"Great Science Fiction"
Although nobody knows why, the city-state of New Crobuzon
has been at war with the Tesh for years; both sides use
men and sorcery to gain an inch of land in a conflict that
never ends. Within New Crobuzon, the militia keeps a
tight control on the people, newspapers print all the
party deems fit to print, workers have no right to appeal,
and those deemed criminal by the state are killed or
magically turned into part human, part something else to
live as slaves until they die. The war is not going well and all the restrictions from
the central government fail to keep the news from the
people. Everywhere underground groups spring up to fight
the militia and topple the government. When the
government finds the Iron Council, Judah and his followers
travel to the north to warn the people that their train3
must leave the area. They decide to travel back to New
Crobuzon, a symbol to the people to throw off the chains
of their oppressors. IRON COUNCIL takes place in the same world of PERDIDO
STREET STATION and although there is a different set of
characters, there is a sense of homecoming as readers
revisit a world they have come to appreciate. There are
two main sub-plots that tie seamlessly back into the main
storyline, told from the viewpoint of different
characters. With flashbacks, the audience comes to
understand how New Crobuzon evolved into a fascist state
and how the rebellion grew into a vast resistance
movement. China Mieville is a great world builder who is
on the brink of superstardom. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted June 5, 2004
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