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Flood City
The battle for Earth begins now.
Welcome to Flood City, the last inhabitable place left above the waters that cover Earth. It's also the last battleground between the Chemical Barons, who once ruled the planet and now circle overhead in spaceships, desperate to return, and the Star Guard, who have controlled the city for decades.
Born and raised in Flood City, Max doesn't care about being part of either group. All he wants is to play his music with the city band, keep his sister from joining the Star Guard, and be noticed by his crush, the awesome drummer Djinna.
Meanwhile, Ato, a young Chemical Baron, has joined his crew for what was supposed to be a routine surveillance mission, only things go from bad to worse between unexplained iguanagull attacks and the discovery of deadly schemes. Ato's just trying to stay safe, keep his twin brother alive, and not hurt anyone. So when his commander prepares to wipe out Flood City completely, Ato must decide how far he'll go.
As Max's and Ato's paths collide, it changes everything. Because they might be able to stop a coming war. But can two enemies work together to save Earth?
Welcome to Flood City, the last inhabitable place left above the waters that cover Earth. It's also the last battleground between the Chemical Barons, who once ruled the planet and now circle overhead in spaceships, desperate to return, and the Star Guard, who have controlled the city for decades.
Born and raised in Flood City, Max doesn't care about being part of either group. All he wants is to play his music with the city band, keep his sister from joining the Star Guard, and be noticed by his crush, the awesome drummer Djinna.
Meanwhile, Ato, a young Chemical Baron, has joined his crew for what was supposed to be a routine surveillance mission, only things go from bad to worse between unexplained iguanagull attacks and the discovery of deadly schemes. Ato's just trying to stay safe, keep his twin brother alive, and not hurt anyone. So when his commander prepares to wipe out Flood City completely, Ato must decide how far he'll go.
As Max's and Ato's paths collide, it changes everything. Because they might be able to stop a coming war. But can two enemies work together to save Earth?
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 2, 2021
9 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
About the author
Daniel José Older
179 books1,965 followersDaniel José Older is the New York Times bestselling author of the Young Adult series the Shadowshaper Cypher (Scholastic), the Bone Street Rumba urban fantasy series (Penguin), and the upcoming Middle Grade sci-fi adventure Flood City (Scholastic). He won the International Latino Book Award and has been nominated for the Kirkus Prize, the Mythopoeic Award, the Locus Award, the Andre Norton Award, and yes, the World Fantasy Award. Shadowshaper was named one of Esquire’s 80 Books Every Person Should Read. You can find his thoughts on writing, read dispatches from his decade-long career as an NYC paramedic and hear his music at http://danieljoseolder.net/, on youtube and @djolder on twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 7, 2021
With a wonderful mix of humour, peril, fast-moving plot, and social commentary, Daniel José Older presents a tale of friendship and music in a dystopia, post-alien invasion and environment disaster. And jet boots.
The protagonist kids are caring and responsible, while the baddies are horrible, as they contemplate invasion and destruction of a carefully managed, delicately balanced city that has a number of cooperative and respectful arrangements amongst its people, most of whom are of colour and diverse. These arrangements would be destroyed when the baddies, who are the polar opposites of the people in the city, plan to disrupt the running of the city and become the bosses.
The story is fun, and there is a lot of humour to balance out the nastiness and the dire situations the kids find themselves in. I liked the pacing and the characters, and wonder if Older will tell more stories in this world.
The protagonist kids are caring and responsible, while the baddies are horrible, as they contemplate invasion and destruction of a carefully managed, delicately balanced city that has a number of cooperative and respectful arrangements amongst its people, most of whom are of colour and diverse. These arrangements would be destroyed when the baddies, who are the polar opposites of the people in the city, plan to disrupt the running of the city and become the bosses.
The story is fun, and there is a lot of humour to balance out the nastiness and the dire situations the kids find themselves in. I liked the pacing and the characters, and wonder if Older will tell more stories in this world.
July 2, 2022
This was a little younger, but I think that's good to have some less intense options for students, it kind of reminded me of The Legend of Korra, I liked that it brought up some more serious issues without being quite so heavy
June 2, 2024
On this dystopian Earth, few humans have been left behind in Flood City after a massive flood destroyed the land supposedly brought on by the Chemical Barons. On this nearly uninhabitable land, siblings Max and Yala are hearing rumors that the Barons want to reclaim the Earth after they were defeated many years ago.
A ghostly presence and a strong, eager-to-defend convergence of respected adults quietly lead the way to a victory…with help from Max, Yala, and a new friend Ato. An intriguing premise with choppy dialogue and confusing circumstances.
