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Rare Earth: A Novel
A washed up T.V. reporter stumbles onto a corruption scandal in Western China. Pursued through the desert by a psychotic spin-doctor and a world-weary cop, he discovers the real illegal metal mines, a fashion-crazed gang of girl bikers, a whole commune of Tiananmen Square survivors and the up-market sleaze-joints of Beijing. En route, he clashes with a stellar cast of people - traffickers, prostitutes and T.V. execs. But then the unquiet dead begin to ghosts from his own past and the past of Chinese Communism; the "spirits that hover three feet above our heads" of Chinese folklore.
Rare Earth is a story about love, journalism, ghosts, metallurgy, vintage militaria and large motorcycles set in the badlands of Inner Mongolia and Ningxia. It is about the west's inability to understand the East; one man's epic journey across a dying landscape, where "thousands of pairs of eyes peer beyond grimy windowpanes into the moonless sky, looking for something better.
Rare Earth is a story about love, journalism, ghosts, metallurgy, vintage militaria and large motorcycles set in the badlands of Inner Mongolia and Ningxia. It is about the west's inability to understand the East; one man's epic journey across a dying landscape, where "thousands of pairs of eyes peer beyond grimy windowpanes into the moonless sky, looking for something better.
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First published January 5, 2012
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About the author
Paul Mason
67 books238 followersNote: Paul^^Mason
Paul Mason is an English journalist and broadcaster. He is economics editor of the BBC's Newsnight television programme and the author of several books.
Paul Mason is an English journalist and broadcaster. He is economics editor of the BBC's Newsnight television programme and the author of several books.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 29, 2016
It gave me slight whiplash to read a very 21st century novel after largely (albeit not exclusively) wallowing in historical novels for a while. Especially as the previous novel I'd read was by Victor Hugo, whose idealism, lengthy scene-setting, and epic style could hardly be more alien to current literature as I understand it. 'Rare Earth' is a fast-paced thriller in style, a cynical snapshot of contemporary Chinese capitalism in content. It's fair to say that I probably wasn't in the correct mood to read it, but was interested enough in the outcome to persist.
The plot of 'Rare Earth' concerns a team of Western TV journalists trying to film a short segment on pollution in China. They get unwittingly sucked into various convoluted and dangerous conspiracies. The plot is engaging, especially as it doesn't fall into the trap of tying everything up neatly. Indeed, it is strongly emphasised that the journalists keep trying to get all elements to fit together, but that is simply not the case. Certain parts seemed to work better than others, though, and the level of misogyny got me down. My favourite character by far was Chun Li, the journalists' long-suffering guide, who had to put up with a depressing amount of sexual harassment and violence for no apparent reason. The sly meta comment at the very end sought to excuse this, in a way, but didn't really manage it in my view.
On the other hand, I found the exploration of Chinese local politics and economics interestingly done, with the large cast of characters providing a spectrum of experiences. The way that the journalists and the government reacted to pollution incidents certainly rang true, and fitted with non-fiction accounts I've come across. The section of the book set in the Cancer Village Commune was probably the most striking, in my view. I was less convinced by the random appearances of the biker gang.
I'm not sure whether the use of magical realism worked or not. 'Unquiet spirits' were instrumental in the plot, but their presence wasn't really given context until the very end. I found them interesting as an odd contrast to the pervasive materialism of the narrative, with its constant name-checking of brands, technologies, and stock portfolio management. On the other hand, leaning on the supernatural as a plot-point also seemed ridiculous in a novel that clearly intends to capture some sort of zeitgeist, making for a somewhat disjointed feeling. The meta bit at the end tries to explain this too, but I remain ambivalent about it.
The writer of 'Rare Earth' is a journalist whose book 'Why It's Kicking Off Everywhere' I've also read. I enjoyed the latter, as his writing style is very involving. 'Rare Earth' is fun and thought-provoking, but I would have preferred it to be a non-fiction book about contemporary China. Whilst the reader is invited at the end to view the sex and ghosts ironically, by that time you've already been swallowing them for nearly 350 pages. Perhaps if there had been more of that irony hinted in the blurb or up-front I would have enjoyed it more? In short, I am the kill-joy type who sees, '"A jaw-dropping, action-packed, sex-fuelled and often hilarious adventure story" - DAILY MAIL' on the cover of a book and thinks, "Ugh no, there had better be some depressing analysis on the complexity of China's pollution problems in the context of an oppressive political regime prioritising economic growth above all other aims". Like I said, probably wasn't in quite the right mood.
The plot of 'Rare Earth' concerns a team of Western TV journalists trying to film a short segment on pollution in China. They get unwittingly sucked into various convoluted and dangerous conspiracies. The plot is engaging, especially as it doesn't fall into the trap of tying everything up neatly. Indeed, it is strongly emphasised that the journalists keep trying to get all elements to fit together, but that is simply not the case. Certain parts seemed to work better than others, though, and the level of misogyny got me down. My favourite character by far was Chun Li, the journalists' long-suffering guide, who had to put up with a depressing amount of sexual harassment and violence for no apparent reason. The sly meta comment at the very end sought to excuse this, in a way, but didn't really manage it in my view.
