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Water Must Fall
A gripping saga of human struggle, political intrigue, corporate fraud and murder in a near future where water is worth killing for.
As the planet continues to thirst and slowly perish, will water ever fall?
The year is 2048. Climate change has brought catastrophe and water has become the most precious commodity on Earth. Water companies play god and determine the fate of millions.
In Africa, Graham Mason struggles to come to terms with the changing world and save his marriage to Lizette, who is torn between loyalty to their relationship and to her people.
In Northern California, Arthur Green battles to find ways of saving water and root out corruption, even when his family are threatened by those he seeks to expose.
Determined to uncover the truth on two continents, Graham, Liz, and Art are caught up in a new uprising, a desperate attempt to challenge those set on appropriating the world’s remaining water for their own gain. In the FreeFlow Corporation they face a common enemy, but do they have any hope of prevailing against a power that is so ruthless and so entrenched?
As the planet continues to thirst and slowly perish, will water ever fall?
Nick Wood’s debut novel Azanian Bridges was shortlisted for major awards on three continents: Africa (the NOMMO Award), Europe (the BSFA Award), and North America (the Campbell and the Sidewise Awards). This, his second novel, is even stronger.
“This is the story of people struggling with a climate situation that is out of their control. It’s a situation that soon may become universal, so there’s an extra edge to this novel that makes it especially compelling.” – Kim Stanley Robinson
As the planet continues to thirst and slowly perish, will water ever fall?
The year is 2048. Climate change has brought catastrophe and water has become the most precious commodity on Earth. Water companies play god and determine the fate of millions.
In Africa, Graham Mason struggles to come to terms with the changing world and save his marriage to Lizette, who is torn between loyalty to their relationship and to her people.
In Northern California, Arthur Green battles to find ways of saving water and root out corruption, even when his family are threatened by those he seeks to expose.
Determined to uncover the truth on two continents, Graham, Liz, and Art are caught up in a new uprising, a desperate attempt to challenge those set on appropriating the world’s remaining water for their own gain. In the FreeFlow Corporation they face a common enemy, but do they have any hope of prevailing against a power that is so ruthless and so entrenched?
As the planet continues to thirst and slowly perish, will water ever fall?
Nick Wood’s debut novel Azanian Bridges was shortlisted for major awards on three continents: Africa (the NOMMO Award), Europe (the BSFA Award), and North America (the Campbell and the Sidewise Awards). This, his second novel, is even stronger.
“This is the story of people struggling with a climate situation that is out of their control. It’s a situation that soon may become universal, so there’s an extra edge to this novel that makes it especially compelling.” – Kim Stanley Robinson
284 pages, Paperback
Published April 15, 2020
2 people are currently reading
649 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 18, 2020
Set in South Africa and the Federated States of America in 2048, Wood’s brilliantly constructed latest examines civilization’s wreckage as climate change brings catastrophes, making water the most precious commodity on Earth. Devastating climate change has turned life upside down on Earth. The shortage of water has made it an extremely scarce commodity on the planet. Water companies play god and determine the fate of millions. The FreeFlow Corporation, a multinational water company, holds infinite power. The privileged ones have means to afford enough water while the general population suffer. In Africa, Graham Mason, a hack journalist, is struggling to come to terms with the changing world and save his marriage to Lizette, who is disgusted by her own privilege as the poor lay suffering and becomes involved with a rebellious group. In Northern California, Arthur Green, a Black American, is fighting a hopeless battle to protect state-controlled water reserves from corporate malpractice. Caught up in a new uprising, Graham, Lizzette, and Arthur come face to face with a common enemy. But will they be able to face the ruthless, powerful corporation by themselves?
Wood’s worldbuilding is intricate, and he successfully implements much of what makes an impressive dystopian: cerebral implants, advanced artificial intelligences, groundbreaking technology, rebels, brotherhood, individual sacrifices, and the struggle to find hope in the darkness. While the world Wood builds is evocative, readers will feel overwhelmed by a devastatingly bleak near future marked by perilous climate and international turmoil.
The first-person narrative that alternates between Graham, Lizzette, and Arthur is paced smoothly. Wood skillfully interweaves his various protagonists’ individual stories into the intricate, multifaceted plot. His prose is crisp and characterization topnotch. Lizette’s character is created with utmost sympathy and perception. Her hopelessness is balanced with the optimism of her desire to make a change after she finds a chance to collaborate with the Imbali Township Co-op.
