What is China Miéville?
1.
A writer, considered by many, to be the next J.R.R. Tolkien.
His four books, in order, are "King Rat" about a young man who discovers his heritage is closely intertwined with legend, "Perdido Street Station" the first book in an unnamed series set on a world called Bas-Lag. In it, a scientist and his xenian (alien) lover uleash a nightmare on the city of New Crobuzon. "The Scar" second in the series, about a woman named Bellis Coldwine fleeing the city in the peripheral wake of the events in the previous. It delves much deeper into the history first glimpsed in "Perdido Street Station". Most recently is "Iron Council" which follows the history of the 'perpetual train' and how it comes to help out several people.
Though obscure he's won or been nominated for more awards than many writers produce.
Damn, that Miéville! I wish I could write half so well.