Green City Wars by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Author : Adrian Tchaikovsky

Book : Green City Wars

/ Fantasy , Science Fiction/

Publication date : June 25, 2026

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Blurb:

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. Racoon, P.I.—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.

My thoughts:

Alright, it's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Adrian Tchaikovsky's work and the way he consistently delivers with his distinctive blend of science and imagination. The standalone novel Green City Wars is no exception; it immerses us in a world where humans no longer have to perform tedious labour, as genetically enhanced animals take over those tasks. The story follows Skotch, a raccoon working as a private investigator, making the move from the US to Europe to track down a mouse that everyone has different reasons for wanting to find. I loved how Skotch's mind operated and how his complex train of thought pieced together the motivations of all sides. His friendship with the pigeon Lulu was another highlight of the book that I truly enjoyed following. The challenging part for me, especially at the start, was the number of characters, pieces of information, and the use of German words for the unique system he devised. Despite that, bit by bit, halfway through, I was hooked, and the mystery created in such a gripping way just wouldn't let me go. I can't say it'll be among my favourite Tchaikovsky books, but I very much enjoyed another feast of imagination from him.