TL;DR: An epic space story with multiple layers, Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey is just as good, if not better, than the TV series it spawned.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 3/4
Leviathan Wakes is set in the solar system, where humanity has colonized planets and created massive space stations. It follows two main characters, Jim Holden and Detective Miller, as they work two separate ends of the same mystery, or die trying. What happened to the Scopuli (a ship) and to Julie Mao? And can they stop the war brewing in the solar system before it gets out of hand?
I watched the TV series first and loved it (except the last season). The story is interesting, full of cliffhangers, politics, and action. The book is better than the TV show only because you can go deeper into the minds of the characters. It also is slightly different at certain parts. For these reasons and more, I give 4.75 stars.
The Plot
Jim Holden is the XO of a mining ship near the rings of Saturn. When his ship receives a distress signal, they are required to investigate. Jim plus four others leave the Canterbury to investigate and everything goes sideways from there.
Detective Miller is a cop on Ceres station, in the section of space called the Belt. He is tasked with hunting down a rich girl who’s gone missing, Julie Mao. As tensions mount on the station and factions pit themselves against the governments, Miller is drawn further and further in to the mystery of who Julie Mao is and what she was doing so far from home.
As war looms, and everyone takes sides, the question Miller and Holden must answer is what happened to the Scopuli and Julie Mao without dying. Will they figure it out in time or will the governments and private corporations cover it up?
What I liked & liked less
I loved this book. I think what makes it so good is that there are two authors and they both bring depth and uniqueness to the two main male characters. Set in a very realistic version of what space travel and life could one day be like, the character arcs and the challenges they face are what make this book so epic.
The world building, as I’ve said, is deep, well-thought out, and fascinating. The Belters, those who work the Belt for the other planets, are long-limbed and struggle to survive in any other environment than the zero gravity in which they live and grow up in. They also have their own language, which is a mish mash of several other languages, which makes sense if its hundreds of years after space life became a thing.
The flying and how the ships maneuver are also accurate. The plight of those who mine ice from space to provide water not only for the Belt but also for the planets is at the heart of the story, although Holden’s crew is made up of a Belter, two Earthers, and a Martian. The struggles they face and the knowledge they each carry from their earlier years enrich the story.
As mentioned, I love the characters. There isn’t one that is a cardboard cutout or lacks dimension, motivations, and secrets. They all bring something different to the table, yet balance each other out.
The story has intricate details, complex political maneuvering, and the actions the characters take have an impact, not just on themselves but on the solar system in which they live.
What didn’t I like? There are a few spots where too much time is spent in specific zones, which could’ve been cut down to keep the momentum of the story going. Did those moments stop me from reading? No, it wasn’t pages and pages.
To Sum Up (Too Late!)
I loved the book for different reasons than the TV show. Yes, things were changed in the show to create even more drama, but they didn’t need to be. The book has so many layers and yet at the heart of it are the characters, and the characters are solid. The world building is excellent and the choices the authors made as to how humans would adapt and divide once we’re living in space feel like they are as accurate as anything I could come up with. For that and more, I give it 4.75.
About the Author(s)
James S. A. Corey is a convenient fiction, the pseudonym of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. He began when Daniel and Ty set out to write a book together based on work Ty had done creating the solar system that became The Expanse.
If you wish to purchase this book, pick your vendor of choice here, or just cave to the man and get it from Amazon here.
Originally published on Feedium. This fills in the 2+ Author square on my Fantasy Bingo 2022 card.