Iron Council - China Mieville

There and back again…

This is a book which sees several strengths being played out by China Mieville. In my mind at least he has a sure way of ensuring the attention of the reader; he did this with a brilliant setting in the city of New Crobuzon, pure weirdness, and engaging characters. Thankfully this book has at least a good grounding of these to make it worth while, the award of the Arthur C Clarke testifies to this, as it did for Perdido Street Station in 2001.

The namesake of the book is the consequences that evolve from the failed attempt to form a vast railway line stretching across continents, and through inhospitable land, with the aim of better economic gains. The Iron is the train and the council is formed by a collective of disillusioned workers, camp prostitutes and one of Mieville’s more gruesome creations, the remade a class of workers from criminals and offenders that have various ‘other’ functions grafted onto, in a form of biotechnological punishment. With a lack of pay and with tensions rising, they commandeer the train, and set off to get as far away from the inevitable retribution.

The Iron council also represents a hope, a dream, a sort of figurehead for the oppressed citizens of New Crobuzon, where a decadent government is seen as responsible for the drawn out war with the shadowy neighbour of Tesh. This coupled with the forced conscription of the populace, various revolutionary splinter groups, and the infamous critical newspaper Runagate Rampant combine to create a melting pot of political and social unrest, into which the mythical Iron Council is an ever present and looming focus.

The book meanders in parts as it explores the typical ‘there and back’ scenario that surrounds the journey of the mythical train of rebels, from its position fleeing through bizarre geography to turning back to the city from where it set out. We get the viewpoints of Ori a young radical idealist in New Crobuzon, Judah Low a golem crafter of some power who seeks out the Council and Cutter his lover and erstwhile devotee. This trio of viewpoints provides great angles throughout the book, as their ideals and views are explored in terms of the consequences of their actions, and what they represent.

The book is a fairly substantial one, and it certainly has some trademark ‘weird’ moments that make it very worth the effort, Judah’s reconnaissance into the heart of a marsh land people being my favourite. It ultimately suffers from a drawn out plot arch in the return of the Iron Council to New Crobuzon, yet the range of themes are still engaging, notably the concept of social change and how they affect the future and the present. An extensive debate was conducted into all the themes intertwining the book, the end fate of the Iron Council being discussed in detail, so spoilers are abound.

It is a very worthy edition to Mieville’s already impressive works, though it would perhaps make more sense to start with Perdido street station, as events do follow on. Though not necessary, it would give more depth to what is already a very engaging book. It’s not perfect, though there is a great deal of thought, and a lasting effect that is quite perfect, though Mieville takes his time getting there, the end is entirely justified by the journey.

Iron Council - 9.5 / 10

The Knight - Gene Wolfe

Our mind, in the mind of a child, in the body of a Knight...

I found this impossible to put down, now this is strange as very little happens in this first of two books from Gene Wolfe. The author is a living breathing legend, a winner of many awards, including a World fantasy Award for Shadow of the Torturer, the first in the Book of the New Sun quartet, and a Nebula for Claw of the Conciliator the second book.

The Knight at first had me confused. This confusion arose from what I was meant to be reading next. After reading what I thought was the first book and then hunting around for the second, I found what appeared to be the Wizard Knight. Mightily confused I was, yet I found clarity, it appeared I read the first of this two part series, which has been published individually as both volumes, and separately with the book I'm reviewing and the second, called The Wizard.

Right then, so with that little re-telling of my own acute slowness over, onward with the review.

Told in a first person narrative, this book hooked me in a bizarre horrible way. Several things came quickly my attention, for one, the narrative structure irritated me, it's a confusing beginning Wolfe throws at us. A young boy stumbles into a world of seven magical levels or worlds (very much similar to the ancient Nordic outlook on Reality), where he assumes the mantle of a Knight, and the name Abel. The book is written from the view of Abel, as he pens his thoughts back to his brother, its very unclear how, when and where he is doing this, and as such Abel really isn't the most reliable of narrators, leaving out details, and ostensibly wafting over important events, such as battles of vital encounters, preferring to recount in his words what happened.

As such precious little happens, the content sees Wolfe pressing into the fore the trials and tribulations of Abel as he seeks to adapt as a fully grown man. It's refreshing in how there is no straight faced plunge into a full blown warrior, Abel takes sword lessons, begins to learn what it means to be a Knight. Abel is a well drawn character, and the world Wolfe creates is an effortless creation, though it felt very insubstantial, a creation from the words of Abel, yet in this purposeful sense it fits in incredibly well. It's a facet of Wolf's writing that you really get into the character, he did it with Severian from the Book's of the New Sun, and he's done it with Abel.

I liked how he does this, because you really get into Abel's head, it's the whole point of the book obviously; it's how it's written. The first person narrative grew on me, and the adventures I was reading became ever more readable as Abel embarked on a quest to find a magic sword, and so become a Knight.

Standard content you may think, but Gene Wolfe imbues the writing with a deep sense of enchantment and beauty. While it's certainly not the most riveting or action packed book, it certainly has a brilliant cast of secondary characters, and most assuredly the prose of a master.

