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.