nothing great about this book. some entertaining action but disturbing massacers

This book totally blew me away! I had read Shipbreakers, and I thought it was alright, so I felt obligated to read the next novel. And WOW! Absolutely amazing! Completely different perspective in this book, different issues, and in my opinion, much more powerful. Shipbreakers functioned as a foundation story for THIS masterpiece. War, loyalty, violence, poverty, humanity (or lack of...) - this book has so much going for it, and it totally pulled through right to the end.

Just as awesome as Bacigalupi's Ship Breaker. I hope Bacigalupi make's another novel bridging both the stories of the Drowned Cities and the Ship Breaker - otherwise I found both endings unfortunate cliff-hangers to ponder.

So let's start off with the statement that this is not a sequel to Ship Breaker - but it is set in the same "world" and same time period, but we've got a new cast of characters. It's considered a companion novel. This was a strange book for me to read: I found myself feeling as if it was dragging at the beginning, but also noticed I was eating up the pages. I wasn't overly attached to the characters, the way I was in Ship Breaker, until the last quarter of the book, when Mahlia and Tool's relationship really develops and blossoms. Bacigalupi also uses this novel as a statement politically - constantly reminding us that an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. War is ever pervasive in this novel, and how it shakes a world, no matter how far removed you think you are. The commentary the novel makes on the state of the world is interesting, as is the development of Tool and Mahlia. However, Ship Breaker still takes number one for me.

OH MY GOD I LOVE TOOL. *clears throat* Now that I've got that out of my system, we can proceed normally. Or as normally as such a good book will allow. The Drowned Cities throws us back into Paolo Bacigalupi's run-down world, and with Bacigalupi taking his time to place vivid sensory details like gems throughout his storytelling... what a rich world it is. The jungle terrors, the village and homes, the warfare within the cityscape are real and luscious setdrops to the action, which somehow doesn't get slowed down by the description. The multiple points of view keep the pacing on a roll where the potential for a slow middle exists; the third-person narratives work seamlessly despite the multitude of them. Wise choices are made in regards to which characters we inhabit, and we're given insight to Mahlia's determination and her backstory, Ocho's remaining humanity and Tool's all-around intelligent and brutal awesomeness. An excellent build-up leads us to a confrontation that, for once, doesn't last a single chapter, like so many YA climaxes tend to. Lingering at the doom of our protags helps make the villain more truly evil; it also provides more time for satisfyingly strong comebacks. And all the while, the themes of war -- why do we fight? Whom do we fight against, truly? -- and belonging -- does Tool belong to a master if he was made that way? Once Mouse is in the army, who does he belong to then? -- resonate in almost menacing, lurking undertones, provoking thought and demanding question in a way to make you ponder. It's a smart book, The Drowned Cities is. Entirely satisfying and steadily thrilling -- no better combination have I read yet.

Bacigalupi is amazing! I loved this book (tho' it did have one too many switchbacks in the middle of the book.). Welcome to a post-oil usa where because of the rising water levels and the lack of any gas, people have devolved into small tribal groups all warring with each other. I really liked how the 2 main characters were new -- but Tool came back from the 2nd book and it looks like he will be the thread that ties the trilogy (if that's what it turns out to be) together. Ship Breaker took place in another area of the US which had different pressures and problems. He's a talent to watch. I want to read anything he writes.

Great book!!!! Could not put it down!! A great sequel to 'Ship Breaker' definitely a good read!

Another excellent book from Bacigalupi, a semi-sequel to "Ship Breaker" I believe. (The character Tool, a specially bred super-soldier with some dog ancestry, figures in the earlier book.) This is another story set in Bacigalupi's post-oil, warming world. The setting for this one is southern North America, post-USA, a chaotic mess fought over by child soldiers led by warlords. A dark violent story, but interesting and intelligent, with an element of hope at the end.