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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. 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.
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.
432 pages, ebook
First published June 23, 2026
About the author
Adrian Tchaikovsky
212 books19.6k followersADRIAN TCHAIKOVSKY was born in Lincolnshire and studied zoology and psychology at Reading, before practising law in Leeds. He is a keen live role-player and occasional amateur actor and is trained in stage-fighting. His literary influences include Gene Wolfe, Mervyn Peake, China Miéville, Mary Gently, Steven Erikson, Naomi Novak, Scott Lynch and Alan Campbell.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 468 reviews
June 2, 2026
Once again, Tchaikovsky proves his inventiveness and unapologetic ability to genre blend within fantasy and science fiction with this gritty noir crime story narrated by a lab rat... or raccoon, rather.
The concept was intriguing and well-thought out, as I've come to expect from Tchaikovsky's writing kitchen. The characters took me a little while to immerse with, and it wasn't until about halfway through the book that I was well and truly hooked and invested in the outcome of the story. Skotch slowly endeared himself to me, and the surrounding factions of creatures are fascinating. A fresh twist on the "mutation" trope.
I did feel like the themes came through a little heavy-handed toward the end, but overall still stayed focused on the story and characters. I think the animalistic side of the characters was portrayed in an interesting way and didn't push too far over the boundary into humanoid. Also, Lulu the pigeon must be protected at all costs, and I'll be taking no questions about that statement at this time.
Overall, fascinating concept and grounded character immersion, and another unexpected genre blend from Adrian Tchaikovsky! I look forward to see what he cooks up next.
The concept was intriguing and well-thought out, as I've come to expect from Tchaikovsky's writing kitchen. The characters took me a little while to immerse with, and it wasn't until about halfway through the book that I was well and truly hooked and invested in the outcome of the story. Skotch slowly endeared himself to me, and the surrounding factions of creatures are fascinating. A fresh twist on the "mutation" trope.
I did feel like the themes came through a little heavy-handed toward the end, but overall still stayed focused on the story and characters. I think the animalistic side of the characters was portrayed in an interesting way and didn't push too far over the boundary into humanoid. Also, Lulu the pigeon must be protected at all costs, and I'll be taking no questions about that statement at this time.
Overall, fascinating concept and grounded character immersion, and another unexpected genre blend from Adrian Tchaikovsky! I look forward to see what he cooks up next.
June 26, 2026
A noir novel set in the gritty underworld of one of the new types of “green city”, ecologically sustainable cities where the infrastructure is run and maintained by an army of Little Helpers - genetically engineered animals designed to keep the city ticking over, out of sight of its human occupants.
Skotch is a freelance racoon investigator, who has been tasked with finding Doctor Meece - a mouse with a secret that could change the world - and everybody is trying to find him.
The world building is beautifully rich and detailed, in a way that we’ve come to expect from Tchaikovsky. The animals running the city are more ingenious than their human creators intended, and an entire dark economy has developed, along with gangs, mobsters, anarchists and scientists. It’s a tough world for a racoon to navigate.
There is also a diverse and engaging set of characters, including: Skotch the racoon; an aging turtle running the local corporation; rat gangsters; toad anarchists; and a group of crows who administer final rites. They are all distinct and colourful, and a joy to spend time with.
But beneath the richness of the world and the characters that inhabit it, I found the plot to be a little thin. A majority of the story has Skotch bouncing from one gang, faction, or assassin to the next, in search of any information about the whereabouts of Doctor Meece, or the secret that he is guarding. And while this does act as an excellent mechanism to put Skotch in contact with the whole range of characters populating the world, allowing that extensive world building to develop, it is largely all that actually happens, until the closing chapters where there is a final denoument and the big reveal.
As a noir, private-investigator novel featuring a rich cast of animal characters, this is highly imaginative, and superbly executed. But I think you would need to enjoy that genre to have a full appreciation of what this novel offers. Unfortunately for me, that’s a genre that I’m not particularly drawn to, so I think I missed out on some of the pleasure to be had here.
Thank you #NetGalley and Pan Macmillan Tor for the free review copy of #GreenCityWars without obligation. All opinions are my own.
Skotch is a freelance racoon investigator, who has been tasked with finding Doctor Meece - a mouse with a secret that could change the world - and everybody is trying to find him.
The world building is beautifully rich and detailed, in a way that we’ve come to expect from Tchaikovsky. The animals running the city are more ingenious than their human creators intended, and an entire dark economy has developed, along with gangs, mobsters, anarchists and scientists. It’s a tough world for a racoon to navigate.
There is also a diverse and engaging set of characters, including: Skotch the racoon; an aging turtle running the local corporation; rat gangsters; toad anarchists; and a group of crows who administer final rites. They are all distinct and colourful, and a joy to spend time with.
But beneath the richness of the world and the characters that inhabit it, I found the plot to be a little thin. A majority of the story has Skotch bouncing from one gang, faction, or assassin to the next, in search of any information about the whereabouts of Doctor Meece, or the secret that he is guarding. And while this does act as an excellent mechanism to put Skotch in contact with the whole range of characters populating the world, allowing that extensive world building to develop, it is largely all that actually happens, until the closing chapters where there is a final denoument and the big reveal.
As a noir, private-investigator novel featuring a rich cast of animal characters, this is highly imaginative, and superbly executed. But I think you would need to enjoy that genre to have a full appreciation of what this novel offers. Unfortunately for me, that’s a genre that I’m not particularly drawn to, so I think I missed out on some of the pleasure to be had here.
Thank you #NetGalley and Pan Macmillan Tor for the free review copy of #GreenCityWars without obligation. All opinions are my own.
October 5, 2025
** A copy of this book was provided by the publisher **
Really dug this but I recommend not reading it in a single six hour stretch like I did! The labeled sections work pretty well as episodes which fits the pulp detective stylings of the story, so I recommend maybe reading one section a day to give yourself some time to think on the ideas the book is presenting and the central mystery of the whole thing.
Really dug this but I recommend not reading it in a single six hour stretch like I did! The labeled sections work pretty well as episodes which fits the pulp detective stylings of the story, so I recommend maybe reading one section a day to give yourself some time to think on the ideas the book is presenting and the central mystery of the whole thing.
August 2, 2026
تازهترین اثر آدرین چایکوفسکی نابغه ما را به آیندهای میبرد که در آن انسانها در شهرهای خورشیدی آسوده زندگی میکنند و حیوانات مهندسیشده بیآنکه دیده یا شنیده شوند، تمام کارهای سخت را انجام میدهند. قهرمان داستان، اسکاچ، یک راکون و یک کارآگاه خصوصی است که برای پیدا کردن کار تقلا میکند. قبولکردن مأموریتی ظاهراً معمولی، او را ناخواسته وارد پروندهای پیچیده میکند. پروندهای که پای گروههای تبهکار، رقابتهای سیاسی، رازهای قدیمی و جنگی بزرگ بر سر آینده شهر را به میان میکشد.
در کل رمان سرگرمکنندهای است، اما نه آنقدر تازه و غافلگیرکننده که از چایکوفسکی انتظار داشتم.
