The Windup Girl

This book represents an amazing entrance into the dystopian near-future SF arena: Bacigalupi has created a very well-realised climate-warmed future Earth - with all sorts of genengineered plants and beasties, and engineered pathogens to go with them, in a wild sort of corporate war to control food.

But it is his future Bangkok that is so interesting: I have been there in a time of flood; I have seen how easy it would be to inundate the city now, let alone when the oceans are metres higher - and he has created it very, very well.

THEN you have the titular wind-up girl: basically an android egineered for pleasure, and with a characteristic jerky movement to distinguish her from "humans" - who just happens to have some serious offensive skills as well....

A VERY good book: I am glad to have discovered a new author!