- Remade
The Remade are re-constructed people in the series of books written by
China Miéville that take place in the world ofBas-Lag . Bas-Lag itself is a strange mix of magic andtechnology , and the Remade are an example of this. They are usually criminals who are punished for their crimes by the addition or alteration of bodyparts, which may be either organic or mechanical, though the mechanical additions occur mostly inNew 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 hadanimal 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 agaruda (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/slaves . In "Perdido Street Station ", Remades with their heads twisted around and fitted with mirror helmets were used against the slake-moths, giantinsects which could not safely be looked upon, while Remade prostitutes catered to every form of sexual perversion.Remaking is not always a punishment: one particular individual known as Tanner Sack (from "
The Scar ") was 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 "The Iron Council" they are considered equals to the non-Remade or "Whole".Not all Remade fit willingly into their low position in society. 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
horse s andrhinoceros es, the latter known as "nashorns" (a reference to the realNashorn tanks), gigantic two-storey 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.
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