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Persepolis Rising

(The Expanse #7)

James S.A. Corey (Goodreads Author)

4.34 · Rating details · 16,493 Ratings · 1,268 Reviews

In the thousand-sun network of humanity's expansion, new colony worlds are struggling to find their way. Every new planet lives on a knife edge between collapse and wonder, and the crew of the aging gunship Rocinante have their hands more than full keeping the fragile peace.

In the vast space between Earth and Jupiter, the inner planets and belt have formed a tentative and ...more

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ebook, 608 pages

Published December 5th 2017 by Orbit Books

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Dec 29, 2015 Kevin Kelsey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2017, _library

"Your empire's hands look a lot cleaner when you get to dictate where history begins, and what parts of it count."

This one changes things. I assumed that the pace was going to quicken, since Persepolis Rising is moving us into the final three Expanse novels, but I am in awe at how much this book moved the series forward from where we left off in Babylon’s Ashes. We are definitely moving toward the end of the long story arc with this one.

As far as the story goes: The only constant is change, and ...more

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Nov 10, 2017 Bradley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2017-shelf, sci-fi, space-opera, worldbuilding-sf

I think I like this more than most of the other Expanse books, and that's saying a lot. I actually loved them all.

That being said, OMG I can't believe all the changes we get thrown into! The whole team is together, all my favorite (living) characters from the other books together on the Rosie, but it's simply wild to see how much time has passed. Jim and Naomi are talking retirement for void's-sake.

Let me be very clear, though, when I started reading this I thought to myself, "Is this the final ...more

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Jun 08, 2017 Kemper rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2017, sci-fi, expanse

Once you get seven books deep into a series it gets really tricky to review because you can’t talk about even the basic story set-up without spoiling stuff for anyone who hasn’t read the previous books. Since I’m really trying to encourage any sci-fi fan to check out The Expanse I don’t want to just spoiler tag the whole thing either. So how to discuss in a way that won’t ruin it for the newbs yet still be an informative review?

Weep for me, people of Goodreads!

Here’s what I can safely say to eve Once you get seven books deep into a series it gets really tricky to review because you can’t talk about even the basic story set-up without spoiling stuff for anyone who hasn’t read the previous books. Since I’m really trying to encourage any sci-fi fan to check out The Expanse I don’t want to just spoiler tag the whole thing either. So how to discuss in a way that won’t ruin it for the newbs yet still be an informative review?

Weep for me, people of Goodreads!

Here’s what I can safely say to everyone: The plan is for this to be a nine book series, and it’s essentially a three act structure with three books per act. So we’re starting the end run with this one, and that’s clear from the jump. A lot of time has passed since the last book, and our main characters can now claim senior discounts. In fact, some of them are even thinking about retirement. However, one of the lingering plots from an earlier book comes back in a big way and all of humanity might find itself under the boot of a dictator if something isn’t done. And all of this struggling among people scattered among the stars continue to take place as a potential alien threat simmers in the background.

Since this is essentially set-up for the final phase of the overall story there’s a lot left up in the air, but like the previous books it’s also an entertaining self-contained sci-fi tale by itself. At this point we’ve been living in this universe for a good long while so that we know all the ins-and-outs of it as well as what to expect from the story. What continues to be fresh and engaging is that the co-authors who make up the James SA Corey name come up with new spins on moving forward so that it hasn’t become stale and formulaic.

For example, this is a book in which a whole lot of people find themselves under the authority of an autocratic ruler with an army of true believers who believe anything he says. (Sounds familiar.) As you’d expect the story becomes about a resistance rising up among the conquered people, but what’s interesting is that there’s no immediate way to win. No Death Star to blow up, no magic computer virus, no chosen one to lead them to victory. Beating these guys will mean a long term strategy of resistance and a whole lot of blood will be shed in the process.

On the heels of that is that these bad guys don’t exactly act like villains. Yes, they’re smug jerkfaces whose utter self-confidence make them insufferable, but they’re also pretty sincere about going about it a way that isn’t a brutal occupation. These are smart folks who have studied history and know that the best way to stop an insurgency is to keep it from starting by keeping people from being disgruntled in the first place. Plus, their stated goal is to unite the squabbling factions of humanity into a single force so they hope to get everyone on their side through the politics of persuasion.