The story of Lizzette’s marriage with Graham is quiet and poignant, and explores intricacies of marriage and relationship. Arthur is a representative of the Black population in America. Graham is mostly unlikable, though he evokes sympathy in readers hearts, especially in second half of the book.
The novel offers gripping, convincing glimpses into a devastating near future, exploring catastrophes induced by climate change and the interrelated advancement of technology, society, and human nature.
This thrilling and thought-provoking tale is sure to capture readers’ imaginations.
Wood’s worldbuilding is intricate, and he successfully implements much of what makes an impressive dystopian: cerebral implants, advanced artificial intelligences, groundbreaking technology, rebels, brotherhood, individual sacrifices, and the struggle to find hope in the darkness. While the world Wood builds is evocative, readers will feel overwhelmed by a devastatingly bleak near future marked by perilous climate and international turmoil.
The first-person narrative that alternates between Graham, Lizzette, and Arthur is paced smoothly. Wood skillfully interweaves his various protagonists’ individual stories into the intricate, multifaceted plot. His prose is crisp and characterization topnotch. Lizette’s character is created with utmost sympathy and perception. Her hopelessness is balanced with the optimism of her desire to make a change after she finds a chance to collaborate with the Imbali Township Co-op.
The story of Lizzette’s marriage with Graham is quiet and poignant, and explores intricacies of marriage and relationship. Arthur is a representative of the Black population in America. Graham is mostly unlikable, though he evokes sympathy in readers hearts, especially in second half of the book.
The novel offers gripping, convincing glimpses into a devastating near future, exploring catastrophes induced by climate change and the interrelated advancement of technology, society, and human nature.
This thrilling and thought-provoking tale is sure to capture readers’ imaginations.
July 24, 2020
Water Must Fall is a brilliant book, deeply rooted in revolution, both internal and external.
Using 3 POV characters (Graham, a journalist; Lizzie, his wife; and Art, a water resources officer), Nick Wood skillfully extrapolates the inequalities and politic of today into a horrifying plausible future, one where unchecked capitalism, socio-political divisions, new technologies and climate-catastrophe have combined to create a world where water is scarce and controlled by a few (primarily the antagonistic and ironically-named corporation, Freeflow), with many seeking refuge and a bit to drink. This is a world of Thirstlands. A world we should all be doing everything we can to avoid.
From this bleakly sobering premise, Wood spins out a story of hope - what starts out as a cli-fi dystopia slowly morphs into a largely solarpunk story of building new communities and systems, of revolutionary action, of learning new ways of co-existing with each other, of family, of new forms of consciousness drawing on old beliefs. Wood shows us, through the changes his characters experience in their lives, how we, and consequently, the world at large, can change. And what could happen if we don't.
Written in a clear, precise style, the book is enjoyable to read and hard to put down, once you really get into it. It builds cleverly to a great (if somewhat open) ending where water, and walls - both physical and mental, do indeed fall. I like the 3 protagonists, especially Lizzie, whose story and character arc I think resonates and intersects most with the core theme of the novel.
If there is anything to criticize here, I find that the book is very directly rooted in both historical and current events, wearing its intentions and influences on its sleeves. This is a book about about justice and revolution and it wants you to know that. From the title, to its references and its theme. I found it sometimes distracting, being so directly drawn away from 2048, back to the politics of the late 2010's. But that also gives it a sense of grounding and scope and of social-science-fictional extrapolation so I suppose its a trade-off. I'd have also liked it more if the characters of Busi had been centered a bit more. Still, we do see a lot of her through Lizzie, and the novel does conclude from her POV, which I greatly appreciated.
Overall, I'd rate this a solid 4.5/5. Highly recommended.
Using 3 POV characters (Graham, a journalist; Lizzie, his wife; and Art, a water resources officer), Nick Wood skillfully extrapolates the inequalities and politic of today into a horrifying plausible future, one where unchecked capitalism, socio-political divisions, new technologies and climate-catastrophe have combined to create a world where water is scarce and controlled by a few (primarily the antagonistic and ironically-named corporation, Freeflow), with many seeking refuge and a bit to drink. This is a world of Thirstlands. A world we should all be doing everything we can to avoid.
From this bleakly sobering premise, Wood spins out a story of hope - what starts out as a cli-fi dystopia slowly morphs into a largely solarpunk story of building new communities and systems, of revolutionary action, of learning new ways of co-existing with each other, of family, of new forms of consciousness drawing on old beliefs. Wood shows us, through the changes his characters experience in their lives, how we, and consequently, the world at large, can change. And what could happen if we don't.
