Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky Narrator:  John Pirhalla
Publisher: Tor Books and Macmillan Audio
Rating: 4/5
Buy: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advance listening copy in exchange for an honest review. Green City Wars publishes June 23, 2026.

What Is It About

Philip Marlowe meets Redwall. That pitch alone should tell you everything you need to know. Green City Wars is set in a future where humans live in solar powered cities while genetically engineered animals do all the work in the shadows beneath them. Meet Skotch, a raccoon PI who takes a job finding a missing mouse. Simple enough, except nothing about it turns out to be simple. Everyone wants this mouse and nobody wants to say why.

The World

This is where the book really shines. The world feels completely lived in. You get the sense that all of this was happening long before Skotch wandered into it and will keep happening long after. The class divide between the animals doing the labor and the humans enjoying the good life up above is drawn really well and gives the whole thing a weight that goes beyond just a fun noir mystery.

Every character Skotch meets along the way feels real and fully formed. These aren’t just plot devices. They have history, motivations, and lives that exist outside of the pages we see them on. Lulu took a little time to win me over but by the end I was completely on board. The rat gangsters are exactly what you want them to be. Honestly there is not a weak link in the entire cast. Every single character adds something and I enjoyed spending time with all of them.

I kept thinking this would make an incredible animated movie. There is something about the whole thing that scratches that itch from the great animated films of the 80s and 90s. Fievel, The Secret of NIMH, The Great Mouse Detective, a little Who Framed Roger Rabbit. It leans more sci fi than any of those but that spirit is absolutely in there.

The Narration

I have now listened to three books narrated by John Pirhalla and I will say this every time. It takes me a minute to settle into his cadence. Every single time. But once I do it just clicks and from there he is fantastic. Each character has a distinct voice and he brings real personality to the whole cast.

If you are going in fresh to Pirhalla just give it a chapter or two. It is worth it.

A Slow Start Worth Pushing Through

The book takes a little time to get going. The early chapters are setting up a pretty intricate world and there is a lot to take in. Stick with it. Once things click into place it pulls you right along.

Should You Listen

Absolutely. The audiobook is a great way to experience this one. Pirhalla’s performance adds a lot to the noir atmosphere and once you are locked in it is a really satisfying listen. Four stars and an easy recommendation for anyone who loves noir, sci fi, or just wants something genuinely unlike anything else out there right now.

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