# Un Lun Dun, by China Mieville **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 29, 2007, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-lun-dun-by-china-mieville/397986 "2007-03-29T15:42:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2007, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-lun-dun-by-china-mieville/397986/1 "2007-03-29T15:42:25Z")
So I just finished reading Mieville’s first novel for kids/young adults, his latest work. It’s kind of like Alice in Wonderland, or The Phantom Tollbooth, or Neverwhere, or Zodiac. And I’m not really sure what to make of it. Has anyone else read it? Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Constant\_Reader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8edcca/32.png) [@Constant\_Reader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Constant_Reader)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2007, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-lun-dun-by-china-mieville/397986/2 "2007-03-29T15:45:30Z")
It’s in my queue. I just finished reading Perdido Street Station yesterday. I’m quite taken by his writing style and the steampunkishness of his the worlds he creates. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2007, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-lun-dun-by-china-mieville/397986/3 "2007-03-29T17:09:14Z")
It’s not out here yet, dagnabit. Plus I still have to track down the short fiction collection and read that. Still, I have to ask… So, was there a strong Borribles influence? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2007, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-lun-dun-by-china-mieville/397986/4 "2007-03-29T18:49:42Z")
I’d never heard of [the borribles](http://www.theborribles.co.uk/borrible.htm?31,2) before. From what I’m reading here, the answer is no. I’ve not read his short fiction collection; that might be my next purchase. I think I’m warming up to this book after the fact some, thinking more about the aspects of it I really enjoyed. I may have had too high expectations, given that _Perdido Street Station_ is one of the three best fantasy books I’ve read in the past decade (the other two being _The Golden Compass_ and _Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell_). Daniel ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2007, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-lun-dun-by-china-mieville/397986/5 "2007-03-29T20:57:16Z")
Curiously (or , at least, contrary to my friends) I rate _The Scar_ higher than _PSS_. Only by a teensy fraction, but there it is. Just like _Iron Council i_s a teensy fraction lower.They are easily three of my top ten reads in the last decade. _Amber Spyglass_ is another, and the _Borribles_ trilogy is in there too (as one book). I was curious because Mieville cites the trilogy as a big influence, and it is set in a wainscotish London. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-lun-dun-by-china-mieville/397986/6 "2007-03-30T01:38:29Z")
[QUOTE=MrDibble] Curiously (or , at least, contrary to my friends) I rate _The Scar_ higher than _PSS_. Only by a teensy fraction, but there it is. Just like _Iron Council i_s a teensy fraction lower.They are easily three of my top ten reads in the last decade. _Amber Spyglass_ is another, and the _Borribles_ trilogy is in there too (as one book). I was curious because Mieville cites the trilogy as a big influence, and it is set in a wainscotish London. [/QUOTE] Well, that clinches it–I need to track down these Borribles types. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2007, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-lun-dun-by-china-mieville/397986/7 "2007-03-30T20:45:10Z")
[QUOTE=Left Hand of Dorkness] Well, that clinches it–I need to track down these Borribles types. Daniel [/QUOTE] Definitely. It is of its time ('76 - very punk) but really good. Plus the first book has the greatest riff off the Wombles, if that means anything to you. Oh, and you didn’t say anything, so I guess you know what it means, , but I forgot to explain what I meant by the Borrible’s London being [wainscotish](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wainscot), just for the peanut gallery. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2007, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-lun-dun-by-china-mieville/397986/8 "2007-03-31T02:30:20Z")
[QUOTE=MrDibble] Definitely. It is of its time ('76 - very punk) but really good. Plus the first book has the greatest riff off the Wombles, if that means anything to you. Oh, and you didn’t say anything, so I guess you know what it means, , but I forgot to explain what I meant by the Borrible’s London being [wainscotish](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wainscot), just for the peanut gallery. [/QUOTE] Ooh, cool! I’m afraid I’d just skipped over that word before, a terrible habit I know. But it’s a great word; thanks for introducing me to it! I just picked up _Looking for Jake_ at the library today, and I just finished reading the short story “Familiar.” I’d forgotten what a sick fucker Mieville can be; _Un Lun Dun_ lulled me into complacency. Daniel