That’s the really insidious thing about this one. A big theme in The Expanse as stated by one character in an earlier book is that a fair percentage of humans are always going to be assholes. What’s been shown over and over again is that people are always willing to fight among themselves about the old grudges rather than put them aside to band together even when it would be in their own best long-term interest. It’s been the biggest stumbling block that the heroes have struggled against over the course of the series. And here’s finally someone who has the power to actually make that happen, and he isn’t acting like an insane dictator. Hmmmm…maybe he isn’t that bad....

Another new aspect in this is that since we know the end is coming that no one is safe. It adds some tension and drama to the action because it really does seem like all our favorites aren't going to make it this time. (view spoiler)

It’s another great entry in the series, and my only real complaint is that I kind of got bummed while reading because I know how few there are left. I’ll also plug the excellent TV series based on the books that the SyFy Channel airs and is getting ready to start its third season which is well worth checking out. ...more

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Jan 01, 2018 Jack +Books & Bourbon+ rated it it was amazing

I admit that I went into Persepolis Rising thinking that this was the last book in The Expanse series. I continued to think that way until about 2/3’s of the way through, when I realized that there was still too much plot to effectively be resolved in the remaining pages. Ultimately it made the majority of the book bittersweet for me, as I truly thought this was the last adventure I’d have with the Rocinante and her crew. Thankfully we have two more books to go…though that just means I have more ...more

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Feb 04, 2017 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: review-copy, science-fiction

5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/12/19/...

What do you do when your epic space opera series is seven books in, you’ve already put your readers through some of the most intense storylines they can imagine, and now you need to do something even bigger and better to usher it into the next phase with style? Well, you hit the “soft reset” button, so to speak. Not exactly starting things over, but there is certainly a sense we’re getting a new beginning of sorts in Perse 5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/12/19/...

What do you do when your epic space opera series is seven books in, you’ve already put your readers through some of the most intense storylines they can imagine, and now you need to do something even bigger and better to usher it into the next phase with style? Well, you hit the “soft reset” button, so to speak. Not exactly starting things over, but there is certainly a sense we’re getting a new beginning of sorts in Persepolis Rising. That’s the impression I got anyway, when I opened the book, and the first line literally started with “Almost three decades had passed…”

I confess, at first there was a momentary feeling of panic. Were we really skipping ahead thirty years? That’s one heck of a time gap between this book and the last, and never has this series seen such a huge jump forward. But it’s true; Persepolis Rising returns to our heroes who are now quite a bit older, maybe a little wiser, and the solar system and the new colony planets beyond the ring gates are enjoying a protracted period of peace not seen since before the arrival of the protomolecule. That being said, life has not been easy for the fledgling colonies. Survival depends on the flow of supplies through the gates, and some planets have attempted to gain an advantage by cheating the Transport Union systems. Minor as they are, these transgressions cannot be tolerated, lest things descend into chaos, so Transport Union President Drummer hires teams like Holden and the crew of the Rocinante to lay down the law.

Decades of doing such odd jobs can take their toll though, and now that Holden and Naomi are getting on in years, they’re thinking it’s time to call it quits. But of course, it’s inevitable that a momentous decision like that will precipitate something big, and indeed, Holden’s retirement has barely begun when an old foe makes his return. For close to thirty years, this enemy has been hidden away on the lost colony world of Laconia, developing new technologies and amassing the strength required to invade the solar system and make all of its Union worlds a part of their new empire.

The Expanse series definitely has a special place in my heart. For years I have followed these characters, come to know them and love them. It would be impossible overstate my relief at finding them all here in Persepolis Rising, even after the passage of almost three decades in the timeline. We’re talking the entire crew of the Roxi—Holden, Naomi, Alex, Amos, Bobbie, Clarissa—and even my favorite foul-mouthed UN politician Chrisjen Avasarala. Older they may be, but in all the ways that matter, they are still the same. It felt very much like returning home to good friends.

