The complex structure of the language of the Ariekie, or the Hosts, makes it impossible for them to interact with the human settlers.

In Embassytown, the latest novel by the 39-year-old with a doctorate in Marxism and international law, language with planetary romance are ruffled together.Įmbassytown is a human diplomatic zone in the middle of Arieka, a city that stands on the edge of the known Immer (universe). His books, whether its The City & The City, a noir murder mystery set in two superimposed cities, or Kraken, in which a talking and scheming tattoo chases a giant squid, are refreshing in their approach. Often, it’s Miéville who rides this wave.

“SF is like punk rock,” Mieville says, implying that good writing in the genre, like good music in punk, come and go but is never out of fashion. He tells me, in a telephone interview, that “it’s not been too hard” for him to sell monsters to publishers. Miéville remains unfazed by such mumbo-jumbo. Apart from hardcore readers and enthusiastic publishers, hardly anyone wants to be associated with SF.

But cult isn’t about rage, it’s more an euphemism for minority. Any reader of his more than half a dozen novels will be familiar with Mieville’s predilection for fiends as well as his mastery of writing science fiction (SF), New Weird and fantastic literature, which over the years has acquired a cult status. I doubt if the ‘monsters under your bed’ trick ever came handy to put China Miéville to sleep.

Embassytown review