 14, 2018 18:29
|
|
|
Tekopo posted:So I’ve read PSS, The Scar, Iron Council, Embassytown and TC&TC. What next? Seconding Three Moments of an Explosion. I just finished reading it and there are a lot of really amazing short stories in it.
|
|
#
?
Jan 14, 2018 18:59
|
|
|
SaviourX posted:I think he was trying to make some point about Deus Ex Machinae, but it got lost. PSS is a solid book that falters in places. That was the only thing that really bothered me in the story, what other parts are generally regarded as faltering?
|
|
#
?
Jan 15, 2018 03:18
|
|
|
This Census Taker didn't do anything for me, I may just have missed something about the story but it didn't really feel like there was anything to it. On the other hand i really liked Last Days of New Paris, it was a little slow at first, but it picked up once you got through the opening.
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2018 14:19
|
|
|
Tree Bucket posted:I've got no idea what mid 90's big pants rave culture is, but your phrasing conjured up a pretty magical mental image of it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkxGs4ETeg4
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2018 19:55
|
|
|
King Rat: Literally this but with magic
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2018 21:37
|
|
|
It's better slowed down to 115bpm. https://techno-dads.com/2011/11/07/radio-soulwax-this-is-belgium-part-two-cherry-moon-on-valium/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ7HDRNpWWQ
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2018 01:01
|
|
|
Help, I can't stop watching these On another note, the Brucolac's rather drawn-out execution in Scar is exactly what it feels like when you get sunburned in Australia and try to go outside the following day.
|
|
#
?
Jan 19, 2018 23:28
|
|
|
Tree Bucket posted:Help, I can't stop watching these Did he actually die? I can't remember.
|
|
#
?
Jan 20, 2018 01:17
|
|
|
Benson Cunningham posted:Did he actually die? I can't remember. he is ultimately spared, but is in very, very bad shape after
|
|
#
?
Jan 20, 2018 02:47
|
|
|
China uses the phrase "stained with his emissions" to describe the state of the deck after the Brucolac's spent all day melting all over it, which has always stuck in my head as a uniquely hideous bit of phrasing even by Mievillian standards.
|
|
#
?
Jan 20, 2018 09:08
|
|
|
One thing I really like about the Scar is that everyone is terrified of the Brucolac except for Uther Doul because to him vampires are junkies and beggars since he grew up in a place where they are the lowest part of the social order.
|
|
#
?
Jan 20, 2018 22:04
|
|
|
Everything about the Scar is great except Uther Doul
|
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2018 00:37
|
|
|
andrew smash posted:Everything about the Scar is great except Uther Doul Agreed. The whole master plan works out perfectly thing is just awful.
|
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2018 02:24
|
|
|
Yeah, also you could just cut him out of the book and basically nothing would need to change. He’s really bad.
|
|
#
?
Jan 21, 2018 04:06
|
|
|
a foolish pianist posted:Agreed. The whole master plan works out perfectly thing is just awful. The book would be better if they went with Bellis initial revelation that he's just a borderline autistic weirdo who's emptied his mind of everything that doesn't have to do with martial arts (and breathing). Bellis, Silas, Armada, even the reader think he's got some kind of a plan because he's in a position of power and supremely competent in certain very specific fields. Going with it doesn't just undermine the ending, it's also predictable and cliche. FreudianSlippers posted:One thing I really like about the Scar is that everyone is terrified of the Brucolac except for Uther Doul because to him vampires are junkies and beggars since he grew up in a place where they are the lowest part of the social order. I'd say the lack of fear is more that he's effectively a level 20 player character with all the artifact equipment, bullshit abilities, and disregard for the safety of himself and others that that implies. The speech is one third trash talk, one third salient point about how their individual capability for violence is only valuable if approved by society, and one third trying to share something about himself to someone he shares a weird sociopathic friendship with. Doul would actually be a decent character if he just had half as much screentime and was ultimately ineffectual.
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2018 03:25
|
|
|
After much hemming and hawing and staring blankly at my bookshelf, I've decided to start Perdido Street Station. I'm trying to plow through a bunch of my Goodreads "to-read" books - a list that's currently at 1,500 - and PSS is #10 on the list. In terms of reading Mieville's stuff, I'm still a little bit of a newbie. I've read the shorter works (Census, Last Days) and Railsea is one of my fave books ever. It's very cool and exciting so far - I'm at the part where Isaac and his new Geruda friend have made their deal - and I love New Crobuzon. Just wanted to let the forum know. PSS was probably the starting point for everyone here so I'm just bringin' in some nostalgia for all y'all.
|
|
|
#
?
