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Nesacat · 13th August 2006, 08:03 AM

I just finished with all the stories bu the novella. It's the Mieville I've read and I have GOLLUM to blame/thank for this.

Looking For Jake
I loved the tale, especially the way it was written. It's a quiet melancholy sort of tale and it has a gentle rhythm. he paints a clear picture of the city from the roof and the loneliness as well as ultimate curiousity of the narrrator is tangible. The story ends well and yet offers the reader many alternatives.

Foundation
One of my favourites since it struck a very deep chord. It is an old belief that blood in the foundations of structures will give it strength and in many places this is unfortunately still a practise. And even when it is not bloody accidents seem to happen on construction sites claiming lives and spilling blood. This tale brought to the fore all the memories of such tales and in the end I found myself as unnerved and shaken as the protagonist and greatly sympathised with his plight. How terrible to come up against such a thing, that wants nothing.

"They are not there to taunt or punish or teach him, or to exact revenge or blood-price, they are not enraged or restless. They are the foundation of everything around him. Without them it would crumble. They have seen him, and taught him to see and they want nothing from him."

The Ball Room
You know I've always thought there was something not quite right about those glass rooms filled with coloured balls. They lie there in drifts and piles and you can't see below them or through them. Children come and they go spilling their joy into the room and then they go, leaving the room and all those balls alone. Who knows what it feels then and what it might do to keep the laughter and the bright playfulness. For me this tale definitely has the creep factor and preys on old fears perhaps.

Reports Of Certain Events In London
I liked the idea of Mieville being in the tale. Gives it an odd spin but I do believe it could have been a much deeper, more enigmatic story. It was too disjointed in places and in the end you're left not quite knowing what is happening though the photos do give some idea. It's a good premise and could certainly have been developed further. I liked the idea of renegade streets wandering across the world fighting each other for some strange kind of dominance and I really liked that the people did not notice. It had me looking around carefully in the streets as i walked wandering what I'd been missing.

Familiar
I like the way the story grows and the tight structure. But it's probably one of the weakest stories and is really rather bland and pointless. What I liked best were the descriptions of the creature and the uses it put things too. All in all i was glad it was as short as it was.

Entry Taken From A Medical Enclyclopaedia
An interesting way to tell a tale and it proffers a short sharp shock. I find myself skipping through some portions but on the whole it read pretty well.

Details
Definitely one of my favourites. The horror concealed among mudane, everyday things. Waiting and watching but going unoticed in turn. Very Lovecraftian in that here is someone who has looked perhaps too closely at the underlying details of the universe and has seen the terrible truth. And it brings out that old truth. Sometimes we never notice a thing but when you finally do it, you realise with a deepening dread that it's really everywhere. The story is built well and the feeling of horrow grows in tandem. I could see the faces in the trees, in the wave of cloth, in the cement between the bricks of the garden wall. Funny how they've always been there and been taken for granted. And yes, I too found myself paying more attention to the details of my surroundings.

Go Between
A very intriguing tale and very fitting the times we live in. Should he do it or should he not. And if he does what then? Or perhaps it's better not to? It's very real the emotions and the swing between the delusions of importance and grandeur and the sheer fear of not knowing but always, suspecting, always fearing what might or might not be. Far easier to believe in the existence of fire-breathing dragons and fairies at the bottom of the garden than to exist in this state of perpetual doubt.

Different Skies
I loved this tale for the resemblance to Lovecraft. A window that looks out upon a different place and time. And yet it is a time and place that is also somehow not only able to see us but encroach upon our world as home. The old man's home is no longer his sanctuary. It's familiar walls and angles hide a menace. The window draws out long forgotten fears and hurts. The characters are well developed and alive. I wish he'd not ended it the way he did though. It seemed terribly abrubt somehow and out of character for the old man. But perhaps in the end it was all he could do or perhaps it was something he felt he simply had to do to somehow wrest his home and life back.

An End To Hunger
The premise was a good one and I personally distrust such online organisations. However I felt that the story rambled on for far too long and much of the colourful language was really unnecessary. The language gave the story a very disjointed broken feel and while I understand that it gave shape to the character of Aykan, a great deal could have been trimmed. The ending was pretty vague but that does work in the sense that anything the reader imagine is probably going to be so much more terrible.

'Tis The Season
We may not be there yet but if the speed at which commercialisation is moving keeps up, we might end up having to own stock before we can celebrate Christmas. I like the tonhue in cheek manner in which the tale is told and found it an entirely believeable tale. A fun read this one though rather scary to think about.

Jack
More of an idea than a story I think and it carries itself on it's very descriptive language. Feels like it is a part of a bigger whole and got cut out and turned into a short story. What caught me was the acknowledgement that "people need something, you know, to escape. They need something to make them feel free. It's good for us, it's necessary. The city needs it. But there comes a time when it has to end."
I sometimes feel that this is indeed frighteningly true.

On The Way To The Front
I like the artwork but I'm not quite sure what's going on. Will give it another read and see.

Am going to read Tain tonight.