داستان از الگویی کاملاً آشنا پیروی میکند. قهرمانی تنها، کمی دستوپاچلفتی و در تقلا برای بقا، ناگهان مأموریتی مهم میگیرد و وارد ماجرایی بزرگتر از خودش میشود. از همان ابتدا تقریباً مطمئنیم که هرقدر خطرها جدی باشند، قرار نیست آسیبی اساسی به قهرمان برسد. حادثهها یکی پس از دیگری از راه میرسند، دوستانی از دست میروند، لحظات احساسی و صحنههای دراماتیک شکل میگیرند و سرانجام نیز همهچیز کموبیش همانطور تمام میشود که از چنین ماجراجوییای انتظار داریم.
مشکل اصلی کتاب برای من همین پیشبینیپذیری بود. ساختار داستان، مسیر تحول شخصیت اصلی و حتی ضرباهنگ فراز و فرودها بیش از اندازه به الگوی کلاسیک ماجراجویی وفادار میمانند. چایکوفسکی نویسندهای است که معمولاً از او انتظار ایدههای جسورانهتر، شخصیتپردازی پیچیدهتر و بازی خلاقانهتری با قواعد ژانر دارم. انتظاری که این رمان بهطور کامل برآورده نکرد.
بااینحال، کلیشهایبودن الزاماً به معنای بدبودن نیست. کتاب خوشخوان است، جهان زنده و جذابی دارد و آنقدر در روایت ماجراهایش موفق عمل میکند که خواننده را تا پایان با خود همراه نگه دارد. اسکاچ قهرمانی دوستداشتنی است، بقیه شخصیتها جذاب و دلنشین هستند، شوخطبعی داستان بهجا از کار درآمده و لحظات عاطفی آن، حتی وقتی میتوان نتیجهشان را حدس زد، همچنان اثر خود را میگذارند. تقابل میان ظاهر رنگارنگ و آرام شهرهای خورشیدی با جهانی که بر استثمار موجودات مهندسیشده بنا شده نیز لایهای جالب به داستان میدهد. هرچند این ایده میتوانست بسیار عمیقتر بررسی شود.
در کل رمان سرگرمکنندهای است، اما نه آنقدر تازه و غافلگیرکننده که از چایکوفسکی انتظار داشتم.
داستان از الگویی کاملاً آشنا پیروی میکند. قهرمانی تنها، کمی دستوپاچلفتی و در تقلا برای بقا، ناگهان مأموریتی مهم میگیرد و وارد ماجرایی بزرگتر از خودش میشود. از همان ابتدا تقریباً مطمئنیم که هرقدر خطرها جدی باشند، قرار نیست آسیبی اساسی به قهرمان برسد. حادثهها یکی پس از دیگری از راه میرسند، دوستانی از دست میروند، لحظات احساسی و صحنههای دراماتیک شکل میگیرند و سرانجام نیز همهچیز کموبیش همانطور تمام میشود که از چنین ماجراجوییای انتظار داریم.
مشکل اصلی کتاب برای من همین پیشبینیپذیری بود. ساختار داستان، مسیر تحول شخصیت اصلی و حتی ضرباهنگ فراز و فرودها بیش از اندازه به الگوی کلاسیک ماجراجویی وفادار میمانند. چایکوفسکی نویسندهای است که معمولاً از او انتظار ایدههای جسورانهتر، شخصیتپردازی پیچیدهتر و بازی خلاقانهتری با قواعد ژانر دارم. انتظاری که این رمان بهطور کامل برآورده نکرد.
بااینحال، کلیشهایبودن الزاماً به معنای بدبودن نیست. کتاب خوشخوان است، جهان زنده و جذابی دارد و آنقدر در روایت ماجراهایش موفق عمل میکند که خواننده را تا پایان با خود همراه نگه دارد. اسکاچ قهرمانی دوستداشتنی است، بقیه شخصیتها جذاب و دلنشین هستند، شوخطبعی داستان بهجا از کار درآمده و لحظات عاطفی آن، حتی وقتی میتوان نتیجهشان را حدس زد، همچنان اثر خود را میگذارند. تقابل میان ظاهر رنگارنگ و آرام شهرهای خورشیدی با جهانی که بر استثمار موجودات مهندسیشده بنا شده نیز لایهای جالب به داستان میدهد. هرچند این ایده میتوانست بسیار عمیقتر بررسی شود.
July 21, 2026
Exquisite world-building complements a heartfelt story that sits firmly in the crime subgenre while subverting (and exploiting) the whimsy of talking animals. This story was a delight from the start, with Tchaikovsky’s clear interest in storytelling-as-a-political-act beating as its very heart. Who is disposable? Who are you willing to throw under the bus if it means your crumbs from the pie are bigger (even if you never get a proper piece yourself?) Where do self-interest and solidarity intersect, and whose responsibility is it to navigate those boundaries?
The way he combines the grittiness of a detective story – not at all noir, but close to hardboiled, if we are splitting subgenre hairs – with the hard sci-fi of cold technological progress at the cold cost of humanity is impressive. The world is incredibly detailed and expansive, and explored in such a way that it feels like there is still so much more of it to see. The way it is developed is what I especially appreciated, though. Instead of any lengthy exposition dumping, as our main character, Skotch, makes his way across the narrative he meets new characters and new locations that require us to push against the boundaries of our understanding of the world. It grows slowly but consistently across the entirety of the story, an organic feeling that keeps you invested and eager for me. This is coupled with the large cast of ancillary characters who all felt like they had genuine personalities and lives beyond meeting some simple narrative need. The ways in which the different species experience the world and relate to their lot in life is clever and a lot of fun; it is not the simple matter of assigning animals body shapes to otherwise human characters, but the characters are clearly designed around the strengths and limitations afforded by their species. This adds a level of believability to the story, which is needs to ground the reader amidst its otherwise fantastical environs.
The pacing feels more or less in line with what I expect for a detective story, starting with a small case that spirals out of control quickly. The writing is witty and snappy, and what else could you expect with a sarcastic freelance trash panda as your protagonist? The use of technical and scientific terms is done in a way that always allows context to make everything make sense, and no speech feels wasted. The dialogue is also fun and adds to the sense of whimsy that masks the deeper sociological and political themes that Tchaikovsky is putting on the page. The narrative itself is somewhat standard, and I wasn’t especially surprised by how things happened. Our main character does some investigative or detective work early on, but then mostly finds himself being hustled and bustled from one scene to the next, caught up in many other characters’ designs than doing any proper detecting. This is not too uncommon for the genre though, to be honest, and while I would have enjoyed more proper investigation and a few more surprises this still felt like a solid story, and the journey was so much fun that I enjoyed myself the entire way. There is a darkness at the heart of these short, furry lives and that allows for there to be an emotional pulse flowing through this critique of labor exploitation. The surprise is not in the narrative but in the depths of the characters and the scale of the world that is designed. While the philosophical ideas are what you would expect from the author of Alien Clay and the Tyrant Philosopher series it is a novel execution of them that feels penetrative and a great opportunity for personal engagement. The novel has a lot of heart, it is fun, and you can’t help but want to squeeze most of the characters in hugs even as they tear each other apart.
