The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi is a near-future thriller where Angel Velasquez, a "water knife" for Nevada, tries to sabotage Arizona's water and investigate senior water rights amid a parched, dystopian American Southwest. The narrative follows Angel, Texas refugee Maria Villarosa, and journalist Lucy Monroe, highlighting brutal survival amid inter-state conflicts over dwindling water resources. Torture and graphic violence occur.

The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi captivates with its intense, dystopian vision, meticulously weaving environmental and political themes into its narrative. Praised for its thrilling pace and stark relevance, the story's richness, however, feels occasionally burdened by heavy-handed world-building and grim tone. Overall, it succeeds as an engaging, thought-provoking read.

Readers who enjoy dystopian thrillers with environmental themes, such as The Road by Cormac McCarthy or Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, will likely be captivated by Paolo Bacigalupi's The Water Knife. The novel's exploration of water rights in a near-future America will appeal to fans of speculative fiction and socio-political narratives.

Dark / Suspenseful / Gritty / Unnerving / Mysterious

**Angel Velasquez**  
Angel is a water knife working for Catherine Case in Las Vegas, Nevada. He’s described as tall, tattooed, and scarred from previous gunshots and fights. Angel’s job is to cut the water supplies of cities that threaten Las Vegas’ water supply. Originally from Mexico, he does not trust many people due to his cynical worldview, but he shows a softer side to select few, including Lucy.

**Lucy Monroe**  
Lucy is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who moved to Phoenix to cover the city’s decline. Living in a dangerous city, she feels a strong connection to the place. Although she initially tries to keep a distance from her subjects, she becomes deeply involved, especially in the story of her friend Jamie's murder.

**Maria Villarosa**  
Maria is a young Texas migrant who lost her family while crossing into Phoenix. She survives by selling water and paying rent to the Vet. Despite her father's idealistic views, Maria sees the world realistically and learns that safety is an illusion, prompting her to consider escaping the collapsing city.

**Catherine Case**  
Known as the "Queen of the Colorado," Case is Angel’s boss and heads the Cypress developments in Las Vegas. She is calm, calculating, and ruthless, cutting off water supplies to protect her interests. Although she initially trusts Angel, that trust diminishes over time.

**James Sanderson**  
Jamie was a lawyer for Phoenix Water and a close friend to Lucy. He discovered senior water rights belonging to Phoenix and planned to sell them to California and Las Vegas. Cynical about people's lack of action in the water crisis, Jamie's decisions ultimately put him in a dangerous position.

**Michael Ratan**  
Ratan was a water lawyer for Ibis in California. He bought the senior water rights from Jamie but planned to flip them for personal gain. He lived in Taiyang and was a client of Sarah. Ratan’s actions lead to a deadly deal involving the water rights.

**Toomie**  
Toomie is Maria’s friend and protector. A big, strong man who sells pupusas near Taiyang, he feels responsible for Maria and helps her against threats. Toomie serves as a father figure and refuses Maria’s romantic advances.

**Julio Gúzman**  
Julio is an agent for Case sent to Phoenix. He is shorter than Angel, with distinctive tattoos on his arms. Julio betrays Angel and Case in a bid for the senior water rights, making his own dangerous moves within the narrative.

**The Vet**  
The Vet is a gangster controlling slums around Taiyang. Described as solidly built, he enforces his power through thugs and a pack of hyenas. Residents pay him rent and taxes to live and work on his land, under the threat of violence.

**Timo**  
Timo is a photographer who frequently collaborates with Lucy. A local of Phoenix, he was one of the first to help her acclimate to the city. Their partnership is mutually beneficial, with Timo providing art for Lucy’s stories and helping her in investigatory work.

- Paolo Bacigalupi's The Water Knife is set in a dystopian future where water rights are more valuable than gold, intricately weaving real-world concerns about climate change and resource scarcity into its narrative.
- The novel has earned acclaim for its vivid world-building and was nominated for several awards, including the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel in 2016.
- Bacigalupi has a reputation for using speculative fiction to explore ecological themes, continuing the trend with The Water Knife, which critiques the American Southwest's water management issues.

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