Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse, #1) in The Sword and Laser

Jul 07, 2012 Eoghann Irving rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

I read this as part of the Sword and Laser book club. Until it was announced as the month's book I hadn't heard of it, so I really had no particular expectations going in. I was pleasantly surprised.

This is a fast moving book where humanity has managed to colonize parts of the solar system. But they're still very much tethered to Earth. Technology and science are background elements for this book. They serve the plot, not the other way round.

We are presented with two viewpoint characters: Jim Ho I read this as part of the Sword and Laser book club. Until it was announced as the month's book I hadn't heard of it, so I really had no particular expectations going in. I was pleasantly surprised.

This is a fast moving book where humanity has managed to colonize parts of the solar system. But they're still very much tethered to Earth. Technology and science are background elements for this book. They serve the plot, not the other way round.

We are presented with two viewpoint characters: Jim Holden, the rather naive and reckless XO of an ice mining ship and Detective Miller a policeman on a space station with a very realpolitik viewpoint. Over the course of the book their two stories merge into one as a larger plot develops. The two characters and their conflicting moral views drive the story forward.

I particularly enjoyed the first half to two thirds of the book as the mystery and political elements played out. The interactions between Earth, Mars and the "Belters" was convincing and the political tensions kept my attention. In some ways this stuff reminded me of Babylon 5.

The final part of the book is a bit more out there. Not bad and it follows on logically from what came before but not as interesting to me personally.

I did like how science was used in the book. They don't ignore the realities of physics (whether it's gravity or radiation) but at the same time it's just accepted that after that much advance in science a lot of problems are solvable. We aren't subjected to page long explanations of how, just that they are.

There is a peculiar absence of robots or any sort of artificial intelligence though. I'm not sure if that's simply because it didn't suit the story being told, or if there's more to it.

One interesting thing the author attempts is to have his viewpoint characters faced with some harsh realizations about themselves and their own actions. On more than one occasion you find your perception of the character twisted by what they discover about themselves. It can be a bit of a wrench, but the hints are there if you look back.

However, this may annoy readers who like their characters to be consistent from beginning to end. These people are changed by events around them and their own emotions. Their decisions and actions are consistent, but not constant.

All in all it's a fun, fast paced read with mystery, politics, action and at the end just a bit of "sense of wonder". Oh and while it's reasonably self contained it does set up a sequel very nicely!
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Sep 28, 2012 Megan rated it liked it

I really liked the first 90% of the book, it mixes hard(ish) scifi with some very hard-boiled noir detective elements. I like the shifting points of view of the different chapters, and the fact that you have two main characters that are very different and are allowed to be both right, and both wrong. The end of the book dragged a bit for me, though. It almost seemed like the book ended twice and I wasn't as invested in the second, final ending, even though it had more to do with the overarching ...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Chris rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Fantastic space opera. This book is a lot of fun and interesting. Well paced, it has a few flaws but i'm willing to over look them for the enjoyment of the story. ...more

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Dec 31, 2013 Jennifer rated it really liked it

(older review, since this is a re-read and I still really enjoyed it)

Really enjoyed reading this book :) Parts were funny, theres a bit of a mystery involved, some parts were exciting to read and there was a bit of horror thrown in as well.

The main characters are what really makes this book. You do start caring what happens to them, and want them to survive to appear in the next book.

Def. a must read for fans of space operas and 561 pages seems like it could be a lot to read, but I didn't find ...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Kerry rated it really liked it

One of the better space operas I have read in a long time. Aside from the language (I am a firm believer you you can express yourself well without the vulgarity), it was a fun read.

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