The Deluge

Starred review from October 3, 2022
In this brilliant dystopian epic from Markley (Ohio), spanning from 2013 to 2040, a range of characters attempt to avert catastrophic climate change, sometimes at great personal risk, and with varying degrees of success. There’s geologist Tony Pietrus; climate justice activist Kate Morris; Shane Acosta, a sophisticated ecoterrorist; and Ashir al-Hasan, chief of staff for the Senate Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. The plot begins in familiar terrain, with scientists sounding the alarm that time is running out. Speculative elements emerge with the meteoric ascent of Morris, whose organization, A Fierce Blue Fire, has made global warming the sole litmus test for its political support. The charismatic Morris also dreams up investment opportunities to benefit neglected and poverty-stricken regions. Interstitial segments, including a newspaper article written by AI about Shane’s truck bombing of an Ohio power station in 2030, add to the sense of frightening plausibility. Meanwhile, the bureaucratic al-Hasan comments in a memo on the “inanity and profiteering that surround the legislative process,” while Pietrus, whose work on methane clathrates is quietly incorporated into government models, remains divisive and marginalized. Markley makes this anything but didactic; his nuanced characterizations of individuals with different approaches to the existential threat make the perils they encounter feel real as they navigate cover-ups and lies. It’s a disturbing tour de force.

March 1, 2023

Markley's (Ohio) chilling story is an all-too-possible story of the real dangers of rampant climate change. The story begins just beyond the present day. Global warming brings natural disasters of ever-increasing violence. Fire, floods, rising sea levels, and dust storms create global food shortages. Species extinctions occur every day. Multiple activist groups work toward solutions, but each group is too small to gain traction. Meanwhile, big corporations, evangelical religion, and dirty politics allow business as usual, contributing an increasing amount of carbon to an already saturated atmosphere. The escalation of violent government responses and catastrophic weather events ultimately bring all parties to the bargaining table, but it may be too late to save the planet and future generations. A cast of 14 skilled narrators give voice to the novel's many characters, providing multiple viewpoints, expressing competing values and interests, and capturing their attempts to work toward solutions. The full cast allows listeners to distinguish between the many characters--no small feat in a novel of this size. VERDICT This audio disturbs, enlightens, infuriates, and invigorates. A timely and compelling addition to any public library collection.--Joanna M. Burkhardt

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