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D.o.S. wrote: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

gnomethrone wrote:Thanks professor robocop!

China Mieville wrote: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?

Invisible Man wrote:

China Mieville wrote: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?

popvulture wrote:

Invisible Man wrote:

China Mieville wrote: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.