On the other hand, I found the exploration of Chinese local politics and economics interestingly done, with the large cast of characters providing a spectrum of experiences. The way that the journalists and the government reacted to pollution incidents certainly rang true, and fitted with non-fiction accounts I've come across. The section of the book set in the Cancer Village Commune was probably the most striking, in my view. I was less convinced by the random appearances of the biker gang.
I'm not sure whether the use of magical realism worked or not. 'Unquiet spirits' were instrumental in the plot, but their presence wasn't really given context until the very end. I found them interesting as an odd contrast to the pervasive materialism of the narrative, with its constant name-checking of brands, technologies, and stock portfolio management. On the other hand, leaning on the supernatural as a plot-point also seemed ridiculous in a novel that clearly intends to capture some sort of zeitgeist, making for a somewhat disjointed feeling. The meta bit at the end tries to explain this too, but I remain ambivalent about it.
The writer of 'Rare Earth' is a journalist whose book 'Why It's Kicking Off Everywhere' I've also read. I enjoyed the latter, as his writing style is very involving. 'Rare Earth' is fun and thought-provoking, but I would have preferred it to be a non-fiction book about contemporary China. Whilst the reader is invited at the end to view the sex and ghosts ironically, by that time you've already been swallowing them for nearly 350 pages. Perhaps if there had been more of that irony hinted in the blurb or up-front I would have enjoyed it more? In short, I am the kill-joy type who sees, '"A jaw-dropping, action-packed, sex-fuelled and often hilarious adventure story" - DAILY MAIL' on the cover of a book and thinks, "Ugh no, there had better be some depressing analysis on the complexity of China's pollution problems in the context of an oppressive political regime prioritising economic growth above all other aims". Like I said, probably wasn't in quite the right mood.
April 2, 2021
A quirky tale inhabited by weird characters, enhanced by the Western China/Inner Mongolia setting. Well worth reading
September 19, 2016
Paul Mason is the celebrated TV journalist, probably the last openly left-wing member of the breed. Rare Earth (2012) is his first and so far only novel.
As you would expect, it is about TV journalism. His hero, David Brough, is a gritty Northerner, difficult to employ because of his old-fashioned yen for a real story. He is part of a team visiting China to provide some colour for a feature on the next economic superpower. Unfortunately he stumbles on pollution, corruption and state manipulation of the market in rare earth (compounds essential for digital hardware).
Fair enough, you might think. An interesting and worthwhile read. But then Mason springs his big surprise. Many of the characters are troubled by ghosts - yes, actual dead people spirits who converse with the living as if they were, well, alive. Then there are fantastically inventive characters like the "private military and security" team of supermodel bikers who rescue Brough from the desert and eighty-four year-old General Guo, who once swam in the Yangtse with Chairman Mao and who now seems to be running everything despite living in a shantytown shed.
It's the inventiveness that keeps you hooked for 300+ pages. That and the pacey style, because Mason writes exactly like he speaks - in superfast epigrams. In the hands of another this would be a worthy but scarcely surprising story (it's not exactly a secret that globalisation is built on poverty and corruption); with Mason we get a kaleidoscope of facts, comedy and fantastical fizz. He should make time to write another.
As you would expect, it is about TV journalism. His hero, David Brough, is a gritty Northerner, difficult to employ because of his old-fashioned yen for a real story. He is part of a team visiting China to provide some colour for a feature on the next economic superpower. Unfortunately he stumbles on pollution, corruption and state manipulation of the market in rare earth (compounds essential for digital hardware).
Fair enough, you might think. An interesting and worthwhile read. But then Mason springs his big surprise. Many of the characters are troubled by ghosts - yes, actual dead people spirits who converse with the living as if they were, well, alive. Then there are fantastically inventive characters like the "private military and security" team of supermodel bikers who rescue Brough from the desert and eighty-four year-old General Guo, who once swam in the Yangtse with Chairman Mao and who now seems to be running everything despite living in a shantytown shed.
It's the inventiveness that keeps you hooked for 300+ pages. That and the pacey style, because Mason writes exactly like he speaks - in superfast epigrams. In the hands of another this would be a worthy but scarcely surprising story (it's not exactly a secret that globalisation is built on poverty and corruption); with Mason we get a kaleidoscope of facts, comedy and fantastical fizz. He should make time to write another.
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April 17, 2015Another book I did not finish even though I was 244 pages in.
I don't want to say this is a bad book, I don't think it is, it just didn't click with me.
Also the font used was very small which meant even wearing my glasses it was a struggle.
So please don;t let my experience put you off. This just wasn't my cup of tea.
I don't want to say this is a bad book, I don't think it is, it just didn't click with me.
Also the font used was very small which meant even wearing my glasses it was a struggle.
So please don;t let my experience put you off. This just wasn't my cup of tea.
June 28, 2012
Fascinating look at contemporary China through modern journalism, mafia, and mining.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews