Iron Council - Outside of a Dog

English language

Published April 9, 2004

ISBN:: 9780345478542

(1 review)

Iron Council (2004) is a weird fantasy novel by the British writer China Miéville, his third set in the Bas-Lag universe, following Perdido Street Station (2000) and The Scar (2002). In addition to the steampunk influences shared by its predecessors, Iron Council draws several elements from the western genre. Iron Council is one of China Miéville's most overtly political novels, being strongly inspired by the anti-globalization movement, and tackling issues such as imperialism, corporatism, terrorism, racial hatred, homosexuality, culture shock, labour rights and war. The novel won the Arthur C. Clarke and Locus Awards in 2005, and was also nominated for the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards the same year.

5 editions

Aneel reviewed Iron Council (New Crobuzon, #3) by China Miéville

Review of 'Iron Council (New Crobuzon, #3)' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Dave got me a signed copy when Miéville from was in town. I'm sad I missed that.

I really enjoy the way Miéville's books in this world have characters who experiment with the way magic works. I like fantasy novels where the author has come up with an intricate, consistent cosmology to explain the magical effects that make their worlds unlike ours. (Maybe books that have this quality are really SF, rather than Fantasy...)

Usually, this cosmology is presented from a medieval perspective: the classical ancient civilizations had it all figured out, and their wisdom is passed down through ritual and lore. We, the readers, are presented the whole thing as a complete system.

That's interesting for itself, but Miéville offers an alternative: a researcher who sees a strange effect and tries to figure out how it works through trial and error. A discoverer, rather than a receiver of wisdom. …

Dave got me a signed copy when Miéville from was in town. I'm sad I missed that.

I really enjoy the way Miéville's books in this world have characters who experiment with the way magic works. I like fantasy novels where the author has come up with an intricate, consistent cosmology to explain the magical effects that make their worlds unlike ours. (Maybe books that have this quality are really SF, rather than Fantasy...)

Usually, this cosmology is presented from a medieval perspective: the classical ancient civilizations had it all figured out, and their wisdom is passed down through ritual and lore. We, the readers, are presented the whole thing as a complete system.

That's interesting for itself, but Miéville offers an alternative: a researcher who sees a strange effect and tries to figure out how it works through trial and error. A discoverer, rather than a receiver of wisdom. This presentation of magic as science appeals to me, and the incompleteness of the picture makes me want to read more about this world.