I enjoy Paolo Bachigalupi but he's becoming too preachy and has gone to far down the conspiracy rabbit hole .

Perhaps it's because The Water Knife is set closer to us in time and space, I find it harder to suspend my disbelief.

Perhaps it's because I live in a country that faced a water crisis, where there was talk of future wars being driven by water shortages in the region and where these issues have become mut after the construction of a number of desalination plants. Something that requires access the ocean and energy. Considering the level of solar plant technology available and Cali's access to the Ocean, I find the hole premise behind The Water Knife a bit shaky.