The title of China Mieville's Un Lun Dun (published in January 2007) came from the name "UnLondon," which is the realm in which the book takes place. As the title suggests, the book is set in London in a different realm and follows two 12-year-old girls named Zanna and Deeba. When the two begin to notice strange things happening around them, they start to more thoroughly explore the world around them. Eventually, they discover a way out of their strange city, seemingly ensuring that a long-lost, ancient prophecy will come true. Things, however, go incredibly wrong, making for an incredibly mysterious and exciting book with plenty of twists and turns.
Upon release, Un Lun Dun was very well received. Josh Lacey of The Guardian mostly enjoyed the novel, writing "Although the narrative is witty, energetic and fast-paced, I couldn't bring myself to care about a story that isn't populated by any believable characters. However, for science-fiction fans who don't mind the lack of characterisation, Un Lun Dun should provide lots of fun." Kirkus Reviews also mostly liked the book, saying that "Ultimately, this is a compelling tale of heroism from someone foretold as merely 'the funny one,' and a well-evoked dreamscape that readers will embrace." The book also won the 2008 Locus Award for Best Young Adult Book.
