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Un Lun Dun
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Un Lun Dun
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19 journalers for this copy...
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 This was recommended by hyphen8 as the perfect book for a fictional character (Watson the dog) to read on the bus to London. In the end, The Lovely Bones was chosen as Watson's bus book. But, Un Lun Dun is still going to be BookCrossed as part of The Lost Book. Watch this space!The Lost Book is a collaborative adventure in storytelling. It’s taking place online and anyone can join in - simply visit www.thelostbook.net. At its heart is an animated web series: the adventures of 21st century investigative journalist Aileen Adler. There are loads of ways you can get involved and it won’t cost you anything. You can help us to write the story for the web series. You can join our special guest writer Jasper Fforde to reconstruct a stolen book in our weekly microstory competition. You can enter our soundtrack competition by creating your own music for the web series. You can produce your own animation. It's all part of the UK’s largest reading campaign: The Lost World Read 2009. We’re celebrating Arthur Conan Doyle’s 150th birthday and Charles Darwin’s bicentenary by bringing people across the UK together to read a classic adventure tale of a lost plateau, discovery and dinosaurs - The Lost World. Update: The Lost Book ran until July 2009 and is now finished - apart from lots of ongoing book rays and rings like this one! |
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Last night, China Mieville took part in a Lost World Read 2009 event. We were there, and we asked him to sign this copy of Un Lun Dun before it goes travelling. He was very gracious and has dedicated it to "all the Book-crossers out there"! We're going to start a bookring with this special BookCrossing book. Bookring AileenAdler, travelling (Int) Nell-Lu, UK (Int) karen07814, UK (Int) shakeyerbooty, UK (UK) flambard, UK (Int) KiwiinEngland, Ireland (pref. Europe or Asia/Oz/NZ) Releanna, Austria (Int) linguistkris, Austria (Europe) Feloris, Austria (Europe) anathema-device, Austria (Int) Sandwood, Austria (Int) mrbaggins1, South Africa (Int) snufkin81, South Africa (Int) Sfogs, New Zealand (Int) rmjwold, Australia (Int) awaywithfairies, Australia (Aus) Tinina67, Australia (Int) Dreamer-kitty, Canada (Int) Update, Mar 2012: the book has been with Dreamer-kitty for over a year. A replacement has been offered by vedranaster. The bookring continues: see the journal entries for the new copy. |
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Released 9 yrs ago (3/23/2009 UTC) at By Post, a postal release -- Controlled Releases CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
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Un Lun Dun is a cracking story that you won’t want to put down. At the end, you’ll be disappointed that it was only 520 pages. But, it’s not just a well-told adventure. There’s lots to think about. The way in which ordinary people – not chosen ones, not heroes – respond to threats and do their duty is celebrated. People like bus conductor Jones (obsolete in London), mixed race Hemi (half human, half ghost, unwelcome in both worlds) and hero’s friend Deeba (practical and capable, despite wanting to go home – a Dorothy without the recognition or the ruby slippers) are the true heroes.I was in London when I read this, so a postcard of the London Eye seemed appropriate. |
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My postcard story, about the Great Wheel of London. It's a true story. The quotation is from George Birch, The Descriptive Album of London, c.1896.I’ve discovered the London Eye wasn’t the first giant Ferris wheel in the city. The Victorians had one in 1895! "This slowly revolving wheel takes you up to a good height, from which you have a splendid view of bricks and mortar below you; and there is just that touch of danger which always gives piquancy to pleasure, that perhaps it may stop, and refuse to go on, and its patrons may have to be fed on buns and soda water by venturesome sailors." The Great Wheel did in fact get stuck for 4 ½ hours in May 1896, while the London Eye broke down for an hour in March 2008. In the 21st Century there were "comfort packs with water, blankets and glucose tablets" rather than buns, soda water, and venturesome sailors. I know which I’d prefer! |
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Released 9 yrs ago (3/25/2009 UTC) at Royal Mail, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