A ghostly presence and a strong, eager-to-defend convergence of respected adults quietly lead the way to a victory…with help from Max, Yala, and a new friend Ato. An intriguing premise with choppy dialogue and confusing circumstances.
October 7, 2021
If I had read this before purchasing, I would not have purchased.
I was hopeful to have a dystopian book with diverse characters, but this book is terrible. I've had test readers try it and they all bring it back after about 40ish pages.
I was hopeful to have a dystopian book with diverse characters, but this book is terrible. I've had test readers try it and they all bring it back after about 40ish pages.
September 18, 2022
I just couldn’t care about anything.
March 2, 2021
This is a satisfying science fiction adventure set in a dystopian world. Flood City is the only habitable place left on earth after the waters rose. A watery metropolis set among the tops of tall buildings, it nevertheless has a thriving population of black and brown people. Max and his sister Yala live with their Mom, a doctor. Max loves to play his feezlehorn, and has a crush on Djinna, who plays the balooga. Meanwhile, the Chemical Barons, who are white, want to take over earth and are flying above with the evil Mephim in charge. The Star Guards, a police force with questionable loyalties, control Flood City’s rations. There are mutant animals, namely iguanagulls, with various loyalties. While Max’s life in Flood City goes on, readers follow another narrative, of Ato, a young Baron who does not want to fight the earthlings, and who witnesses Mephim’s dastardly plot to nuke Flood City. When Ato finds himself capsized in Flood City, Max rescues him and they become friends. Will the friends succeed in foiling Mephim’s plot? Whose side will the Star Guards eventually take?
Older does a great job with world-building. I love the fun names of musical instruments! People zoom around on jet boots and have sophisticated holographic technology. The iguanagulls are tamed by the power of Max’s music, and play a pivotal role in the final exciting battle sequence. Max’s feelings for Djinna play out in a satisfying friends-in-arms type friendship. The action ramps up over the course of the book and make the book an fun read.
My critiscism: It feels like there was a chapter missing where Max and Ato become friends. It was too sudden to be believable.
Older does a great job with world-building. I love the fun names of musical instruments! People zoom around on jet boots and have sophisticated holographic technology. The iguanagulls are tamed by the power of Max’s music, and play a pivotal role in the final exciting battle sequence. Max’s feelings for Djinna play out in a satisfying friends-in-arms type friendship. The action ramps up over the course of the book and make the book an fun read.
My critiscism: It feels like there was a chapter missing where Max and Ato become friends. It was too sudden to be believable.
May 18, 2022
Told from several points of view, this post-apocalyptic story by Older is a stand-alone story.
The brown inhabitants of Flood City (aptly named, as the last city on Earth floods often) were left behind years ago by the white "Chemical Barons" who went rogue and fled into space. The Barons return to Earth, led by Arch Baron Mephim (Mef'-ihm), and attack Flood City, massacring many people. Max, a 12-year-old Flood City resident, finds Ato (at'-oh), a 12-year-old minor Baron, injured near the wreckage of his spacecraft which was shot down by the Floodians. Max rescues Ato and they become fast friends. They resolve to work together to try to stop Mephim from dropping a nuclear bomb on Flood City. Told largely from the viewpoints of Max and Ato, readers will root for both boys to succeed - Max to feel safe at home in Flood City and to reunite with his sister Yala (yah'-lah) and Ato to reunite with his twin brother Get and return "home".
Older is a master storyteller. High on action, characters are fully realized. To add interest to the story, he inserts letters from Max's sister, who is training to become a dreaded Star Guard (the corrupt local mercenary army) so she can fight the Barons. Also, there pages filled with stories from the Flood City Gazette and photos from Star Guard History. Short chapters and lots of action make this a fast, exciting read.
Recommended for grades 5-8.
The brown inhabitants of Flood City (aptly named, as the last city on Earth floods often) were left behind years ago by the white "Chemical Barons" who went rogue and fled into space. The Barons return to Earth, led by Arch Baron Mephim (Mef'-ihm), and attack Flood City, massacring many people. Max, a 12-year-old Flood City resident, finds Ato (at'-oh), a 12-year-old minor Baron, injured near the wreckage of his spacecraft which was shot down by the Floodians. Max rescues Ato and they become fast friends. They resolve to work together to try to stop Mephim from dropping a nuclear bomb on Flood City. Told largely from the viewpoints of Max and Ato, readers will root for both boys to succeed - Max to feel safe at home in Flood City and to reunite with his sister Yala (yah'-lah) and Ato to reunite with his twin brother Get and return "home".
