From the Bookshelf of Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy…

Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse, #1)

James S.A. Corey

Start date: October 21, 2015

Finish date: November 19, 2015

Discussion: Book Discussions

Discussion leader: Hillary Major

Why we're reading this: Group Contemporary novel Discussion October 2015
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What Members Thought

Oct 19, 2017 Ash rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2023-read, movie-tv, science-fiction, favorites, space-aliens, hard-sf, first-contact, challenge-sf, 2018hugos

Aug 2023:
This is officially one of my most favorite series ever and to think that I ended up DNFing this book few times in the past. The problem is that the show and book get interesting only after several episodes/half way point in the book. I seem to be a mood reader and I am glad I gave this series another chance. The book is even better than the TV show as I got explanations for a lot of events that were brushed across in the show. Miller was my favorite on the show and in this book. I am sa Aug 2023:
This is officially one of my most favorite series ever and to think that I ended up DNFing this book few times in the past. The problem is that the show and book get interesting only after several episodes/half way point in the book. I seem to be a mood reader and I am glad I gave this series another chance. The book is even better than the TV show as I got explanations for a lot of events that were brushed across in the show. Miller was my favorite on the show and in this book. I am sad that we won’t have his POV anymore. Holden is probably the stupidest captain in any sci-fi. Lol.
I agree that this is Game of Thrones in space. I finally found a series with multiple POVs, lot of politics, kick ass morally grey characters, interesting aliens, lot of action, fast paced plot, epic story about lot of different characters that I was looking for.
Can’t wait to read Gunny’s(Draper’s) and Avasarala’s POV in the next book. We only had Holden’s and Miller’s POV in the first book.

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April 2020:
I loved the TV series so I am pretty sure I will like the book series too. Planning to give this another shot. The first quarter is boring and very slow paced but it’s pretty exciting after that.

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Earlier:

I wanted to like this book so badly, considering how it is being called Game of Thrones in space.
I tried reading this book 4-5 times (2-3 times physical book and 2 times audiobook) and every time I ended up finishing one extra chapter and that's how I reached 47 pages or so (first 3 chapters + prologue). I never felt like reading more than one chapter at a time as that one chapter that I read would exhaust me. Mostly because of the boring writing, not-so-interesting characters and a plot that I don't care about. Prologue was really interesting but after that it went downhill. I did not like the "he said, she said" style of dialogues as they bored me to death. It is not even a hard sci-fi. DNFing this book for now as there are plenty of other interesting books to read.
The TV series was equally boring. I didn't feel like watching it after I saw the first 4 episodes. Hardly any action and boring characters. ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Apr 24, 2017 Bob Fischer added it

Outstanding introduction to the series. Listened to the book on audible on the way into work.

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Aug 20, 2013 David Benson rated it liked it

Good but not great. I'm still waiting to find that next Dune or Ender's Game. This was a pleasant diversion, but not the next great Sci-Fi epic I was hoping to find. ...more

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Sep 12, 2013 Chris Massey rated it it was amazing

The first two hundred pages were a little uncertain for me, but after the two main protagonists met up Leviathan Wakes took off like a torpedo. Great space opera, I ordered the next book as soon as I finished Wakes.

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