Multispecies Cities Solarpunk Urban Futures

Taiyo Fujii, D. A. Xiaolin Spires, D. K. Mok — 2021

Cities are alive, shared by humans and animals, insects and plants, landforms and machines. What might city ecosystems look like in the future if we strive for multispecies justice in our urban settings? In these more-than-human stories, twenty-four authors investigate humanity's relationship with the rest of the natural world, placing characters in situations where humans have to look beyond their own needs and interests. A quirky eco-businessman sees broader applications for a high school science fair project. A bad date in Hawaii takes an unexpected turn when the couple stumbles upon some confused sea turtle hatchlings. A genetically-enhanced supersoldier struggles to find new purpose in a peaceful Tokyo. A community service punishment in Singapore leads to unexpected friendships across age and species. A boy and a mammoth trek across Asia in search of kin. A Tamil child learns the language of the stars. Set primarily in the Asia-Pacific, these stories engage with the serious issues of justice, inclusion, and sustainability that affect the region, while offering optimistic visions of tomorrow's urban spaces.

Reviews

Shona Tiger@shonatiger

Jan 19, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley and to World Weaver Press for this DRC. This book is solarpunk; definition, from the introduction: "[Stories about] refusing to surrender to the temptation of violent, dystopian post-apocalypse imaginaries. Seeking ways of practicing solidarity, embracing human ingenuity from traditional ecological knowledge to scientific research, celebrating diverse forms of being in the world, from personal expression to relationships." Very cool, right? The focus was on authors from the Asia-Pacific region. My favourite stories: By the Light of the Stars, By N. R. M. Roshak, set in (future?) Hawaii, about the effects of light pollution; Old Man's Sea, by Meyari McFarland, about an orca with military spec mods in a flooded world; Deer, Tiger and Witch, by Kate Bui, set in Vietnam (very fave); Untamed, by Timothy Yam, about roof gardening (and a young protagonist in trouble with the police); It is the Year 2115, by Joyce Chng, about a domed city; A Rabbit Egg for Flora, by Caroline M. Yoachim, which is perfectly charming (won't spoil it); A Life with Cibi, by Natsumi Tanaka, translated by Toshiya Kamei -- not a fave so much as utterly disturbing, about living food 😳; Children of Asphalt, by Phoebe Wagner, one of a couple of stories in the anthology about the wisdom of small kids 🥺; Becoming Martians, by Taiyo Fujii, translated by Toshiya Kamei, about what Mars may be like eventually, because humans; Abso, by Sarah E. Stevens, which is lovely about a robotic dog; The Mammoth Steps, by Andrew Dana Hudson, because who doesn't want to read about living mammoths?; Crew, by E.-H. Nießler, another one about modified marine creatures; The Birdsong Fossil, by D. K. Mok, which I wish I could read again for the first time. Breathtaking.Lots to read, savour, think about, learn from. A fantastic anthology.