skybridge

marcoalmada.com · @marcoalmada.com@bridge.neodb.net

Rated The Ministry for the Future 8/10

I had not read anything by Kim Stanley Robinson before, but lots of people with shared interests hold him in high regard, so this seemed a good place to start. Overall, this was a good idea, as the author presents a very imaginative treatment of climate change that is hopeful without becoming a caricature. <br/><br/>The writing was a little tiresome at certain points, without much in terms of character development, so it was difficult to get through the almost 600 pages of narrative. I am also not really sanguine about some of the aspects that were clearly meant as utopian. Nevertheless, I like how the narrative structure of using different elements as chapters — not just changing the narrator, but using some chapters as infodumps or even presenting some chapters from the "point of view" of inanimate beings or abstract concepts (in particular, there is a carbon-centric chapter that gives an interesting spin on Primo Levi's short story). <br/><br/>And, even though I am unconvinced by some of the technological and social development presented in the narrative, such as the impact of blockchain technologies, I deeply respect that Robinson has dared to explore creative solutions while avoiding the trap of monocausal reasoning. There is no silver bullet that will get us out of a climate crisis, and this book does an excellent job of showing how any solution would have to come from the combination of various efforts. So, if you are interested in climate fiction, this book will be a rewarding experience.

#book

Published 2026-08-19 08:14 UTC · bridged from Atmosphere