[trentdick2882]

hmm, ruling class that gets all the benefits and a working class that is basically slave labor, sounds like communism. i'll leave this up, but i had too much wine when i wrote it so it doesn't make any sense.

[kegasaurus]

European society was communistic in the early to mid 1000's?

[NeonKnight]

I had some trouble figuring out which category this book was in. I guess I'm alone at this forum with this issue, you guys all posted in the "right" category and I did not-;)

Here are some of the comments I made in the "Reading In May" SF thread:

From out of the blue for me...
...is this incredible book I've started this month, The Scar by China Mieville!

I have not been knocked out by a writer in a long time, but this guy is truly unique. I've only read the first 242 pages of this stunning 638-page book from this world-creating genius. The images he creates for me have been most intriguing and unique, and his descriptive prose is just great, heres a small sample of whats got me hooked:

.... Intruding vessels pass between the sea and the air. Their shadows fleck the bottom where it is high enough for light to reach. The trading ships and cogs, the whaling boats pass over the rot of other craft. Sailors' bodies fertize the water.Scavenger fish feed on eyes and lips.There are jags in the coral architecture where masts and anchors have been reclaimed. Lost ships are mourned or forgotten, and the living floor of the sea takes them and hides them with barnacles, gives them as caves to morays and ratfish and cray outcastes; and other more savage things.

In the deepest places, where physical norms collaspe under the crushing water, bodies still fall softly through the dark, days after their vessels have capsized.

They decay on their long journey down. Nothing will hit the black sand at the bottom of the world but algae-covered bones....

I have this out of the library now, but I may actually go buy it after I bring it back. Mr Mieville's incredible descriptive detail makes it one of those books that I can linger on each paragraph, soaking in the details, amazed at the power of this writer to create incredibly imaginative new visions on worlds , yet at the same time, I can't wait to turn the page and get to the next chapter.

A definite winner in only the first Third of the book.

I believe this is his second effort, the first being the award winning Perdido Street Station . Mr. Mieville is only 31 years old, so we can all look forward to more from this obviously talented young writer. I have not read Perdido Street Station yet ,but I will now!


Lemming: And yes, whoever is newly infatuated with The Scar... I really liked it too. I think you'll find a fair amount of discussion on it, in both this and the fantasy forums, if you search...

Thanks for pointing that out. You know its funny, I never even thought of checking the Fantasy section, since my impression of this book is that its Science Fiction, but it sure does straddle the two, doesn't it? Its got thurmatalogy, guns and bullets, oil cranes, dreadnoughts, battleships and vampirs.

I think one slight improvement would be a detailed map of the world Bas-Lag. I love books that have a map, and most of those are in the fantasy realm.

I'm still not finished with The Scar although I'm getting close.(Bellis has confessed to Doul and is getting ready for her punishment) It really is living up to my earlier description.

FicusFan:It is funny that someone used The Hobbit as an example of the hero, because one of the authors CM detests is Tolkien. He trashed him in a Locus interview, he also took on those who have created the fantasy industry in his image, but he rejects Tolkien's view that fantasy should serve as a consolation to those who read it. When I saw CM he talked about a lot of this, so it was no flash in the pan or misquote. He also dislikes humorous fantasy of any kind, regardless of how well done. He feels it is the author laughing over the heads of his characters and winking at the readers.

Unfortunately, these quotes from CM have taken him down from the pedestal I had him on. WTF, he detests Tolkien because he thinks fans should not be "consoled" by their escape into fantasy? If all Fantasy writers had this attitude, there would be no market for their books, and hence no market for CM!

"Laughing over the heads of the readers."

Get a grip CM! ROTFLMAO :D Sometimes I like Black Sabbath at volume 10, other times I enjoy CSN&Y singing 'Helpless' at volume 2. Apparently, CM thinks SF/Fantasy should only be limited to writers like Moorcock; gloom and doom, all political lessons and societal statements. Good Grief CM, where the hell is your sense of humor and love for 'diversity' for the love of "Jabber"?:rolleyes:

[FicusFan]

Originally posted by NeonKnight
Unfortunately, these quotes from CM have taken him down from the pedestal I had him on. WTF, he detests Tolkien because he thinks fans should not be "consoled" by their escape into fantasy? If all Fantasy writers had this attitude, there would be no market for their books, and hence no market for CM!

"Laughing over the heads of the readers."

Get a grip CM! ROTFLMAO :D Sometimes I like Black Sabbath at volume 10, other times I enjoy CSN&Y singing 'Helpless' at volume 2. Apparently, CM thinks SF/Fantasy should only be limited to writers like Moorcock; gloom and doom, all political lessons and societal statements. Good Grief CM, where the hell is your sense of humor and love for 'diversity' for the love of "Jabber"?:rolleyes:

As you said he is young. He also just finished his Doctorate, is into social/political causes, and serious about writing important work - all in all a sense of humor is not what I would expect from him. At the same time he does not seem like a stick in the mud, just very serious about what is important to him. I suspect he will mellow with age.

[NeonKnight]

Ficus: What you say about CM being young, intelligent and educated are all very true. Still, if he has not developed a sense of humor by age 31, I seriously doubt he will acquire one as he 'mellows' with age. Hopefully he will prove me wrong on that point...

What is actually more puzzling is his comments on Tolkien. I can see why he dislikes those who rip off Tolkien, or 'those who have created the fantasy industry in his image'.

Does anyone actually think that if a writer creates dazzling fantasy work that is in no way derivative of Tolkien, that such a work will not be published?

That voracious readers of this genre, like those who post around here, will not buy it? (Like folks are not buying his stuff because it is not consoling!)

Well I guess I answered my own question on why The Scar does not have a map....much too consoling to the reader.....and way too Tolkienesqe...:p

OK, now that I've ripped CM , I wanted to post another passage from this amazingly non-Hobbit-like book. Again his descriptive prose is superior:

....There were smaller rocks, too, and Bellis saw that these were shards of the larger machines, bolts and pipework junctions; or finer, more intricate, and complete pieces, gauges and glasswork and compact steam-power engines. The pebbles were gears, cogs, flywheels, bolts, and screws.

Bellis looked down at her cupped hands. They were full of thousands of minuscule ratchets and gearwheels and ossified springs, like the innards of inconceivably tiny clocks. Each particle of wreckage a grain like sand, hard and sun-warmed, smaller than a crumb. Bellis let them sift from her hands, and her fingers were stained the dark blood color of the shoreline-painted with rust....

This imagery is beyond evocative to me, I smell the rust and oil and I'm just as amazed as Bellis is to be standing on Machinery Beach.

This kind of writing I think is the reason we all love to read this kind of novel--imagination at a stunning level of complexity and originality.

Almost finished now, Hedrigall has just related his tale to the Lovers as Bellis and Tanner eavesdropped....

[rune]

I've only recently read this book, so very late with my response to this thread but I wanted to add my thoughts anyway :)

I thought this book had a rather slow start, as it was very detailed and quite complex. The creatures in this book are so different to anything I have read previously that I found it difficult to visualise what they could possibly look like for quite a long time.
However it was refreshing to have such different creatures included in a story and the author made their actions and lives seem so natural, which was reflected in the visual writing style.
I felt once the story had moved onto the island of boats it because more interesting.
Though the story was written from Bellis POV, I found other characters that appeared later in the story much more interesting. The author left me wondering what some characters motives were, and wishing to know more about their lives. In the end it was left feeling thrilled about the story and disappointed when it ended.

[Erfael]

The SO and I just bought a new house, and there is a lot of work to do both outside and in. I have new appreciation for the scenes in this book taking place on the Island of the Mosquito People. Every time I go outside, I feel like I'm in that scene where the landing party is approaching the town where the males live while under assault from the females on the island. It's mighty scary. :)

[FicusFan]

Congrats on the house Erf, sorry to hear about the mosquito problem, hopefully they won't carry you off. :D

[Eventine]

One of the most common things in fantasy literature is the presence of a hero, someone who gets the job done when it needs to be done through leadership, strength, and force of will. By hero, I don't mean the main point of view character or the protagonist necessarily, though these people are usually very good candidates. I am curious to know who people think of as the hero in The Scar. I have a definite opinion, but I will keep it out of this one for now. I'll give it time to stew a day or two before presenting my opinion on the matter.


Erf - I was just reading back over this thread and realised you'd never come through with naming your "hero".

Can you remember who you were thinking of?

(I may have to re-read this book, the thread has reminded how much I enjoyed it)

[Erfael]

Oh, dear. Has it really been four years? I'm sorry, but the answer has left me, Eventine. I wouldn't even be able to pretend I know what me-minus-four-years was thinking. Though I've been seriously thinking of a reread, also. If I do, I'll make a new opinion on it and share.