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This is brilliant. I love the way Mieville plays with the standard conventions. The tall, blonde chosen one, to whom even animals pay obeisance, made for a somewhat conventional start. A refusal to stick to these norms ensures that things get much more interesting. I can’t write much without spoilers, but some small examples: cats don’t make it through to UnLondon because they’re stupid and too busy trying to look cool; giraffes are scary monsters; and the book of prophecies is, well, not much more useful than a cat. The notion of politicians scheming to make themselves look good by dumping all their pollution on someone else is entirely unfantastic, but don’t worry – although the characters' motivations are prosaic, and therefore believable, the world of Un Lun Dun is full of imagination, invention and interest. I particularly like the binja. The illustrations add atmosphere. My personal favourite is the ghost street light on p.210, containing all the street lights it has been over the centuries. (My postcard shows the building of the galleries on The Mound in Edinburgh) |
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The Mound - a true story of moil construction.The Royal Scottish Academy (originally the Royal Institution) and the National Gallery of Scotland are built on The Mound, a steeply inclined road (agony to cycle up) that connects Edinburgh's Old and New Towns. Well, it's a road now. Back then The Mound was just a mound - a pile of rubbish. Moil - or moie, really. But, it was a useful shortcut. People clambered over it. Eventually it was paved. Its name is the only reminder now that it started out as junk. |
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Released 9 yrs ago (3/28/2009 UTC) at Controlled Release, --by post or by hand (ie ring, ray, RABCK, trade) -- Controlled Releases CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
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A fascinating, skillful book that makes you wonder if the author had a set of highly supportive parents or a set who totally disregarded him. The imagination at play here is extraordinary and I have to come down on the side of the supportive. It required effort for me in that I have not read anything for a very long time and had to try and re-engage the child side of my brain. However there is plenty for adults with a lot of plays on words in various languages to be found throughout the book. Very entertaining and absorbing |
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Released 9 yrs ago (4/7/2009 UTC) at CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES: In Colchester we have: award winning designer loos, a Norman castle accidentlly built on top of a Roman ruin, a Roman circu, Home to Twinkle twike little star and old king Coel a hotel hidden in in the 14thC and bullet holes in the siege house on the front! |
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Released 9 yrs ago (4/21/2009 UTC) at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
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shakeyerbooty has emailed images of the Chapel of St Mary on the Bridge postcard, so here's the front...
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...and here's the story. Thanks, shakeyerbooty!
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Released 9 yrs ago (5/6/2009 UTC) at Postal Mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
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Journal Entry 23 by
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Journal Entry 24 by 
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KiwiinEngland has passed on a postcard image and story. Here's the front of the postcard, and the story goes like this:"Dublin has many busy market places, some operate daily and others weekly. Horse and carts are still used to transport fruit and vegetables to the Moore St market. The first sunday of the month sees the cobbled Smithfield market turn into a horse fair. There are numerous flea markets, a weekend book market, and in Temple Bar is an organic food market. Around Merrion Square the fence becomes a colourful open air art gallery as local artists hang and sell their work." Happy travels to KiwiinEngland and the book - both going to Vienna tomorrow to meet Releanna! |
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Journal Entry 26 by
Released 9 yrs ago (5/29/2009 UTC) at Wien Bezirk 01 - Innere Stadt, Wien Austria CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
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Journal Entry 27 by
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Journal Entry 28 by
I totally enjoyed reading this book!The one point minus I have to make because Mr. Mieville asserted that cats are too stupid to cross to Unlondon. My cat Isis, who read most of the book with me, says that is simply not true ;) My postcard shows Grinzing, part of the 19th district of Vienna, home of the Heurigen (wine locals) |
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Journal Entry 29 by
and here is the backside
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Journal Entry 30 by
Released 9 yrs ago (6/12/2009 UTC) at www.thelostbook.net, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
