New York 2140 truly is a document of hope as much as dread and despair. New York 2140 stands as the first major science fictional artifact of the Trump era, anticipating even in its articulation of the conditions of victory the fragility of progress and the likelihood of reversal. It is undeniably clear that Robinson’s project has become the construction of a huge metatextual history of the future, not unlike those sagas imagined by Asimov or Heinlein in the Golden Age of Science Fiction. We gave this title the codes DRG, UTP, ECO, POL, NFW, HDS with an average rating of 4.At times, the book actually felt a bit over-researched to me, with too many characters talking about what used to be at this site or that, before the flood, but I came to understand that this was not simply as-you-know-Bob overexposition it was also a token of the immense trauma they and everyone in Future New York is still living through. Please add any additional thoughts or comments you may have about New York 2140. Perhaps the first and second pulse slowed down the development of technology.

It could have been 40 years in the future instead of 120.

This didn’t seem like science fiction – there were new technologies, but nothing radical.

The author did a great job of adding details – showing tiny phenomena.

The book had three themes: a love letter to New York, climate change, and economic justice.

Why did the author choose to have Inspector Gen refer to her female co-worker by a first name and a male co-worker by a last name?.

The book could have been shorter – the concept was good, but the book was a little clunky.

It would have helped to have maps of the city – perhaps before and after the pulse events.

The Citizen chapters were data dumps – the information could have been woven into the story.

Interesting that he was the only character in first person

Franklin began to evolve as the story went on – he started to care.

Stephan and Roberto were dumb and brilliant… typical “you don’t own us” kids.

The polar bear sequence didn’t make a lot of sense – the bears would have needed separate cages. Why did Amelia open the door?.

The explanations of financial machinations were a little like string theory to me – there was a little too much explanation.

Through the eyes of the varied inhabitants of one building, Kim Stanley Robinson shows us how one of our great cities will change with the rising tides. Though changed forever.Įvery street became a canal. The waters rose, submerging New York City.īut the residents adapted and it remained the bustling, vibrant metropolis it had always been.

New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson