Lazy Man's Review: Iron Council

[coalescent]

On the train home this afternoon I finished Iron Council: China Mieville's fourth novel, his third set in Bas-Lag, his second set in New Crobuzon, and the first of his that I've read. In Iron Council, revolution comes to Mieville's city-state.

I haven't decided how I feel about it yet; it hasn't had time to settle in my mind. But I think I think

Comments

[veggiesu]

"In literary terms, fantasy requires no suspension of disbelief because no belief is required. Whereas science fiction must create suspension of disbelief."

I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that the guy is talking total bollocks.

[coalescent]

Well, within his unique definitions of 'science', 'fiction', 'fantasy' and 'suspension of disbelief', what he says is entirely true. I just don't think his definitions have much real-world correspondance. :) He's awfully hung up on the importance of science fiction being plausible ...

[veggiesu]

within his unique definitions of 'science', 'fiction', 'fantasy' and 'suspension of disbelief', what he says is entirely true.

I think if you have to redefine three words and a phrase to make what you say true, then "talking bollocks" is still an adequate description of what you're doing :-p

[coalescent]

That's a fair point. :)

(And on an entirely different note, you might enjoy this.)

My Review

[ice_hesitant]

Iron Council by China Mieville

[tefkas]

I have struggled with Mieville's Perdido Street Station several times. I like it, but it's just so huge, and you get the feeling that each and every sentence has at least three adjectives too many in it, to pad it all out a bit...

So, if I manage to crack Perdido Street Station, I may well end up reading the rest... but for the time being I've not got there yet.

[coalescent]

every sentence has at least three adjectives too many in it, to pad it all out a bit...

More annoying for me was the fact that every thing has at least three sentences too many used to describe it. It's like he thinks up five brilliant ways of describing something but can't decide which he likes best and so uses them all. Makes for some very vivid images, but it can be a bit of a struggle sometimes. :)

[swisstone]

Actually, whilst I was put off starting Perdido Street Station by the size, once I did, it all rather shot past, and it didn't seem as long as it was. Unlike other works, such as those by N*** S*********, which seem much longer ...