Altered Seasons

June 1, 2018
This series starter is a frightening look at a future not far away from our own. Owing to global warming, ice shelves have melted, causing water levels to rise beyond all imagination and destroying coastal communities in the U.S. Briggs (Locksmith's Closet, 2013) shows the effects on both macro and micro levels. The story is told from several points of view, including a senator and the complex international politics she must navigate, a loudmouthed talk-show host attempting to spin events for his own gain, a shrewd businesswoman who catapults herself to the spot of wealthiest woman in the world, and an engineer who just wants to make the world a better place for her family. The characters are very believable and could easily be any reader and his or her family trying to make sense out of society's slow decline after the catastrophic events. The ending leaves plenty of interest for an upcoming sequel; readers will be keen to know what's next for the main characters and their world as time marches on. A solid addition to cli-fi collections.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)