It was while reading this book, however, that it really hit me just how far we’ve come since Leviathan Wakes. As much as I’ve enjoyed the earlier installments, they feel almost simplistic and jejune now compared to some of the more intricate plot lines since Cibola Burn. Clearly, we’re well beyond the days of vomit zombies, though I was also happy to see that the protomolecule still had a role to play in Persepolis Rising. The difference is, the concept has now been adapted and expanded on a scale that affects thousands of worlds and a countless number of people, and if you thought things couldn’t get any bigger and badder than what we’d already seen in the last couple books, think again.

But as I’ve stated before in my reviews of the previous novels, the reason why I keep coming back to this series is because of the characters and their relationships. If the crew of the Rocinante felt like they were a family before, they’ve only gotten even closer since the last time we saw them together, and if I have one regret about the thirty-year time skip, it’s that we’ve missed all those interactions between them in the intervening period. Still, some things haven’t changed, thankfully. Holden is still a hopeless do-gooder. Bobbie is still a total badass. Avasarala is still a master maneuverer. I loved how we got to fall back into the old conversations and routines like no time has passed at all.

Plus, let’s not forget the other side of the story. To me, the fact that the focus is not solely limited to the “good guys” is what makes The Expanse a special series. This time, Persepolis Rising includes the perspective of Governor Singh, a young and inexperienced officer tasked to bring the rebellious inhabitants of Medina Station into the fold of the Laconian Empire. Grossly underqualified for the job he must do, Singh is a tragic figure who engenders feelings of both dislike and sympathy due to his duo roles as severe authoritarian in public versus the loving family man he is in private. Believing wholeheartedly in the Laconian cause, he will become the ruthless soldier he needs to be if it means securing a better future for his young daughter.

Before this, I wouldn’t have thought it possible to be more excited about The Expanse, but authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck AKA James S.A. Corey have managed to fire me up once again. Their decision to jump ahead so many years after the previous novel may have been a bold move, but it’s one that ended up paying off, giving the series the shakeup it required. More than just a brilliant sequel, Persepolis Rising is also a beginning, and indeed, in a series that is supposed to include nine novels, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume this is the first book of a concluding arc. Regardless, whatever happens next is bound to be exciting, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. ...more

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Dec 16, 2016 Niki Hawkes - The Obsessive Bookseller rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: my-library-catalogue

The only thing I hated about Persepolis Rising is how long it’s going to make me wait for the next book.

I always come away from an Expanse novel reeling. Sometimes from massive events, but often just from the profound depth of character. This series continues to illustrate what it is to be human and I can’t help feeling deeply affected by the sentiment within each novel. A short interaction between two characters in this book (maybe 3 pages worth?) had the power to become one of the most memorab ...more

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Dec 09, 2017 Margret rated it it was amazing

Holy shite that was good. SO GOOD

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Feb 28, 2018 Gary rated it really liked it

Thirty years after defeating the Free Navy and negotiating and end to the various conflicts between the belters and the inner planets, the crew of the Roci is still doing work for hire for the organization that spawned from the ashes of the OPA. Hovering at retirement age, Jim and Naomi agree to sell the ship to Bobby so they can enjoy their golden years together, just in time for the known universe to go sideways and shit all over their plans. Yes, the one loose end from Babylon’s Ashes comes b ...more

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Apr 19, 2018 Veronique rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018, stars-4-0

“Because we’re human, and humans are mean, independent monkeys that reached their greatness by killing every other species of hominid that looked at us funny.”

It took me a while to get into this new instalment of the Expanse (mostly real life rearing its ugly head) but once the narrative got going, I was hooked! :O)

As we’re grown accustomed to, the narration is divided between several narrators, each providing an important point of view, with the one constant being Holden. However, and this is ...more

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Mar 07, 2018 Mike rated it it was amazing

Shelves: epics, science-fiction, space-opera, reviewed

It is tough enough to write a series to a seventh book let alone writing a good seventh book. And after the amazing climax of Babylon's Ashes I really had no idea where the duo of James S.A. Corey would take the story.

