Review (Novel): Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey


James S.A. Corey, the pseudonym of both Daniel Abraham & Ty Frank, brings us the first novel in the epic Sci-Fi series The Expanse, which was adapted for television by SyFy in 2015.

Set in an ambiguous time in the distant future, the first novel in The Expanse series follows two main characters, a Ceresian detective named Joe Miller and an interplanetary ice hauler named James Holden as they both become wound up in a corporate conspiracy that begins to destroy the peace that has been established within the solar system.

Not a single story beat is out of place. Not one character is dull or boring, each and every one of them providing a unique voice to the narrative. Even minor characters, such as Amos, become eminently likable by the end of the first book.

It does, however, have one issue. The authors opted to explicitly state what each character was feeling, instead of using the traditional method of showing as opposed to telling.

Regardless of its few shortcomings, I would highly recommend this book. It is a great piece of commercial Sci-Fi.

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