Perdido Street Station by Mieville

[El Dingo]

I almost gave up on this book. The first couple hundred pages just kind of meander about, describing an oppressed, filthy city in excruciating detail. The characters were unlikeable, the plot was razor-thin and the pacing was like sap flowing in winter.

I forced myself to pick it up again because you all would not stop singing its praises. Around page 200 (as someone else noted), the action kicks in. I could not put this book down and plowed through the story for hours at a time.

The end ruined it for me. No reward, no redemption, no triumph. Companions abandon each other, heroes die (or worse) and the world remains a dark and suffocating place. The message seemed to be "No matter how hard you try to atone for past deeds, you will be punished for eternity". Nice.

I think I'll skip the rest of his books.