Jan 22, 2018 17:50
|
|
|
Captain Hotbutt posted:After much hemming and hawing and staring blankly at my bookshelf, I've decided to start Perdido Street Station. That's cool! Read The Scar next  I should do a full Bas-Lag re-read (also Railsea again)
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2018 06:57
|
|
Hedrigall posted:That's cool! Read The Scar next I know Railsea isn't everyone's cup of tea in this forum - because it slants towards YA? - but for me it just felt so adventurous and exhilarating. There was a propulsion all throughout, where his other books don't have that super-forward momentum. Obviously building out New Crobuzon or post-surreal bomb Paris is important but I love that Railsea just shoots you off on a grand mission and mystery.
|
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2018 18:54
|
|
|
I really like Railsea because it has the same kind of weird and strange feeling to its world that makes the Bas-Lag books so interesting, so the YA aspect really doesn't bother me.
|
|
#
?
Jan 23, 2018 20:38
|
|
|
China's sendoff of Ursula Le Guin is real good.
|
|
#
?
Jan 25, 2018 05:20
|
|
|
chimi changa posted:That was the only thing that really bothered me in the story, what other parts are generally regarded as faltering? That's mostly it. The bits that seem like they're supposed to be RPG homage don't really hit often, either (except for the dipshit adventurers, but ymmv depending on the groups you played with). And some ideas don't really breathe, another page or two about the handlingers or construct would be okay, or just cut some of the scenery. Imo.
|
|
#
?
Jan 28, 2018 06:10
|
|
|
Just finished re reading Railsea. It's just so much fun, and those last few chapters come together beautifully. Although now i can't stop giggling at the idea of "Railsea, but with trampolines instead of rails."
|
|
#
?
Feb 16, 2018 12:46
|
|
|
The Entire Perdido Street Station Audiobook but Every Time They Say Lascivious it Gets Faster
|
|
#
?
Feb 17, 2018 04:25
|
|
|
Microcline posted:The Entire Perdido Street Station Audiobook but Every Time They Say Lascivious it Gets Faster I was gonna suggest using "puissant"
|
|
#
?
Feb 17, 2018 05:44
|
|
|
Add "cosseted" and the whole thing, unabridged, would run maybe 15 minutes.
|
|
#
?
Feb 17, 2018 05:57
|
|
|
So is City and the City 100% realistic, or is there some sci/fi fantasy stuff at work there? I could never quite tell
|
|
#
?
Feb 21, 2018 16:54
|
|
|
I mean, it's certainly fantastical in the sense that Beszel/Ul Qoma 100% don't exist in real life. Other than that, though, you could definitely say it's very much based in reality.
|
|
#
?
Feb 21, 2018 17:14
|
|
|
Social science fiction.
|
|
#
?
Feb 21, 2018 17:19
|
|
|
shovelbum posted:So is City and the City 100% realistic, or is there some sci/fi fantasy stuff at work there? I could never quite tell The overwatch or whatever the hell they were called had sci-fi guns and there were vague hints that the whole thing was caused by some breakdown in reality centuries ago, but that’s about it.
|
|
#
?
Feb 21, 2018 18:04
|
|
|
Bituminous
|
|
#
?
Feb 21, 2018 18:23
|
|
|
Clark Nova posted:The overwatch or whatever the hell they were called had sci-fi guns and there were vague hints that the whole thing was caused by some breakdown in reality centuries ago, but that’s about it. Breach. Also iirc wasn't the reality breakdown/Orciny portion of the mythos proved to be literally that--myth--by the end of the book? It's been a while since I read it so I could be wrong.
|
|
#
?
Feb 21, 2018 18:29
|
|
|
shovelbum posted:So is City and the City 100% realistic, or is there some sci/fi fantasy stuff at work there? I could never quite tell Doesn't it really really Matrixy at the end with trenchcoat guys flying all over the place and shooting magical weapons and stuff
|
|
#
?
Feb 21, 2018 22:42
|
|
|
I definitely can't remember any sci-fi/magic elements in TC&C and I read it for the first time just last year. From what I recall, Breach was shadowy and mysterious, but still ultimately mundane.
|
|
#
?
Feb 23, 2018 19:07
|
|
|
I also don't remember any actual scifi.
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2018 03:37
|
|
|
Yeah, I felt that the most fun part of TC&C was gradually uncovering the idea that Breach are not actually magical at all, and that the spooky stuff is just in the onlookers' heads.
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2018 10:37
|
|
|
I’ve always imagined Breach as the CDA and thought Mieville was ripping off Monsters, Inc.
|
|
#
?
Feb 24, 2018 15:01
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 14, 2024 00:59 |
|
|
it felt fantastic early on, it slowly eroded throughout the book. by the end you could tell it was just regular people. i wanna read this again now. i remember it being such a fascinating read.
|
|
#
?
Feb 26, 2018 03:39
|
|