(Rounded from 4.5)
The way he combines the grittiness of a detective story – not at all noir, but close to hardboiled, if we are splitting subgenre hairs – with the hard sci-fi of cold technological progress at the cold cost of humanity is impressive. The world is incredibly detailed and expansive, and explored in such a way that it feels like there is still so much more of it to see. The way it is developed is what I especially appreciated, though. Instead of any lengthy exposition dumping, as our main character, Skotch, makes his way across the narrative he meets new characters and new locations that require us to push against the boundaries of our understanding of the world. It grows slowly but consistently across the entirety of the story, an organic feeling that keeps you invested and eager for me. This is coupled with the large cast of ancillary characters who all felt like they had genuine personalities and lives beyond meeting some simple narrative need. The ways in which the different species experience the world and relate to their lot in life is clever and a lot of fun; it is not the simple matter of assigning animals body shapes to otherwise human characters, but the characters are clearly designed around the strengths and limitations afforded by their species. This adds a level of believability to the story, which is needs to ground the reader amidst its otherwise fantastical environs.
The pacing feels more or less in line with what I expect for a detective story, starting with a small case that spirals out of control quickly. The writing is witty and snappy, and what else could you expect with a sarcastic freelance trash panda as your protagonist? The use of technical and scientific terms is done in a way that always allows context to make everything make sense, and no speech feels wasted. The dialogue is also fun and adds to the sense of whimsy that masks the deeper sociological and political themes that Tchaikovsky is putting on the page. The narrative itself is somewhat standard, and I wasn’t especially surprised by how things happened. Our main character does some investigative or detective work early on, but then mostly finds himself being hustled and bustled from one scene to the next, caught up in many other characters’ designs than doing any proper detecting. This is not too uncommon for the genre though, to be honest, and while I would have enjoyed more proper investigation and a few more surprises this still felt like a solid story, and the journey was so much fun that I enjoyed myself the entire way. There is a darkness at the heart of these short, furry lives and that allows for there to be an emotional pulse flowing through this critique of labor exploitation. The surprise is not in the narrative but in the depths of the characters and the scale of the world that is designed. While the philosophical ideas are what you would expect from the author of Alien Clay and the Tyrant Philosopher series it is a novel execution of them that feels penetrative and a great opportunity for personal engagement. The novel has a lot of heart, it is fun, and you can’t help but want to squeeze most of the characters in hugs even as they tear each other apart.
(Rounded from 4.5)
July 23, 2026
A sad 2.5 stars for an utter disappointment, and what feels like the clunkiest-written book of his I've read out of around 25 novels/novellas.
The premise of enhanced animals going about a city with their own secret civilization hidden from humans who think of them as just a servant underclass, paired with a noir style and raccoon detective at the heart of the tale seemed like an absolute can't miss in the hands of Tchaikovsky. Indeed, he seemed to be having tons of fun in the opening chapters injecting a heavy dose of wit on every page, and he spent lots of effort bringing the animal underworld to vivid life with fun descriptions of the various settings and the way the animals were managing a whole secret society. I thought from the intro of this novel that it was going to be a creative blast of animal fun.
And then the plot really kicked in, and it became an uninteresting interminable slog of repeated sequences. Skotch gets whisked away to a new faction/gang leader, who demands to know where the genius mouse scientist is. He gets threatened, gets let go. Skotch gets waylaid by a dangerous henchman of one of the factions, gets threatened to find the mouse or reveal his location, then let go. Rinse and repeat. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat.
The repetitious nature of the middle 4/5 of this book is almost hard for me to fathom, and this particular novel of his might be the greatest victim of his approach to write deliberately from beginning to end without then going back and doing any kind of revision process. This thing needed some savage revising and cutting on the editing room floor.
The revolving cast of characters outside of our POV Skotch just never gets established well enough to have any impact. The immersive scene-setting of all the animal spaces towards the beginning inexplicably goes away before too long. And then this book also suffered from something I've never felt before in a Tchaikovsky book, which was an abundance of inorganic exposition being dumped on us continuously through what should be a limited POV. I was so often being taken out of the story by internal tangents for the reader to be handed worldbuilding details in a way that just never made organic sense. It's written in the limited POV style, and there's not really anything delivered that feels like it would be coming from an omniscient narrator and not Skotch, but in most cases there's no reason for Skotch to be having all of these handily expository thoughts to fill us in on how the world works -- it's the most unexplainable aspect of this thing, since Tchaikovsky is usually so much more elegant with his writing and worldbuilding delivery.
I strongly feel like he erred on the scope of the book -- it should've either been one of his pared down novellas to limit the repetition and exposition, or better yet expanded into more of a slow-burn series where he could've done more elegant worldbuilding and cast-building before leading into this kind of frenetic, high-stakes plot. By jumping right into all the chase stuff I was hard-pressed to care about anything, and then combined with the repetitive nature of so many of the scenes, I got so bored during what should've been a fun popcorn read that I started racing to the finish line just to be done with it. He's also going for some deeper social theming here that fell completely flat for me, with reveals and a resolution that didn't land with any punch.
What a missed opportunity for something that could've been so special given Tchaikovsky's creativity and biological expertise. Wish I had something better to report here.
The premise of enhanced animals going about a city with their own secret civilization hidden from humans who think of them as just a servant underclass, paired with a noir style and raccoon detective at the heart of the tale seemed like an absolute can't miss in the hands of Tchaikovsky. Indeed, he seemed to be having tons of fun in the opening chapters injecting a heavy dose of wit on every page, and he spent lots of effort bringing the animal underworld to vivid life with fun descriptions of the various settings and the way the animals were managing a whole secret society. I thought from the intro of this novel that it was going to be a creative blast of animal fun.
And then the plot really kicked in, and it became an uninteresting interminable slog of repeated sequences. Skotch gets whisked away to a new faction/gang leader, who demands to know where the genius mouse scientist is. He gets threatened, gets let go. Skotch gets waylaid by a dangerous henchman of one of the factions, gets threatened to find the mouse or reveal his location, then let go. Rinse and repeat. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat.
The repetitious nature of the middle 4/5 of this book is almost hard for me to fathom, and this particular novel of his might be the greatest victim of his approach to write deliberately from beginning to end without then going back and doing any kind of revision process. This thing needed some savage revising and cutting on the editing room floor.
The revolving cast of characters outside of our POV Skotch just never gets established well enough to have any impact. The immersive scene-setting of all the animal spaces towards the beginning inexplicably goes away before too long. And then this book also suffered from something I've never felt before in a Tchaikovsky book, which was an abundance of inorganic exposition being dumped on us continuously through what should be a limited POV. I was so often being taken out of the story by internal tangents for the reader to be handed worldbuilding details in a way that just never made organic sense. It's written in the limited POV style, and there's not really anything delivered that feels like it would be coming from an omniscient narrator and not Skotch, but in most cases there's no reason for Skotch to be having all of these handily expository thoughts to fill us in on how the world works -- it's the most unexplainable aspect of this thing, since Tchaikovsky is usually so much more elegant with his writing and worldbuilding delivery.
I strongly feel like he erred on the scope of the book -- it should've either been one of his pared down novellas to limit the repetition and exposition, or better yet expanded into more of a slow-burn series where he could've done more elegant worldbuilding and cast-building before leading into this kind of frenetic, high-stakes plot. By jumping right into all the chase stuff I was hard-pressed to care about anything, and then combined with the repetitive nature of so many of the scenes, I got so bored during what should've been a fun popcorn read that I started racing to the finish line just to be done with it. He's also going for some deeper social theming here that fell completely flat for me, with reveals and a resolution that didn't land with any punch.
