The Scar (Bas-Lag Book 2)

This is a tough book to review after reading Perdido Street Station. The world building is fantastic. Mieville is very descriptive in a way that allows you to easily visualize the world and the various races within. He strikes a great balance between of bringing you into the world without being overly descriptive (not one of those authors that spends 3 pages describing a room for instance). With regards to the book itself (potentially minor spoiler?), it was a bit of an anti-climatic ending for me. Plenty of action throughout the book but the very end was much more of an emotional though provoking ending versus an action packed show down (although theres plenty of action packed in throughout the rest of the book). Overall, a fantastic read an Im hooked on Mieville.

Your Bas Lag experience should start and end with the Scar. The story and the characters in this novel are much better than the other Bas Lag books. Perdidio Street Station while good had large aspects of the story which did not tie into the main theme of the book. Pages of material that went no where filled the book. Pointless subplots. Iron Council was OK, but it didnt grab ahold of me the way that the scar did.

Theres a lot of enthusiasm for this book and this author; Mievilles previous novel was even nominated for Hugo in 2002. However, I found the book very irritating to read. The book seems to take itself very seriously, but the ideas presented are either clichéd and uninspired, or not explored in depth. Its a shotgun approach to fantasy, and one that I did not enjoy. Ive certainly read worse books, though. I thought that maybe I just didnt understand the world well, so I bought Perdido Street Station. The first few pages were so pretentious I couldnt put up with any more of it. I guess Ill never find out if that was the problem.

Bellis Coldwine has decided to abscond from New Crobuzon after she gets into a spot of bother. Since she is adept at learning languages, Bellis has decided to hire herself out as a translator on a New Crobuzon ship headed for the colony of Nova Esperium. But Bellis has resolutely decided not to get her hopes too high, and regards her destination with something more akin to Nova Tedium. She is determined that her escape will only last for a little time, since like Dorothy, she still believes that there is no place like home. Unlike Dorothy, Bellis is determined that she will not pick up any stragglers along the way. But she is headed for a storm, whether she likes it or not. Like a character in a Robert Louis Stevenson novel, Bellis finds herself kidnapped by pirates. Not just any pirates though, these are the denizens of Armada: not one ship, but a multitude, comprising an entire city. Belliss fellow passengers were looking for life in a new place, and although land is a bit more difficult to claim here, those who are willing to accept their fate are allotted their own berth. The Remade (the human/slave cargo of the New Crobuzon ship Bellis was travelling on), are positively welcomed and liberated. Punished for unknown crimes, labelled as criminals by genetic and mechanical brandings, the Remade are released into the community. However, even some of these find that their shackles to New Crobuzon are not quite so easily shattered. Bellis, as her name would suggest, is quite hostile to her abductors, and yet, unlike so many other unwilling passengers, she is left to roam the streets of Armada freely. Some parts of Armada are perplexingly like home: there is still bureaucracy and red tape, nightclubs, and trendy wine bars. However, these pirates are like Robert Louis Stevenson pirates in other ways: for they are after a huge treasure - almost an X marks the spot... And there is a character as immortal as Long John Silver (although not quite as jolly): Uther Doul. Though he is called Uther, the sword he wields is not Excalibur: it Might be so much more. Like a scar, this novel criss-crosses many genres. I suppose it could be labelled Steam Punk: there are certainly quite a few steam engines in the novel, some redundant, others endlessly famished. In some respects, this is a good example of the British post-colonial science fiction novel. No other nation ever really quite ruled the waves as good old Britannia, and there is something quite eighteenth century about the New Crobuzon navy, with its officers and press ganged crew. Mieville does a Melville, although the motives for hunting the whale are not exactly the same as Ahabs (but there are a fair few cannibals/bloodsuckers on board). China Mieville skilfully bends space to even let some popular science in. Treasure Island itself proves to be a bit more bloody than usual, and Captain Nemo cannot be swayed from his dangerous quest. Mieville does not quote from other texts or even covertly allude to them, but such archetypes do spring to mind nonetheless. Armada is fashioned from the coupling of many different boats, after all, and I am sure that Mieville would agree that no writer can be truly original. Having said that, there is vibrancy in the text, a beating pulse, that China Mieville has fashioned all himself with clinical skill. This may be a science fiction novel, but it is very much a work of its times. An old naval nation thats unsure of its future direction, whose leaders are those who can spin the best lie, and whose taxes are really goring... This novel surveys the rise and fall of Communism - hidden spies abound, all kinds are people are embraced behind the Iron Curtains of the ships, but if you dare cross the wall, you may well be shot. More than just Armada revolves in The Scar (one of the main protagonists has a truly apt name). In his depiction of the Lovers, the rulers of Armada, China Mieville scratches at the pus of modern love in a most discomforting way. The nuclear family has been blown away; Romance is truly doomed in this dystopia. It would have been nice if Mieville had presented more of what it was like for Uther to live in High Cromlechs caste society, but then Uther is meant to be inscrutable, and I am not sure that Mieville completely believes that we are the products of our environment. The Lovers and The Hanged Man seem to be Tarot symbols of fate, but Bellis strongly believes in the exertion of her free will (although perhaps she should have listened to Captain Myzovic more attentively). When youre mining for possibilities, anything can happen... The resolution of this novel will no doubt have some readers baying for China Mievilles blood. Yet Margaret Atwood won the Booker Prize recently using similar thaumaturgy, and China Mievilles new novel is the more convincing and ship tight of the two vessels in question. If you go back over the novel, youll see just how expertly China Mieville has laid the foundations for The Scar. Mieville is no cheat - there are no hidden cards up his sleeve - he is an expert player and only his poker face is hard to read. After he has gently settled you into the narrative in the first fifty pages, the rest of the novel makes for compulsive, addictive reading. The pages are certainly easier to turn than Armada, and nothing can stop the prose. Something akin to G-force will compel you to sit tight and see this journey through.

