Fifty Degrees Below

This is the second book in Kim Stanley Robinson’s “Science in the Capital” and it carries on the story set in the first book well.
Scene: Washington DC, and the effects of climate change are being seen – global warming is causing Arctic meltoffs which are doing strange things to the Gulf Stream, bringing on a repeat of the Younger Dryas event (go read Wikipedia if you want to know more).
The book returns to characters featured in the first book, but concentrates on Frank, who is beginning his second year in Washington, a year of emotional turmoil for him. Homeless, he comes up with an innovative solution. Alone, he waits on the mysterious Caroline to call him.
The Quiblers return along with the Tibetans from Khambalung (and, yes, that is a corruption of the name for the place we know of as Shangrila!)
The story develops nicely – better than middle novels often do. I enjoyed reading this volume and shall have to pick up volume 3 quicker than I did this It was September when I read it (and I don’t know why there is no entry here for it from last year) and it is April now!
I suppose this was especially appealing to me because it shows a clear hope of victory for the rational thinker, for the scientist. Biased, but recommended!