Notes from the Burning Age by Claire North
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Claire North's new SF is climate-punk without as QUITE an uber-bleak outlook as usually comes with such cli-punk SF. Lots of intrigue, repressed societies, quasi-religious cultural restrictions that summon up the monsters that burned the old world, but still enough technology going around to make this world quite interesting and believable.

I mean, inquisitors, people.

What imagery!

But what we've got here is spycraft, a tightly plotted novel, characters that are quite memorable, and enough twists and turns and harrowing situations that amount to all-out war to fill any kind of cold-war thriller. Only this one revolves around old technologies plummed from the old internet, making a wild combination of translation issues, research espionage, and knowledge-is-power inquisition versus humanist revolutionary thugs... all during a post-climate disaster where most people have died.

It is not only believable but it's wonderfully described and rich enough to make me live there.

I've always been impressed by Claire North and this one doesn't disappoint.

View all my reviews