Book review: ‘The Water Knife’ envisions a future where water is more precious than gold
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"THE WATER KNIFE," by Paolo Bacigalupi, Alfred A. Knopf, $25.95, 371 pages (f)
"The Water Knife," a new novel by Paolo Bacigalupi, takes place in the not-too-distant future where climate change has created a shortage of water in most of the western U.S. While all the states are struggling, the ones most affected by the shortage are Nevada, Arizona and California.
Leaders of these three states are locked in a battle for the shrinking resources of the Colorado River. What starts as a legal battle soon becomes a war with militias and national guard troops guarding water sources and defending borders to keep out refugees from other states.
Enter Angel Velasquez, a water knife whose job it is to cut off the water resources of people and communities who can no longer pay their bills, or of those who interfere with the water needs of his employer, the Southern Nevada Water Authority.
Angel's boss, Catherine Case, is a successful developer and head of the SNWA. She is building luxurious arcology developments where the rich can escape the dying world and live in lush, green indoor environments filled with waterfalls and exotic plants.
When Case hears stories of a possible new water resource discovered in Arizona, she sends Angel to Phoenix to investigate. Angel soon discovers Phoenix is dying as more and more housing projects are cut off from water and people are left homeless. Large numbers of Arizona and Texas refugees are living in tents next to Red Cross relief pumps so they can access water.
While in Phoenix, Angel meets a hardcore journalist named Lucy Monroe, who has been writing about the violence and destruction destroying the city. He also meets a young Texas refugee named Maria Villarosa, who is fighting to escape Phoenix's destructive world before it destroys her. 
"The Water Knife" is a well-written book with an interesting plot and characters but it is also a dark and somewhat depressing look at what humanity could become if water became scarce.
"The Water Knife" has a large amount of described violence, including torture, and has explicit language, sexual dialogue and described sexual content.
Steve Larson spends his free time writing and practicing photography. He also enjoys spending time outdoors.
