One of my favorite things in genre literature are ancient, crumbling science fiction worlds the readers have to puzzle out along with the characters inhabiting them. "War of the Maps" has this quality in spades, leaving you to realize that the "maps" of the title refer not just to geographical maps but to gene maps. The creatures are a highlight throughout, both in the ordinary species we see populating the setting (flittermice!) and the terrifying invasive species that challenge the characters in the story. It's not a particularly flashy novel, and the characters stick to archetypes more than some readers might prefer. It's about the tension between capitalist and socialist states as well as learning to navigate environmental catastrophe, but doesn't put those themes right on the front cover as is currently fashionable. The first third of the novel, which sees the main character wandering endlessly through natural landscapes, made me sleepy at times. Even so I quite liked it. Fans of Jeff Vandermeer especially should check this one out, the ending goes straight into Southern Reach style biohorror!