Green City Wars

In a city of sunshine and secrets, the shadows belong to the animals. In a solar-powered future, humans live in luxury, served by unseen Little Helpers – artificially enhanced animals who maintain their masters’ perfect green cities. The animals’ number one rule: ‘do not bother the humans’. Yet, beneath this tranquil facade, a complex underworld of animal politics, crime and conflict thrives. Enter Skotch, a freelance raccoon investigator. Until now, his biggest problem has been a lack of work. Now, his work may get him killed. His latest case? Finding a fugitive mouse scientist. But powerful forces are also after Doctor Meece, and they’re willing to kill for his secrets. Can Skotch navigate this treacherous web, outsmart rat gangsters, beat a deadly weasel assassin and keep his pelt intact? More importantly, can he find his quarry before the elusive rodent breaks Rule One in the most apocalyptic way – and shatters their fragile world? For those who loved John Scalzi’s Starter Villain and Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Service Model , Green City Wars is a crime-inspired adventure that will draw you deep into an incredible new world . . . * * * Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky ‘One of the most interesting and accomplished writers in speculative fiction’ – Christopher Paolini ‘Fantastic and highly imaginative’ – Peter F. Hamilton ‘Picking up an Adrian Tchaikovsky book is proof you love your brain and want it to be happy’ – John Scalzi ‘An intriguing puzzle with plenty of thrills’ – The Guardian

In a city of sunshine and secrets, the shadows belong to the animals. In a solar-powered future, humans live in luxury, served by unseen Little Helpers – artificially enhanced animals who maintain their masters’ perfect green cities. The animals’ number one rule: ‘do not bother the humans’. Yet, beneath this tranquil facade, a complex underworld of animal politics, crime and conflict thrives. Enter Skotch, a freelance raccoon investigator. Until now, his biggest problem has been a lack of work. Now, his work may get him killed. His latest case? Finding a fugitive mouse scientist. But powerful forces are also after Doctor Meece, and they’re willing to kill for his secrets. Can Skotch navigate this treacherous web, outsmart rat gangsters, beat a deadly weasel assassin and keep his pelt intact? More importantly, can he find his quarry before the elusive rodent breaks Rule One in the most apocalyptic way – and shatters their fragile world? For those who loved John Scalzi’s Starter Villain and Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Service Model , Green City Wars is a crime-inspired adventure that will draw you deep into an incredible new world . . . * * * Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky ‘One of the most interesting and accomplished writers in speculative fiction’ – Christopher Paolini ‘Fantastic and highly imaginative’ – Peter F. Hamilton ‘Picking up an Adrian Tchaikovsky book is proof you love your brain and want it to be happy’ – John Scalzi ‘An intriguing puzzle with plenty of thrills’ – The Guardian

In a city of sunshine and secrets, the shadows belong to the animals. In a solar-powered future, humans live in luxury, served by unseen Little Helpers – artificially enhanced animals who maintain their masters’ perfect green cities. The animals’ number one rule: ‘do not bother the humans’. Yet, beneath this tranquil facade, a complex underworld of animal politics, crime and conflict thrives. Enter Skotch, a freelance raccoon investigator. Until now, his biggest problem has been a lack of work. Now, his work may get him killed. His latest case? Finding a fugitive mouse scientist. But powerful forces are also after Doctor Meece, and they’re willing to kill for his secrets. Can Skotch navigate this treacherous web, outsmart rat gangsters, beat a deadly weasel assassin and keep his pelt intact? More importantly, can he find his quarry before the elusive rodent breaks Rule One in the most apocalyptic way – and shatters their fragile world? For those who loved John Scalzi’s Starter Villain and Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Service Model , Green City Wars is a crime-inspired adventure that will draw you deep into an incredible new world . . . * * * Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky ‘One of the most interesting and accomplished writers in speculative fiction’ – Christopher Paolini ‘Fantastic and highly imaginative’ – Peter F. Hamilton ‘Picking up an Adrian Tchaikovsky book is proof you love your brain and want it to be happy’ – John Scalzi ‘An intriguing puzzle with plenty of thrills’ – The Guardian

In a city of sunshine and secrets, the shadows belong to the animals. In a solar-powered future, humans live in luxury, served by unseen Little Helpers – artificially enhanced animals who maintain their masters’ perfect green cities. The animals’ number one rule: ‘do not bother the humans’. Yet, beneath this tranquil facade, a complex underworld of animal politics, crime and conflict thrives. Enter Skotch, a freelance raccoon investigator. Until now, his biggest problem has been a lack of work. Now, his work may get him killed. His latest case? Finding a fugitive mouse scientist. But powerful forces are also after Doctor Meece, and they’re willing to kill for his secrets. Can Skotch navigate this treacherous web, outsmart rat gangsters, beat a deadly weasel assassin and keep his pelt intact? More importantly, can he find his quarry before the elusive rodent breaks Rule One in the most apocalyptic way – and shatters their fragile world? For those who loved John Scalzi’s Starter Villain and Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Service Model , Green City Wars is a crime-inspired adventure that will draw you deep into an incredible new world . . . * * * Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky ‘One of the most interesting and accomplished writers in speculative fiction’ – Christopher Paolini ‘Fantastic and highly imaginative’ – Peter F. Hamilton ‘Picking up an Adrian Tchaikovsky book is proof you love your brain and want it to be happy’ – John Scalzi ‘An intriguing puzzle with plenty of thrills’ – The Guardian

Philip Marlowe meets Redwall in this superior adult noir tale, where all the characters are animals, fighting for survival in the city underneath the humans. In the solar cities of the future, the humans relax in the sun and the animals work in the shadows. Genetically engineered Little Helpers, serving humanity--unseen, unheard. Meet Skotch. Raccoon, PI--yours for a few buttons as long as the job isn't too illegal, whatever that means. A mouse has gone missing. Normally this wouldn't raise any hackles, nor any alarms, but this mouse has something that everyone seems to want, though nobody appears particularly eager to say what that something is. The fee is good--perhaps too good . Certainly not something Skotch can easily turn down. If only Skotch can work out where the mouse is hiding, what he's hiding, and why his secrets are upsetting a lot of animals caught up in the Green City wars.

Philip Marlowe meets Redwall in this superior adult noir tale, where all the characters are animals, fighting for survival in the city underneath the humans. In the solar cities of the future, the humans relax in the sun and the animals work in the shadows. Genetically engineered Little Helpers, serving humanity--unseen, unheard. Meet Skotch. Raccoon, PI--yours for a few buttons as long as the job isn't too illegal, whatever that means. A mouse has gone missing. Normally this wouldn't raise any hackles, nor any alarms, but this mouse has something that everyone seems to want, though nobody appears particularly eager to say what that something is. The fee is good--perhaps too good . Certainly not something Skotch can easily turn down. If only Skotch can work out where the mouse is hiding, what he's hiding, and why his secrets are upsetting a lot of animals caught up in the Green City wars.