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Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse, #1)

James S.A. Corey

Start date: March 1, 2019

Finish date: March 31, 2019

Discussion: Group Reads

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What Members Thought

Sep 21, 2011 mark monday rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: i-gave-up, scifi-modern

EH? EH! this so-called space opera is anything but. no sense of wonder, no sense of truly divergent civilizations, no galactic span. and a clear lack of operatic emotions on display as well. perhaps this is due to the characterization, which is rote, uninteresting, and badly developed, with sub-par Firefly-style dialogue along for the ride. perhaps it is also due to the subject matter, which is confined to purely in-system politics between Earth and Mars (the two reigning superpowers) and the as ...more

328 likes · Like · see review

Aug 06, 2013 Mike (the Paladin) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

This is an excellent book. I'm going to have a couple of negative things to say which accounts for it not getting into the 5 star range, but they're minor.

This is a multilayered story that deals with events on several levels. At base you get a "sort of" mystery story with a bedraggled cop drawn into a missing person's case that turns out to be so much more. It's also a "sort of" first contact story of a rather original type (yes you've probably seen this type of first contact but it's not been d This is an excellent book. I'm going to have a couple of negative things to say which accounts for it not getting into the 5 star range, but they're minor.

This is a multilayered story that deals with events on several levels. At base you get a "sort of" mystery story with a bedraggled cop drawn into a missing person's case that turns out to be so much more. It's also a "sort of" first contact story of a rather original type (yes you've probably seen this type of first contact but it's not been done often and this one is done well). You will also get a fairly involved political story. A futuristic cold war that could lead to the most destructive civil war humanity has ever face.

All in all an excellent read that kept me up late last night finishing it.

The negatives? Well, there's a section in the middle of the book that frankly got very slow. It was mostly part of Miller's story and it's possible that others won't find it as slow as I did.

There are also the characters. For an attempt at such an intricate story they seem a little shallow. This is a convoluted political story but there are some fairly surface views. Still, it doesn't hurt the book.

As far as the novel's plot goes there is a negative part to the story here. Not however a "negative" that calls for criticism or dropping the rating. I don't mean negative in that it's a problem or a failing but that it puts some very negative parts of human nature on display. The tendency for us to break up into, "us and them" groups and try to kill each other.

So, excellent read. 4 stars and a good read, I intend to follow it up, at least at some point.

(view spoiler) ...more

45 likes · Like · see review

Jan 02, 2015 Kevin Xu rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I thought this book and series is really over hyped. Really, they had to take the Zombie into space, really?

10 likes · Like · see review

Aug 03, 2013 Janny added it · review of another edition

Shelves: own

Don't start this when you have other responsibilities to meet - a colorful space opera with a relentless pace and wonderfully quixotic characters. ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Feb 26, 2017 Jason rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, favorites, cosmic-horror

A fantastic series opener that was just plain fun. I loved the characters and the writing. What I enjoyed best was how this book drew me in and hypnotized me. If you like space opera with a little horror mixed in, and some noir detective, and you haven't already checked this out, do yourself a favour and read it. Or, listen to the audio version like I did. Jefferson Mays does a really awesome job narrating. On to book two! ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Aug 05, 2014 Alan rated it really liked it

I grew up a Space Opera fan. Because my parents were quite liberal in letting read whatever I wanted at an early Age I was reading Edmond Hamilton's Starwolf and Captain Future books, and E.E. Smith's Lensman and and Skylark series. Over the years this led to Star Trek (yes there are times it is good space opera), Star Wars, and some pretty mediocre space opera (Perry Rhodan and Cap Kennedy).

While space opera has mostly been looked down upon by serious science fiction readers, it has had a bit o I grew up a Space Opera fan. Because my parents were quite liberal in letting read whatever I wanted at an early Age I was reading Edmond Hamilton's Starwolf and Captain Future books, and E.E. Smith's Lensman and and Skylark series. Over the years this led to Star Trek (yes there are times it is good space opera), Star Wars, and some pretty mediocre space opera (Perry Rhodan and Cap Kennedy).

While space opera has mostly been looked down upon by serious science fiction readers, it has had a bit of a revitalization the past decade or so. Iain Banks while being widely received as making science fiction literary, his Culture series is arguably space opera. Since then there has been Peter F. Hamilton, Lois McMaster Bujold (some call her Vorkosigan Saga space opera), Neal Asher, Cartherine Asaro's Primary Inversion, and I would argue David Brin's first Uplift Trilogy.

But, most of those writers miss miss a couple of significant space opera points. Space opera is allowed to be fun, and it is it supposed to be about big ideas and epic stories. Banks' Consider Phlebas is very well written, but far from fun. Asaro's ends up being TRN science fiction, which is just not to my taste. Peter F. Hamilton, I couldn't get past 50 pages in the one book of his that I tried. Asher, well to be it feels like he is riffing off of Banks' ideas.

So Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck writing as James S.A. Corey give us an epic story, and without going beyond the bounds of the solar system. Some would argue, how can that be epic? It becomes epic as the stakes keep getting higher and higher, the stage expands from a colony in the asteroid belt to encompass just about the entire system. They create cultures distinct unto themselves, not perfectly mind you, but well enough to keep the reader engaged. While a small but, and the science may not be accurate, Corey elects to go for small physical changes between those who grew up down the gravity well and those who didn't.

As there are two primary point of view characters I wonder if Franck and Abraham alternated writing chapters. The quality of writing does seem to vary some when it is Holden or Miller's pov.

If you've read my past reviews you know I tend to avoid spoilers. Suffice to say I am willing to buy the action scenes, whether they take place on an asteroid colony or ship-to-ship. Miller might be the better developed character, and characterization is one of the weaknesses of the tale.

I also believe the final 60 pages or show show that Corey was uncertain how to end the story. The ending works, but the execution felt either rushed, or that the two authors were uncertain as to how they were going to reach the end point.

As an aside it is my understanding they now have a contract with Orbit Books to put out a total of nine books in the series, which is named The Expanse. If memory serves me correctly, Leviathan Wakes will be a 10 episode series on the SciFi Channel (intentional misspelling). Unlike Games of Thrones I wanted to be ahead of the curves of the series this time which is why I moved this up to the top of the TBR pile.

...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 10, 2013 Chompa rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed this book. First off a hard sci-fi setting within only our solar system was very unique. Humanity has expanded, but not beyond Sol. The politics with Earth, Mars and the "belters" was interesting.

The main two characters who we switched between were also interesting. Harden, the Earth born commander is unsure of himself, but very principled at the same time - to the point of making life harder on himself.

Miller is a classic burned out cop, but from the Belt. He comes to the real ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Dec 31, 2015 [ JT ] rated it it was amazing

Shelves: book-inventory, science-fiction, 2015, space-opera

I tore through this book like nobody's business. Two sittings over the span of two days. It was compelling, with interesting characters, political machinations, a bit of mystery...

Spoilers to follow behind the tag, mostly random thoughts I'd like to remember.

(view spoiler) I tore through this book like nobody's business. Two sittings over the span of two days. It was compelling, with interesting characters, political machinations, a bit of mystery...

Spoilers to follow behind the tag, mostly random thoughts I'd like to remember.

(view spoiler) ...more

Like · see review