Leviathan Wakes

The Expanse, #1

by James S. A. Corey

Paperback, 561 pages

English language

Published July 8, 2011 by Orbit.

ISBN:: 978-1-84149-988-8

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(19 reviews)

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 …

Humanity has colonized the solar system—Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt and beyond—but the stars are still out of our reach.

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.

5 editions

Jakers reviewed Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey (The Expanse, #1)

Still one of the best...

5 stars

For me, this is currently the high-water mark of modern sci-fi. It's often called "Game of Thrones in space" and while the politics of the setting definitely support that, the humor is a cut above the fantasy series. It's almost like a love letter to both earlier hard sci-fi (like the Red Mars books) and the writing of Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett. It's not a silly book, but it's not afraid to laugh, and it lacks the "Whedonness" of other popular sci-fi. The jokes and quips are fun, in character, absolutely part of the charm, and never distracting.

This is my 3rd time reading it I think, and the plan is to read the whole series at a go. I don't feel like I'm going to get bored with it, this book was better than I remembered.

Jakers reviewed Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey (The Expanse, #1)

Still one of the best...

5 stars

This is my 3rd time reading it I think, and the plan is to read the whole series at a go. I don't feel like I'm going to get bored with it, this book was better than I remembered.

ridel reviewed Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey (The Expanse, #1)

A Superior Introduction to the Expanse Universe

3 stars

I watched the first season of the TV show, and so my first read of Leviathan Wakes is effectively a re-read. Biases upfront though: I was disappointed with the TV show. It did a superb job of fleshing out the Belter culture, and the Colonial style excesses, corruption, and politics. What started as an analogy for European colonialism then turned out to be space fantasy, with magic driving the plot. I hated this thematic disconnect and bailed on the the TV show. But the series is generally well-regarded and I gave it a second chance, this time via the novels.

I'm glad I read Leviathan Wakes.

The book focuses on Holden and Miller, and their contrasting philosophies results in a fantastic interplay of these two main characters. More importantly, we stay focused on the mystery of the Scoupli, and this results in a tight narrative that moves at a breakneck pace while being filled with entertaining banter. The vivid colonial Belter culture is still there, but it's a rich background that allows these two wonderful protagonists to thrive.

That said, since I'm already aware of the plot, I didn't find the 're-read' to be all that exciting. Throughout the events of the book, the stakes are alleged to be high, but as a reader, I never really felt that threat truly impact our heroes. Perhaps unfair, but it's an indication that once the surprise is out of the bag, the story deflates quite a bit.

Recommended if you haven't watched the TV show.

Leia reviewed Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey (The Expanse, #1)

Best Book I've Read in a While

5 stars

A compelling space opera with hits of noir, thriller, and horror. Very CIShet for what I normally read, but really good. Fastest I've finished a book of this size in ages.

Rainer reviewed Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey (The Expanse, #1)

Incredible Universe Building

5 stars

This book was massive in scope and the author pulled it off with full marks. Incredibly well done story. I will absolutely read the next in the series.