ILF BOOK CLUB: Entry the First: The City & The City

[Invisible Man]

Alright, so: schedule. I'll post it on page 1 of the thread for ease of reference.

Reading China Mieville's The City & The City for entry #1 in the OFFICIAL ILF BOOK CLUB (CHAPTER μF.)

For discussion on- or after 2/10:

Chapters 1-4

For discussion on- or after 2/17:

5-8

For discussion on- or after 2/24:

9-12

For discussion on- or after 3/3:

13-16

For discussion on- or after 3/10:

17-20

For discussion on- or after 3/17:

21-24

For discussion on- or after 3/24:

24-end

Mark your calendars, set your phones to high alert, snuggle up in a cozy blankey, prepare to immerse yourself in unifactionist plots. And don't forget there's a readers' guide at the back if you get lost.

[Jwar]

Downloaded and reading. I may read faster than the allotted time though. I'm not sure yet.

[D.o.S.]

To repeat a mantra from grade school: Reading more than we're discussing is cool as long as you don't talk about things other people haven't read yet

[Jwar]

To repeat a mantra from grade school: Reading more than we're discussing is cool as long as you don't talk about things other people haven't read yet

I'll just follow others lead so I know where we are at. I can definitely read this book in a week if it's interesting. Soooooooooo. Actually a day or two. hahaha

[Invisible Man]

Ok y'all start reading. Friday is the day to do all the part one stuff.

[gnomethrone]

This is super cool, I'm gonna pick up a copy tomorrow. I love reading but it's really hard for me to walk into a shop and just pick a book. Thanks professor robocop!

[Invisible Man]

Thanks professor robocop!

*starts alt account*

[popvulture]

Started last night. Also every time I look at China's pic, I wonder just what kind of industrial music he listens to...

[Invisible Man]

In every book I write, I try to name-check the most prominent influences, or the most prominent conscious influences. The Poppies were a big thing in the book for a variety of reasons. It’s impossible for me not to hear their music without feeling nostalgic, and as I said, Kraken feels like a rather nostalgic book. But more overtly, I was influenced by their whole method of syncretic, über-geek coagulation. They used sample technology, only without any of the stripped-down rigor of late-’80s and early-’90s hip-hop. They just kind of threw everything into a dustbin and stirred. It had that incredible enthusiasm of geek culture toward things we love. Kraken in many ways felt the same. It’s a book constructed of samples, and that whole idea was looming as a heuristic. Kraken is very aware of itself and its own ridiculousness, hopefully in an enjoyable way. But part of that was also based on a pun. One of the Poppies’ great songs is “Wise Up! Sucker,” and you know, what defines a squid more than its suckers?

[oscillateur]

Hah. I'm a huge PWEI fan (a rare thing for a frenchman), and I really like Mieville's books. That quote kinda makes me happy .

[Jwar]

I already started another book but I'll read this during the day and the other one at night. I've been known to read up to 8 books at once. LOL.

[popvulture]

In every book I write, I try to name-check the most prominent influences, or the most prominent conscious influences. The Poppies were a big thing in the book for a variety of reasons. It’s impossible for me not to hear their music without feeling nostalgic, and as I said, Kraken feels like a rather nostalgic book. But more overtly, I was influenced by their whole method of syncretic, über-geek coagulation. They used sample technology, only without any of the stripped-down rigor of late-’80s and early-’90s hip-hop. They just kind of threw everything into a dustbin and stirred. It had that incredible enthusiasm of geek culture toward things we love. Kraken in many ways felt the same. It’s a book constructed of samples, and that whole idea was looming as a heuristic. Kraken is very aware of itself and its own ridiculousness, hopefully in an enjoyable way. But part of that was also based on a pun. One of the Poppies’ great songs is “Wise Up! Sucker,” and you know, what defines a squid more than its suckers?

Haha nice. I've always liked his take on pop culture—I initially picked up Perdido St Station after reading an interview with him in The Believer, in which he dropped many gems. Favorite thing though was him basically declaring that he writes because he just loves creating monsters, or something to that effect. <3

Also makes me want to pick up Kraken again—I bought it and started it but got distracted and never came back around.

[oscillateur]

In every book I write, I try to name-check the most prominent influences, or the most prominent conscious influences. The Poppies were a big thing in the book for a variety of reasons. It’s impossible for me not to hear their music without feeling nostalgic, and as I said, Kraken feels like a rather nostalgic book. But more overtly, I was influenced by their whole method of syncretic, über-geek coagulation. They used sample technology, only without any of the stripped-down rigor of late-’80s and early-’90s hip-hop. They just kind of threw everything into a dustbin and stirred. It had that incredible enthusiasm of geek culture toward things we love. Kraken in many ways felt the same. It’s a book constructed of samples, and that whole idea was looming as a heuristic. Kraken is very aware of itself and its own ridiculousness, hopefully in an enjoyable way. But part of that was also based on a pun. One of the Poppies’ great songs is “Wise Up! Sucker,” and you know, what defines a squid more than its suckers?

Haha nice. I've always liked his take on pop culture—I initially picked up Perdido St Station after reading an interview with him in The Believer, in which he dropped many gems. Favorite thing though was him basically declaring that he writes because he just loves creating monsters, or something to that effect. <3

Also makes me want to pick up Kraken again—I bought it and started it but got distracted and never came back around.

Kraken is cool. Not serious at all as mentioned by Mieville himself above but quite smart and very entertaining.
Embassytown is another good one.

I should re-read The City and The City but I don't have the kindle version and that's how I read books these days...

[popvulture]

Cool, keep meaning to check out Embassytown too. Really loved Perdido St and The Scar—Iron Council's another one like Kraken that I started but got distracted before it got its hooks in me.

[MrNovember]

Quick suggestion: can we have an ILF book club suggestions thread and a thread to discuss the current book? I want to read through the thread for suggestions, but I don't want to run into any spoilers when the discussions start since I don't have time for this one.