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Journal Entry 31 by
I was very much looking forward to this book, as I loved Perdido Street Station and sort of had an idea of the amazing things Miéville can do with words, and indeed with only very slightly reimagining quite ordinary things. From the moment I got it out of its envelope, I could hardly stop reading and now that I've finished, I feel ever so slightly -and funnily pleasantly- gutted in that particular way that only very few, very special books make me feel. I wasn't really aware this was an YA book before I started, but whether it was that or the more familiar London backdrop, I felt this somehow "focussed" Miéville's prose, making it purer and more brilliant still when compared to Perdido. There is so much in here, both in terms of plot and setting as in terms of language. In fact, I don't think I've ever encountered a "kids' book" so well-written. Eat your heart out, Harry Potter, Eragon and all that lot! There are so many things in UN LUN DUN I loved -- I don't really know where to begin, and if I list them all, it's going to be all spoilers. But I can't go without mentioning the binja. Or Yorick Cavea, the impeccably dressed gentleman-explorer. Or Hemi, and the story of how his parents met. The names of the other abcities. The man whose words literally fall from his mouth. The school that is Skool. The house that looks like a fist (my favourite illustration)! People's names! And simply the word Shwazzy. I absolutely loved this book, and have it planned as the present for a few upcoming birthdays. I don't think I'd really want to be friends with anybody who couldn't enjoy this. ;p |
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Journal Entry 32 by
As I think Feloris will write a postcard from Graz, I'll try and find one from the place I'm originally from. To be added shortly!(To be passed on in the next couple of days, whenever I next see Feloris.) Edit: Postcards from Wüppertaal The abcity of Wüppertaal (founded some 80 years ago in the amalgamation of smaller abcities such as Anderfeld, Abrmen and Ronsdon't) has for the last century been the capital of transportation megafauna and remains to this day under the iron rule of its iron masters, the mightiest of which is the fearsome Wüppertaaler Schwebebane, a "steely dragon" (in the words of poet Else Lasker-Schüler) which reigns above the Wüpper river with its fiery breath. The last appreciable resistance against this autarchy of machines was in 1950, when a herd of elephants under their diminutive king Tuffi I rebelled; alas, to no avail, for the Schwebebane cast Tuffi off after a short struggle and banished him and his kind to the river below, which is to this day their home. Due to the popularity of its mechanic rulers (or at least the awe they inspire), Wüppertaal is today a city with a steadily growing population of Remade; Remaking is here by no means an act of punishment, but solely an avowal of respect for and emulation of the ruling caste. Apart from the loyal followers, Wüppertaal also boasts climatic conditions that are ideal for the thriving of the steampowered megafauna: the fertile soils and steady rainfalls in combination with advanced forest stewardship ensure a steady supply of fuel for the vast machines. They are, in fact, becoming so powerful and even presumptious that attacks on neighbouring abcities such as Düsseldon't, Buch-um or Essnicht have lead to destruction and growing feelings of rivalry in the hotspot of abindustrialisation, the Ruur area. |
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Journal Entry 33 by
Just for the record: the day after I finished Un Lun Dun, I had to go out in the rain. And man, did using an umbrella ever feel weird! (Even considering it was perfectly unbroken, but still... creepy little buggers, those umbrellas!)Is with Feloris now. |
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I need to keep all the blame off my boyfriend - he read the book within a couple of days, and loved it as well. Since then, it's been waiting for some postcard love, but this issue has now been fixed, and it will soon be travelling to anathema-device. :) |
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The city of Graz has been referred to as 'the most Mediterranean city of Austria'. It is famous for its beautiful historical centre, filled with colourful houses and beautiful landmarks. It is a green city, with many parks and places for relaxation. However, Graz is, due to its location, very often a viction if smog. Also, sick trees need to be cut down regularly. This doesn't make the inhabitants of Graz very happy. In fact, it makes Graz feel like a dreary place, oppressed by clouds and car fumes. Kids get sick. Little dogs cough. People file protest with the city council for cutting all those trees down. Some want an underground system installed to take the traffic off the roads. Things would be much easier if only they knew... ...that underneath Graz there lies the beautiful abcity of Grass, the crass opposite of other abcities. All the trees, all the flowers, all the grass that are cut and disappear from Graz end up in Grass. There are towering halls under each town square, held up by columns of long-ago May and Christmas trees. Oceans of flowers flow under the Mur, Graz's central river. Everything is being guarded by giant moles and squirrels. Everything is beautiful. The 'sky' has been painted blue. All this was discovered by construction workers long ago. They were digging test tunnels for the tube, but where to dig when giant moles scare you away? It has been kept secret. We will never get a tube...but wouldn't it be crazy to complain? |
