[January] Persepolis Rising (The Expanse #7)

[imyril]

We said we'd pick up The Expanse read-along in January so I thought I'd get a board set up to check in on appetite and thrash out the details. Weekly breakdown courtesy of @Misforawesome!

Week 1: Prologue - Ch12, Sunday 14th Jan, hosted by @imyril at x+1
Week 2: Ch13 - Ch27, 28th Jan, hosted by Lisa at Over the Effing Rainbow
Week 3: Ch28 - Ch41, 4th Feb, hosted by @imyril at x+1
Week 4: Ch42 - End, 11th Feb, hosted by Lisa at Over the Effing Rainbow

[Sarah]

Sounds good to me! I'd prefer to host anytime after the first week, since I want some time to settle into the new semester.

[Lisa]

I can take the first week if no one else wants to. I am so ready. :D

[imyril]

Do you mind if I take dibs on week 1? I’ll be travelling again so I need to get my post written early :)

[Lisa]

No problem! ;)

[Allison]

I am still on board for the read-along! I don't think I'll be able to host any weeks this time, though, I have a lot of work stuff in Jan.

[imyril]

Right, now with breakdown, yay!

[Lisa]

I can take week 2 and also 4, if need be!

[imyril]

Oh my. Gird your feelings and buckle up for the next big plot arc.

Questions for week 1: (view spoiler)[
1. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
How do you feel about jumping forward 30 years? ...and about where/how we find the Solar system and the Rocinante's crew?

2. ...and what are your first impressions of Laconia?

3. Did you see Holden's actions coming? Do you think he'll stick with his decision now the circumstances have changed?

4. How do you think Drummer will react to the Laconian ultimatum? What about the Earth/Martian Alliance and the colony planets?

(hide spoiler)]

...and of course, any other thoughts / feelings / observations!

[Sarah]

Hi everyone. I think I'm going to need to drop out of the read along, or at least accept that I'm going to have trouble keeping up. Classes just started this week and the work load is a lot more than I was anticipating.

Would anyone be able to take over my week?

[imyril]

I can take 3 if you’re still ok to take 4, Lisa?

[Lisa]

Yeah, no problem! Sarah, remember to take care of yourself and get plenty of sleep *fusses* ;)

[Sarah]

Thanks you guys!

[imyril]

No worries!

[Lisa]

Here's my Week 1 post! http://overtheeffingrainbow.co.uk/201...

[imyril]

And mine: https://onemore.org/2018/01/14/persep...

[Allison]

My week 1 as well: https://tethyanbooks.blogspot.com/201...

[Sarah]

I'm almost a week late, but I do have week 1! https://theillustratedpage.wordpress....

[Lisa]

Week 2 questions!

(view spoiler)[
1. We see more of Governor Singh in these chapters, and ... Well. He certainly takes 'doing it by the book' rather more literally than most. How do you feel about the man after this closer character exploration, and his response(s) to attempts at resistance on Medina?

2. Captain Draper's having a difficult time of it, elsewhere - though at least she's not lashing out in her efforts to deal with that. What did you make of her conversation with Holden regarding the underground movement?

3. SHE'S ALIVE! Avasarala comes to Drummer's (political) aid, though it seems Madam President is less than thrilled with the idea. What's your take on their interaction, and in particular that last conversation between them?

4. Any other thoughts/feelings/speculations etc. on this week's chapters? Let's have 'em! (hide spoiler)]

[imyril]

My week 2: https://onemore.org/2018/01/21/persep...

[Lisa]

Here's my Week 2: http://overtheeffingrainbow.co.uk/201...

[imyril]

Ahem, you’d be right to think I’m struggling to put this down. Week 3 questions - tackle these in any order you like as they overlap a bit!

(view spoiler)[
We Need To Talk About Amos
Well that was explosive. Thoughts?

Under Pressure
Singh grapples with his authoritarian impulses as his anxieties increase. Which instincts do you think will win out?

Inside Man
So we have a traitor in the heart of the underground. What do you think will happen?

At Last (The Shadow of the Past)
The mysterious antagonists are back! ...or their (automated?) tech is. Where do you think Trejo picked up his passenger? What do you think is going on?

Any other thoughts?
(hide spoiler)]

[Allison]

I just wanted to comment that I have not vanished! I am just not keeping up as well as I'd hoped. I'll have my posts up at some point!

[Lisa]

No worries! In your own time.

Though, on that note, I just wrote up my week 3 post and I'm not wasting any more time than I have to in finishing the book, so you can probably expect my final questions pretty soon too. :D

[Sarah]

Hi everyone! I wrote up a part two - https://theillustratedpage.wordpress....

[Allison]

Coming in at the end, here my week two as well! https://tethyanbooks.blogspot.com/201...

[Lisa]

Woop woop :D

[imyril]

Weeeeeeeek 3: https://onemore.org/2018/01/28/persep...

[Lisa]

WEEK 3! http://overtheeffingrainbow.co.uk/201...

[Allison]

Week 3, not quite as late as last week! https://tethyanbooks.blogspot.com/201...

[Lisa]

So I hate to have to do this, but a lot of real life stuff has hit me out of the blue tonight, and dealing with that in order to prevent an anxiety-fest means I won't get this week's questions posted. Or possibly even my post written on time. So unless someone else can take it for me, it's going to be a few days behind schedule at least. Sorry, folks.

[Allison]

I am still a few days behind schedule myself, so I don't mind if the last questions are a few days later than usual.

[Sarah]

I just finished section three, so obviously I don't care if section four is late.

[imyril]

Absolutely. No rush :)

[Lisa]

I appreciate how chill you all are. <3

[Lisa]

OK! Finally setting myself back to blog work, starting with this. Final questions! :)

(view spoiler)[
1. There's no hope for some people... What was your response to Singh's ultimate failure, and his fate? Does anyone feel sympathy for him at this point?

2. Naomi has The Hardest Decision to make - to save Jim, or to save the rest of her family and the resistance. How do you feel about her actions, and her perspective, in the final chapters?

3. So. Not everyone on Team Rocinante made it to safety... What did you make of Clarissa's sacrifice?

4. Holden meets Duarte, and we finally learn his ultimate goal, if not precisely his plans for achieving it. How blown was your mind? And is Duarte a madman, or could he just maybe be onto something...?

As always, fire away with any thoughts/feelings beyond these questions!
(hide spoiler)]

[Allison]

Here's my final week!: https://tethyanbooks.blogspot.com/201...

[imyril]

And mine: https://onemore.org/2018/02/11/persep...