Sci-Fi Annotation: Blackfish City

Blackfish City
by Sam J. Miller

Published April 17th 2018
by Ecco
ISBN 0062684825
Hardcover, 328 pages


Synopsis
In a postapocalyptic future where the rising sea waters have led to the breakdown of international governments and climate wars a floating city in the Artic called Qaanaaq, “Built by an unruly alignment of Thai-Chinese-Swedish corporations and government entities,” (p. 5) is the home to many citizens who live crammed together in squalor on the lower levels of the City’s arms where they have geothermal heat, but not much else. A handful of elite Shareholders control the wealth, and the daily functioning of the world.  Until a woman comes to Qaanaaq in a skiff with a polar bear in chains and an orca swimming beside her.  An eerie viral broadcast called City Without A Map already has citizens on edge, but what could this strange woman want, surely nothing good.
This brilliantly built world weaves together characters who have important parts to play in the changes coming to Qaanaaq, and explore a future world where science and technology are not enough on their own to topple monetary regimes, they need a little brute force help.

Key Elements of Science Fiction

·      Story Line- The plot of Blackfish City has a specific and complex plot focused on a variety of technical and scientific foci- including an out of control disease, a viral broadcast, and nanites that allow humans to bond with and control animals. Also, the secondary plot of social change and power and authority within the City are all classic Sci-Fi.
·      Frame/Setting- Qaanaaq is very much a scientific city of the future. It is a floating city described as looking like an octopus with eight arms each with towering boxes that connect to each other in a variety of odd ways as the city’s original design has been “hacked” by people pulling geothermal heating from the main system, subdividing the small spaces, and building with scrap parts.  Additionally, the high tech that keeps the city functioning- including its security, is a great example of Sci-Fi worldbuilding. 
·      Tone- In Blackfish City the tone features a blend of language and cultural influences to push the reader into the sense of the city as a cultural melting pot in this post Climate War world that fell largely along political and racial prejudices.  The prejudices in the novel are focused a lot on countries of origin and their power in Quaanaq.
·      Characterization- The use of a number of unknowingly interconnected first-person characters in the novel leads to multiple perspectives of the society with layered understandings of the society.  Throughout the novel readers learn as characters learn and this helps to build empathy and buy-in from the reader.

Sub-Genre Blending: Apocalyptic/Postapocalyptic/Utopian/Dystopian-
With a postapocalyptic setting that takes place after sea rise, Climate Wars, and in a drastically different future, Blackfish City has scientific world-building that sets it firmly in the Sci-Fi Postapocalyptic genre.

Read-Alikes: Fiction
Both Science Fiction Read-Alikes are set in postapocalyptic/dystopian futures with various climate and with detailed world building like in Blackfish City. Clade stays firmly in the subgenre of apocalyptic as it is set on earth as the planet falls apart from the perspective of a multi-generational family.  The City in the Middle of the Night takes place on another planet, and is a blend of interplanetary climate-building and explores societal issues similar to Blackfish City.


Clade

by James Bradley

Published January 28th 2015
by Hamish Hamilton
ISBN13: 9781926428659
Paperback, 239 pages

                     



The City in the Middle of the Night
by Charlie Jane Anders

Published February 12th 2019
by Tor Books
ISBN: 0765379961
Hardcover, 368 pages



Read-Alikes: Non-Fiction
With the theme of climate change, and an apocalyptic future Earth, the Non-fiction Read-Alikes listed below both explore the scientific changes occurring on our planet and what a future Earth might look like. 


The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History
by Elizabeth Kolbert

Published February 11th 2014
by Henry Holt and Co.
ISBN: 0805092994
Hardcover, 336 pages

                      



The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable
by Amitav Ghosh

Published September 14th 2016
by University Of Chicago Press 
ISBN: 022632303X 
Hardcover, 196 pages



Comments

  1. Arianna CookFebruary 26, 2020 at 7:49 PM

    This sounds like a great read! It also sounds like one of those books I'm intimidated by because it seemingly has so much going on, but it sounds like in this book everything comes together. This seems like a book that could take you very far from our world.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Julie DannisFebruary 27, 2020 at 4:16 AM

    I have the same hang-up with science fiction as Arianna--if I can't keep it straight in my head, I mentally check out. Your synopsis is very smooth, though and makes me think you must regularly read and enjoy science fiction.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BC RunionFebruary 27, 2020 at 6:03 AM

      So the funny thing is that I usually do not read straight Sci-Fi. I have severe issues with technical world-building, and usually high levels of boredom with aliens and such. So when I do read Sci-Fi, it is almost always apocalyptic or dystopian. I went through about 5 books trying to find one I could handle for this assignment I made myself, and I actually wasn't convinced I even liked this book until about half-way through.

      Delete
  3. ChristaFebruary 27, 2020 at 6:53 PM

    This sounds interesting, I am not really a sci fi person but the read a likes caught my attention more than the annotated title. Clade is going on my miles long tbr list! As well as the non fiction books!

    ReplyDelete
  4. LibrarishannMarch 1, 2020 at 7:03 PM

    I will read just about anything that is advertised as post-apocalyptic. With the themes of climate change and an epidemic, this one might not be for readers who like to read for an escape...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Erin CataldiMarch 4, 2020 at 11:50 AM

    Great job summarizing a complicated plot! You also did a wonderful job of expanding on the key elements and finding great readalikes. I may have to check this one out. I'm really intrigued! Full points!

    ReplyDelete

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