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Journal Entry 38 by
Released 9 yrs ago (10/17/2009 UTC) at Controlled release, to another bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
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Journal Entry 39 by
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Journal Entry 40 by
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Journal Entry 41 by
Okay, so I ventured out into one of the crosshatched areas that not even the police are quite sure about whether they belong to Innsbruck or its abcity, and bought a greeting card from a street vendor, using old Schillinge and Groschen that went obsolete in Innsbruck ("moii"?!) in 2002.As you can see, Innsbruck's city council keeps the Smog just weak enough so everyone feels secure... for now. You can watch it shrink and grow from the surrounding mountaintops, which are, naturally, peopled with lots of mythological creatures (the younger ones of which have started to migrate to the abcity of UNnsbruck). There are two conflicting folk tales about how evil FRAU HITT was turned to stone and ended up as a peak shaped like a woman on horseback. (My favourite version features a spurned beggarwoman's curse.) But none of these stories explains why today this rock formation has vanished and a mysterious woman now walks the streets of UNnsbruck and is beginning to pull a lot of strings there... HOLIDAY GREETINGS FROM TYROL'S BIGGEST ABCITY! anathema-device |
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Sorry for the delay! I managed to scoot to the stationery shop today, finally, so here is my postcard and its accompanying story (with added educational value in the form of hyperlinks):This is Ambras castle, situated just outside the town of Innsbruck. The name supposedly comes from Latin, "ad umbras" meaning "in the shadows". Sounds rather ominous, doesn't it? Ambras castle is the home of Europe's oldest Kunst- und Wunderkammer still in its original location. This Cabinet of Curiosities features a largely intact historical collection of unusual and often bizarre items, among them a portrait of Vlad Ţepeş (also known as "the Impaler", and – of course – "Dracula"), a picture of Petrus Gonzales (sometimes called the "Wolf Boy of the Canary Islands"), as well as wondrous relics from exotic locations, natural oddities and astonishing pieces of art and craftsmanship, things made of precious and rare materials such as coral or rhinoceros horn, and so on. Even though these collections of the unusual were considered rather old-fashioned and unscientific by the end of the 18th century, some of them still stuck around after the Renaissance was over, probably because the weird and the bizarre never really stops to fascinate us. Places like these - that have been around for a long enough time to go from mildly obsolete to outdated and then back to fashionable again - sometimes create a vortex of some sorts that might just lead you right to the abcity if you take a wrong (or right!) turn or two while touring the castle. So careful - you might encounter something even more colourful than just the castle peacocks on your travels there. |
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Released 8 yrs ago (1/22/2010 UTC) at Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
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Released 8 yrs ago (4/30/2010 UTC) at Johannesburg, Gauteng South Africa CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
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TheLostBook asked me to make a post with a picture of mrbaggins1's postcard and text as he forgot to do so, so here it is:From Johannesburg, South Africa - "Jozi" is known as the City of Gold with the deepest mineshafts on earth nearby. It's the economic hub of Africa. Vibrant, multicultural and an everchanging meltingpot of a post democratic South Africa. Come Visit - great city. Loved reading all the cards. |
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What an awesome book! I thoroughly enjoyed it. It reminded me quite a lot of Neverwhere, but is a very original story. Thanks so much, TheLostBook, for giving me the chance to read this. I have PMed jneni for her address and hope to post this book on Saturday. |
