Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse, #1) in The Sword and Laser

Jun 29, 2012 Jenny (Reading Envy) rated it it was ok

Shelves: sword-and-laser, sci-fi-fantasy, hugo-winners-or-nominees, read2012

This was the novel I was procrastinating on reading from the Hugo nominee list, and then it was selected for the Sword and Laser pick. I thought I might as well go ahead and read it, dragging my feet a little bit.

I'm not the hugest fan of novels in space.I know that seems strange coming from someone who reads as much science fiction as I do! I just prefer when it is indicative of some greater concept, but this book is more like a mystery or crime novel with the setting of space.

I think the last ...more

39 likes · Like · see review

Jun 02, 2012 Tom Merritt rated it it was amazing

This to me is perfect scifi. There's enough acknowledgement to reality and physics and tech, and loads of evidence that the writer(s) is(are) a geek (are geeks) that I don't feel put upon with unlikely scenarios. On the other hand it's also not a physics textbook. I like physics textbooks, especially ones with stories, but that's a different choice of reading. When I want fiction, this is what I want. Adventure, differentiated and believable characters tight writing, and mystery that pulls you t ...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Eric rated it liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, book-club

Normally I rate a book three stars if it is okay -- not bad, not great. Not in this case. This is getting the three-star treatment because there are an equal number of things about it that I loved and hated. What I loved:

The World

The author writes in the afterward:

There’s a lot of science fiction that talks about the near future. There’s a lot about great galaxy-spanning empires of the distant future. But there’s not much that talks about the part in between. The Expanse is playing on that brid

...more

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Dec 12, 2014 Brittany rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, sciencefiction, space-opera

Well. My goodness.

My reaction to this book is probably best summed up with a short anecdote. My husband and I decided to take the baby to the beach for a weekend in December. It was the baby's first plane trip, first trip to the beach, and it was a ton of fun traveling with him and watching him react to things. And in the middle of the warm weather, adorable baby, and fun adventures, my husband finally asked, "WHAT are you reading?? You must like it a LOT." Which is when I realized just how abs ...more

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Nov 01, 2013 Karl Smithe rated it did not like it

The beginning wasn't bad and seemed to have potential, but then the vomit zombies showed up and it went into the crapper.

How did the zombie mud in the asteroid know it was about to be hit by the interstellar ship at high speed? Oh yeah, the author doesn't have to explain that, just say it happens.

Sorry, unacceptable story telling. ...more

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Dec 12, 2013 Dave rated it really liked it

Shelves: sf, mystery

Entertaining space opera with noir elements. Doesn't always work and the momentum flags two-thirds into the book. but otherwise very well paced, with believable characters. The world building is first-rate and thought-provoking, and the science doesn't get in the way of enjoying the story. ...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Jlawrence rated it liked it

Shelves: sword-and-laser

3 1/2 lasers.

Pretty solid mix of noir mystery and spaceiness, good pace, interesting set-up of tensions in our future solar system between independence minded asteroid belt dwellers, Earth and Mars, and two main characters - a spaceship captain possessing a mix of good command skills and dangerous naiveté, & an archetypal bottomed-out detective trying to do one last right thing -- who get developed fairly well.

I *really* started getting sucked in the last quarter of it, but then got thrown out ...more

1 like · Like · see review