China Miéville/Bas-Lag megathread

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > China Miéville/Bas-Lag megathread

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

iron_weasel posted:

I think you should continue on. For me the The Scar is tied with Embassytown for Mieville's best work.

I'd agree, I love the Scar.

Also, for books to check out if you're feeling like you need more Mieville in your life, try the Orphan's Tales by Valente. They're not really new weird, but I think the way she writes and describes things will be at least enjoyed by fans of Mieville.

# ¿ Jun 5, 2013 18:41

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 23:23

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

Its a shame, because I'd like to see more about the grindylow, but at the same time, I love their characterization in the Scar and don't really want that malevolent mystery gone. Torque, the Teshi, the Weaver, whatever (though more Weaver would be cool), but the grindylow just got me wanting more while the others just made for awesome background.

# ¿ Sep 11, 2013 07:26

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

Hard Clumping posted:

Lot of buildup for the Handlingers getting their poo poo tore up almost immediately though.

MontJohn Rescue is such a loving cool name

That's part of why I loved it so much, though.

# ¿ Sep 15, 2013 02:17

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

Benson Cunningham posted:

If you don't like Uther Doul you can gently caress right off. High Cromlech would be the best play to read a book about ever.

At first glance, he's a pretty standard mysterious ascetic monk with a badass sword and weird badass fighting style that wears all grey clothes and who everyone thinks and says is badass. He comes across as a much poorer author's self-insert character in what is otherwise an amazingly BIZARRE world, and it can be hard for some people to overcome that first impression.

But he's awesome anyhow.

# ¿ Feb 8, 2014 02:19

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

andrew smash posted:

For real, i thought Iron Council was the best of them but it also made me want to never read anything about new crobuzon again unless it involves the government and militia finally getting what's coming to them

iron council actually had the mayor get hers and it didn't change a damned thing

I need to reread Iron Council, but I thought it was easily his weakest Bas-Lag book. Something about the plot just seemed so scattered and non-focused, even compared to PSS.

# ¿ Aug 26, 2014 04:25

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

Benson Cunningham posted:

I tried to read King Rat like 4 times now. I just can't do it.

Its really short and moderately okay. Its not his greatest work, but you can do a lot worse too.

# ¿ Jan 12, 2015 21:59

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

I need that right now.

e: Maybe time to reread City and the City since I've binged Scar basically every summer for the last 3 years.

# ¿ Aug 5, 2015 23:24

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

I'd forgotten I'd ordered this! What a nice surprise.

# ¿ Aug 10, 2016 08:12

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

Xiahou Dun posted:

The one thing I'd mention about The Last Days of New Paris is that you really need to be able to GIS the artwork he's referencing, at least if you're anything like me. I tried reading it on the subway once where I didn't have cell service and it drove me half-crazy.

Definitely, or have a much better working understanding of surrealist art than I do.

# ¿ Nov 29, 2017 21:24

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

Alhazred posted:

But there's also hints that contradicts this, like the fact that the technology seems way too advanced.

Iron Council is all about a mid/late-1800s tech setting, albeit with some magitek boosting it. The Scar features riflemen with highly maneuverable one-person aerostats that people strap themselves into, which is really advanced compared to the trains/ironclads that are in the rest of the setting. I'm not sure you could easily pin down where New Crobuzon is, but they're pretty drat advanced and I never thought anything in The Census-Taker was out of line.

# ¿ Jun 25, 2018 19:58

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

I think the DnD party in PSS has some gear that's described as puissant, but I mostly associate it with the grindylow.

# ¿ May 13, 2019 12:18

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

I mean, if hell existed I'd drat well want an embassy available too, regardless of what my government was.

# ¿ Jun 27, 2022 21:42

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 23:23

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

Xiahou Dun posted:

The ending is just magic, the concept of a fake prosthesis, great monsters, some pretty subtle representation, good sense of humor…

Railsea owns.

Yep. Time for a reread.

# ¿ Jun 4, 2023 15:50

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > China Miéville/Bas-Lag megathread