The Knight - 8.5/10

Batman Secrets 3 of 5, Batman Legends # 34

Dark tales in Batman’s past…

Picking up any copy of Batman Secret's will always give you some haunting Joker images, as the picture opposite testifies. This figure ultimately provides the focus, albeit an insane leering one. The first two issues looked at the effects that the media have on the life of Batman, as the Joker put his madman persona behind him, and takes on the guise of the victim, with Batman as the oppressor.

The artwork is haunting and visceral throughout, with a good amount of up close images, this provides a nice contrast with the Joker and Batman, who represent as ever disorder/chaos and order/ justice. Batman often has to fight all manner of threats in Gotham, though this time the media takes centre stage as its loyalties change in flux, it’s a clever little story as the theme of secrets crops up and how these can be used and abused, as everyone has a secret, even Batman. This provides some great scenes between the two opposites, as the interplay and confrontations get more and more charged. This is definetely one of the better Batman releases from DC comics.

Story and art by Sam Keith, Alex Sinclair, Travis Lanham, Kristy Quinn & Scott Dunbier!

Batman Secrets # 3 of 5

30 pages in total

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The time has come to stop playing the game...

Batman Legends is at the moment a very exciting read, and for one reason, war games. The war games saga has been ever present in these re-releases since about issue 24, with the prelude to act one. Since then it’s been a jaw dropping exhilaration ride, through a turbulent time in Gotham city. War games revolves around a secret contingency plan gone wrong, in the initial issue a good number of the crime city bosses are killed in a meeting, when the organiser, Matches Malone, doesn’t turn up. It’s then up to the dark knight to sort out the ensuing chaos, as bedlam break out across the city

Legends #34 sees war games continuing on parts 3 and 4 of act 3. With control of the situation fast slipping away this issue sees Batgirl, Robin, Nightwing and Onyx designated tasks to try at prevent the situation spiralling completely out of control. There is a lot of back story to this issue, which would be pointless to go into any more detail.

Needless to say this story arc is a gripping one; the fight scenes and various revelations throughout are a joy. And as it’s got so many characters in, it’s impossible to put down, as the wealth of interaction is always a plus. The artwork and everything that entails is very well put together, it’s just all so damn gorgeous, it really does fit the bill of a collectors edition.

This issue also has Anarchy (Or Anarky in American speak) in Gotham City, an interesting little piece on interpretations of justice, as a so called people’s champion practises his methods of dealing with the corrupt. Its good that they are contrasting the newer releases with some older ones, the previous Death in the family cycle, was excellent, though they did all have blue hair.

A final note on war games as a whole though, its pointless to start collecting the legends now, as the whole series is collected in Graphic Novel format anyway. This policy of re-releases is going to keep me happy for some time, as it collects only the finest DC episodes in Batman life, and they are essential.

Story and art by Devin Greyson, Sean Philips, Bill Willingham, Thomas Dernick, Alan grant & Norm Breyfogle.

Includes material reprinted from Nightwing #98, Robin #131 and Detective Comics #608.

76 Pages in total

The Riddle-Master of Hed - Patricia McKillip

The riddle of three stars...

I foolishly decided to pick up this trilogy individually; it is available in the fantasy masterworks collection as the whole trilogy though. This being the first of three books, I was reluctant to buy them all, so I settled for getting them singly, my copy has a different cover to the one opposite but it differs in no significant way.

This has all the trappings of a tried and tested formula, yet Patricia McKillip writes her books with something entirely more different. In this the first book there is a huge feeling of ancient wisdom that pervades throughout, of old tales and songs, high magic and lore that seem intrinsically linked all the way through.

I had to wait to even buy the next book, so I consequently haven’t even begun it. Though I can still pass judgement on the first, the rest of the trilogy remains to be read. As a stands the Riddle-master of Hed is an enchanting read, for the reason I uttered above it transfixes the reader in this dreamy style of a bygone world. It’s a powerful creation, as the world is very rich and well structured, though not the sort of world building comparable to other heavyweight creations, it’s still enough to keep to its strengths.

The world into which we are introduced is the remote island of Hed, that has little or no contact with the wider world, Hed is ruled over by its prince Morgon, and when events transpire to force him from his home he discovers all is not well abroad. It is previously revealed that Morgon wins a crown from a long dead Lord; consequently his life now gets flipped into one of peril and high intrigue, for he is plagued by three stars upon his forehead, and of a harp with three stars that comes into his possession.

I thought it was great first book of trilogy, the pace was well set, with their being a range of events that give it a real antique feel. There was one scene when I did actually wet myself, as something I didn’t quite expect to happen jumped out at me. This is a an enchanting book full of well worked song and legend, the characters are likable, and I found myself rueing the fact I’d not bought the second to read straight after.

This will appeal to those after something that mixes magic, myth and heroism all in one, and I’m looking forward to reading the second one.

The Riddle-Master of Hed - 9/10