What a missed opportunity for something that could've been so special given Tchaikovsky's creativity and biological expertise. Wish I had something better to report here.
April 2, 2026
3.5 ⭐ Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Green City Wars is a noir tale that drops readers into a gritty underworld of bioengineered animals struggling to survive beneath human society. When a seemingly ordinary mouse goes missing, raccoon private investigator Skotch reluctantly takes the case and quickly discovers that the stakes are far higher than they first appear.
The worldbuilding is one of the novel’s strongest elements. Tchaikovsky crafts a detailed and unsettling dystopia where animals depend on a manufactured drug to maintain their intelligence, forming a shadow society that mirrors and exploits human systems. The social and moral tensions that arise from this setup are compelling and thoughtfully explored.
Skotch is an engaging protagonist on paper, with a classic detective edge, though I found it difficult to fully connect with him. The story moves at a measured pace, though the long journey through competing factions can feel a bit drawn out at times. The central mystery kept me intrigued, particularly the question of why the missing mouse mattered so much, and the resolution was satisfying.
I listened to the audiobook version, and John Pirhalla’s narration was excellent. His voice felt especially well suited to Skotch, and he brought distinct personality to the wider cast.
Some of the terminology is presented in German, which I found distracting at times. Still, the novel’s strong thematic core and immersive setting make it a memorable read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The worldbuilding is one of the novel’s strongest elements. Tchaikovsky crafts a detailed and unsettling dystopia where animals depend on a manufactured drug to maintain their intelligence, forming a shadow society that mirrors and exploits human systems. The social and moral tensions that arise from this setup are compelling and thoughtfully explored.
Skotch is an engaging protagonist on paper, with a classic detective edge, though I found it difficult to fully connect with him. The story moves at a measured pace, though the long journey through competing factions can feel a bit drawn out at times. The central mystery kept me intrigued, particularly the question of why the missing mouse mattered so much, and the resolution was satisfying.
I listened to the audiobook version, and John Pirhalla’s narration was excellent. His voice felt especially well suited to Skotch, and he brought distinct personality to the wider cast.
Some of the terminology is presented in German, which I found distracting at times. Still, the novel’s strong thematic core and immersive setting make it a memorable read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read
July 22, 2026Well, that was a struggle. RTC
July 20, 2026
Now Adrian has moved on from insects to mammals and birds, and if I was initially kind of wary about it (what can I say, a dudette loves their spiders), I was fully entranced by it after the 15% mark or so. I love everything about this book - the worldbuilding is a gem, the characters are colourful and full of life, and there's, as always with Adrian, so much to pick from and think about with this story. What does it mean to truly be alive ? What are we made for ? Can we surpass our initial coding ? What about the human overlords who are there but not really either ? What does it say about us, when we create an entire other subgenre of life to let them live the way they do ?
Absolute scifi for me, very different from his other stuff, but in the end, it's always the same theme that comes back - what does it mean to be a I, and for an Other to be there too.
Adrian, you did it again, and thank fuck for that.
Absolute scifi for me, very different from his other stuff, but in the end, it's always the same theme that comes back - what does it mean to be a I, and for an Other to be there too.
Adrian, you did it again, and thank fuck for that.
April 5, 2026
Adrian Tchaikovsky is a consummate world builder. In this noir-tinged sci-fi/fantasy, we're on a planet that humans have designed to suit their purposes. They have created genetically advanced animals to be the city's workers, street cleaners, waiters, etc., oblivious to the side effects created by their actions. Enter Skotch, a raccoon who has a knack for finding things. In this case, he's been asked to find a mouse for a fee he can't refuse. What follows is a mystery novel that takes us through the animal underworld until Skotch discovers why the mouse is important. It's then that he must decide what type of future he wants.
It's a faster-paced, urban Watership Down with more grit and action (and no rabbits, if I recall correctly). Escape into this Green City and enjoy the journey!
My thanks to the author, publisher, @MacmillanAudio, and # NetGalley for early access to #GreenCityWars for review purposes. It won't be published until 23 June 2026, but mark your calendar for this exciting book. I quite enjoyed it.
It's a faster-paced, urban Watership Down with more grit and action (and no rabbits, if I recall correctly). Escape into this Green City and enjoy the journey!
My thanks to the author, publisher, @MacmillanAudio, and # NetGalley for early access to #GreenCityWars for review purposes. It won't be published until 23 June 2026, but mark your calendar for this exciting book. I quite enjoyed it.
June 28, 2026
Fade into a private investigators office. Black and white. Smoky. Old timey Americana. The PI sits alone in his chair drinking coffee. This is Skotch. Skotch is a raccoon.
And this, is Green City Wars.
Green City Wars is nothing new. It is every single detective noir mystery thriller that has ever existed.
But there is one thing that makes it magnificent.
Every character is a sentient, bio-engineered animal.
Skotch, the down on his luck PI.
Benson, a company man, sorry, a company turtle.
Szerky, a stoatweasel enforcer killer.
And Doctor Meese, the scientist everyone is searching for.
And a host of other unique, personality strong animal characters.
This might sound like a cutesy, animal, fun free for all. But it isn’t. It’s a deep exploration of a deep rooted society that is engrained with classism, communism, worker rights and ethics, and warring political and theological perspectives.
It’s a book I read almost entirely in Sin City style, New York and Bostonian narration, all sepia and constant rain and moodiness.
Adrian Tchaikovsky’s mind is amazing and his standalone stories are all so district that I cannot wait to read them when I find out he’s releasing another.
This one will genuinely leave you pondering the societal structures of our own working vs. ruling elite, and all’s I’ll say is that are we really that different to animals?
4.0/5.0
And this, is Green City Wars.
Green City Wars is nothing new. It is every single detective noir mystery thriller that has ever existed.
But there is one thing that makes it magnificent.
Every character is a sentient, bio-engineered animal.
Skotch, the down on his luck PI.
Benson, a company man, sorry, a company turtle.
Szerky, a stoatweasel enforcer killer.
And Doctor Meese, the scientist everyone is searching for.
And a host of other unique, personality strong animal characters.
This might sound like a cutesy, animal, fun free for all. But it isn’t. It’s a deep exploration of a deep rooted society that is engrained with classism, communism, worker rights and ethics, and warring political and theological perspectives.
It’s a book I read almost entirely in Sin City style, New York and Bostonian narration, all sepia and constant rain and moodiness.
Adrian Tchaikovsky’s mind is amazing and his standalone stories are all so district that I cannot wait to read them when I find out he’s releasing another.
This one will genuinely leave you pondering the societal structures of our own working vs. ruling elite, and all’s I’ll say is that are we really that different to animals?
4.0/5.0
June 30, 2026
Опис "нуар про єнота-приватного детектива" здається абсурдним, але у Чайковського ідея працює на всі сто, і хоча сюжет дещо прямолінійний, добре прописаний світ і персонажі плюс твіст наприкінці все компенсують на ура.
February 24, 2026
A really well written book with a fun and creative premise. The animal underworld and all of its intricate workings were well developed and explained. I really came to like and root for Skotch and Lulu!
Wondering if you’d enjoy this book? My thoughts, if you liked Scalzi’s Starter Villain you’d like this one. Totally different books, but similar vibe.
* I received an early copy of this book from the publisher *
Wondering if you’d enjoy this book? My thoughts, if you liked Scalzi’s Starter Villain you’d like this one. Totally different books, but similar vibe.
