Book Review: Predido Street Station
Let me start by saying I FINALLY FINISHED IT!! This should be noted that this has NOTHING to do with the author’s style or a slow down with the book; it is my own life “style” that consumed my time. But tonight I decided I was finishing it. In a marathon session, I read through the last 160 pages.
I will start with the covers – the left one if the US, the other is the rest of the English speaking world, I like the US one better. The other one suggests to much about the “look” and is not how I would imagine it.
Let me start with the style. The author, China Miéville, has a unique style that mixes mostly 3rd person narration with moments of first person from only one character. The genre “blending” or blurring (which I think is a better term) is great. I am not a big “this is fantasy, this is SF and never the 2 shall mix”. I sorta see them as one happy family. Either way, the lines get blurry here. He also flexes his vocab muscles so be ready.
I will not give a summary of the plot simply because they are all over, but will tell you that it is gritty and dark and FANTASTIC! I thoroughly enjoyed this work and became wrapped up in the complex characters. The differences and attitudes, the emotions and reactions create some very tangible people.
The plot moves well and there are some times where we get a pile of info, only to have it pay off later, but it can drag a momentum that has built up.
I look forward to reading The Scar and Iron Council, both of which take place in the same world.
Check out Scott’s review of it ( and where I grabbed the covers from 
)
BTW – Only 5 more books and I am caught up to Scott in “reading time”
