The Scar discussion

I just picked this up at a used book store. The book cover gave no indication that its part of a series. So should I read Perdido Street first?

The story essentially stands alone, although one of the main characters in the book knows one of the main characters from Perdido Street Station. The events of this book occur after the events of PSS chronologically, but they really have nothing to do with each other. Having said all that, Perdido is a fantastic book, and I highly recommend it.

Thanks! If I like The Scar I'll definitely pick up Perdido Street

I much prefered Perdido. Also I don't know, but I wonder if Perdido doesn't have much more explanation of details of the New Crobuzon world.

Like the others have said: The Scar, Perdidio Street Station, and The Iron Council all take place in the same universe, but are basically stand alone stories. They can be read out of order. If you like The Scar, I strongly recommend "Embassytown" also. It's more sci-fi than the new weird of the New Crobuzon stories, but is one of the better novels I've read in awhile that examines human/alien interaction.

Ideally you should read PSS first, but it's by no means required. I'd also strongly recommend Un Lun Dun.

I've read it all at this point, and the only book that isn't fantastic is King Rat, because it was merely good.

Matthew wrote: "I've read it all at this point, and the only book that isn't fantastic is King Rat, because it was merely good."

I picked up King Rat a couple of weeks ago. would this spoil my first Mievilee experience. or should I read it any way

Benji wrote: "Matthew wrote: "I've read it all at this point, and the only book that isn't fantastic is King Rat, because it was merely good."

I picked up King Rat a couple of weeks ago. would this spoil my fir..."

My Mieville suggestion would be that King Rat is a good start to Mieville, then the Bas Lag books (I liked The Scar better than Perdido and I >loved< Perdido, but listened to Perdido and hardcopy read The Scar - don't know if that made a difference, the narrator was fantastic for Perdido), then try his a little more difficult/complex Embassy Town or The City and The City.

Benji wrote: "Matthew wrote: "I've read it all at this point, and the only book that isn't fantastic is King Rat, because it was merely good."

I picked up King Rat a couple of weeks ago. would this spoil my fir..."


I found King Rat to be sort of a sub-par Neil Gaiman book, which only helps if you've read Gaiman. Even his young adult books, like Un Lundun and Railsea are better than King Rat. You can tell when you read it along with his other works that he was working on a lot of the ideas and techniques that he would develop in his later work, he just isn't there yet.

Matthew wrote: "I've read it all at this point, and the only book that isn't fantastic is King Rat, because it was merely good."

ive really enjoyed:

PSS
The Scar
Un Lun Dun
Railsea


I didnt enjoy:

Iron Council
Embassytown
City & The City


Ive read and im still unsure of Kraken but plan to re-read as my mate raves about it.

I've only read Perdido, the Scar and Iron Council, also in that order.

As it was the order they were written in, that was my logical choice as I like to think that there is a natural progression for an author and their creative process.

With hindsight I'd say that it was the right choice, despite seeing a lot of people advise the Scar first.

I felt that Perdido was the most evocative in building Bas Lag as a world (both politically and visually), the Scar explored that world in greater detail (geographically) and Iron Council gave the most depth in terms of ideology.

If I had read the Scar first, I believe that Bas Lag would have not felt fully formed as a world and if I had read Iron Council first, I wouldn't have enjoyed it.

I absolutely loved Iron Council where many people didn't and I suspect that the order I read the books in may have played a big part in that.

Hopefully this helps in some small way!

I think The Scar, Un Lun Dun and The City & The City are his best works. I really hope Railsea is as good as these, because if it ain't I'm not buying any more of his books...

Guy wrote: "I've only read Perdido, the Scar and Iron Council, also in that order.

As it was the order they were written in, that was my logical choice as I like to think that there is a natural progression f..."

i read Bas-Lag in order but after reading PSS & The Scar i felt bitterly disappointed in Iron Council.

Maybe for me there wasnt enough New Crubuzon or maybe there was just too much ideology for me.. im not sure but it lacked something.

The one thing it did have and i felt this with Railsea was it read like being on a train journey.. i could almost feel the story chugging along like a train if that makes sense. I really enjoy that aspect of them.

Pickle wrote: "Guy wrote: "I've only read Perdido, the Scar and Iron Council, also in that order.

As it was the order they were written in, that was my logical choice as I like to think that there is a natural p..."

I can see what you mean, but for me, Iron Council seemed to have both a purpose and an end, which I felt like Perdido and the Scar lacked. I loved them both, but I can't remember how each of them ended. I even went back to to make sure I had actually finished it, which is unusual for me.

Iron Council is certainly the least 'Bas Lag' in terms of description of the state, but I felt it encapsulated the politics of the world and nature of it's citizens better than it's predecessors.

Matthew wrote: "Benji wrote: "Matthew wrote: "I've read it all at this point, and the only book that isn't fantastic is King Rat, because it was merely good."

I picked up King Rat a couple of weeks ago. would thi..."

I can't say I'm too crazy about Gaiman, none the less
I'm probably going to read King Rat anyway. I guess I'm looking for something more mature.

Each New crobuzon book is a stand alone story so you dont need to be familiar with the previous books to enjoy reading the Scar.

They're all stand alone so there's no order required really.

But you should definitely read at least The Scar & Perdido Street Station.

Also can't recommend enough The City & The City and Embassytown. Kraken is quite solid as well. Only Iron Council seemed to let me down a bit, but by no means was it bad.