Blackfish City

A Novel

By: Sam J. Miller

Narrated by: Vikas Adam

“Miller gives us an incisive and beautifully written story of love, revenge, and the power (and failure) of family in a scarily plausible future. Blackfish City simmers with menace and heartache, suspense and wonder. Plus, it has lots of action and a great cast of characters. Not to mention an orca and a polar bear!” —Ann Leckie, New York Times bestselling author and winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Clarke Awards

After the climate wars, a floating city is constructed in the Arctic Circle, a remarkable feat of mechanical and social engineering, complete with geothermal heating and sustainable energy. The city’s denizens have become accustomed to a roughshod new way of living, however, the city is starting to fray along the edges—crime and corruption have set in, the contradictions of incredible wealth alongside direst poverty are spawning unrest, and a new disease called “the breaks” is ravaging the population.

When a strange new visitor arrives—a woman riding an orca, with a polar bear at her side—the city is entranced. The “orcamancer,” as she’s known, very subtly brings together four people—each living on the periphery—to stage unprecedented acts of resistance. By banding together to save their city before it crumbles under the weight of its own decay, they will learn shocking truths about themselves.

Blackfish City is a remarkably urgent—and ultimately very hopeful—novel about political corruption, organized crime, technology run amok, the consequences of climate change, gender identity, and the unifying power of human connection.

boring slog with some great concepts

I've picked it up several times and I still can't finish it. in spurts of truly enjoyable storytelling is intermingled some genuinely tedious oration. Furthermore, yes, the worldbuilding is great but inconsistent. for example, it's cold you are informed, but other than being told that, it doesn't much exist in the characters senses. When you live in the cold, from chills to chilblains, it is ever present discomfort. I will probably try to pick it up again in a few months because the premise is undeniably fertile ground.

loved it. loved the story. loved the characters

so good. such a great story. i need seven more words to finish this review.

stunning, beautiful, hard to pin down.

After oil wars, water wars, genocides, refugee, there's a bloodstained city in the arctic sea.

Decent SF, So-So Cli-Fi

The reader was very good. The novel had a lot of interesting ideas, but wasn't done well. it started slowly with much confusion. It ended hurriedly with much confusion. The climate apocalypse was not convincing, nor powerful. The LGBT perspective added value but also was annoying, partially because it wasn't handled in enough depth.

Blew Me Away

I loved how the author imagines a future so connected to our present, and connected to our humanity. Blackfish City is writhing with personalities, political intrigue, and medical mysteries. From intimate scenes to epic ones, the author pulls you right in. This is SF with a heart as big as the Arctic Circle. Fans of Pullman should definitely check this out.