Railsea by China Miéville

Title: Railsea

Author: China Miéville
Type: Novel
Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction

Series: No
Copyright: 2012
Publisher: Del Rey Books

Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary: from Good Reads
On board the moletrain Medes, Sham Yes ap Soorap watches in awe as he witnesses his first moldywarpe hunt: the giant mole bursting from the earth, the harpoonists targeting their prey, the battle resulting in one’s death and the other’s glory. But no matter how spectacular it is, Sham can't shake the sense that there is more to life than traveling the endless rails of the railsea–even if his captain can think only of the hunt for the ivory-coloured mole she’s been chasing since it took her arm all those years ago. When they come across a wrecked train, at first it's a welcome distraction. But what Sham finds in the derelict—a series of pictures hinting at something, somewhere, that should be impossible—leads to considerably more than he'd bargained for. Soon he's hunted on all sides, by pirates, trainsfolk, monsters and salvage-scrabblers. And it might not be just Sham's life that's about to change. It could be the whole of the railsea.

From China Miéville comes a novel for readers of all ages, a gripping and brilliantly imagined take on Herman Melville's Moby-Dick that confirms his status as "the most original and talented voice to appear in several years." (Science Fiction Chronicle)

Feelings: 
This is not a book for everyone but for those that like to think and be challenged by the way language is used this is a good book for you. This was classified as Young Adult by some places and not by others. This is not an easy book to read and I would think that much of what makes it interesting would be lost on younger readers. My feeling is that because the book is told from a young boy's perspective it is categorized as such. There are some young adults that would be able to understand all the  intricacies of this book but I think it is more appropriate for an adult audience.

At a fair on Streggeye, a show of restored findings. Hooked  up to chuggering generators, a whining thing like a needy animal prince issuing stupid orders: a fax machine. An ancient screen on which enthusiastic badly drawn figures hit each other: a vijogame. (p.156)

Miéville plays with language in this story in a way that makes the reader at times feel like they are being told a story but so all knowing being and at times as though they are with the characters on the railsea living through the struggles they face. Because of the use of language in here this is not a book for everyone, there will be people that will love it, and those that will hate it. I can't say that being a fan of Fantasy/Science Fiction is going to make you a fan of this book. Nor can I say that like the intricacy of language play will help you like this book. If you do decide to pick of this book, which I would suggest you do, you need to give it at least until page 30 where much of the world the book takes place in is described. I would however suggest reading at least to Part II before you say it isn't for you.

People have wanted to narrate since first we banged rocks together & wondered about fire. There'll be tellings as long as there are any of us here, until the stars disappear one by one like turned-out lights. (p. 106)

This is an exert from a short chapter that is more about something outside of the story than within the story or a comment on the actual telling of the story. The book is full of short chapters that are both thought provoking and remove the reader from the story, these will annoy some readers but I found them intriguing.

The use of "&" rather than the writing out of "and" will take some getting used to but the explanation which doesn't come until page 163 is worth reading and had it come any sooner would not have had the same impact that it does coming later in the story.

I do not want to say to much about the plot of the story as saying more than is in the summary will give away to much and the discovery is worth the read. This is one of the best books that I have read in a long while. I highly recommend it.