Written in a clear, precise style, the book is enjoyable to read and hard to put down, once you really get into it. It builds cleverly to a great (if somewhat open) ending where water, and walls - both physical and mental, do indeed fall. I like the 3 protagonists, especially Lizzie, whose story and character arc I think resonates and intersects most with the core theme of the novel.
If there is anything to criticize here, I find that the book is very directly rooted in both historical and current events, wearing its intentions and influences on its sleeves. This is a book about about justice and revolution and it wants you to know that. From the title, to its references and its theme. I found it sometimes distracting, being so directly drawn away from 2048, back to the politics of the late 2010's. But that also gives it a sense of grounding and scope and of social-science-fictional extrapolation so I suppose its a trade-off. I'd have also liked it more if the characters of Busi had been centered a bit more. Still, we do see a lot of her through Lizzie, and the novel does conclude from her POV, which I greatly appreciated.
Overall, I'd rate this a solid 4.5/5. Highly recommended.
May 17, 2021
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3645878.html
It's a climate change story, set a couple of decades from now in South Africa and the USA, with political intrigues and violence and a dismally failing marriage involving two of the protagonists. I have to fault a couple of technical points where the writing unexpectedly jarred - for instance, there is a wedding scene where the author confuses the names of the bride and her daughter; and the means and motivation of the bad guys was not completely clear. But again, its heart is in the right place.
It's a climate change story, set a couple of decades from now in South Africa and the USA, with political intrigues and violence and a dismally failing marriage involving two of the protagonists. I have to fault a couple of technical points where the writing unexpectedly jarred - for instance, there is a wedding scene where the author confuses the names of the bride and her daughter; and the means and motivation of the bad guys was not completely clear. But again, its heart is in the right place.
December 24, 2021
DNF at 48%
I was already not thrilled by the fact that both of the important female characters had almost been raped (and in one case, it was specifically because the character was a lesbian). Can't authors find ways to show that their female characters are in danger without using sexual violence? This was written in 2020! Then the AFAB non-binary character got raped and murdered, and they get misgendered by both the murderer and one of the protagonists. That's when I decided I was done reading.
I was already not thrilled by the fact that both of the important female characters had almost been raped (and in one case, it was specifically because the character was a lesbian). Can't authors find ways to show that their female characters are in danger without using sexual violence? This was written in 2020! Then the AFAB non-binary character got raped and murdered, and they get misgendered by both the murderer and one of the protagonists. That's when I decided I was done reading.
November 26, 2020
Water Must Fall
[Blurb goes here]
I enjoyed the novel. The struggle depicted in it was not only believable, but eerie familiar, since we're heading in that direction. I can't say I have a favorite character, since they evolve through out the novel. The writing style hooks you from the beginning. Water, as we all know, will be the next gold rush. The author delves on that in a very real and disturbing way, which I loved.
[Blurb goes here]
I enjoyed the novel. The struggle depicted in it was not only believable, but eerie familiar, since we're heading in that direction. I can't say I have a favorite character, since they evolve through out the novel. The writing style hooks you from the beginning. Water, as we all know, will be the next gold rush. The author delves on that in a very real and disturbing way, which I loved.
November 26, 2021
A cli-fi novel set in South Africa and North America, showing the all too credible consequences of allowing capitalists control the natural resources on which we all depend. Cleverly constructed, and encompassing my favourite themes of mental health (in this case a man with autism), (gender and race) identity and social justice, with lots of tech, it's a cracking read. But beware of the paperback – the print is tiny!
April 6, 2025
I would give this book 2.5 / 5.0 stars. It was hard to follow and keep track of the characters. The book laid on the climate / social justice warrior parts a bit too thick, even though I align with those values. And the ending was just bizarre. While reading this book, I could never really figure out if I liked it, but the ending made me conclude that I did not.
August 15, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed Water Must Fall by Nick Wood. The novel uses science fiction as a way of exploring the terminus of current and relevant issues in believable and suspenseful ways — which is one of the functions of strong science fiction. It’s a trip to another world that reflects our own.
September 20, 2020
Good story. It is engaging and well-crafted. Maybe a hidden gem since it only has a few reviews. Peal away the scifi aspects and it is just a good story with a good ending. Recommended.
I really appreciate the review copy!!
I really appreciate the review copy!!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews