Show a human a closed door, and no matter how many open doors she finds, she'll be haunted by what might be behind it.

The branch between the Syfy/Amazon show and the books had to happen but I didn't expect it to happen in Abaddon's Gate. The first half of the book I was cruising along, following with my memories of the TV show and the thought "this doesn't seem familiar" occurred more and more and then I realized I was in new-to-me territory.

Looking back on the book it didn't feel like much happened: Ring is established, people go through the Ring, Holden learns things, everyone leaves the Ring. Of course so much more happened between those peaks and they made the story fly by.

Heroism is a label most people get for doing shit they'd never do if they were really thinking about it.

The destruction of the Ring fleet when the Slow Zone changed the rules was brilliant. The physics of gravity have been central to the plot of the series and it was an excellent tool here again. Maneuvering, fighting, medial care all change when there is no gravity and the chapters on the Behemoth have been the highlight of the series.

"Well," Miller Said. "Now you're asking me to explain microwaves to a monkey."

The book was a great read but it didn't fit the really liked it classification but I can't justify my rating one way or another. Even though the story is rooted in sci-fi the coup and counter-coup may have worn on me. What I enjoyed from Expanse #2 may have been the different locations and having the story merge together, or perhaps I missed Bobbie and Chrisjen.

Like Bobbie and Chrisjen the opportunity to dive in to the character of Melba/Clarrisa was a huge win for the book. Her character felt a bit one dimensional in the TV series but through the book we learn her motives, understand her grief and the monsters she carries with her when she survives. Unfortunately the Anna chapters didn't impress as much but Amos likes her so she can't be that bad, right?

His words were full of hope and threat.

Like the stars.

I don't expect anything to happen to the cast of the Rocinante so when they are involved in the coup or counter-coup activities there doesn't seem to be high stakes. I'm sure there was a time when readers thought all Starks were safe in Song of Ice and Fire so I may be surprised with unexpected fatalities but that was missing here.

Yes, there were thousands of casualties and some primary characters that perished in this book but for some their fate was decided before the halfway point of the book and they were finishing out their improbable missions.

There's a difference between tragedy and evil, and I am that difference.

I'm holding off on watching the fourth season of The Expanse until I read all the books and I crossed the line where I have no preconceptions of characters or plot, so going forward the books will have to survive on their own merit and I think they're up for the task.

That humans only have so much emotional energy. No matter how intense the situation, or how powerful the feelings, it was impossible to maintain a heightened emotional state forever. Eventually you'd just get tired and want it to end.