Turns out they decided to boldly go thirty years into the future, which is a pretty gutsy move in my book. On the one hand this choice allowed the colonization effort to be greatly advanced, the rogue Martian fleet to develop their own society, and for new institutions to grow in t ...more

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Dec 05, 2017 prcardi rated it liked it

Shelves: space-opera, series, science-fiction, pg-13, lgbtq

Storyline: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Writing Style: 3/5
World: 1/5

Corey gambled. Given the popularity of the series and the television adaptation, I hadn't expected them to take any risks. Granted, it was nothing radical, but starting with the whole "x years later" segue has tradeoffs. The obvious danger is that you skip over intervening years and developments fans have anticipated. The upside is that you can do some pretty neat tricks with character development and reveals. There are some dazzling optio Storyline: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Writing Style: 3/5
World: 1/5

Corey gambled. Given the popularity of the series and the television adaptation, I hadn't expected them to take any risks. Granted, it was nothing radical, but starting with the whole "x years later" segue has tradeoffs. The obvious danger is that you skip over intervening years and developments fans have anticipated. The upside is that you can do some pretty neat tricks with character development and reveals. There are some dazzling options available when you're moving forward with the now present timeline while simultaneously dropping revealing clues about the skipped intervening years. Unfortunately, Corey didn't take advantage of those options. We meet up with our aged favorites, and time doesn't seem to have affected them (achy joints aside). They have the same debates, misgivings, and life dramas they battled the last time we saw them all. They have the same strengths and flaws. They're the same people, and their lives in the intervening period just doesn't matter for the story. The technological advances of the colonies, post-Babylon's Ashes, would itself have been worth writing a book about. Here the authors settle for sparsely-described advances that could have been explained away in far simpler (and more plausible) terms. Here, too, it was if so little had changed. The solar system changes on this side of the gates were different, if awkward. Little of it seeming to follow from the corporate schemes, Earth cataclysm, or massive depletion of space craft and resources that were so significant in the previous volumes. It seemed like there must have been another book between Babylon's Ashes and Persepolis Rising (in fairness, I have not read the short stories or novellas, thus perhaps it was explained there). Corey's gamble on the chronology just does not appear to have paid off. Readers suffer all the penalties of the choice without getting any of the benefits.

The book's worst impressions come when considering what might have been. For those thinking that this final trio of books was going to be something new, for those that thought the middle three titles were delaying efforts, you'll find this volume surprisingly familiar. It seems like we've done all this before. There was a time when the new releases in this series were more than military space operas. Vomit zombies, transforming planets, and portals - these were the kind of features that make science fiction so wondrous. Those that thought Corey had planned to return to that kind of science fiction are bound to be disappointed. Similarly, the authors have toyed with some quasi-philosophical ideas about the nature of legitimate force and freedom of information. Readers hoping that our authors were slowly working toward something profound will also suffer disappointment. There was even a time when each new book mixed in a new genre or theme: detective noir, personal vendetta, squatter's rights, etc.. What we get here is something we've gotten before.

The readers who will enjoy this the most are the ones that enjoy a straight-forward action-adventure. Those who cling to and look forward to all the banter of the Rocinante family will find delights herein. There's even some pretty good moments exploring new characters and the role of ideology. I especially liked the contrasts between perspectives in a fog of war situation. It was all minor embellishment, however, for more of the same - more of the same of the last two books. I obviously had misread the direction of the series and thought Corey had bigger aims. On the positive side, nothing and no one gets ruined here. The series is safe. I'll read on when the next two books come out, but I'm all out of optimism. ...more

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Sep 29, 2016 Rob rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: author-male, science-fiction, audio-book, not-a-bookclub-club, read-2017, own

Executive Summary: After a slow start it finished really strong but wasn't quite as enjoyable as the last two were for me. 4.5 Stars.

Audiobook: Jefferson Mays once again does a good job. He does a few voices, but mostly he's just a solid narrator who is easy to understand and reads with good volume and inflection.

