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A review by harlando
The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson
2.0
Dissapointing.
The premise is ok. The titular ministry of the future is tasked with fighting climate change and its consequences. As an underfunded, underpowered, not quite appendage to the UN it has to get creative. KSR gets to spin some far out climate solutions and interesting disaster scenarios.
While that is exactly what happens, it doesn't quite work.
It is sci-fi and I was quite ready to suspend disbelief. The thing that caught me was the speed a which change occurs in this world. The earth goes from a devastating heat wave that kills millions at the opening to a happy, hippy air ship and solar power future with most of California as a nature preserve at the end. He isn't specific about time, but it is definitely less than half a lifetime and really only covers the tenure of one characters time as the head of the Ministry of the future.
There are lots of clever and very violent climate activists who knock down hundreds airplanes over a period of several years to protest emissions. There are also some targeted assassinations of oil executives and the like. There isn't much pushback. The rich and powerful seem to role over for some terrorists with drones. In fact, anyone who might oppose the climate agenda is a vague, snidely whiplash sort who probably eats babies and sets fire to bags of puppies.
KSR pours a big glass of hater-ade for the west, white men, and industrialization.
The premise is ok. The titular ministry of the future is tasked with fighting climate change and its consequences. As an underfunded, underpowered, not quite appendage to the UN it has to get creative. KSR gets to spin some far out climate solutions and interesting disaster scenarios.
While that is exactly what happens, it doesn't quite work.
It is sci-fi and I was quite ready to suspend disbelief. The thing that caught me was the speed a which change occurs in this world. The earth goes from a devastating heat wave that kills millions at the opening to a happy, hippy air ship and solar power future with most of California as a nature preserve at the end. He isn't specific about time, but it is definitely less than half a lifetime and really only covers the tenure of one characters time as the head of the Ministry of the future.
There are lots of clever and very violent climate activists who knock down hundreds airplanes over a period of several years to protest emissions. There are also some targeted assassinations of oil executives and the like. There isn't much pushback. The rich and powerful seem to role over for some terrorists with drones. In fact, anyone who might oppose the climate agenda is a vague, snidely whiplash sort who probably eats babies and sets fire to bags of puppies.
KSR pours a big glass of hater-ade for the west, white men, and industrialization.