Currently I’m reading The Scar by the gentleman in the subject of this entry. It, and his 1st book, Perdido Street Station, are set in the same world, Bas-Lag.

I remember being amazed at the setting he had developed in Perdido and I’m re-experiencing that with Scar. Miéville is an amazing world builder. Bas-Lag is so rich and original I can’t really describe it here – though I am of course going to try a little.

Overall the setting is sort of dieselpunk – more or less early 20th century tech with a nice dose of occultis and mysticism. Magic and technology are fused in bizarre and often cruel ways. Remaking, fusing machine and/or strange biology, onto a person is a form of punishment – and the Remade are at best 2nd class citizens nearly everywhere.

Extradimensional beings, while not exactly common place, are far from unknown – New Crobuzon, the city Perdido is set in, has an ambassador from Hell – and the minds of these beings are incomprehensible to most humans. Somehow though Miéville manages to convey this alienness in a way that makes me understand just how far from human these beings are.

Thoroughout both books he hints at Bas-Lag’s long history too. It’s makes me itch for more, I want to explore Bas-Lag more directly, though Miéville has more or less said he would rather just drop tidbits and make us itch. We only get a book every year or two with witch to scratch. Alas. Fortunately, a couple weeks ago at Half Price Books I picked up The Iron Council, the third Bas-Lag book, which is set again in New Crobuzon. Hopefully I can keep the itching at bay for a while now.

Of course, setting a good novel does not make. Luckily, Miéville writes a great story as well. Strong, deep characters; lots of mystery and intrigue; well-paced… I can’t really come up with any complaints.

The only think that would keep me from recommending him to someone would be the fairly adult themes of his books (at least what I’ve read so far). Adult and, hmm, gross seems too banal a term, but I suppose it works. If you are squeamish these books are probably not for you. Otherwise, if you want to read some amazing speculative fiction, go out and get some Miéville as soon as you can!