After reading China Miévilles novel Perdido Street Station last June, The Scar was quickly added to my Must Read list. Like the former, The Scar takes place on Miévilles intriguing and bizarre world of Bas-Lag. Its a world of vast oceans, many strange races, and a smattering of magic (or thaumaturgy in Miévilles prose). The protagonist this time around is Bellis Coldwine, a woman on the run from the New Crobuzon authorities. She boards a ship leaving New Crobuzon which is heading for a new colony. The ship hasnt traveled too far before it is captured by pirates from the floating city of Armada. There are some fascinating characters living on Armada and Bellis becomes embroiled in the strange plans of Armadas hideously scarred rulers known only as The Lovers. Miéville kept me continually in awe of the weird happenings and travels of the Armadans. His world of Bas-Lag is dense with peculiar people, landscapes, and customs. Hes quickly become my new favorite science fiction writer. I was pleased to discover that his next novel, Iron Council, will also be set in Bas-Lag and is due out in July 2004. His novels are just wildly entertaining.

Back to Bas Lag, and onto the Swollen Ocean with ye! The Scar takes place after Perdido Street Station, but it isnt necessary to read Perdido Street Station to understand whats going on in The Scar. Like his other works, the writing in The Scar is excellent. Other reviews give a better description than I could ever give, but you really cant go wrong with this book.

Just finished The Scar yesterday...simply stated, its a hypnotic read that combines a gripping action/adventure motiff with nicely understated character psychologies and recurring story metaphors. Although not as wildly ambitious as Perdido Street Station, its a great novel, and certainly the best I have read so far this year. Wow.

This is the middle volume of Mievilles trilogy of novel about New Crobuzon. I think the easiest way to describe these books is as fantasy novels, or a sort, which are highly politicl, and set in a steam punk type world, of a sort, which elements of horror. Mieville likes to refer to these books as weird fiction and I guess that suits as well as any other description. Anyway you look at it, all three books are well worth reading. I think this is my favorite of Mievilles trilogy of novels set in the world in and surrounding New Crobuzon. I cant say why I like this one best, I think because the monsters in Perdido Street Station were too... monstery, and the socialism in the Iron Council was too... socialist. Plus, I am a total sucker for sea stories, and this one is a sea story. Here we have a floating armada of misfits and strange creatures guided by a strange couple, on their way to the end of the world. It a fast and gripping read. I wish Mieville would quit writing childrens stories and get back to writing really smart weird fiction.

Im torn, deciding how many stars to award this one. The plot is brilliantly constructed. Though not a sequel to _Perdido Street Station_, (completely different cast of characters) it does briefly mention the events of the earlier book having happened less than a year previously. _The Scar_ is more focused and the characters are more developed than in _Perdido Street Station_, but the prose is not as carefully polished and the story does not rocket along with such unrelenting intensity. _The Scar_ has plenty of tension, but it is intermittent; I didnt feel like I needed to hang on with both hands the whole time. Giving the characters more emotional depth means the reader can connect with them better, but there is also more opportunity to be maudlin. The ending is sweetly & perfectly poignant, but the climax (a scant 10 pages earlier) is labored & drawn out with dialogue that seems forced and artificial. There were some sex scenes, a few of which bordered on the gratuitous. Plenty of vulgar language and some thoroughly gruesome violence. My biggest problem was the setting: The floating city of Armada, made of lashed-together ships accumulated from the worlds navies over centuries of piracy ... its inherently unbelievable. I realize it is a fantasists job to make the absurd seem plausible - something which I KNOW China Mieville can do - but when Armada was introduced I felt it was forced upon me without adequate rationalization. The book doesnt have as much nautical lore as I would expect in a story that takes place almost ENTIRELY at sea, which gives the impression that Mieville didnt do a whole lot of research. (Maybe he did, but it doesnt show.) So instead of accepting the premise along with the thousand other impossible things in the book, the concept of the floating city really stuck in my craw. Once you get past that, its a really great story with lots of action, violence, steampunk and magic, a cast of interesting characters and an elaborate plot that will keep you engaged right up to the end. It just isnt _perfect_. So, 4 stars.

Much has been written about the narrative and writing skills inherent in The Scar. This review focuses on the ending (without any spoilers). Essentially, those who read traditional fantasy will struggle with the ambiguities that present themselves. We never find out the answers to some very pertinent questions (although we do find out some). What Mieville has done is transformed the story structure of fantasy. For some, this new structure is not new. It is a common theme in the traditional stories of many Indigenous Peoples. It is, however, something quite daring (although I am sure some detractors will say it is pretentious), for the target audience of the aforementioned traditional fantasy. The only author who has made a career defying expectations with brilliant writing is Gene Wolfe. Wolfe, however, stayed true to the essence of his mythic source material. Although the Scar is a better book then the excellent Perdido Street Station, I do believe that Mieville has not yet reached his full potential. One interesting plot thread running through both of the Bas Lag books involves a key scientific principle. What is interesting is that it is presented in two diametrically opposed theories in the books. One is true and one is not. We dont know which one prevails. Goodness knows what will come next, but Im hoping that Bas Lag will be revisited.