Remade
Encyclopedia
The Remade are a fictional group of bio-engineered people in the novels and stories by China Miéville
set in the world of Bas-Lag
. Bas-Lag itself is a mix of magic
and technology
, and the Remade are an example of this. They are usually criminals who are punished for their crimes by the addition or alteration of body parts, which may be either organic or mechanical, though the mechanical additions occur mostly in New Crobuzon
. The Remade are extremely varied in nature, ranging from those who have had their legs or lower bodies replaced with steam powered engines
, to others who have had animal
and human body parts attached to them. The nature of the Remaking often reflects the nature of the crime: in Perdido Street Station
, a man who stole a painting of a garuda (bird-man) was punished by grafts of feathers, non-functional wings, and a metal beak, to make him look like a grotesque parody of a garuda, while a man who would not give information on accomplices has his mouth 'erased'. There also tend to be "fads" for particular forms of remaking where such ironic punishments are not specified.
Because their new body parts sometimes grant them newfound abilities, Remade may serve specialized purposes in society, often as indentured servant
s and slaves. In Perdido Street Station, Remades with their heads twisted around and fitted with mirror helmets are used against the slake-moths, giant insects which could not safely be looked at, while Remade prostitutes cater to every form of sexual perversion
.
Remaking is not always a punishment: one particular individual known as Tanner Sack (from The Scar
) is remade willfully into an amphibious human, though he was partially remade as a punishment prior to this. The Remade are treated as slaves in New Crobuzon, but in the floating city of Armada
and aboard the Perpetual Train in Iron Council
they come to be considered equals to the non-Remade or "Freeanole" (free and whole).
Not all Remade fit willingly into their low position in society. The fReemade are escaped Remade slaves who act either as brigands and bandits, or as terrorists and freedom-fighters. The most famous fReemade, Jack Half-a-Prayer, had a praying mantis's arm and was the leader of an urban terrorist group in New Crobuzon until he was Remade again before his public hanging and death.
s and rhinoceros
es, the latter known as "nashorns" (a reference to the real Nashorn
tanks), gigantic two-story creatures with drilling horns and gunnery attached to their backs. In Iron Council
, a militia strike force is transported via a cathedral-sized Remade fish.
China Miéville
China Tom Miéville is an award-winning English fantasy fiction writer. He is fond of describing his work as "weird fiction" , and belongs to a loose group of writers sometimes called New Weird. He is also active in left-wing politics as a member of the Socialist Workers Party...
set in the world of Bas-Lag
Bas-Lag
Bas-Lag is the fictional world in which several of China Miéville's novels are set. Bas-Lag is a world where both magic and steampunk technology exist, and is home to many intelligent races...
. Bas-Lag itself is a mix of magic
Magic (fantasy)
Magic in fiction is the endowing of fictional characters or objects with magical powers.Such magic often serves as a plot device, the source of magical artifacts and their quests...
and technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
, and the Remade are an example of this. They are usually criminals who are punished for their crimes by the addition or alteration of body parts, which may be either organic or mechanical, though the mechanical additions occur mostly in New Crobuzon
New Crobuzon
New Crobuzon is a fictional city-state created by China Miéville and located in his fictional world of Bas-Lag. It is prominently featured in both Perdido Street Station and Iron Council, and serves as a plot device and background for The Scar....
. The Remade are extremely varied in nature, ranging from those who have had their legs or lower bodies replaced with steam powered engines
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
, to others who have had animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
and human body parts attached to them. The nature of the Remaking often reflects the nature of the crime: in Perdido Street Station
Perdido Street Station
Perdido Street Station is the second published novel by China Miéville and the first of three independent works set in thefictional world of Bas-Lag, a world where both magic and steampunk technology exist...
, a man who stole a painting of a garuda (bird-man) was punished by grafts of feathers, non-functional wings, and a metal beak, to make him look like a grotesque parody of a garuda, while a man who would not give information on accomplices has his mouth 'erased'. There also tend to be "fads" for particular forms of remaking where such ironic punishments are not specified.
Because their new body parts sometimes grant them newfound abilities, Remade may serve specialized purposes in society, often as indentured servant
Indentured servant
Indentured servitude refers to the historical practice of contracting to work for a fixed period of time, typically three to seven years, in exchange for transportation, food, clothing, lodging and other necessities during the term of indenture. Usually the father made the arrangements and signed...
s and slaves. In Perdido Street Station, Remades with their heads twisted around and fitted with mirror helmets are used against the slake-moths, giant insects which could not safely be looked at, while Remade prostitutes cater to every form of sexual perversion
Paraphilia
Paraphilia is a biomedical term used to describe sexual arousal to objects, situations, or individuals that are not part of normative stimulation and that may cause distress or serious problems for the paraphiliac or persons associated with him or her...
.
Remaking is not always a punishment: one particular individual known as Tanner Sack (from The Scar
The Scar
The Scar is the third novel written by China Miéville, a self-described "weird fiction" writer from London, England. The Scar won the 2003 British Fantasy Award and was shortlisted for the 2003 Arthur C. Clarke Award. Miéville won both these awards in 2001 for his previous novel, Perdido Street...
) is remade willfully into an amphibious human, though he was partially remade as a punishment prior to this. The Remade are treated as slaves in New Crobuzon, but in the floating city of Armada
Armada (Bas-Lag)
Armada is the name of the fictional floating city in China Miéville's novel The Scar. The city is part of the fictional universe Bas-Lag. It is over a thousand years old, and little is known of its origins...
and aboard the Perpetual Train in Iron Council
Iron Council
Iron Council is China Miéville's fourth novel and his third set in the Bas-Lag universe, following Perdido Street Station and The Scar , although each can be read independently of the others...
they come to be considered equals to the non-Remade or "Freeanole" (free and whole).
Not all Remade fit willingly into their low position in society. The fReemade are escaped Remade slaves who act either as brigands and bandits, or as terrorists and freedom-fighters. The most famous fReemade, Jack Half-a-Prayer, had a praying mantis's arm and was the leader of an urban terrorist group in New Crobuzon until he was Remade again before his public hanging and death.
Remade animals
Animals too are sometimes Remade in Bas-Lag to suit human purposes. For example, the New Crobuzon Militia uses both Remade horseHorse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s and rhinoceros
Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros , also known as rhino, is a group of five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia....
es, the latter known as "nashorns" (a reference to the real Nashorn
Nashorn
Nashorn , initially known as Hornisse , was a German tank destroyer of World War II. It was developed as an interim solution in 1942 and was armed with the outstanding Pak 43 anti-tank gun...
tanks), gigantic two-story creatures with drilling horns and gunnery attached to their backs. In Iron Council
Iron Council
Iron Council is China Miéville's fourth novel and his third set in the Bas-Lag universe, following Perdido Street Station and The Scar , although each can be read independently of the others...
, a militia strike force is transported via a cathedral-sized Remade fish.