"Leviathan Wakes" is a space opera set in a future where humanity has colonized the Moon, Mars, and the Asteroid Belt. The story follows the crew of the Rocinante as they become entangled in a conspiracy involving Earth, Mars, and the Belters. The narrative is fast-paced, featuring elements of political intrigue, alien encounters, zombie horror, and epic space battles. The writing style is described as compelling, with realistic physics and vivid world-building that explores the complex relationships between humans living in different regions of the solar system.
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Content warnings include body horror, violence, death, and sociopolitical themes.
From The Publisher:
From a New York Times bestselling and Hugo award-winning author comes a modern masterwork of science fiction, introducing a captain, his crew, and a detective as they unravel a horrifying solar system wide conspiracy that begins with a single missing girl. Humanity has colonized the solar system-Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt and beyond-but the stars are still out of our reach.
Jim Holden is XO of an ice miner making runs from the rings of Saturn to the mining stations of the Belt. When he and his crew stumble upon a derelict ship, the Scopuli, they find themselves in possession of a secret they never wanted. A secret that someone is willing to kill for-and kill on a scale unfathomable to Jim and his crew. War is brewing in the system unless he can find out who left the ship and why.
Detective Miller is looking for a girl. One girl in a system of billions, but her parents have money and money talks. When the trail leads him to the Scopuli and rebel sympathizer Holden, he realizes that this girl may be the key to everything.
Holden and Miller must thread the needle between the Earth government, the Outer Planet revolutionaries, and secretive corporations-and the odds are against them. But out in the Belt, the rules are different, and one small ship can change the fate of the universe.
"Interplanetary adventure the way it ought to be written." -George R. R. Martin
Ratings (264)
Incredible (72) | |
Loved It (110) | |
Liked It (60) | |
It Was OK (14) | |
Did Not Like (6) | |
Hated It (2) |
Reader Stats (501):
Read It (270) | |
Currently Reading (10) | |
Want To Read (157) | |
Did Not Finish (7) | |
Not Interested (57) |
5 comment(s)
A-fucking-mazing.
Mostly space opera, with a little noir/PI thrown in. The Holden chapters are the space opera, and Miller is the noir. I enjoyed the worldbuilding - humanity has colonized the moon, Mars, and a group of asteroids so far from Earth the sun is just another star. There is tension between the "inners" (people from the inner planets) and the "Belters" (those who grow up in the asteroid belt, who are tall and thin due to low gravity). The stakes are big and the space battles exciting, but the story is really a shell game: who wants you to look in this direction, and what are they doing while you're looking away?
The female characters are not treated as well as, say, those in Ann Aguirre's Sirantha Jax series. There are two female leads, and both basically serve as catalysts for the male leads' growth. That's annoying, but not enough so I won't read the rest of the series. The ending is a game-changer and I'm excited to see what the authors do next.
****5.0****
BR with Muddlehead & Em Lost in books.
I took this up because Its been long time that I really got lost in a series. So wanted to try and I did like it very much. It does not give the feel of the world but yes, strong characters and plot leads the way.
Mankind has colonized outside Earth, mainly on asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter where "Ceres"- a dwarf planet/asteroid resides. Also on moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Belter's are people who are born on Ceres or any ship in the belt and are never exposed to gravity. They grow tall with lower weight. Belter's are people who are born on Ceres or any ship in the belt and are never exposed to gravity. They grow tall with lower weight.
These people outside Earth needs Air and Water, which is supplied by Pur'n'Kleen Water Company to which "Canterbury", a ship belongs to. One of our main character, Jim Holden is the 2nd in charge of the ship along with other people like Naomi, Alex ,Amos etc.
Ceres is called a Port city with more than 6 million permanent residents. Another main lead, Detective Miller works for Star Helix Security and works mainly on organized crime. He is given the task of finding a particular Julie Mao who happens to be the daughter of some bigwigs.
“Everyone too busy trying to survive to spend any time creating something new.”
Holden and Miller crosses path during their different quests but then start working as a team. Both are dead opposite and the story finds a balance in their nature.
“Miller had thought hope was dead. He’d thought all his chances had been played, and then, like a bitch, it all hauled itself up out of the grave.
Its character and plot driven which makes it fast paced. There are a lots of twists and turns to keep you on edge. I loved every moment which was after a long time (especially in sci-fi). An exhilarating read.
“Never knew if you had any luck left unless you pushed it.”
Really enjoyed a long sci fi book ...❤
Happy Reading!!!
James S.A. Corey's 'Expanse' series, starting with Leviathan Wakes, is a perfect Space Opera. It melds hard Sci-fi concepts (long-distance space travel, gravity, etc.) with strong characterisations and an engaging, malevolent, extra-galactic threat in the form of the insidious 'protomolecule'. I genuinely found myself interested in and rooting for the main characters, sympathetic to their situation and often heart-breaking back-stories.
There is a lot of valid commentary here on the interplay between 'the little guy, governments and mega-corporations. There is both moral 'heft' and also a damn fine yarn in these books.
Extremely good world building\sience
What can you read after
Leviathan Wakes?
About the Author:
James S.A. Corey is the pen name of authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. They both live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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