I'm always interested in responses like this to any fantasy / science fiction programme. As someone who just watches for entertainment and doesn't expect any verisimilitude I never even consider issues like this to be a problem, they don't even cross my mind. I think it would ruin my enjoyment of the show to be…

Ah, that might be it then. I read it in my mid-twenties after having read Lord of the Rings a few times and just found it incredibly annoying.

The interesting thing for me is what I'd class as a "loved" book. While I have lots of books I remember fondly from my youth - Swallows and Amazons, Little House on the Prairie, Stig of the Dump and many more - I'd only class something as loved if I re-read it fairly regularly.

The Bible: Part II was a blatant copy of Life of Brian though.

Is that part of the series where the first book is a huge rip-off of Lord of the Rings? I might be misremembering but I'm sure it was that.

Thanks! It was next on the list, but I've somehow started Nicholas Nickleby, not sure how that happened!

That's a bit unfair on @avclub-c305906bce98a870409f20115c7cd4e7:disqus 's father don't you think?

Are you related to vicksisamonster?

Status Quo gig then?

I can recommend Steph Swainston. While perhaps not at the same level as China Miéville she may be more consistent. I've enjoyed all four of her books, whereas I've struggled to get on with a couple of Miéville's particularly Iron Council.

Never let the truth get in the way of a Daily Mail headline!

Good to hear something positive about The Garden of the Evening Mists - no-one I know has read it. It's on my shelves along with most of the rest of last year's Booker Prize shortlist (and getting on for 100 other unread books, I must stop buying more), perhaps I'll bump it up the list!

I've mentioned it above, but try The City and the City if you can. The world it's set in is completely different to Perdido Street Station.

I'd also suggest having a look at The City and the City if you can. It's unrelated to the universe of Perdido Street Station, Iron Council etc. If you're not convinced by the style of the earlier books that is.

I'd also suggest having a look at The City and the City if you can. It's unrelated to the universe of Perdido Street Station, Iron Council etc. If you're not convinced by the style of the earlier books that is.

At the risk of poking the bear, I'm confused - why do you continue to watch the show when it appears that you hate it so much? I haven't got that much spare time to watch things I don't enjoy (or comment on them).

The Daily Mail readership hates everything if it's after the 1950's. To be honest, it's not too keen on anything after women got the vote.

You do know that the main coalition party in the government is right-wing? One could hardly describe it as socialist.

I've got the DVDs on my shelf at the moment, the only concern I have is whether it'll stand up to the uniform praise I've read on AVC. Although, you guys were right about Friday Night Lights so I'm sure it'll be fine!

If it's anything like the restrictions that "should" stop me in the UK watching Community on the NBC website, give the modify headers add-on for Firefox a go and specify a UK IP address.