Full Review
Well I had no idea there was going to be a 30 year time jump. I was initially upset about it, but as the book went on I see why they did it. In order to tell the story they ...more

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Jan 21, 2018 Efka rated it really liked it

Shelves: sci-fi

There's not much to say about this book, really. It's number 7 in the series, and by this moment most (everyone, actually?) of the readers already know what to expect and who's who and all those twists and little secrets that makes the plot tick and so on and on and on.

So, yeah, Persepolis Rising kept the all the best traits of the series, with all the familiar faces and all the familiar surroundings... Just fast-forwarded some thirty years, added some silver on guys' temples - unless they're A ...more

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Dec 23, 2016 Tudor Ciocarlie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017-my-best-of

Others have said it and I will say it: Persepolis Rising is the best book of the series. But for me is also the best novel that I’ve read in 2017. The level of writing craftsmanship that this book radiates is incredible. From the prologue to the epilogue, every chapter is a perfect roller-coaster with a length of exactly 22 minutes (in the audiobook format). Every word, every sentence have their place, but the construction has nothing artificial about it and the writers are using it to portrait ...more

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May 26, 2018 Scott Hitchcock rated it really liked it

Shelves: expanse, sci-fi

Book 1: 5*
Book 2: 4.5*
Book 3: 4.25*
Book 4: 3.5*
Book 5: 4.5*
Book 6: 4*
Book 7: 4.5*

If not for a really slow start where I was wondering if this series had finally run its course this may have been the best in the series. Years in the future our protagonists have all aged and the Protomolecule is back and more dangerous than ever as humanity tries to tame the usual and potentially fatal.

I loved that there wasn't closure at the end of this one. The crew of the Roci not quite intact. Avasarala and t ...more

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Nov 03, 2017 Daniel rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Kada god čovek pomisli da je skapirao kako će se dalje razvijati ovaj serijal gospoda pisci skrenu naglio ulevo u nešto sasvim drugačije. Samim tim knjiga je neizvesnija i mnogo zabavnija.

Likove koje volimo su još tu, ali vreme je učinilo svoje tako da je svako opet drugačiji, barem malo. Proča nas baca van koloseka u početku, posle čega se polako naviknemo na novu putanju sem što pred kraj opet dobijamo naglu promenu prvac tako da kraj bude opet nešto neočekivano. Što je pozitivno.

Jedina stvar ...more

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Jan 12, 2016 William rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: extraordinary-books

Wow. (expletive)! Ten-stars. The best of the series.

What a fabulous book. Powerful, spare, poignant, full of hard sci-fi at a blistering pace. More than any other Expanse book, the authors here investigate deep and dangerous human motivations, and the nature of the Roci as a family after almost 40 years together (first book occurs 2350 AD, this book about 2388 AD). The book also delves deeper than any previous book into the human attraction to demagogues.

As usual with my reviews, please first r ...more

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Nov 15, 2017 Kate rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favourites-read-in-2017, out-in-2017-and-read

Flippin' marvellous and, as usual with this fantastic series, different from the others.

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Nov 17, 2017 Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) added it

Shelves: review-copy, science-fiction

4.0 Stars
Spoiler Free Video Review: https://youtu.be/KJ-tnoyG0sI
Discussion Video: https://youtu.be/QsQ-HxkH8Lc
The Expanse is space opera at it's best and Persepolis Rising is the latest installment in this fantastic science fiction series. This book contains all the aspects that fans have come to love. From the return of beloved characters to the ever-growing world-building, this sequel delivers it all.

After a year away from the series, it was so easy to fall back into this engrossing story. Ret 4.0 Stars
Spoiler Free Video Review: https://youtu.be/KJ-tnoyG0sI
Discussion Video: https://youtu.be/QsQ-HxkH8Lc
The Expanse is space opera at it's best and Persepolis Rising is the latest installment in this fantastic science fiction series. This book contains all the aspects that fans have come to love. From the return of beloved characters to the ever-growing world-building, this sequel delivers it all.

After a year away from the series, it was so easy to fall back into this engrossing story. Returning to this universe felt incredibly nostalgic. The elements of sexual and ethnic diversity were seamlessly woven into narrative of this inclusive story. The world building continued to be easy to understand, yet epic in scope. As always, this space opera story was immersive and highly entertaining.