* I received an early copy of this book from the publisher *
August 2, 2026
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2026/07/06/...
Fans of Adrian Tchaikovsky know that he has made a career out of taking ideas that sound completely ridiculous and somehow making them work, and half the fun of picking up his books is wondering what you’ll be in for this time. Chances are, it’ll be something no one else would even think to write. Take his knack for nonhuman protagonists, for example. Even when they are spiders, in the case of Children of Time, he makes you sympathize with them, love them, cheer for them. So, given the countless different creatures he’s brought to life over the years, is a noir detective story starring a genetically engineered raccoon private investigator really that much of a stretch? Coming from anyone else, maybe. Coming from Tchaikovsky, not so much.
The story takes place in a highly advanced future where humanity has figured out how to genetically engineer animals into doing the background work required to keep its gleaming urban eco-centers running. In these “green cities,” the creatures, or the Gehirner, are like invisible servants running logistics, keeping things clean, and generally doing the jobs that their human overlords would rather not do. But while the people go about their comfortable lives largely oblivious to it all, the Gehirner have developed a thriving society of their own, complete with complex hierarchies, political factions, and even a criminal underworld. It’s in this setting that we meet Skotch, a down-on-his-luck raccoon who recently left his office job to become a freelance P.I. Not exactly in a position to be picky, he takes on a job to track down an errant mouse who recently fell off the grid.
But what seemed like an easy missing-rodent case quickly snowballs into something more complicated. Routine investigative work and simple questions suddenly lead to Skotch running from violent gangs and hired killers, not to mention the insane squirrel militia. It seems he is not the only one interested in locating the missing mouse, who is apparently a brilliant scientist rumored to possess the secret to reshaping the power balance in Gehirner societies. Such knowledge can be dangerous, Skotch discovers as he bounces between allies and enemies while trying to solve his case, all while fighting for survival in a morally gray world built on an uneasy balance between humans and the creatures engineered to serve them.
On paper, Green City Wars is a hardboiled noir detective story, just starring unconventional characters. The entire cast list is made up of talking animals, and this is a concept that Tchaikovsky commits to so wholeheartedly that after a while, it almost seems normal. It’s also probably no surprise that the biggest draw here is the worldbuilding. The novel presents the setting in a way that feels strange and alien while still making perfect sense structurally, from the corporations that created the Gehirner and the processes that sustain their enhancements to the societal classes that have developed organically among different species.
Just as interesting was the way the animals were handled. While Skotch can think and speak like a human, at the end of the day he is still all raccoon, and the same goes for the various characters that flit in and out of the plot. Unique biological instincts and behaviors give the world of Green City Wars an authenticity, so it never feels like you’re simply reading about humans wearing animal suits.
That said, the mystery itself didn’t feel as involved. Don’t get me wrong, the premise was fantastic, but Skotch’s investigation was relatively on rails, consisting of moving from one faction to another, asking questions, rinse and repeat. He doesn’t so much solve the mystery as get carried along by it, with each new encounter nudging him closer to the truth. Granted, it kept the pages turning, but as a detective story, it was on the more mediocre side.
But ultimately, Green City Wars is another example of why I keep coming back to Adrian Tchaikovsky, especially every time he unveils a new high-concept idea, because I just get so damned curious. Few authors can take an idea this bizarre and build an entire believable society around it. While this wasn’t one of my favorites, I still had a good time exploring its strange corners and meeting its wonderfully eccentric cast.
Fans of Adrian Tchaikovsky know that he has made a career out of taking ideas that sound completely ridiculous and somehow making them work, and half the fun of picking up his books is wondering what you’ll be in for this time. Chances are, it’ll be something no one else would even think to write. Take his knack for nonhuman protagonists, for example. Even when they are spiders, in the case of Children of Time, he makes you sympathize with them, love them, cheer for them. So, given the countless different creatures he’s brought to life over the years, is a noir detective story starring a genetically engineered raccoon private investigator really that much of a stretch? Coming from anyone else, maybe. Coming from Tchaikovsky, not so much.
The story takes place in a highly advanced future where humanity has figured out how to genetically engineer animals into doing the background work required to keep its gleaming urban eco-centers running. In these “green cities,” the creatures, or the Gehirner, are like invisible servants running logistics, keeping things clean, and generally doing the jobs that their human overlords would rather not do. But while the people go about their comfortable lives largely oblivious to it all, the Gehirner have developed a thriving society of their own, complete with complex hierarchies, political factions, and even a criminal underworld. It’s in this setting that we meet Skotch, a down-on-his-luck raccoon who recently left his office job to become a freelance P.I. Not exactly in a position to be picky, he takes on a job to track down an errant mouse who recently fell off the grid.
But what seemed like an easy missing-rodent case quickly snowballs into something more complicated. Routine investigative work and simple questions suddenly lead to Skotch running from violent gangs and hired killers, not to mention the insane squirrel militia. It seems he is not the only one interested in locating the missing mouse, who is apparently a brilliant scientist rumored to possess the secret to reshaping the power balance in Gehirner societies. Such knowledge can be dangerous, Skotch discovers as he bounces between allies and enemies while trying to solve his case, all while fighting for survival in a morally gray world built on an uneasy balance between humans and the creatures engineered to serve them.
On paper, Green City Wars is a hardboiled noir detective story, just starring unconventional characters. The entire cast list is made up of talking animals, and this is a concept that Tchaikovsky commits to so wholeheartedly that after a while, it almost seems normal. It’s also probably no surprise that the biggest draw here is the worldbuilding. The novel presents the setting in a way that feels strange and alien while still making perfect sense structurally, from the corporations that created the Gehirner and the processes that sustain their enhancements to the societal classes that have developed organically among different species.
Just as interesting was the way the animals were handled. While Skotch can think and speak like a human, at the end of the day he is still all raccoon, and the same goes for the various characters that flit in and out of the plot. Unique biological instincts and behaviors give the world of Green City Wars an authenticity, so it never feels like you’re simply reading about humans wearing animal suits.
That said, the mystery itself didn’t feel as involved. Don’t get me wrong, the premise was fantastic, but Skotch’s investigation was relatively on rails, consisting of moving from one faction to another, asking questions, rinse and repeat. He doesn’t so much solve the mystery as get carried along by it, with each new encounter nudging him closer to the truth. Granted, it kept the pages turning, but as a detective story, it was on the more mediocre side.
But ultimately, Green City Wars is another example of why I keep coming back to Adrian Tchaikovsky, especially every time he unveils a new high-concept idea, because I just get so damned curious. Few authors can take an idea this bizarre and build an entire believable society around it. While this wasn’t one of my favorites, I still had a good time exploring its strange corners and meeting its wonderfully eccentric cast.
July 31, 2026
This was my first book by Adrian Tchaikovsky. I really enjoyed the worldbuilding in Green City Wars, but I can't say the same about the story itself.
That said, I really liked Adrian's writing style, which is exactly why I want to read more of his books. I'll be starting with Shroud and then moving on to the Children of Time series.
Personally, I don't think this is the best starting point for someone who wants to get into Adrian's work. If you're already a fan, I think you'll probably enjoy it much more. And if rich worldbuilding is your main priority, this book definitely delivers.
