The Scar

New Crobuzon, Book 2

By: China Mieville

Narrated by: Gildart Jackson

A mythmaker of the highest order, China Miéville has emblazoned the fantasy novel with fresh language, startling images, and stunning originality. Set in the same sprawling world of Miéville's Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning novel, Perdido Street Station, this latest epic introduces a whole new cast of intriguing characters and dazzling creations.

Aboard a vast seafaring vessel, a band of prisoners and slaves, their bodies remade into grotesque biological oddities, is being transported to the fledgling colony of New Crobuzon. But the journey is not theirs alone. They are joined by a handful of travelers, each with a reason for fleeing the city. Among them is Bellis Coldwine, a renowned linguist whose services as an interpreter grant her passage - and escape from horrific punishment. For she is linked to Isaac Dan der Grimnebulin, the brilliant renegade scientist who has unwittingly unleashed a nightmare upon New Crobuzon.

For Bellis, the plan is clear: live among the new frontiersmen of the colony until it is safe to return home. But when the ship is besieged by pirates on the Swollen Ocean, the senior officers are summarily executed. The surviving passengers are brought to Armada, a city constructed from the hulls of pirated ships, a floating, landless mass ruled by the bizarre duality called the Lovers. On Armada, everyone is given work, and even Remades live as equals to humans, Cactae, and Cray. Yet no one may ever leave.

Lonely and embittered in her captivity, Bellis knows that to show dissent is a death sentence. Instead, she must furtively seek information about Armada's agenda. The answer lies in the dark, amorphous shapes that float undetected miles below the waters - terrifying entities with a singular, chilling mission....

China Miéville is a writer for a new era - and The Scar is a luminous, brilliantly imagined novel that is nothing short of spectacular.

©2002 China Mieville (P)2014 Random House Audio

Don't tell anyone but I cried.

Even though I hated the main character, I loved this book and didn't want it to end. It was one of those books where you feel for the characters. I really did cry at one point. Lol!

I was mesmerized by the story!

I had listened to The City and the City several years ago and loved it. I began looking for other books by the Mieville and that's when I came across the New Crobuzon Series. Initially after reading the summary, I was put off since it was not the genre of book that I normallyI like to read. I finally decided to listen to Period Street Station. I became transfixed by the story and the characters. As soon as I finished the book, I began listening to The Scar, which I absolutely loved. The story seems to have infused itself somehow in my head. I just finished listening a few minutes ago and I am getting ready to purchase the 3rd book of the trilogy. I literally could not stop listening to this book. The ending of The Scar was also satisfying.

Hard to listen

The narration was not my favorite. That made it difficult to keep listening though I did get all the way through. The story is incredible which made me want to hear the end

It's good

Be patient. A lot of unique and fun ideas throughout the book. Best book of this series.

the author has grown since his first book

I loved this book and how it ties loosely to the events in Perdido Street Station. the writing has gotten tighter and the characters are all very interesting

It's good, but verbose

This was a good and complex story. However, the main protagonist has a very whiney internal monolog, despite her cold and calm outer demenor.

Brilliant

I had enjoyed The previous novel, which is not necessary to read to enjoy this one, nor does this give any significant spoilers for, but the clever use of story mechanics which are stitched seamlessly into the compelling story, is remarkable.

A weird and wonderful grim reality is weaved around this compelling story of exiles and castaways. Loved it

Vivid, terrifying and largely unhappy world

Amazing world building. And to avoid spoilers, suffice to say that China Mieville’s creativeness is on full display. Narration was expertly done but I found the pacing of dialogue in particular a bit frustrating, with a choppy beat that pervaded most of the voiced characters. This blurred their distinctiveness despite the other voice acting attributes like tone and gravel. I listened at 1.4x but dialogue but still found the dialogue slow. Any faster and the narrator’s voice would become too rapid. Still, a great performance (I am sure these criticisms are a matter of personal taste). Strong story with nice twists and turns, that is relentlessly and unapologetically miserable. Definitely recommend!!

Exceptionally weird fantasy

The Scar starts from the aftermath of Perdido Street Station, but otherwise only related by the weird world of Bas-Lag. Some of the scenes and characters are unforgettable. This might be my favorite China Mieville book.

Good story with an awful primary POV

The setting and plot deserve all the praise Mr. Mieville typically receives. The primary POV is despicable and not in an interesting way. Sometimes a story has a character who is unlikable but you still appreciate the character in the story and it draws you in because you hate them or are compelled to see what horror they will wrought next; sadly that is not the case here. Bellis Coldwine makes you cringe at every opportunity and I almost stopped the book because she makes the reader/listener hate the experience each time her part is the basis of the narrative (~75% of the time). Mr. Mieville is a better author than I thought because he managed to convince me to continue with the story despite the millennial in New Crobuzon main character.