One of the biggest reasons I keep coming back to the series is to spend more time with these characters. All the characters in this book were well fleshed out, complex, and completely compelling. This book is told primarily from four distinct character viewpoints, which each providing a unique perspective into the larger story. Two of the viewpoints were familiar characters, while the other two were new perspectives. All the major beloved characters made appearances within the course of this novel. While I am always biased towards reading about established characters, I also enjoyed reading from both the new characters, which provided must needed viewpoints in the story.

This book is set a fair ways after the events in Babylon's Ashes and, therefore, plays heavily on the themes of change and aging. At this point in time, we see how not only the ship, but also the crew of the Rocinante, are growing older. They are no longer naive and impulsive. Instead, through the passage of time, we see how the characters have grown and matured

As the seventh book in a nine book series, Persepolis Rising faced the challenges of being a mid-series book. The authors needed to balance writing an exciting self-contained plot while continuing to build towards the final larger climax. This story had to bridge the gap between the previous book and also setup the sequence of events that will lead to the ending of the series. These factor made this book feel more like a transitional book in places. Compared to previous books, the plotting of this book felt a bit slower. The politics between the planets, and other organizations played a larger role in this novel. Toward the second half of the book, the narrative did pick up with more action. The ending of this book had some particularly exciting events that certainly pulled me into the story.

Upon finishing this novel, I am now highly anticipating the final two books in the series. The authors have confirmed that they already know the ending to this series, which gives me great confidence in the larger story arc. Persepolis Rising laid the groundwork for an incredible finale.

I highly recommend that any fan of The Expanse book series (or TV show) hurry up and catch up on this series as soon as possible. I just know that James S.A. Corey will deliver an epic end to this grand space opera.

I requested this one from Orbit Books. ...more

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Dec 27, 2016 MadProfessah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2017-read, favorites

Persepolis Rising is the 7th book in The Expanse series written by James S.A. Corey. The series has been adapted into a high-quality television series that airs on SyFy, but unlike other well-known speculative fiction adaptations (like Game of Thrones and American Gods) I think that in the case of The Expanse the book version is better than the filmed version. This is primarily because the books are written in such a fast-paced, action-packed, visually stimulating way that reading them is basica Persepolis Rising is the 7th book in The Expanse series written by James S.A. Corey. The series has been adapted into a high-quality television series that airs on SyFy, but unlike other well-known speculative fiction adaptations (like Game of Thrones and American Gods) I think that in the case of The Expanse the book version is better than the filmed version. This is primarily because the books are written in such a fast-paced, action-packed, visually stimulating way that reading them is basically like riding a rollercoaster or watching a Hollywood blockbuster.

If you have not read these books yet it is hard to know what I can say to convince you to do so without revealing spoilers. The first point I would make is that these books are the very best that the space-opera genre has to offer. The books are set in a future where humanity has made significant inroads into colonizing our solar system, with self-sustaining settlements on various solar objects (Mars, the Moon, Ganymede, multiple asteroids). The second point I would make is that the primary characters that the series are centered around are nuanced, interesting and diverse. The third point is that the overarching plot of The Expanse is quite compelling and includes multiple surprising twists.

One animating plot development for the series as a whole involves the arrival/discovery of an alien substance called the "protomolecule" which has a destabilizing impact on the fragile power balance between the largest political forces in the solar system: Mars, Earth and the Outer Planets Alliance (OPA).

In Persepolis Rising, the story has skipped ahead 3 decades from the shocking (and thrilling) plot developments in the prior book Babylon's Ashes. Obviously, this time jump has a profound effect on the main characters but there are even more surprising developments which basically re-order the power dynamics in the solar system after 30 years in which the political calculus had been changing slowly and inexorably in a certain direction.

This sort of makes sense, because the authors of the Expanse series (James S.A. Corey is a pseudonym for Ty Franck and Daniel Abraham) have stated that it will be 9 books long, consisting of three sets of trilogies, which would make this 7th book the first book in the final trilogy. Thus it is not surprising that there a lot of things are put in motion in Persepolis Rising which will presumably need to be resolved in future books. (There are definitely some satisfying resolutions of sub-plots as well.) Even more important is that we start to get more information about the protomolecule itself (and the creatures who created it) which does give support for the idea that we are hurtling towards the conclusion of the entire story.