My biggest issue was the story. It felt a bit repetitive, and while the characters were all well-written, I never really became attached to any of them (that's just a personal preference). Because of that, I often felt like I was watching the same cycle of events play out over and over again.
I'd give it 3.25/5. Even so, I'm excited to read more from Adrian Tchaikovsky, because I already have a feeling I'll enjoy his other books even more.
That said, I really liked Adrian's writing style, which is exactly why I want to read more of his books. I'll be starting with Shroud and then moving on to the Children of Time series.
Personally, I don't think this is the best starting point for someone who wants to get into Adrian's work. If you're already a fan, I think you'll probably enjoy it much more. And if rich worldbuilding is your main priority, this book definitely delivers.
My biggest issue was the story. It felt a bit repetitive, and while the characters were all well-written, I never really became attached to any of them (that's just a personal preference). Because of that, I often felt like I was watching the same cycle of events play out over and over again.
I'd give it 3.25/5. Even so, I'm excited to read more from Adrian Tchaikovsky, because I already have a feeling I'll enjoy his other books even more.
June 28, 2026
3.25
Green City Wars follows a P.I. racoon named Skotch who gets pulled into a game much larger than he ever imagined. He must find a mouse named Meece, but it seems that every animal in the city is also on the hunt for his query and not all of them want Meece alive.
It was fun to explore the strengths and weaknesses of all of the different types of animals who had been engineered to be Little Helpers and the ones that humans changed their minds about engineering. Also, seeing the politics unfold within the "undercity" was interesting, especially when learning of the reasoning behind different factions' actions.
Tchaikovsky always has an interesting way of making animals/non-human beings feel human while also highlighting what makes them uniquely different from humans. I feel in this story I was missing the journey of that process due to the nature of the animals already being altered to be more human. I'm not saying this element wasn't there at all, because it absolutely was, I just wasn't as enthralled with it as I usually am. Seeing the ways that humans manipulated these creatures to have certain instincts that weren't natural to them and how those instincts were sometimes forced to combat their actual natures was both fascinating and troubling. I think perhaps I wanted more of the backstory of these decisions and "undercities" being made. We got that in passing, but we didn't live it with the characters so the history seemed more distant than I would prefer.
I also didn't see a ton of detective work being done. We got a little bit of Skotch at the beginning using some past contacts to find some information, but otherwise it felt like he was being forced by circumstances to move from one location to the next with no real clues being found.
Overall, this story was entertaining. I had fun getting to know the main cast of characters and their adversaries as well as how the Little Helpers world worked. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing some short stories highlighting some of Skotch's past investigations and how he came to meet all of the characters we see within this story.
My thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for generously providing me with an early copy of this book. Their willingness to share the digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts is truly appreciated.
Green City Wars follows a P.I. racoon named Skotch who gets pulled into a game much larger than he ever imagined. He must find a mouse named Meece, but it seems that every animal in the city is also on the hunt for his query and not all of them want Meece alive.
It was fun to explore the strengths and weaknesses of all of the different types of animals who had been engineered to be Little Helpers and the ones that humans changed their minds about engineering. Also, seeing the politics unfold within the "undercity" was interesting, especially when learning of the reasoning behind different factions' actions.
Tchaikovsky always has an interesting way of making animals/non-human beings feel human while also highlighting what makes them uniquely different from humans. I feel in this story I was missing the journey of that process due to the nature of the animals already being altered to be more human. I'm not saying this element wasn't there at all, because it absolutely was, I just wasn't as enthralled with it as I usually am. Seeing the ways that humans manipulated these creatures to have certain instincts that weren't natural to them and how those instincts were sometimes forced to combat their actual natures was both fascinating and troubling. I think perhaps I wanted more of the backstory of these decisions and "undercities" being made. We got that in passing, but we didn't live it with the characters so the history seemed more distant than I would prefer.
I also didn't see a ton of detective work being done. We got a little bit of Skotch at the beginning using some past contacts to find some information, but otherwise it felt like he was being forced by circumstances to move from one location to the next with no real clues being found.
Overall, this story was entertaining. I had fun getting to know the main cast of characters and their adversaries as well as how the Little Helpers world worked. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing some short stories highlighting some of Skotch's past investigations and how he came to meet all of the characters we see within this story.
My thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for generously providing me with an early copy of this book. Their willingness to share the digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts is truly appreciated.
August 3, 2026
Green City Wars by Adrian Tchaikovsky is a clever, atmospheric noir with wonderfully rich worldbuilding and an unforgettable cast of genetically engineered animal characters. The balance between their animal instincts and higher intelligence is handled especially well. It never tips too far into feeling overly humanoid, which makes the setting all the more convincing.
The mystery itself occasionally feels a little repetitive, with Skotch moving from one faction to the next in search of answers, and I found the themes became a bit heavy-handed toward the end. Even so, the story never loses sight of its characters, and the final payoff is satisfying.
A strong 4-star read, particularly for fans of noir and imaginative speculative fiction.
The mystery itself occasionally feels a little repetitive, with Skotch moving from one faction to the next in search of answers, and I found the themes became a bit heavy-handed toward the end. Even so, the story never loses sight of its characters, and the final payoff is satisfying.
A strong 4-star read, particularly for fans of noir and imaginative speculative fiction.
April 22, 2026
More like 2.5 than 3 but I think rating it two is too harsh. I found Skotch the raccoon to be a disengaging character. Thrown into a massively complex world, the novel is more about the intricacies of the world rather than classic “gum-shoe”-style story the plot seems to suggest. This is the first time I’ve read an Adrian Tchaikovsky novel, but I unfortunately found him to be more interested in the world he created rather than the characters he’s populating. I think a lot of people will enjoy this, especially hardcore sci-fi nerds who just want to get lost in complexity and minutiae. But those looking to get read about complexities of a character might not be as interested. Would have loved this if it was more closer to Dresden.
June 12, 2026
3.5 rounded up. This was adorable af. I really enjoyed the narration in the audio and had a fun time with the story and the how the animals interacted with or avoided humans. The mystery was fine, but never pulled me in too much. I would definitely read more if this becomes a series, though.
June 13, 2026
Green City Wars
Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC! 🙏
I enjoyed the overall production quality and performance of this audiobook. John Pirhalla did a fantastic job giving the characters their own distinct differences and voice. He fit very well into a Noir style story.
The book overall suffered from pacing and info dumps through out the story. The world building was told and not really shown as the story played out. I did enjoy the core of the story and would recommend to those who enjoy descriptive world building.
Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC! 🙏
I enjoyed the overall production quality and performance of this audiobook. John Pirhalla did a fantastic job giving the characters their own distinct differences and voice. He fit very well into a Noir style story.
The book overall suffered from pacing and info dumps through out the story. The world building was told and not really shown as the story played out. I did enjoy the core of the story and would recommend to those who enjoy descriptive world building.
May 2, 2026
What if you took Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and mixed it in a blender with Watership Down or Redwall then tossed in a bit of noir crime thriller? Well, your result would be Green City Wars.
This was fun, humorous and really entertaining.
This was fun, humorous and really entertaining.
January 15, 2026
detective noir meets sci fi!! full of weird lil guys, amazing.
July 13, 2026
Tchaikovsky cleverly combines science fiction with a detective noir narrative and plot. But with a twist: It features animals.
