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Small-Scale Question Sunday for June 23, 2024

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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I'm reading China Miéville's Iron Council. He's a very descriptive author and I'm curious that more people haven't tried to copy this shtick of Industrial Revolution-set high fantasy. I feel this book is a bit more on-the-nose with respect to hitting the viewer on the head with Miéville's (anarchist) politics which is a bit unfortunate because in the other works I've read from him it's not bothered me.

I've read all of the Bas-Lag trilogy, and tbh I think that Perdido Street Station was one that hit you with the head with the politics the most. The Scar is comparatively apolitical.

The aspect of his politics that appears most throughout his books appears to be fucking xenos.

Ehh, again, I don't think this featured in The Scar, at least prominently. I don't remember that much about Iron Council, but in PSS this particular aspect came off as rather written for shock value.

I've only read three of his books and it featured in Perdido Street Station and Embassytown, but maybe those are the exceptions.