Month 21: New Crobuzon and New Orleans

Month 21 of 260 (8.08 percent)

Size of list: 84,625 pages (8.8 percent greater than starting size)

Pages read: 10,855 (12.83 percent)

H-list: 2,865/23,122 (12.39 percent)

N-list: 3,857/36,694 (10.78 percent)

O-list: 4,033/24,809 (16.26 percent)

Finished: Perdido Street Station

Reading: A Case of Conscience

Added: The Obelisk Gate, The Scar, All the Birds in the Sky

I moved Perdido Street Station up on the list because in a book I read last year, A Trip to the Stars, Mala takes an apartment on Perdido Street in New Orleans. Well, if this book takes place in New Orleans, I'm the only one who believes it. It's a far-future post-apocalyptic multi-racial/species magical fantasy, that at times felt like a fantasy version of Infinite Jest. I quite enjoyed it, although I enjoyed the worldbuilding more than the plot, and unlike Infinite Jest it dragged a bit in the final third, as the plot was taken care of. The final chapter ties up one loose end and throws a haymaker, and I loved it. It was definitely good enough to add the sequel to my list.

The book was on the list because it was recommended in the D&D Inspirational Reading list, and it got me thinking about a game set in a single sprawling city. The icons of 13th Age would be great for something like that, with the Emperor, the Archmage, the Crusader, the Priestess, the Prince of Shadows, the Lich King and the Diabolist all representing factions within a city. I'd toss out the race-specific leaders and replace the High Druid with a lord of the sewers, maybe a Rat King or something. 

I added The Obeslisk Gate because it won the Hugo, and I added All the Birds in the Sky because it was a close second -- actually getting more first-choice ballots -- and I love Charlie Jane Anders anyway.

Time to read more!