Overall, Persepolis Rising is one of the best entries in The Expanse series. It is tautly plotted, incredibly thrilling and emotionally resonant. I knew it would probably be one of my favorite reads of the year so that even though I pre-ordered it for arrival on its day of release, I waited until the holiday season to read the book and ended up devouring it in one day (it was absolutely impossible to put down)! And maybe that's the most convincing thing I could say to encourage you to start reading this incredible series of books. Enjoy! ...more

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Jan 20, 2018 Ashley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, espionage, not-quite-five-stars-but-sooo-close, sci-fi, space-opera, violent-and-epic, war

A fun thing to do with this series is to predict the way the story will go based on the piece of mythology, history or religion featured in each title. Another fun thing to do is realize how wrong you were in your predictions, after the book has had its way with you.

It’s still fun afterwards, though. I bet the authors have a grand ole time coming up with these titles.

Some spoilies below, so if you want to go in blind, maybe don’t finish this review.

Persepolis was the capital city of the first Pe A fun thing to do with this series is to predict the way the story will go based on the piece of mythology, history or religion featured in each title. Another fun thing to do is realize how wrong you were in your predictions, after the book has had its way with you.

It’s still fun afterwards, though. I bet the authors have a grand ole time coming up with these titles.

Some spoilies below, so if you want to go in blind, maybe don’t finish this review.

Persepolis was the capital city of the first Persian empire, which was eventually conquered by Alexander the Great. Going in to Persepolis Rising, I don’t know, I guess I assumed the title was referring to some theoretical rise of a new human empire, but like, a more symbolical kind. I didn’t think there would ACTUALLY be a new human empire, and that empire would be hostile. I guess I should have also seen it coming that the seeds for this empire were laid in the last book (and the last novella), with Duarte stealing a large part of the Martian fleet.

I also didn’t think there would be such a large time jump! Holy shit!

I feel like this book is going to be one of those where you look back after the series finishes and you appreciate it more, but I was just so thrown by it, I had a hard time getting my bearings. It sort of reminds me of the way I felt reading books one and two for the first time. Not sure where it’s going, and kind of just this baseline of distress. (And this book added into the mix a heavy dose of the bittersweet that comes with knowing things end.) One of the reasons I loved books three through six so much is that I felt they had a start to finish clear trajectory. The storytelling felt almost inevitable to me. But there’s also a place for creatively controlled chaos in a narrative, chaos that feels discombobulating at the time, but after the fact, makes sense. I just don’t think I’ve reached that point yet, though the end of the book made long strides to getting me there.

I mean, I feel like it is impossible for me to talk about this book the way I want to without spoiling the hell out of it. Ultimately, I guess I can say that while it was not as immediately as enjoyable (and the middle bits felt kind of wallowy and depressing), it was a very important piece of the larger story Corey is telling. And likely I will be just as surprised by what’s coming next as I was during every book in this series at some point.

One thing I will say, though, as this is more Bobbie’s book than anything, NOT ENOUGH HOLDEN.

[4.5 stars] ...more

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Dec 30, 2016 Nadine rated it it was amazing

If you haven’t read The Expanse novels before reading this review, STOP. What are you doing? Go read the other novels because you will NOT be disappointed. The Expanse is a space opera full of political intrigue, action, well-developed characters, and world building like you wouldn’t believe.

Persepolis Rising is the seventh book in The Expanse series and is a game changer. A significant amount of time has passed between the previous novel, Babylon’s Ashes, and Persepolis Rising. Our favourite c ...more

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Jan 29, 2017 Silvana rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sci-fi, sff-2017-reading-challenge, space-the-final-frontier, military-sf, reading-with-friends, kindle-google, mine-mine-mine

When I read the previous six novels in the series, it only took less than three days for each. They were, mostly, page-turning, full-action, high-emotion, roller coaster rides.

