Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey

I have a dark and shameful secret that I am going to unload on you all. I remember seeing The Expanse pop up in my suggestions on Netflix, and thinking “that sounds like the kind of show I would like.” It was (good job Netflix!). The cast was great, the story was engaging and the effects were cool. A few months afterwards, I went into my local Indigo and saw Leviathan Wakes on a display shelf. I went and had a look, thinking “that sounds like the kind of book I would like.” I saw The Expanse mentioned on the cover and thought “Oh, this must be based on the series.” I soon discovered to my utmost horror that this book was no cross-media tie-in, but the inspiration for the series. As a long time book-lover and library assistant, it abhors that I was unaware of the existence of this series. Having finally listened to book one, it just drives that stake a little deeper into my black heart. I will attempt to absolve my sins by writing a worthy review.

Disclaimer – I read this in October, so forgive me if I’m a little hazy on some of the details.

So, what’s it all about?

My son, who at nine years old and smarter than I will ever be, takes great interest in my every action. He loves books as much as I do and often asks me about what I’m reading (or listening to). He asked me about Leviathan Wakes (one of the finest titles I have ever had the pleasure of seeing). Rather than give an in-depth review, I told him it was about humans colonizing space, but instead of hating people from other countries, they moved on to hating people from other planets (my wife was not remotely impressed, but he understood). However, it’s a rather appropriate nutshell. Of course, it’s so much more than that. It is, as the title indicates, the onset of civil war in the Milky Way with the three factions of Earth, Mars and the far-flung asteroid belts of the system all getting involved. Our main heroes, a crew of ice miners, go to check out a derelict ship and wish they hadn’t. Rather than maintain a neutral stance in the pending war, they make a discovery that could endanger everyone, regardless of faction.

Is it any good?

For those who are unaware, James A Corey is a pseudonym and the book is actually written by the well-established Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, and you can tell from reading the book that they had a blast writing it. Probably not at the editing stage though. My favourite thing about this book was the humour, and listening to the audio just enhanced it, in my amateur opinion. The narrator, Jefferson Mays, does a fantastic job in general, but really hits the high point when it’s funny. There’s even a sex scene that probably won’t get you hot under the collar, but you’ll laugh your ass off. The action is well done, tense and pulse-pounding at times, sometimes when merely the threat of violence (or destruction) is hinted at. The main characters are likeable and are realistically flawed, while the supporting characters are well-drawn. The setting is great, a future solar system colonized by humans, with the almost utopian version of Earth contrasting to the almost dystopian Belters (bear in mind my viewing of the show may have affected this perspective somewhat). One nice touch the show doesn’t really focus on is how the different gravity of each region affects the inhabitants, and what each denizen need to do to compensate. Finally, the plot is deep and many stranded, with both the civil war and the discovery of the virus appearing separate but may be linked? Enough said 

Verdict

A rollicking fast-paced space opera with something for everyone.

• Format: Audiobook
• Obtained from: Library (support your public library people)
• Listening time: 
• Publisher: 19 Hours and 9 Minutes
• ISBN: 9781478998938
• Narrator: Jefferson Mays