The Drowned Cities

By: Paolo Bacigalupi

Narrated by: Joshua Swanson

Soldier boys emerged from the darkness. Guns gleamed dully. Bullet bandoliers and scars draped their bare chests. Ugly brands scored their faces. She knew why these soldier boys had come. She knew what they sought, and she knew, too, that if they found it, her best friend would surely die.

In a dark future America where violence, terror, and grief touch everyone, young refugees Mahlia and Mouse have managed to leave behind the war-torn lands of the Drowned Cities by escaping into the jungle outskirts. But when they discover a wounded half-man - a bioengineered war beast named Tool - who is being hunted by a vengeful band of soldiers, their fragile existence quickly collapses. One is taken prisoner by merciless soldier boys, and the other is faced with an impossible decision: Risk everything to save a friend, or flee to a place where freedom might finally be possible.

This thrilling companion to Paolo Bacigalupi's highly acclaimed Ship Breaker is a haunting and powerful story of loyalty, survival, and heart-pounding adventure.

Apocalypse now: also listen to Ship Breaker.©2012 Paolo Bacigalupi (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Suzanne Collins may have put dystopian literature on the YA map with The Hunger Games... but Bacigalupi is one of the genre's masters, employing inventively terrifying details in equally imaginative story lines." ( Los Angeles Times)

"Beautifully written, filled with high-octane action, and featuring badly damaged but fascinating and endearing characters, this fine novel tops its predecessor and can only increase the author's already strong reputation." ( Publishers Weekly, starred review)

"The novel's greatest success lies in the creation of a world that is so real, the grit and decay of war and ruin will lay thick on the minds of readers long after the final page. The narrative, however, is equally well crafted.... Breathtaking." ( Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

Better than Shipbreaker

I found Shipbreaker a bit of an anticlimax, but loved this. So did my husband (45), son (18), & daughter (15). Subject matter was gritty but beautifully written with a well-paced plot and engaging characters - didn't feel preachy or too earnest at all, though it did have a social "message" about humanity (& man's inhumanity to man), and the narrator did a fabulous job.

Too grim and brutal for me

I tried to like this book, but there was nothing in it that I could like, it was dark, grim and brutal. The book was well written and well read but just not for me.

Good read

It took some time to get into it because I didn't read the first book but was absorbed and got involved as the book progressed. Good read...not sure I will or need to read the first book tho

Another Novel in the world of Ship Breaker

Though this is listed as a sequel to Bacigalupi’s Ship Breaker, it feels more like a connected standalone novel than a true sequel. In fact, the only character to carry over is the augmented human, animal hybrid, Tool. The titular Drowned Cities are also a different setting in Bacigalupi’s post-apocalyptic water-logged world. The audio version is narrated by the same performer and he does a wonderful job of reeling the listener in to Mahlia’s story. Tool plays a more prominent role here, but the bulk of the story is Mahlia’s. It’s an engrossing book and its climax is quite riveting! The ending definitely leaves you wanting more! I hope that these characters all - not just Tool - appear in the planned third book in the series!

This YA novel, like its predecessor, crosses the line into preachy at times (though this may be more apparent in the audio format). But this does nothing to dampen the exciting plot. This sequel, too, is much darker than Ship Breaker, but this adds to the book’s overall emotional investment. It’s an enjoyable listen (read) - but its rather cliffhanger ending definitely leaves me anxious for more to the story! I hope that the wait isn’t overly long!

Surprisingly Good!

Well written story, surprisingly deep in character development for a fantasy war story and expertly narrated. What a hidden jem of an audio book!

Love my books; why are the narrators so lame?

How did the narrator detract from the book?

I let a few mispronunciations slip by until the narrator told me that "Melia stared at them duly". No, Melia stared at them dully!! This is not erudite english. Don't these narrators graduate from high school? This is the 4th book in a row where the narrators have mispronounced various words and names of places, companies and famous people. Audible needs to be choosier, pay better, pre-qualify, or whatever it takes to find people who are proficient enough with their language and culture to read a book to us with some expertise! It ruins a listen to have to come out of the story to correct an ignorant reader. Jeez!!

A little better than mediocre

This is a dystopian tale filled with the strong praying on the weak. The violence and intent of some of the characters is disturbing. Included in the story is a man beast that makes it a little more interesting but really adds little to the final product. I listened to the entire thing but it's not one I'll come back to.

Terribly realistic!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes definitely. Its gripping and troubling and definitely worth the read. This is not a light read as it deals with gruesome topics: child soldiers, war and all its horrors but it is touching and well written.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This is one of those tear jerkers and despite it all, it leaves you with hope.

Any additional comments?

Dystopian yes but very adult, well written and the characters are so very real!

Repetitive and Unnecessarily Gruesome

I have enjoyed several Paolo Bacigalupi novels, but this title was too painful to get through. The character introspection became repetitive, was more like filler, and did not advance the characters' growth. The gruesome depictions of violence were over the top, revolting, and did not advance the plot.

Just okay.

The Drowned cities was yet another dystopian society novel. It was pretty good, but it did not have an anding. I assumes there will be a sequel , but I am not that curious about it. The narration was good .