Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey

FORMAT/INFO: Leviathan Wakes is 592 pages long divided over a Prologue, 55 chapters and an Epilogue. Extras include an interview with the author and an extract from Caliban’s War, the second book in The Expanse series. Narration is in the third person, alternating between Executive Officer James Holden and Detective Miller, except for the Prologue (Julie) and Epilogue (Fred). Leviathan Wakes is mostly self-contained, coming to a satisfying stopping point, but the book is the opening volume in The Expanse series and will have at least two sequels: Caliban’s War and Dandelion Sky.

June 2, 2011/June 15, 2011 marks the UK/North American Trade Paperback publication of Leviathan ... Read More

Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey

Leviathan Wakes, though it lists only a single author (James S.A. Corey) is actually a collaborative effort by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. Since Abraham, author of the LONG PRICE QUARTET and more recently The Dragon’s Path, is one of my favorite fantasy authors, I had high expectations for this science fiction effort and I have to say they were pretty much met. Leviathan Wakes was a fun ride throughout, an excellent mix of character and action.

The setting is a mid-range future where humanity has colonized much of the solar system with vibrant if hardscrabble habitats on Mars, the Moon, various asteroids, and many of the planetary moons. As the outer colonies grow, they strain more and more under their dependence on the inner planets, and tensions ... Read More

Caliban’s War  by James S.A. Corey

Caliban’s War is the second book in the EXPANSE series, co-authored by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck under the shared pen name of James S. Corey. Leviathan Wakes, the first book in the series, was a great read and while Caliban’s War didn’t impress me quite as much, it was still thoroughly enjoyable throughout. So much so that I read it straight through in a single sitting. Because you’ll really want to read Leviathan Wakes first, this review will be predicated on that assumption. Thus there will be spoilers for that first novel; you’ve been warned.

Caliban’s War is set just a little bit after the events of Leviathan Wakes, and so the solar system is still riven by long-running tensions among the big three player... Read More

Abaddon’s Gate by James S.A. Corey

After reading the first two books in James S. A. Corey’s EXPANSE series, Leviathan Wakes and Caliban’s War, I came to book three, Abaddon’s Gate, with some pretty solid expectations. How did Corey (really Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck) do, based on strengths I highlighted in reviews of the first two books?

fluid prose: check
likable characters: check
mostly strong characterization: check
humor that runs throughout: check
a nice balance of shoot-em-up action, political fighting, and personal conflicts: check, check, and check
a quick pace that had me knock of a 500+ page book in a single setting: check
a feel (in a good way) of old-time sci-fi along the likes of Heinlein or Asimov: check
a ratcheting up of tension and stakes: check and check
a real sense of risk thanks to not all the charac... Read More