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Thursday, April 7, 2011

Housekeeping / Books Come See China Mieville and Tomten on May 28th

Posted by Paul Constant on Thu, Apr 7, 2011 at 9:16 AM

It's been a while since we had a Verse Chapter Verse, hasn't it? The last two VChVs, with Cory Doctorow and Pillow Army and Gary Shteyngart and Orkestar Zirkonium, were both a lot of fun. We've been waiting for just the right author and just the right band to come along so we can put together the best show possible. And I think we've finally got a killer lineup ready for you.

In case you're new to this: Verse Chapter Verse is The Stranger's combination reading/music series. The featured band plays three or four songs. The author reads a little bit, then I ask a few questions, then you in the audience ask a few questions. Then the band comes back out to play four or five songs while the author signs your books. They're always great fun—a literary night out with booze and dancing.

So, the next event will feature China Miéville. Miéville is the author of Perdido Street Station, The City and the City, The Iron Council, Un Lun Dun, Kraken, and more. He'll be in town to celebrate his new novel, Embassytown. I interviewed him a couple years ago for The City and the City, which is a Philip K. Dickesque thriller set in a mysteriously divided metropolis. He's funny, smart, and enthusiastic—a perfect interview subject.

The band this time around is Tomten, a local up-and-coming rock and roll outfit that calls back to the Rolling Stones and the Zombies while moving forward with a jittery kind of gonzo energy. I think their organ-heavy music will mesh with Miéville's self-described weird fiction in fantastic, science-fictional ways.

The whole thing will take place at 7 pm on Saturday, May 28th at Chop Suey. Tickets are just $5. And you can buy those tickets starting today.

Comments (8) RSS

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OMG, China Miéville! I love him so hard. Kraken was amazing, and I almost forgot Embassytown came out! I must go get it right now! I have probably never read anything as inventive as his Bas-Lag Series or a better rip-off of Neverwhere than Un Lun Dun!

Posted by Andreas on April 7, 2011 at 9:39 AM

@1: Unfortunately Embassytown doesn't come out until May.

In the meantime you could delve into his really excellent blog.

Posted by thename on April 7, 2011 at 9:54 AM

China Mieville might be a good interview subject but his books mostly suck. The grittiness and everyone always fails at everything is completely formulaic, and actually based on a sensibility from 1930s pulp novels.

His villains are all completely cheesy and either a) overwrought or b) paper thin .

Posted by andrew

on April 7, 2011 at 10:12 AM

@2: Oh Good, I knew there was some reason it wasn't on my imediate radar. I will wait, then. And I didn't know he had a blog? I vaguely remember some stance of his that he didn't even want a website. So yay for that! And I can't wait for him to tke on some proper Sci-Fi after all.

Posted by Andreas on April 7, 2011 at 10:21 AM