13th August 2006, 08:03 AM	#17 (permalink)
Nesacat The Cat Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Malaysia Posts: 2,649	Re: Looking for Jake (with spoliers) I just finished with all the stories bu the novella. It's the Mieville I've read and I have GOLLUM to blame/thank for this. Looking For Jake I loved the tale, especially the way it was written. It's a quiet melancholy sort of tale and it has a gentle rhythm. he paints a clear picture of the city from the roof and the loneliness as well as ultimate curiousity of the narrrator is tangible. The story ends well and yet offers the reader many alternatives. Foundation One of my favourites since it struck a very deep chord. It is an old belief that blood in the foundations of structures will give it strength and in many places this is unfortunately still a practise. And even when it is not bloody accidents seem to happen on construction sites claiming lives and spilling blood. This tale brought to the fore all the memories of such tales and in the end I found myself as unnerved and shaken as the protagonist and greatly sympathised with his plight. How terrible to come up against such a thing, that wants nothing. "They are not there to taunt or punish or teach him, or to exact revenge or blood-price, they are not enraged or restless. They are the foundation of everything around him. Without them it would crumble. They have seen him, and taught him to see and they want nothing from him." The Ball Room You know I've always thought there was something not quite right about those glass rooms filled with coloured balls. They lie there in drifts and piles and you can't see below them or through them. Children come and they go spilling their joy into the room and then they go, leaving the room and all those balls alone. Who knows what it feels then and what it might do to keep the laughter and the bright playfulness. For me this tale definitely has the creep factor and preys on old fears perhaps. Reports Of Certain Events In London I liked the idea of Mieville being in the tale. Gives it an odd spin but I do believe it could have been a much deeper, more enigmatic story. It was too disjointed in places and in the end you're left not quite knowing what is happening though the photos do give some idea. It's a good premise and could certainly have been developed further. I liked the idea of renegade streets wandering across the world fighting each other for some strange kind of dominance and I really liked that the people did not notice. It had me looking around carefully in the streets as i walked wandering what I'd been missing. Familiar I like the way the story grows and the tight structure. But it's probably one of the weakest stories and is really rather bland and pointless. What I liked best were the descriptions of the creature and the uses it put things too. All in all i was glad it was as short as it was. Entry Taken From A Medical Enclyclopaedia An interesting way to tell a tale and it proffers a short sharp shock. I find myself skipping through some portions but on the whole it read pretty well. Details Definitely one of my favourites. The horror concealed among mudane, everyday things. Waiting and watching but going unoticed in turn. Very Lovecraftian in that here is someone who has looked perhaps too closely at the underlying details of the universe and has seen the terrible truth. And it brings out that old truth. Sometimes we never notice a thing but when you finally do it, you realise with a deepening dread that it's really everywhere. The story is built well and the feeling of horrow grows in tandem. I could see the faces in the trees, in the wave of cloth, in the cement between the bricks of the garden wall. Funny how they've always been there and been taken for granted. And yes, I too found myself paying more attention to the details of my surroundings. Go Between A very intriguing tale and very fitting the times we live in. Should he do it or should he not. And if he does what then? Or perhaps it's better not to? It's very real the emotions and the swing between the delusions of importance and grandeur and the sheer fear of not knowing but always, suspecting, always fearing what might or might not be. Far easier to believe in the existence of fire-breathing dragons and fairies at the bottom of the garden than to exist in this state of perpetual doubt. Different Skies I loved this tale for the resemblance to Lovecraft. A window that looks out upon a different place and time. And yet it is a time and place that is also somehow not only able to see us but encroach upon our world as home. The old man's home is no longer his sanctuary. It's familiar walls and angles hide a menace. The window draws out long forgotten fears and hurts. The characters are well developed and alive. I wish he'd not ended it the way he did though. It seemed terribly abrubt somehow and out of character for the old man. But perhaps in the end it was all he could do or perhaps it was something he felt he simply had to do to somehow wrest his home and life back. An End To Hunger The premise was a good one and I personally distrust such online organisations. However I felt that the story rambled on for far too long and much of the colourful language was really unnecessary. The language gave the story a very disjointed broken feel and while I understand that it gave shape to the character of Aykan, a great deal could have been trimmed. The ending was pretty vague but that does work in the sense that anything the reader imagine is probably going to be so much more terrible. 'Tis The Season We may not be there yet but if the speed at which commercialisation is moving keeps up, we might end up having to own stock before we can celebrate Christmas. I like the tonhue in cheek manner in which the tale is told and found it an entirely believeable tale. A fun read this one though rather scary to think about. Jack More of an idea than a story I think and it carries itself on it's very descriptive language. Feels like it is a part of a bigger whole and got cut out and turned into a short story. What caught me was the acknowledgement that "people need something, you know, to escape. They need something to make them feel free. It's good for us, it's necessary. The city needs it. But there comes a time when it has to end." I sometimes feel that this is indeed frighteningly true. On The Way To The Front I like the artwork but I'm not quite sure what's going on. Will give it another read and see. Am going to read Tain tonight.