In a future where humans have finally got the greening of the Earth correct, they still need help in getting all the work done: trash removal, cooking, street cleaning, etc. If every person is living an idyllic life, who are you gonna get to take out the trash?
Humans selectively Uplift some animals to human sapience, but only those who are helpful in doing the chores that humans won't do. Small animals, that can live in the interstices of a city and not be observed. Rule One is that animals don't interact with humans - they just slip in and do chores at night or after hours.
Why do the animals tolerate this? Once they got a taste of human intelligence, they wanted to keep it, and only humans have the Plangent drug that animals regularly need or they'll slip back into their natural state.
Our first-person narrator (in fine noir tradition) is a raccoon named Skotch, who used to work for one of the animal employment guilds but has gone free-lance. He is hired to find a mouse, one particular mouse who, it seems, everyone else wants to either capture or kill, they can't make up their minds.
The plot is set and the chase is on. And what a chase it is! It involves rats, different factions of warring squirrels, a stoat assassin, a century-old tortoise, a badger, and one very talkative pigeon.
Tchaikovsky keeps the pot boiling with all the action, with Skotch seemingly the only one in the dark about what makes this mouse so special. The underlying social concept is that in a highly advanced technical society, whether green or not, someone still has to do the scut work, and humans are very good at finding Others to do it. And maintaining a hold over them.
Another creative and outstandingly compelling book by the ever-prolific Adrian Tchaikovsky!
In a future where humans have finally got the greening of the Earth correct, they still need help in getting all the work done: trash removal, cooking, street cleaning, etc. If every person is living an idyllic life, who are you gonna get to take out the trash?
Humans selectively Uplift some animals to human sapience, but only those who are helpful in doing the chores that humans won't do. Small animals, that can live in the interstices of a city and not be observed. Rule One is that animals don't interact with humans - they just slip in and do chores at night or after hours.
Why do the animals tolerate this? Once they got a taste of human intelligence, they wanted to keep it, and only humans have the Plangent drug that animals regularly need or they'll slip back into their natural state.
Our first-person narrator (in fine noir tradition) is a raccoon named Skotch, who used to work for one of the animal employment guilds but has gone free-lance. He is hired to find a mouse, one particular mouse who, it seems, everyone else wants to either capture or kill, they can't make up their minds.
The plot is set and the chase is on. And what a chase it is! It involves rats, different factions of warring squirrels, a stoat assassin, a century-old tortoise, a badger, and one very talkative pigeon.
Tchaikovsky keeps the pot boiling with all the action, with Skotch seemingly the only one in the dark about what makes this mouse so special. The underlying social concept is that in a highly advanced technical society, whether green or not, someone still has to do the scut work, and humans are very good at finding Others to do it. And maintaining a hold over them.
Another creative and outstandingly compelling book by the ever-prolific Adrian Tchaikovsky!
July 21, 2026
This was a fun book about animals that have been uplifted to serve humans, but who have to do so behind the scenes. Our tale focuses on those animals that have broken free of the shackles and live their own lives on their own terms. Except they can't completely do that, because there's a drug they have to take or they revert back to dumb animals. Our main character is a noir private detective tasked with looking for a brilliant mouse. Unfortunately, everyone else is looking for him, too. I liked the world-building and the sense that these animals don't understand everything that's happening around them, even though they think they do. I'm a sucker for anthropomorphic animals, and I'll happily read more tails- er...tales from this world.
July 7, 2026
I liked the infrastructure and world dynamics a lot and the mystery plot line not much at all unfortunately.
April 15, 2026
Thanks to Tor for the ARC on this. I love Tchaikovsky’s toying with sentient animals since Children of Time. I like how this book does the same thing, the interesting ways animals act and are personified if given human level intelligence. This book was a fun read. Didn’t grab me the way Children of Time did, but it was a fun detective, but animals, kind of book. Would love to read more in this world. I like to think this is Earth before Children of Time. I feel that there could have been a bigger “wow” factor of plot twist in the end to really sell it to me.
June 16, 2026
3.69/5 stars
One night, I was driving home after having picked up dinner for my family. I was almost home, one block away. Right before i get to my street, I come down a steep hill and then go up another then there’s my street on the left. Coming down the hill, I can just make out something ahead in the road. I thought it was a dead animal or something struck by another passing vehicle but as I get closer I realize it’s moving and it’s not one thing, it’s three. Three raccoons spitting, biting and wrestling in the road. I stop because I don’t want to hit them but I want to see what’s going on. I didn’t know if they were ganging up on something else but it’s just raccoons and it’s a 2v1 situation and the two are laying into the 1. Now I’m all for nature taking its course and letting things happen as nature intended as long as I don’t have to look at it. They’ve by now rolled out of the road and onto the sidewalk but the 1 is losing. So I hop out of my car and tell them to “cut that shit out”. They stop and stare at me and that gives the 1 time to run and the 2 then give chase. I don’t know if they were friendly wrestling/playing or whatever but I wasn’t about to watch an unfair fight take place in front of me and not do anything. This novel makes me wonder what situation I was inserting myself.
Green City Wars says what if a city was maintained by animals that could think and talk, in their own languages, like humans. It’s a hell of a premise. I watched an interview of Adrian Tchaikovsky and he said he takes locations and thinks of an interesting premise for them, i.e. city maintained by animals then he comes up with a plot to showcase the location. That is very evident in Green City Wars (GCW).
Skotch is a raccoon PI that’s hired to find a missing mouse. There is a plethora of characters ranging from all types of animals. I think Tchaikovsky has something against squirrels by the way. But then again we all might considering how we have to swerve to keep from hitting the little squeakers.
The setting is very well done and the world building is so well thought out and described throughout the book that I found it believable.
Tchaikovsky’s prose is on point as always. This is a short read. The narrator for the audiobook is John Pirhalla who also does a phenomenal jobs with voices and accents that lending to the immersion of the story. This is definitely a story to check out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listening copy.
One night, I was driving home after having picked up dinner for my family. I was almost home, one block away. Right before i get to my street, I come down a steep hill and then go up another then there’s my street on the left. Coming down the hill, I can just make out something ahead in the road. I thought it was a dead animal or something struck by another passing vehicle but as I get closer I realize it’s moving and it’s not one thing, it’s three. Three raccoons spitting, biting and wrestling in the road. I stop because I don’t want to hit them but I want to see what’s going on. I didn’t know if they were ganging up on something else but it’s just raccoons and it’s a 2v1 situation and the two are laying into the 1. Now I’m all for nature taking its course and letting things happen as nature intended as long as I don’t have to look at it. They’ve by now rolled out of the road and onto the sidewalk but the 1 is losing. So I hop out of my car and tell them to “cut that shit out”. They stop and stare at me and that gives the 1 time to run and the 2 then give chase. I don’t know if they were friendly wrestling/playing or whatever but I wasn’t about to watch an unfair fight take place in front of me and not do anything. This novel makes me wonder what situation I was inserting myself.
Green City Wars says what if a city was maintained by animals that could think and talk, in their own languages, like humans. It’s a hell of a premise. I watched an interview of Adrian Tchaikovsky and he said he takes locations and thinks of an interesting premise for them, i.e. city maintained by animals then he comes up with a plot to showcase the location. That is very evident in Green City Wars (GCW).
