Friday 8 June 2012

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Railsea - China Mieville

Release Date: 24/05/12

SYNOPSIS:

On board the moletrain Medes, Sham Yes ap Soorap watches in awe as he witnesses his first moldywarpe hunt.

The giant mole bursting from the earth, the harpoonists targeting their prey, the battle resulting in one’s death and the other’s glory are extraordinary. But no matter how spectacular it is, travelling the endless rails of the railsea, Sham can't shake the sense that there is more to life. Even if his philosophy-seeking captain can think only of the hunt for the ivory-coloured mole she’s been chasing – ever since it took her arm all those years ago.

When they come across a wrecked train, at first it's a welcome distraction. But the impossible salvage Sham finds in the derelict leads to considerably more than he'd bargained for. Soon he's hunted on all sides: by pirates, trainsfolk, monsters and salvage-scrabblers.

And it might not be just Sham's life that's about to change. It could be the whole of the railsea.

Playful and clever, this is the new gloriously imagined novel from China MiƩville.


REVIEW:

If there’s an author that is the infamous box of chocolates, its China Mieville as he has an ability to take an idea and develop a reality that is not only fascinating but one that you could see as functional in the future. It’s quirky, it brings imaginative prose to the fore and with the writing skills of the author make this not only a hard to put down title but one that will bring in many more fans as his fame spreads.

Add to this some cracking twists, some wonderful characters and a principle player that the reader will just love to hang around and all in you have all the elements for a best seller. Finally throw into the mix the authors no nonsense style of storytelling, a spartan set of prose and developments that feel natural and all in it’s a wonderful adventure to embark upon. China really is an author to enjoy and for me, one that really makes my day when his new book lands.



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