Railsea

By: China Miéville

Narrated by: Jonathan Cowley

On board the moletrain Medes, Sham Yes ap Soorap watches in awe as he witnesses his first moldywarpe hunt: the giant mole bursting from the earth, the harpoonists targeting their prey, the battle resulting in one’s death and the other’s glory. But no matter how spectacular it is, Sham can't shake the sense that there is more to life than traveling the endless rails of the railsea–even if his captain can think only of the hunt for the ivory-coloured mole she’s been chasing since it took her arm all those years ago. When they come across a wrecked train, at first it's a welcome distraction. But what Sham finds in the derelict—a series of pictures hinting at something, somewhere, that should be impossible—leads to considerably more than he'd bargained for. Soon he's hunted on all sides, by pirates, trainsfolk, monsters and salvage-scrabblers. And it might not be just Sham's life that's about to change. It could be the whole of the railsea.

From China Miéville comes a novel for readers of all ages, a gripping and brilliantly imagined take on Herman Melville's Moby-Dick that confirms his status as "the most original and talented voice to appear in several years." (Science Fiction Chronicle)

Critic reviews

“Other names besides [Herman] Melville’s will surely come to mind as you read this thrilling tale—there’s Dune’s Frank Herbert. . . . But in this, as in all of his works, Miéville has that special knack for evoking other writers even while making the story wholly his own.”—Los Angeles Times

“[Miéville] gives all readers a lot to dig into here, be it emotional drama, Godzilla-esque monster carnage, or the high adventure that comes only with riding the rails.”—USA Today

“Superb . . . massively imaginative.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Riveting . . . a great adventure.”—NPR

“Wildly inventive . . . Every sentence is packed with wit.”—The Guardian (London)

China, not my cup of tea

Had a hard time diving into this one... For those of you that read the book you might get my little joke... Hard time diving in?

Best Character is the Bat

I would recommend this book to someone who hasn’t read China Mieville before. The world building is interesting, and the story is a cute adventure pastiche, but the cast of characters are a bit flat, and having read his other works: Embassytown, The City and the City, The Bas-Lag trilogy, this one seems insubstantial in comparison. The narration lacks energy. The delivery is awkward.

Giant Moles

What did you like best about Railsea? What did you like least?

A true world unlike earth, but slightly similar. Plus all the unfinished avenues of thought waiting to be pursued. Really a mind engaging story.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

No recommendations.

Have you listened to any of Jonathan Cowley’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Not applicable

Do you think Railsea needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Yes. To continue the exploration of the unknown parts of that world.

Any additional comments?

Very enjoyable book. Would like a series.

Sci-fi Western

Railsea by China Mieville reads almost like a sci-fi western. It's like Moby Dick on a train on land. Almost reminds me of that classic 70's movie, Mad Max, on the railroad tracks traveling to some broken universal.

I am addictive to this author, but Railsea is a bit different from what I'm used to. It feels like that he wrote this one for a younger audience. but it is still very good. I just enjoyed the entire concept of the trains and mole. Trying to conquer some kind of land creature using harpoons is crazy idea, but it really works.

Instant classic

What made the experience of listening to Railsea the most enjoyable?

The voice acting and story combined with the story telling and reader's ability to make characters distinct.

What other book might you compare Railsea to and why?

Moby Dick, Treasure Island, Howl's Moving Castle, and Kidnapped to name a few. The story blends various aspects and tropes of these ideological worlds and settings and makes a comparison to and contrast to each. Its very enjoyable how there are hints of other stories and yet is highly distinctive and very well written.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Sham's bat attacks thugs for the first time as a little mouse-sized guardian.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes and more so!

Any additional comments?

Recommended for anyone who loves adventure stories, this book really feels like that and more. It is very Diesel Punk and Scavenger World combined but the over all story, setting, and even the very description the author used make me HOPE for a sequel...or a movie adaption sometime soon :) China's other books are often set in dystopia or cyber punk style futures/worlds but this one is very refreshing and harkens the reader back to the classic adventures like previously mentioned Moby Dick, Huckleberry Finn, Thom Sawyer, and other similar adventure tales.