China Mieville is an award-winning English fantasy fiction writer.
He is fond of describing his work as "weird fiction" (after early
twentieth century pulp and horror writers such as H. P. Lovecraft),
and belongs to a loose group of writers sometimes called New Weird
who consciously attempt to move fantasy away from commercial, genre
cliches of Tolkien epigones. He is also active in left-wing politics
as a member of the Socialist Workers Party. He has stood for
the House of Commons for the Socialist Alliance, and published
a book on Marxism and international law. He teaches creative writing
at Warwick University.
1. Perdido Street Station
Eccentric New Crobuzon scientist Isaac, obsessed with crisis energy
and curious beasties. He is commissioned to restore flight to a
dewinged garuda, Yagharek. While studying every kind of animal which
can fly, accidentally releases an exotic creature into the city and
must deal with the horrible consequences.
Winner - 2001 Arthur C. Clarke Award, 2001 British Fantasy Award
Nominated - Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Locus and British Science
Fiction awards.
2. The Scar
Bellis Coldwine, fugitive linguist, escapes New Crobuzon on ship
carrying prisoners, scientists and sundry. Ship is captured by pirates,
passengers press-ganged into life aboard Armada, a floating city of
boats. Bellis becomes aware of a plan to find the mythical Scar, a tear
in the fabric of the universe where possibilities merge and ultimate
power can be drawn. Complications include full-on war with New
Crobuzon's mighty navy, attacks by the relentlessly violent grindylow,
a detour to an island populated by horrific mosquito-women, and Armadan
civil uprising.
Winner - 2003 British Fantasy Award, 2003 Locus Award for Best Fantasy
Novel Nominated - Hugo, Arthur C. Clarke, World Fantasy, Locus, Philip
K. Dick, and British Science Fiction
3. Iron Council
China Mieville's novel Iron Council is the tumultuous story of the
"Perpetual Train." Born from monopolists' greed and dispatched to tame
the western lands beyond New Crobuzon, the train is itself the beginnings
of an Iron Council formed in the fire of frontier revolt against
the railroad's masters. From the wilderness, the legend of Iron Council
becomes the spark uniting the oppressed and brings barricades to the
streets of faraway New Crobuzon. The sprawling tale is told through the
past-and-present eyes of three characters. The first is Cutter, a
heartsick subversive who follows his lover, the messianic Judah Low, on
a quest to return to the Iron Council hidden in the western wilds. The
second is Judah himself, an erstwhile railroad scout who has become the
iconic golem-wielding hero of Iron Council's uprising at the end of the
tracks. And the third is Ori, a young revolutionary on the streets of
New Crobuzon, whose anger leads him into a militant wing of the
underground, plotting anarchy and mayhem.
Winner - 2005 Arthur C. Clarke Award, 2005 Locus Award for Best Fantasy
Novel Nominated - Hugo, World Fantasy
4. King Rat
A Gaiman-esque urban fantasy involving animal gods and drum n' bass
music. It's basically a modern retelling of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
It's not his best book.
5. Looking For Jake
His only short story collection, leaning heavily towards horror with
some other genres in the mix. Concludes with a novella called The Tain
which is like 28 Days Later with vampires instead of zombies. All but
a couple of the stories are set in London. There's also one short story
set in Bas-Lag.
6. Un Lun Dun
His first book for young adults, and is about an alternate version
of London where everything is wacky! China illustrated the book himself.
Winner - 2008 Locus Award for Best Young Adult Book.
7. Kraken
About the magical underworld of cults and witches and what-have-you
in London. It's kind of like a dark version of Terry Pratchett, or
a grittier Neil Gaiman. An apocalyptic novel, but also very funny.
8. The City & the City
A murder mystery set in two very strange cities. To even describe what
is strange about them would be to spoil the premise. The setting is our
world, modern day, somewhere in Eastern Europe; but there is a definite
sci-fi slant to it. This is the novel that really gained the attention
of the wider literary world.
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