Persepolis Rising is different. It is more somber, thoughtful. The kickass actions, tight plotting and twist-and-turns are still there, don't you worry, but they are not what define the book, even the series anymore. The world (space, slow zone, what-have-you) has changed, the characters have changed, there is a distinct ...more

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Jun 14, 2018 Olivia rated it liked it

With Persepolis Rising, The Expanse performs a thirty year time jump into the future, revealing new ideas, new plot points and an interesting world building development.

Sadly, I wasn't enamoured with the first half or so, but the story picks up towards the end becomes incredibly tense, fast-paced and interesting. I would have wished for more character development, since most characters felt the same as they did in the last book, despite having aged thirty years.

It's still a good read, and I thin ...more

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Jan 06, 2017 Suzanne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, science-fiction

4.5 stars rounded up because I really love this series. About 30 years have passed since the end of the last book. That made me sad because I feel like I missed out on a good portion of the lives of some of my favorite characters. Story-wise it made sense, but still....

It is quite difficult to talk about the book without feeling like I'm giving spoilers of past books! The Expanse universe keeps getting bigger and more interesting, and things have progressed logically in the 30 years (sniff) sinc ...more

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Dec 27, 2017 Robyn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2018

The duo behind James S.A. Corey is back at full steam with this one! My first reaction to finding out we were something like thirty years in the now was one big NOOOOOCHANGEBADCHANGEBAD, but once through the first few chapters, all was ok. The Laconians have come back with some really strange new technology, the team is assembled at Medina, and the resistance .... resists. Excellent - ready for the next!

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Mar 08, 2018 Roy rated it it was amazing

Still holds your attention even with the time jump. Im jealous of the people beginning this series

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Dec 09, 2017 Lindsay rated it really liked it

It's thirty years since the events of Abaddon's Gate and somewhere around fifteen or twenty since Babylon's Ashes. The future that Avasarala had predicted at the end of that book has come to pass and the Rocciante, though now an aging relic, still has a role to play. But in the recovering future with humanity spread out to the stars, the inner system recovering strongly and the Belters as a key part of everything, everyone seems to have forgotten about Duarte and the breakaway Laconia colony. Bu ...more

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Jan 17, 2018 Emily rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: a-own-it, sci-fi

I think this is my favorite of the series so far. When I realized it was a 30 year time jump forward, I thought I would hate it (I didn't want to read about old Holden and crew), but it was necessary to the story (and everyone is still bad ass). Finally big things start to happen! I read Cibola Burn 3-4 years ago, so I didn't remember much about the events of that book, but I did remember that it left a lot of unanswered questions that were never touched on again.... until this book. With just 2 ...more

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Jun 05, 2018 Peter Tillman rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: at-bg-pa, on-reserve, sf-fantasy, friend-recos, reread-list

James fucking Holden decides to hang it up. Then the Emperor of Laconia jumps in with both feet

5-stars, the best of the series. What they've been building up to: weird alien science, exploding spaceships! , a new evil Galactic Overlord -- along with all the other trademark touches of The Expanse, a few years on. The characters are older, grayer, tireder -- but not dead yet! Actually, this would be a good place to start reading the Expanse books, if you haven't already, as it skims over the unple ...more

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Fantasy Buddy Reads: Persepolis Rising [May 2018]	23	94	Jun 14, 2018 03:07AM
The Not a Book Cl...: PR: Section 4 - Chapter 41-Epilogue (Full Spoilers)	6	34	Jun 05, 2018 11:14AM
The Not a Book Cl...: PR: Section 3 - Chapter 26-40	11	13	Jun 04, 2018 04:24PM
The Not a Book Cl...: PR: Section 2 - Chapter 13-25	12	16	May 24, 2018 10:42AM
The Not a Book Cl...: PR: Section 1 - Prologue - Chapter 12	17	14	May 22, 2018 01:47PM
Beyond Reality: Persepolis Rising: finished reading (spoilers)	13	29	May 08, 2018 08:41AM
Beyond Reality: Persepolis Rising: Roll call and first impressions	15	23	Apr 28, 2018 06:44AM