The Scar (Bas-Lag Book 2)

Couldnt put this book down. While I personally prefer Perdido Street Station, The Scar is a tighter, better-paced story and probably an easier starting point depending on your taste.

The Scar is a captivating story that vastly expands the world of its prequel, Perdido Street Station. It takes place on a floating pirate city, Armada, and tells the story of Belliss attempts to return home to New Crobuzon while being dragged into the political struggles on Armada. The worldbuilding and characters are amazing, but the plot occasionally felt a bit aimless, as Bellis is pushed and pulled around by elements of The Scars governance.

The Scar has been my introduction to Mievilles work - a tour-de-force of an introduction, with much to be said both for and against it. Volumes to be said, actually, for this work is massive. First off, I could spend all day praising Mievilles inventiveness. His sub-creation is very nearly Tolkien-level (though as another reviewer pointed out, there is little further a comparison could go), and this makes a fantasy for me - many a writer can provide sensational action scenes, but it takes a phenomenal amount of dedication to create such complexity of setting, somewhere so easy to think of as real for the sake of the story. Although Mievilles fantastic does seem a little absurd in places, with such things as cactus-men, he does a fine job realizing them in his world. And his world, it must be said, is rather bleak. There seems to be little to color the existence of his characters beyond sensation - and a few obsessive objectives that can be called dreams, but have not the hopefulness we like to dwell on with such things, having their ends set in the aquisition of pleasure, power or preservation. Happiness is a concept little touched-upon in The Scar, and while this is grittily realistic, with parallels to be found in many big cities of our plane, it does not make for uplifting reading. While I will look for Mievilles writing again, and enjoy it greatly, I will be setting my teeth against the bleakness of his outlook. The heart of this book is found in its metaphor, which is carried through with the skill of a poet. Seldom do we find opportunity to read a work so tied together in its images, and this is something I appreciate mightily. At the same time, however, the narrative wrap-up of this story leaves much to be desired. I enjoy coming to some kind of realization through the unwrapping of an epic, some epiphany which validates the trials through which I have accompanied the character. Here, though, I wondered upon concluding whether I had in truth been brought anywhere at all. There are lessons, perhaps, but they are buried deep, as they so often are in life itself, and just as they depend on the experience of life to unravel. On the whole Mievilles linguistic skill is excellent, strong and capable of both subtlety and blunt force. However, he does have a habit of over-using certain choice words, and I found myself correctly predicting their inclusion in certain passages. The strength of a verb like cosset lies in its unfamiliarity, but it lies throughout the language of this book, and grows monotonous. All in all, this is a masters work, but it shows the truth of humanitys imperfection, and fault shows up all the more glaring when set against surpassing quality and originality. But isnt that always the way of it?

The Scar is a story of Bellis Coldwine who, upon seeking exile from New Crobuzon, finds herself trapped in a situation that seems hopeless. Let me first say that I enjoyed the story, but that the book is not without several flaws. I will try to explain these flaws without coming off as hating the book, because again, I did like the story and world. Firstly, the 578 pages of this story could have easily been cut down 150 pages without hurting the plot, and without messing with the readers insight into Mievilles world. The problem Mieville runs into with his writing is that he over-describes many (re: most) things, and generally what he is smathering with adjectives has nothing to do with the story or feel of the novel. In fact, Mievilles description generally slows down and attacks the very story he loves and is writing. Most times it is best to give a simple description (not that the verbiage has to be simplistic), and allow the reader to flesh out the details. Read any book on writing and they all agree with me on this point. Mieville fails at this. There are many times in the Scar where I find myself wanting to skim long passages, or find myself yearning to daydream. Secondly, the protagonist, Bellis Coldwine, is fairly dull. I really didnt find anything intriguing about her. In fact, she comes off as quite selfish and unlikable. If it wasnt for the story and the world, I couldnt have finished the Scar. Bellis Coldwine was very bland. There are ways a writer can make a character appear cynical and jaded, but still human and lovable, but Mieville did not do so in the Scar. Coldwine was not humanized at all, and thus, became unbelievable at times. If Bellis Coldwine had been the only character in the crucible of this story, it would have been in trouble. Mieville could have easily fleshed her out without comprising his integrity. Lastly, Mieville over uses some obscure words (agog, juddered) which draws attention to his writing. While some believe that for a piece to be great literature the writing has to be noticed, I disagree. You do not notice the composer when listening to classical music, you hear the sound. A books sound is its overall story and feel. The Scar osscasionally draws attention to Mieville, though not excessively. I will buy another Mieville book, but with the hopes that he improves over time as an author, and does not fall into the pit some of his peers will try to drag him into. And with the hopes that his socialist worldview does not become more noticable in his books. I do not want socialism fantasy, I want more Mieville fantasy.

Probably the best science fiction book I have read in decades. Innovative. Detalied. Wide reaching. Definately the best of his books. I can guarantee you will feel refreshed reading such a new and innovative book. A SF London Fields if you like .

This is billed as part of a series, but the three books each stand alone and make only slight reference to characters in the other stories - Perdido Street Station, The Scar, and The Iron Council. Steampunk and like nothing I ever read - a great maritime adventure!

Amazing read, I loved everything. So worth reading. I really liked Bellis as a character and the quite Uther Doul.

This takes place afterwards but is a completely different kind of story. The same creatures and remades and all are here but this is a very different kind of story. The story arc follows one woman, Coldwine, who had to leave the city following the events of the previous, but it really creates a whole new world/environment. I think the development of a few of the characters is what makes this book work. The previous book was about the fleshing out the world that New Crobuzon is in but never developed any characters more than was needed for the story. This book is an epic tale where you see Coldwine really develop as a person and the environment of Armada becomes such a rich and interesting part of the story. As with Perdido Station, the actual climax is not that interesting but somehow you do not really care.

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.

This is fantastic book. It contains the striking originality of Perdido Street Station, the multitude of races, the unique setting, complex plot & themes, and great writing. While Perdido was about New Crobuzon, The Scar is about Armada but it is also about the world of Bas-Lag. Rather than keeping you within the confines of a city, The Scar takes you across the ocean to strange islands and to fantastic places like nothing Ive ever come across. Therein lies Mievilles unparalelled strength. He has the ability to take the reader to new realms to look at overwrought thing like vampires, wizards, monsters, and even epic fantasy in new ways. I said that it was a lesser book than Perdido Street Station. I can only qualify that by saying that Bellis Coldwine isnt the hero that Isaac was, the plot wasnt as gripping as the slake-moths, and ultimately that I was already familiar with Bas-Lag.