Skotch is a raccoon PI that’s hired to find a missing mouse. There is a plethora of characters ranging from all types of animals. I think Tchaikovsky has something against squirrels by the way. But then again we all might considering how we have to swerve to keep from hitting the little squeakers.
The setting is very well done and the world building is so well thought out and described throughout the book that I found it believable.
Tchaikovsky’s prose is on point as always. This is a short read. The narrator for the audiobook is John Pirhalla who also does a phenomenal jobs with voices and accents that lending to the immersion of the story. This is definitely a story to check out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listening copy.
July 7, 2026
I came so close to not finishing the audiobook, because it's hard to get interested with made-up words and terms and names and places and you're never quite sure what the narrator is saying at first.
The book does explain more as it goes, so I'm glad I gave it a little more time to settle into the story and be less confused.
That said, a lot of the world building and explanations are info-dumped right in the middle of conversations, actions, interactions, so that I'd start focusing on the world again and then say ... Wait what was happening?
Not that meeting all the animal gangs and learning about their social structure wasn't fun.
I was expecting a little more investigating from the P.I. aspect of the synopsis but it seemed like Skotch was mostly blown from one circumstance to the next with very little detecting or initiative of his own. He did do a couple of very clever things but the lack of free agency kind of plays into the lack of it which the animals experience in general.
The biggest strength is the different animals and their unique aspects and eccentricities. I did like now the narrator voiced everyone and gave the cast a lot of personality. Once the action started picking up I was a little more interested and enjoyed the back half of the book more.
The moral theme was interesting, and I love light up butts, but overall the whole thing just felt stretched a little thin, and I tend to love noir and books with animal characters. I'd recommend it to anyone interested still
The book does explain more as it goes, so I'm glad I gave it a little more time to settle into the story and be less confused.
That said, a lot of the world building and explanations are info-dumped right in the middle of conversations, actions, interactions, so that I'd start focusing on the world again and then say ... Wait what was happening?
Not that meeting all the animal gangs and learning about their social structure wasn't fun.
I was expecting a little more investigating from the P.I. aspect of the synopsis but it seemed like Skotch was mostly blown from one circumstance to the next with very little detecting or initiative of his own. He did do a couple of very clever things but the lack of free agency kind of plays into the lack of it which the animals experience in general.
The biggest strength is the different animals and their unique aspects and eccentricities. I did like now the narrator voiced everyone and gave the cast a lot of personality. Once the action started picking up I was a little more interested and enjoyed the back half of the book more.
The moral theme was interesting, and I love light up butts, but overall the whole thing just felt stretched a little thin, and I tend to love noir and books with animal characters. I'd recommend it to anyone interested still
June 28, 2026
Skotch is a racoon. A genetically enhanced, intelligent, freelancing racoon living off of whatever contracts he can get in the green city. Now there's a missing mouse who holds a secret, and Skotch has a black market contract to find this mouse. Skotch and the other genetically enhanced animals are engaged in all out war - loudly on each other and quietly against their human overlords - and they must follow the number one rule: don't let the humans see them.
While I had a lot of fun listening to Green City Wars, I also had mixed feelings overall. The tone of the book - which was an excellent level of snark - and the exploration of worldbuilding overpowered the relatively simplistic plot. It's clever and makes for a page turning/engaged listening experience, but left me wanting a little more. The worldbuilding takes the idea of artificial intelligence and applies it to enhanced animals rather than robots (robots being fairly well-explored in the genre already), and a post-apocalyptic reorganization of cities for humans and animals. While I would argue that the book is plot driven, the ideas of the book are stronger.
John Pirhalla narrates the audiobook, and brings life to all of the animal POVs for an overall fun listen. Pirhalla nails the snark, which I think is critical to enjoying this one.
Thank you to Tor for an eARC and MacMillan for an ALC. Green City Wars is out 6/23/2026.
While I had a lot of fun listening to Green City Wars, I also had mixed feelings overall. The tone of the book - which was an excellent level of snark - and the exploration of worldbuilding overpowered the relatively simplistic plot. It's clever and makes for a page turning/engaged listening experience, but left me wanting a little more. The worldbuilding takes the idea of artificial intelligence and applies it to enhanced animals rather than robots (robots being fairly well-explored in the genre already), and a post-apocalyptic reorganization of cities for humans and animals. While I would argue that the book is plot driven, the ideas of the book are stronger.
John Pirhalla narrates the audiobook, and brings life to all of the animal POVs for an overall fun listen. Pirhalla nails the snark, which I think is critical to enjoying this one.
Thank you to Tor for an eARC and MacMillan for an ALC. Green City Wars is out 6/23/2026.
June 9, 2026
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy - all opinions are my own.
Green City Wars is an epic adult noir featuring cleverly sentient animals and heaps of interspecies drama.
In a world where animal species are genetically engineered to work and run the cities as humans leisure about, we follow Skotch, a raccoon working as a freelance P.I. Agent. Skotch has accepted a new gig tracking down a mouse that holds a big secret. Skotch is determined to search up and down the natural food chain to discover what this secret is and why every faction in the city seems to want it.
Green City Wars was a *slight* disappointment for me. While I had a great time overall, I found some segments to be quite laborious. For a story featuring a cast of animals, it lacked charm and real intrigue. That’s not to say that I wasn’t completely enamored with some of our critter companions, I just didn’t particularly connect with our main protagonist.
The story suffered a bit with deciding whether it wanted to lean in to whimsical humor or noir style cynicism. The blend just didn’t work as well as I’d hoped. The themes were pleasantly rich and topical and I enjoyed the faction and hierarchies within this animal-labor world. The author certainly shows his vast knowledge in zoology and social sciences.
The audiobook is narrated by John Pirhalla and I really enjoyed the performance. He captured the various animals and their differentiating traits in a subtle, amusing way. The German verbiage was hard to digest in this format but I didn’t find that it hindered my experience much.
This is my first Adrian Tchaikovsky novel and I’d likely try another. If you value world-building and dense sci-fi over character depth, this if for you!
Green City Wars is an epic adult noir featuring cleverly sentient animals and heaps of interspecies drama.
In a world where animal species are genetically engineered to work and run the cities as humans leisure about, we follow Skotch, a raccoon working as a freelance P.I. Agent. Skotch has accepted a new gig tracking down a mouse that holds a big secret. Skotch is determined to search up and down the natural food chain to discover what this secret is and why every faction in the city seems to want it.
Green City Wars was a *slight* disappointment for me. While I had a great time overall, I found some segments to be quite laborious. For a story featuring a cast of animals, it lacked charm and real intrigue. That’s not to say that I wasn’t completely enamored with some of our critter companions, I just didn’t particularly connect with our main protagonist.
The story suffered a bit with deciding whether it wanted to lean in to whimsical humor or noir style cynicism. The blend just didn’t work as well as I’d hoped. The themes were pleasantly rich and topical and I enjoyed the faction and hierarchies within this animal-labor world. The author certainly shows his vast knowledge in zoology and social sciences.
The audiobook is narrated by John Pirhalla and I really enjoyed the performance. He captured the various animals and their differentiating traits in a subtle, amusing way. The German verbiage was hard to digest in this format but I didn’t find that it hindered my experience much.
This is my first Adrian Tchaikovsky novel and I’d likely try another. If you value world-building and dense sci-fi over character depth, this if for you!
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