I've heard great things about China Miéville but I think this collection is not a good place to start reading this author. It's a real mix - some of the stories are interesting but many are simply confusing or feel unfinished. Some authors are better with longer length works and I'm guessing Miéville falls into this group. Or maybe it's just me -- but I prefer short stories that have a discernable plot and an ending of any sort, which probably half of these did not. If you enjoy just random stream of consciousness and flashes of descriptive imagery without a clear story or resolution, perhaps you'll like this collection more than I did. Next time I try Miéville I'll stick with a full length novel, however.