TOOL OF WAR Ship Breaker, Book 3

Bacigalupi returns for the third installment in the Shipbreaker series, focusing on Tool, a bioengineered "augment" and his quest for revenge. Sunil Malhotra's gruff, resolute narration is well matched to a dystopia with hardened characters, heavy backstory, and harsh environments. While prior knowledge of the Shipbreaker series may be useful to fully grasp the worlds of Tool's army and his foes, this installment is still vivid and engaging as a stand-alone work. Malhotra's pacing and vehement tone speak to the hardships of battle and bring richness to characters' internal monologues and past experiences. There's a sizable cast in this work, and Malhotra's characterizations give urgency to conflicting opinions and challenging conversations. K.S.B. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2018]