"Ship Breaker" writer Bacigalupi's thriller imagines a future in which Nevada, Arizona, and California are fighting for water. The plot follows Angel Velasquez, a "water knife" who works to ensure that some get hydration and others do not. When news comes of possible water for Phoenix, Ariz., Angel goes to see what's happening and encounters others who want the water, too. "It's pretty bleak, but the characters are really complex," says Nelson. "The ending is a real winner."