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One of the most well-known stories of my city, Cape Town, is the one of how Devil's Peak (the peak to the left of Table Mountain) got its name. It was originally called Windberg (Cape Town is a windy place!) but the story goes that one day, back in Dutch colonial times, a farmer called Jan van Hunks went for a walk up the mountain to smoke his pipe. He was a prolific smoker and very proud of his ability to "out-smoke" anyone who dared to challenge him. On this day, as he was sitting out in the sunshine smoking his pipe, a stranger wearing a cloak approached and started to boast about his own smoking abilities. Van Hunks would have none of this and suggested a smoking competition. The two men made themselves comfortable, refilled their pipes and started puffing away. They smoked and smoked, and puffed and puffed and neither man showed signs of slowing down. Hours later a large cloud of smoke had formed around them. Finally the stranger stood up, admitted defeat and staggered off the way he had come. As he moved away, the wind caught his cloak and Van Hunks caught a glimpse of a cloven hoof where his foot should be. Van Hunks realised that he had won a very dangerous game. Ever since that day the mountain has been known as Devil's Peak, and when a cloud covers the top of the mountain the people of Cape Town say that Van Hunks and the devil are at it again...In this photo you can see Table Mountain with Devil's Peak on the left under a wisp of |
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Released 8 yrs ago (8/28/2010 UTC) at To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
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Thanks everyone! I loved this strange story!**From back of postcard** Kia Ora (Hello) From the abcity of Christchurch! On the 4th September the smog attacked via fault-lines in the earth. It caused a huge 7.1 magnitude earthquake! So at 4.35 in the morning people were woken from their sleep. Many of the older moil houses collapsed or semi-collapsed and one 'car' was crushed by falling moil!! No one died but many injured, so this smog attack failed. All unbrellas have been turned into rebrellas incase they try to help the smog in another attack. All water is boiled incase of contamination. Beware other abcities of similar smog attacks! Stay Safe! NB***Our native citizens like the Kiwi are not to be confused with smog-formed smoglodytes. |
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Released 8 yrs ago (9/10/2010 UTC) at Christchurch, Canterbury New Zealand CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
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Journal Entry 57 by
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Journal Entry 58 by
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Journal Entry 59 by
I really enjoyed this book - postcard text is below. I will pass on to awaywithfairies at the Sydney Unconvention next weekend.cheers! RMJWOLD This post card is large – like Australia itself. G’day from the abcity of Canberra. I must say the bureaucrats in Un Lun Dun give Canberran’s a bad name! Canberra is considered a bureaucratic government town that is boring and serious. But it is anything but. It is a planned city, with parklands, lakes, national museums and art galleries. The people of Canberra are the best educated, sportiest and highest paid. I feel privileged to live in such a great place, with our clean air and water. Very little smog here. |
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Journal Entry 60 by
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Journal Entry 61 by
An imaginative story. Not my usual reading fare but I enjoyed it. The illustrations were a delight. My favourite are the piranhas on page 323!My postcard depicts the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The message: Settled in 1788, Sydney is Australia's oldest city. Many of the earliest settlers were convicts and the soldiers assigned to guard them. In 2010, the population is now over 4 million and is the country's largest city. It's most famous landmarks are the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. |
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Journal Entry 62 by
Released 8 yrs ago (11/17/2010 UTC) at Sydney, New South Wales Australia CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
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I really enjoyed this book - a bit of everything: Alice, Narnia, Roald Dahl, Fairy Tale...and a great and easy and entertaining read.Must admit I would have never come on the idea to read this book ...so - thanks for including me. I am not really living at the Gold Coast - but there are'nt any postcards of my area. If you are really curious about where I live: Cabbage Tree Point I will send it on asap. |
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Released 7 yrs ago (12/2/2010 UTC) at Gold Coast, Queensland Australia CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
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