Review of The Scar

China Meiville

The Scar by China Meiville can be looked at in 2 ways. As a novel and as a mine of ideas for an RPG unfortunately it’s much better with regards to the second view.

It was however a novel I enjoyed however, it was however ultimately unfulfilling. The books vistas, ideas and secrets grabbed me quickly and pulled me through a good two thirds of the novel before I started wondering where it’s all going.

The book builds to a climax, which it never gives and ended leaving me feeling as if the author lacked the courage to pursue his vision for that final location.

While much happens in the book ultimately the main protagonists felt uninvolved and detached, leaving the book without the gritty struggle and involvement that I enjoyed in Perdido Street Station.

Having said that I still think it is a better book than much contemporary fiction on the market, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Perdido street station.

As Material to mine for an RPG’s It is full of useful idea’s. More interesting races, the city of Armada itself, The city of the dead New Cromlech, The strange mix of technology and magic and how the are used on the high sea’s more details on Remade etc. The Possibility sword just screams to be included as a relic of extreme power.

Many of these will be creeping into my UnderLondon campaign.

If you are thinking of running a game with a mix of science and magic and even more strangeness you could do much worse than have a look at this.

Jeremy Norton