Just finished "The City and the City" by China Mieville..

[Fumesucker]

I have to say that although it was well written and kept me turning the pages I don't really "get" why it won a Hugo, the concept, while certainly original and unique just didn't do it for me.

I kept waiting for some reason for "breach" being the horrendous crime it was made out to be and never found it.

Since I got the book through an online book swap it wasn't a great loss, if I had paid full price I would have felt somewhat ripped off.

[phantom power]

1. I just read Kraken, which I thought was cool.

Kind of a mash-up Urban Fantasy and Noir Detective Story. It was a page-turner too.

[Fumesucker]

2. "Kind of a mash-up Urban Fantasy and Noir Detective Story"

Yep, that describes "The City and the City" as well and I have to say that neither genre is my cup of tea and mashing them up didn't really improve the flavor for me.

I kept waiting for some blow-me-away SF'nal concept and got to the end of the book without finding it.

I'm reading Micheal F Flynn's "Eifelheim" right now, should be done with it tonight or tomorrow, it's considerably more SF'nal to me, I'll post an OP when I'm done.

[mzteris]

3. I love China Mieville -

I have to THINK! and that's a good thing.

It was just your average every day who-dunnit-detective story - with a twist - and what a twist it was. I loved how I had to consciously adjust my mind for most of the book - kind of like you'd have to do if you lived in a place like that. You don't think about "it", but you do, because if you don't, then you're screwed.

[hedgehog]

4. I find the book very thougth provoking becasue it makes explicit something

we all do everyday - we walk though our cities seeing only the people and places we are involved with, ignoring all else unless forced to pay attention.

[mzteris]

5. I wonder if that's how he got the idea

- that "hidden" part of the city that some people never (want to) see. You know, "those people". . .

[MrModerate]

6. Yeah, I'm afraid I didn't find it especially engaging either.

Cute idea but kind of a "so what?" idea at the same time.