The Pastel City, by M. John Harrison **3/4

Harrison is a tremendous prose-stylist, and I purchased two more of his books after reading this, even though I didn't love The Pastel City. It's a solid book, mostly because of the writing and the setting, but the plot is thin. More than that, the situations aren't explored in much depth, and the result is a stylish but ultimately insubstantial experience. I recommend it, though, because the quality of the writing is so high and because it's short, and thus not a major investment in any case.

While reading this, I most regularly thought of Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone, which I didn't like, largely because of the similarly fast-paced but thin world. Fortunately, there are many differences between Moorcock's and Harrison's creations, mostly importantly that Harrison's plot is not absurd. Additionally, Harrison creates more interestingly conflicted characters (I don't really buy into Elric's conflict about the sword), and he does a good job with the manner in which he reveals information. Although it's ultimately a thin world that would benefit from another 150 pages (or more), Harrison's style, flavor, and ideas make it feel more substantial somehow.

There are three follow-up books in the Viriconium series, which supposedly are a bit more abstract in nature. That could be good, since the plot is already the weakest element; variance in structure and a greater focus on abstract connections could add the depth that I found missing in this book.
(spring 2006)

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