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Perhaps. jh Send a noteboard - 06/12/2009 11:38:20 PM
What, in your mind, made it a better story than Perdido Street Station? Less worldbuilding? The more pronounced criticism of capitalism? I'm genuinely curious; your opinion isn't one I've seen before.


Doesn't take 100-150 pages for the story to get moving full-force plus the tragic nature of the story was done better here than in his other works.


I've attempted to read it at least 3 times now, getting a hundred+ pages each time, and losing interest. It's too unevenly paced. Unbalanced in tone. Can't decide what it wants to be.


I certainly don't agree, the pace of the Scar is more evenly distributed than PSS... It's been a few years since I read them, but it made much more sense than PSS. The story is told with a certain disconnect, but flows more readily as you read it - it is a stark contrast to PSS, which is much more disjointed and moving in different directions suddenly. The somewhat tighter focus of the Scar does not in the same way digress into irrelevant details about the world-building which I am sure Mr. Mièville is most proud of. Also, the plot is somewhat more logical, and less of a horror story, which I am sure is part of the whole thing.
"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world" - Calvin.
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Oh, and since I urged a few in another thread to read more standalones, here's a list of them - 06/12/2009 06:53:21 AM 1178 Views
You didn't mention Perdido Street Station. I'm shocked! *NM* - 06/12/2009 07:21:05 AM 281 Views
I thought The Scar was a better story - 06/12/2009 07:40:38 AM 695 Views
I find that surprising. - 06/12/2009 08:58:41 AM 689 Views
Really? It's a very widespread opinion. - 06/12/2009 04:28:56 PM 702 Views
Exactly. *NM* - 06/12/2009 06:20:40 PM 281 Views
It's a stronger story - 06/12/2009 09:13:40 PM 672 Views
The Scar is weaker. - 06/12/2009 11:24:47 PM 670 Views
Perhaps. - 06/12/2009 11:38:20 PM 688 Views
Standalones sounds good *bookmarks* *NM* - 06/12/2009 11:59:12 AM 290 Views
I am disappointed - 06/12/2009 01:34:15 PM 690 Views
Because it wasn't as enjoyable as the 50 I did list? - 06/12/2009 09:11:05 PM 640 Views
I wouldn't hesitate to rate it above The Scar for example. - 06/12/2009 09:13:23 PM 609 Views
And I wouldn't - 06/12/2009 09:15:14 PM 657 Views
Re: And I wouldn't - 06/12/2009 09:17:03 PM 648 Views
Perhaps - 06/12/2009 09:28:25 PM 771 Views
Wow! Thanks. Part of my biggest problem in trying out new fiction is that... - 06/12/2009 08:46:29 PM 622 Views
You're welcome - 06/12/2009 09:12:12 PM 631 Views
Exactly *NM* - 08/12/2009 08:47:39 AM 291 Views
yikes... only read 3 of them... *NM* - 07/12/2009 07:52:15 AM 285 Views
All of four, though a few of those are wish-list/ haven't read. *NM* - 07/12/2009 08:07:28 PM 288 Views

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