A groundbreaking collection of stories, including four never-before-published tales, from the award-winning author of Perdido Street Station What William Gibson did for science fiction, China Miéville has done for fantasy, shattering old paradigms with fiercely imaginative works of startling, often shocking, intensity. Among the fourteen superb fictions in Looking for Jake , including one set in Miéville’s signature fantasy world of New Crobuzon, are: “Jack” —Following the events of his acclaimed novel Perdido Street Station, this tale of twisted attachment and horrific revenge traces the rise and fall of the Remade Robin Hood known as Jack Half-a-Prayer. “Familiar” —Spurned by its creator, a sorceress’s familiar embarks on a strange and unsettling odyssey of self-discovery in a coming-of-age story like no other. “Reports of Certain Events in London” —In which a writer named China Miéville receives a package containing clues to a vast and ongoing—yet utterly secret—war . . . a war about to turn a most unexpected corner. “The Tain” —In this major story, winner of the Locus Award for Best Novella, a postapocalyptic London is overrun by vampires and monsters, alien yet weirdly familiar—and one man holds the future of humanity in his hands. Plus ten other tales—including “On the Way to the Front,” a graphic short story illustrated by Eisner Award–nominated Liam Sharp Adult/High School–Miévilles novels mix Dickensian settings, Lovecraftian terrors, and political theory, showcasing a style uniquely his own. This collection, which brings together a number of pieces previously unavailable in the U.S., displays an even broader range of styles and interests. The weakest offerings are those based solely on the authors political ideas. Tis the Season, for example, is set in a futuristic London at Christmastime, and absolutely everything related to the holiday requires a license of some sort to participate. Although the story is a fun satirical read, it is not likely to be revisited. The author shows his true skill and imagination in the horror-oriented pieces. He has that rare gift of identifying those fears that flicker and lurk within the deepest recesses of our minds and dropping them down right in front of us. The Ball Room turns an everyday playroom in a furniture store into a haunted space of accidents, death, and mystery. The Tain, the longest and probably strongest story, features creatures living in a parallel world who are forced to mimic us as our reflections–until they burst free of their reflective prisons and start a violent war that threatens to destroy humanity. These tales all make wonderful use of elegantly described yet terrifying scenes, lifting them a notch above the standard horror fare. Fans may grumble that only one story is set in New Crobuzon, the fantasyland featured in the novels. Despite some of its flaws, Jake is well worth seeking out.– Matthew L. Moffett, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. *Starred Review* Even the greatest admirers of Mieville's New Crobuzon novels (the award-winning Perdido Street Station, 2001; The Scar, 2002; and Iron Council, 2004) may feel that these stories really fulfill his big newcomer's promise. Several proceed in the best kind of uncertainty, sustaining the gnawing question, what is going on here? In "Go Between," a man finds things in, say, bread loafs, or chocolate bars, along with directions to convey them elsewhere. He always obeys, until one day he gets word that his work is done. Thinking he has been dumped, he pettishly refuses to post his last find. War breaks out: the end. Other stories concern inexplicable occurrences. In "Reports of Certain Events in London," papers mistakenly delivered to Mieville suggest that short streets in major cities are temporally and physically unstable. In "The Ball Room," cowritten with Emma Bircham and Max Schaefer, the extremely popular play cage in an Ikea-like store requires an exorcist. "An End to Hunger" and "'Tis the Season" are rich, sharp satires of "free market" capitalism. "Jack" is a note from the New Crobuzon underground. "On the Way to the Front" is a comics collaboration with the most impressive penciller, Liam Sharp. The book concludes with "The Tain," a powerful postapocalyptic novella about both sides of the looking glass. In every story, Mieville's way with voice and perspective is utterly captivating. Brilliant work. Ray Olson Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved “Miéville moves effortlessly into the first division of those who use the tools and weapons of the fantastic to define and create the fiction of the coming century.” –Neil Gaiman China Miéville is the author of numerous books, including This Census-Taker, Three Moments of an Explosion, Railsea, Embassytown, Kraken, The City & The City, and Perdido Street Station . His works h