16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Something old, something new, something gross to grab onto you..., September 28, 2005
This review is from: Looking for Jake: Stories (Paperback)
China Mieville at last releases more pieces of his talent in this collection of fourteen stories. Some have been previously released, and if you are a die-hard fan like myself you may already have them.
'Reports of Certain Events In London' was in McSweeney's Enchanted Chamber of Astonishing Stories, 'Entry From A Medical Encyclopedia' was published as 'Buscard's Murrain' in The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide To Eccentric And Discredited Diseases, and 'The Tain' is from Cities.
'Looking For Jake' did leave me slightly disappointed in some areas, namely the political undertones of 'Tis The Season' (originally published in The Socialist Review) and 'An End To Hunger', neither of which contained any real fantasy or horror, and the oddly vapid 'On The Way To The Front', an amateurish graphic piece.
There are, however, other stories in this collection that make the price worthwhile just for them.
'Familiar' is a gruesomely enchanting story of one male witch's creation run amok, 'Different Skies' takes a simple window replacement and shows us the kind of horror that can be reflected in oddness, and 'Foundation' will take you beneath the structures of everyday life and into a man's horrific ability to see the dead below them.
'Jack' is a nice addition to Mieville's 'Perdido Street Station', giving us a bit of background on his character Jack Half-A-Prayer, and 'The Tain' is a twisted tale of mirrors and what lies beyond.
If you are a rabid Mieville fan, you simply must have this book. If you are introducing yourself to Mieville, I actually recommend starting with 'Perdido Street Station' to allow yourself to fully savor this talented writer's rich offerings. Reading Mieville is like eating chocolate cheesecake, rich and satisfying and fulfilling. Enjoy!
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fine Short Story Collection from Britain's Finest Contemporary Writer of Fantasy, January 11, 2006
This review is from: Looking for Jake: Stories (Paperback)
Lately, China Mieville has been compared to none other than William Gibson with regards to the quality of his prose and storytelling. So I was looking forward to reading "Looking for Jake", hoping it would be as fine a collection of short stories as Gibson's "Burning Chrome". Alas "Looking for Jake" isn't the literary gem that "Burning Chrome" most definitely is, but there is enough here to demonstrate why China Mieville may be the finest British fantasy writer working today, using a poetic literary style which owes much to the likes of William Gibson and Neal Stephenson. If nothing else, "Looking for Jake" demonstrates Mieville's eclectic literary, political and sociological interests, ranging from a horror tale set in the aftermath of the first Gulf War (1990-1991) in the memorable "Foundation" to a giddy celebration of the Christmas season in "'Tis The Season". Fans of his Bas-Long (or New Crobuzon) novel series will find "Looking for Jake" and "Jack" replete with more of the same descriptive, poetic prose that are an important part of these novels. Without question, the best short story is "The Tain", winner of the Locus Prize for Best Novella, describing a near future London overrun by vampires and monsters. Fans of China Mieville's work will truly enjoy this fine collection of short stories.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The collection ranges from one-star to five-star stories, October 28, 2005
This review is from: Looking for Jake: Stories (Paperback)
Short fiction usually comes down to either "loved it" or "hated it" because unlike a novel, the short story can't throw much at a reader beyond a single plot and a character or two. The individual stories in this collection will either work for you or they won't. If you're a fan of Mieville's Bas=Lag novels, then "The Tain" and "Jack" will grab you. If you're a fan of his politics, then "'Tis the Season" and "An End to Hunger" will strike you as some of the best satire since Max Barry's "Jennifer Government." If you like his brooding good looks--which aren't my cup of tea--then I guess you'll like the moody "Looking for Jake"--which wasn't my cup of tea either and in my opinion the weakest piece in the book.
If you're a fan, buy this book. You'll surely find something in it for you. If you are looking for an introduction to Mieville's work, I'd recommend jumping right into "Perdido Street Station," or buying LFJ, reading nothing other than "The Tain," then reading "Perdido" and the rest of Mieville's fine novels.
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