It's 2050 and climate change has decimated much of the world. A group of American investors are secretly planning to build far up in the Canadian North. That's the basic premise - but there's so much more.
The cast of characters is very different and gives us varying points of view. The investor, the architect, his foreman, the diggers, the six sex workers that were flown in, an English teacher, the 'locals' and women soldiers living in a nearby Cold War-era climate research station. I thought to myself, how in the world will all these players be tied together? They are though - in a devilishly clever plot.
Sterling examines the reasons of each player, what they want, what they need and how they're going to get it. I have to say that I found White Alice's 'whys' and 'hows' were the ones that intrigued me the most.
There's loads of social commentary in Camp Zero. The stakes are high with the rich building enclaves for themselves, staffed by the lower classes. The blithe idea that they are entitled to the land and it's natural resources. Their own comfort and needs trumps all. Even as the planet is dying.
Camp Zero's storyline kept me eagerly turning pages as the action and danger is ramped up on the way to the final pages. The ending was not what I had hoped for - but seems to fit the narrative better.
Camp Zero checked a lot of boxes for this reader - a believable dystopian setting (loved the abandoned mall), interesting characters, a plausible plot and great writing. I look forward to Sterling's next book. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Camp Zero.