Older is a master storyteller. High on action, characters are fully realized. To add interest to the story, he inserts letters from Max's sister, who is training to become a dreaded Star Guard (the corrupt local mercenary army) so she can fight the Barons. Also, there pages filled with stories from the Flood City Gazette and photos from Star Guard History. Short chapters and lots of action make this a fast, exciting read.
Recommended for grades 5-8.
March 19, 2021
This middle grade children's novel is set in the future where Earth is covered entirely by water except for Flood City. The inhabitants are protected by the Star Guard, which is a group blue giant aliens, but they also come under attack by the Chemical Barons, who are the ones responsible for flooding the earth. The story is initially told in two parts from the point of view Max and his sister Yala, who live in Flood City and by the Chemical Barons, especially a younger Baron Ato who discovers that the
ArchBaron is not just on a fact finding mission but of one to destroy Flood City. The Flood City residents are able to down the ArchBarons cruiser and Max ends up saving Ato's life. Ato shares the Baron's plan to nuke the city and so Max and Ato work together to stop them. The story is fairly predictable and one must use alot of suspension of disbelief, but 10-14 year olds who like fast-paced action driven stories will probably like this story. Some okay world building, but I still prefer the "Dactyl Hill Squad" series.
ArchBaron is not just on a fact finding mission but of one to destroy Flood City. The Flood City residents are able to down the ArchBarons cruiser and Max ends up saving Ato's life. Ato shares the Baron's plan to nuke the city and so Max and Ato work together to stop them. The story is fairly predictable and one must use alot of suspension of disbelief, but 10-14 year olds who like fast-paced action driven stories will probably like this story. Some okay world building, but I still prefer the "Dactyl Hill Squad" series.
February 5, 2022
While the main plot was set up fine by the world building, there were enough moments where something came kind of out of left field (wait, there are aliens? wait, magic?) that I was left with the odd feeling that I was reading a random book in a series, or fanfic for something I wasn't familiar with. It wasn't enough to ruin my enjoyment, but it did throw me out of the story a time or two.
I am also way older than the target audience, who might not be so thrown off (as they might have fewer assumptions about the apparent setting).
In any event, it was an enjoyable enough post-apocalyptic adventure story.
I am also way older than the target audience, who might not be so thrown off (as they might have fewer assumptions about the apparent setting).
In any event, it was an enjoyable enough post-apocalyptic adventure story.
February 6, 2021
I was doubtful at first, because of being very confused, but soon I was totally absorbed by the story and the strangeness. Almost totally, because there were actually a number of places where I wanted to ask someone else who was reading the book about what they thought about bits, and every time I got another to another issue of the Flood City Gazette I wanted to make it clear to someone how much I appreciated the humor! (after the fact, but better than nothing--I appreciated the humor!). I am still confused about some things, but not so much that it bothers me.
May 5, 2021
It’s great to have a dystopian book to recommend to a middle grade student.they are very hard to find. Plus,mit you’re looking for a book with some messaging, you will find it here. I don’t think every reader will notice it.
January 19, 2022
this is the first book of a series, but it has a beginning, middle and a good ending. a good book for a jr. high student. my only quibble w/it is the use of some modern slang which will date the book in a few years.
Read
March 11, 2021Great Book!
I loved the action and I would recommend this book to anyone! I loved the story and all of the characters.
I loved the action and I would recommend this book to anyone! I loved the story and all of the characters.
March 19, 2021
3.5 stars!
Read
May 17, 2021It took me a little while to get into this book but then I enjoyed it. I think students (who like dystopian/sci-fi) stories will like this one.
Want to read
April 17, 2025J FIC OLDER, D.
May 14, 2022
10/20/2021 ~ Upper middle grade to YA; a bit long for most of the students in my elementary library. Also, the first 1/3 of the book felt a bit slow. From the world-building, I expect there to be more in the series, though no title, blurb, or teaser was in this HC volume. I'm looking forward to reading more, but expect this to do better in a middle school library.
I appreciated the discussion of race and equity in the throughline - most of the Chemical Barons were White and escaped the cataclysmic floods; most of the people left on Earth were Black/LatinX and Spanish was a dominant language.
I appreciated the discussion of race and equity in the throughline - most of the Chemical Barons were White and escaped the cataclysmic floods; most of the people left on Earth were Black/LatinX and Spanish was a dominant language.
June 30, 2021
This sci-fi story pits the oppressive Star Guard against the Chemical Barons, former rulers of the planet, with the survival of the last city on Earth at stake. Join Max, Yala, and Ato in a fast-paced adventure in the far future as they try to save their home city from destruction. Reviewer #21
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews