Fofo’s #CBR4 Review #10: The Scar by China Miéville
Target: China Miéville’s The Scar
Profile: Speculative Fiction, Weird Fantasy, Pirate Adventure, Bas-Lag
The Scar is the second novel set in Miéville’s Bas-Lag universe. It does follow and relate to the events of Perdido Street Station but only in the most tangential of ways. None of the same characters are involved and aside for a fragment of an inciting incident and a few expositional rambles, the two stories never intersect. Miéville brings us back to his bizarre world to explore a new place with new faces and a completely different attitude. Where Perdido Street Station was a psychological horror novel wrapped up in a fantasy wrapper, The Scar is a swashbuckling pirate yarn that happens to incorporate fantasy elements. The combination of the genres is less jarring than Perdido, making The Scar a much more accessible read. In some ways, I really recommend starting here and working your way backwards to the harder novel. You’re really not missing anything by doing so.
