China Mieville -- Questions
- Thread starter Bangpuss
- Start date
Slothrop
Tight but Polite
I was going to suggest something about how, as a writer of weird-Londonish tendancies, he fits in with or reacts against the whole Sinclair / Self / Ackroyd psychogeography axis, but I've just done a quick google and found that BLDGBLOG got there first.
Both the books of his that I've read have been built on fairly traditional heroic quest type narratives, even if the heroes are occasionally unconventional - I'd be interested to know if that's a fantasy standby he considers ripe for deconstruction or something he's made a conscious decision to stick with...
Both the books of his that I've read have been built on fairly traditional heroic quest type narratives, even if the heroes are occasionally unconventional - I'd be interested to know if that's a fantasy standby he considers ripe for deconstruction or something he's made a conscious decision to stick with...
mistersloane
heavy heavy monster sound
Ask him about legal positivism and Georgia.
Also ask him why, if he's so clever, why he can't write for shit. He really is the worst published writer known to mankind. Fucking unreadable.
Also ask him why, if he's so clever, why he can't write for shit. He really is the worst published writer known to mankind. Fucking unreadable.
mistersloane
heavy heavy monster sound
Ask him if, and why, he wears or has ever worn leather trousers.
Bangpuss
Well-known member
mistersloane, I will indeed be probing him about leather trousers. And as another D'susser suggested, if he has a fetish for maiming fairy-like creatures with diaphanous wings. And, of course, which razor is the best for head shaving.
On not being able to write, I'd suggest this may change your mind: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/magazine/china-mieville-london.html?pagewanted=all
On not being able to write, I'd suggest this may change your mind: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/magazine/china-mieville-london.html?pagewanted=all
blacktulip
Pregnant with mandrakes
OK, first paragraph:
An invisible bridge spans the Thames at Blackfriars. Victorian pilings jut from the river, the railway they once supported long gone. Dangling above them on this cold day, helicopters surveilled thousands of strikers and supporters processing loudly through central London. It was Nov. 30, 2011, and two million public-sector workers were on strike.
Besides some very awkward verb choices - surveilled? processing? - he switches tense for the last sentence in a way that would "jut" out to a fucking O-level student.
Here endeth.
An invisible bridge spans the Thames at Blackfriars. Victorian pilings jut from the river, the railway they once supported long gone. Dangling above them on this cold day, helicopters surveilled thousands of strikers and supporters processing loudly through central London. It was Nov. 30, 2011, and two million public-sector workers were on strike.
Besides some very awkward verb choices - surveilled? processing? - he switches tense for the last sentence in a way that would "jut" out to a fucking O-level student.
Here endeth.
Tough crowd.
mistersloane
heavy heavy monster sound
The Doc says that he's a great speaker, and that when he does lectures he stops all the verbiose twaddle.
Ask him why he's a pretentious twat.
Ask him why he's a pretentious twat.
D
droid
Guest
Never heard him lecture. Mixed opinions about his books, love the Scar and Iron Council. His political writing seems reasonable enough.
Criticisms(?) here seem almost personal in their viciousness.
Criticisms(?) here seem almost personal in their viciousness.
IdleRich
IdleRich
The only one I've read is the one that is about theory of language and how your language limits your thoughts. I'm not sure it was entirely successful, either as a novel or as language theory but it had a lot of good ideas and it was fun. With more character development then at least the novel part of it would have been great. It was called Embassytown I think.
mistersloane
heavy heavy monster sound
Not personal at all - the Doc has spoken on a few conferences that he's spoken on too, but I never met the guy, I just tried to read a coupla his books from the library and was shocked at how badly written they were. That's all.
Ok and I kinda really hate people who wear leather trousers, and I just know he does.
Ok and I kinda really hate people who wear leather trousers, and I just know he does.
blacktulip
Pregnant with mandrakes
Mad policy, man, considering that the planet has been blessed with these: http://www.farfetch.com/shopping/men/rick-owens-leather-harem-trouser-item-10098141.aspx
blacktulip
Pregnant with mandrakes
If China turns up at a lecture wearing a pair of those and Martin Rev specs, I'll proofread his next NY Times brain hemorrhage gratis.
mistersloane
heavy heavy monster sound
They look like someone's pooed themselves. Or like what happens to cheap leather trousers when they 'lose their seat'. My statement still stands. I don't think they can be justified. OK maybe by motorbike users. But that's it.
blacktulip
Pregnant with mandrakes
Drop-crotch dysphasia.