The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi

 Bacigalupi writes climate change thrillers. Well, maybe not "thrillers" but I'm not sure what else to call them. In both of his books that I've read, environmental pressure creates a hellish landscape populated with desperate people. While there are likable people, the tension of his books are watching them encounter people pushed to extreme acts by circumstances while the environment itself is potentially deadly. Bacigalupi has no problems killing off the likable characters.

The Water Knife is set around the Colorado River basin and posits that the area is becoming drier. Water rights are a matter of life or death and the states have closed their boarders to protect their interests. It's not anarchy, but it's a Western U.S. teetering on the edge. The rich and powerful live in arcology projects that are ultra water efficient and luxurious. Most of the population can't afford to live in them and there aren't enough vacancies to go around. Since the Colorado River is the only major source of water for the region, several states vie for control.

The story is told from three points of view. Angel is a water knife which is a kind of spy/mercenary/assassin who works for the Southern Nevada Water Authority based out of Las Vegas. He's a reformed gang member out of Mexico and he protects the interests of his employer. While he's certainly jaded, he's not necessarily a horrible person but he can be ruthless in doing his job. Lucy is a journalist from back east who is covering the slow collapse and desiccation of Phoenix which suffers from more than the usual amount of anarchy and a crime syndicate that squeezes the population while they build and archology of their own. Maria is a young Texas migrant who is struggling to survive on the fringes. She dreams of scraping together enough money to escape north. 

While the set up was very slow going, once the three characters are in the same place and interacting, this becomes a fast paced read. It's thought-provoking and grim but I found the ending somewhat unfulfilling. I had the same problem with Windup Girl which is the other Bacigalupi book I've read. Because of the gritty nature of the setting, it makes some sense that endings don't fully resolve and leave the surviving characters in tenuous positions. It fits with the theme, but I find I don't much like them personally.

Issues with the endings notwithstanding, Bacigalupi is an excellent writer and he uses his stories to make some very good points about human nature and the realities of climate change. I will continue to read his books, but I don't think I would or could ever reread one.