mjgillan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
sarahleger15's review against another edition
5.0
James S.A. Corey is one of the few male authors who knows how to write women, and I am very thankful for him and this series.
interrowhimper's review against another edition
5.0
Highly engrossing, with some returning characters from Leviathan Wakes (Holden, Amos, Alex, and Naomi...and Fred). Two new viewpoint characters, Avasarala and Bobbie, are excellent examples of no-nonsense women who exist as central characters rather than peripheral love interests.
The characters are well developed. They have flaws, hopes, fears. No one-trick-pony heroes here.
The same menace from the first book expands in the second. It's slightly less macabre or disturbing, possibly because I'd already gotten used to the idea. Still very compelling, though. I could hardly put it down.
The only thing I don't like about these books is that the titles come from seemingly nowhere (all right, Shakespeare isn't exactly nowhere). The word "leviathan" never appears in the first book of The Expanse...and the whole Caliban thing is never explained. I guess I could read The Tempest, but I'm not going to.
Five stars, nonetheless.
The characters are well developed. They have flaws, hopes, fears. No one-trick-pony heroes here.
The same menace from the first book expands in the second. It's slightly less macabre or disturbing, possibly because I'd already gotten used to the idea. Still very compelling, though. I could hardly put it down.
The only thing I don't like about these books is that the titles come from seemingly nowhere (all right, Shakespeare isn't exactly nowhere). The word "leviathan" never appears in the first book of The Expanse...and the whole Caliban thing is never explained. I guess I could read The Tempest, but I'm not going to.
Five stars, nonetheless.
childdeirdre's review against another edition
4.0
Not as thrilling as the first one, but it's still left me wanting more.
iudouj's review against another edition
3.0
As much as I love the world and some of the new characters introduced in this novel, I can't help but feel it suffers from Sophomore slump. Many plot threads follow the first book almost identically; there's a missing girl, mysterious organizations are manipulating events from the shadows, and even the protomolecule is on the loose once more.
The characters remain the highlight of the series. Avasarala is one of my new favorite characters and her POV chapters were by far my favorites. Bobbie and Holden are also captivating characters and I love that with this novel that the women of the Expanse gain a bigger voice. Prax unfortunately suffers from sidelining and just being pretty uninteresting.
I think the consequences of plotlines set up in this book will pay off in a big way but for right now I hope that future entries will have a bit more originality than Caliban's War.
The characters remain the highlight of the series. Avasarala is one of my new favorite characters and her POV chapters were by far my favorites. Bobbie and Holden are also captivating characters and I love that with this novel that the women of the Expanse gain a bigger voice. Prax unfortunately suffers from sidelining and just being pretty uninteresting.
I think the consequences of plotlines set up in this book will pay off in a big way but for right now I hope that future entries will have a bit more originality than Caliban's War.
pjdas1012's review against another edition
5.0
"It's not healthy, having God sleeping there where we can all watch him dream."
In the 2nd installment of the space opera series that centers around a future where Earth, Mars, and the Outer Belt are each holding each other at gunpoint while mysterious forces enter the fray, the addition of new character perspectives and their masterfully interwoven stories marks this book as a fantastic sequel. The new characters of Avasarala, a high-ranking U.N. official; Bobbie, a Martian marine; and Prax, a botanist who's looking for his kidnapped daughter; each add a unique and enthralling perspective. I distinctly had the thought about each one that it would really stink if they died, which for me is the mark of a good character. I consider this book Game of Thrones in space, though the story is more compact and personal. I had read reviews that this book was a downgrade to the first book, [b:Leviathan Wakes|8855321|Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse, #1)|James S.A. Corey|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1411013134l/8855321._SY75_.jpg|13730452], but I disagree and actually consider it a significant upgrade. The characters in this book have more diverse viewpoints than the monotonous duality of Holden and Miller from the first book, and by the time I got to the middle of this book, it was hard to put down. If you're considering watching the excellent Expanse T.V. show, I recommend reading the first two books before doing so. But either way, this book is fantastic.
In the 2nd installment of the space opera series that centers around a future where Earth, Mars, and the Outer Belt are each holding each other at gunpoint while mysterious forces enter the fray, the addition of new character perspectives and their masterfully interwoven stories marks this book as a fantastic sequel. The new characters of Avasarala, a high-ranking U.N. official; Bobbie, a Martian marine; and Prax, a botanist who's looking for his kidnapped daughter; each add a unique and enthralling perspective. I distinctly had the thought about each one that it would really stink if they died, which for me is the mark of a good character. I consider this book Game of Thrones in space, though the story is more compact and personal. I had read reviews that this book was a downgrade to the first book, [b:Leviathan Wakes|8855321|Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse, #1)|James S.A. Corey|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1411013134l/8855321._SY75_.jpg|13730452], but I disagree and actually consider it a significant upgrade. The characters in this book have more diverse viewpoints than the monotonous duality of Holden and Miller from the first book, and by the time I got to the middle of this book, it was hard to put down. If you're considering watching the excellent Expanse T.V. show, I recommend reading the first two books before doing so. But either way, this book is fantastic.
bridgetdavis's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ronitjauthor's review against another edition
4.0
Okay, I just loved the direction this series is going. All these new characters, the whole protomolecule plot on Venus, it's just mind-blowing!
To start off, something felt off to me in the beginning because we had 4 POV characters instead of 2 like in LW. I knew I liked Bobbie, but Prax and Avasarala felt kinda meh to me. However, Avasarala quickly became my favourite POV to read. Prax was vulnerable and a little useless in terms of combat or wit, but still I kept rooting for him because of his motivation. Bobbie was pure and simple badass.
The plot was a bit more complex, given that there were twice as many POVs this time, but not once did it feel off-balance or confusing. Each POV contributed to build on the plots from the other, and by the time the plots converged, the tension and stakes had grown so high that the book became un-put-downable.
The whole plot of the protomolecule hybrids was a little too obvious right from the prologue, which is why I'm glad the authors didn't spend too long trying to position it as a mystery. The focus remained on how the characters were all in the dark, and seeing them connect the dots when we the readers have a clue was simply brilliant. Every time the monsters showed up, there was a sense of real danger, with the focus on survival and "how the fuck do we beat this thing". All this coupled with Prax's constant battle with his anxieties over Mei's survival was just painfully beautiful to read.
Loved the direct exploration of politics in this one through Avasarala. It was like seeing a chess game, where Avasarala is backed into a losing position with severe material loss, but still manages to convert it into a victory. From start to end, every single one of Avasarala's chapters was a masterpiece. Every single element from every single chapter, from her grandchildren to Arjun, to her seemingly-insignificant meeting with Mao all added up to the finale of this spectacularly constructed political thriller. Damn, I hope I never get on this woman's bad side.
What I really found a little underwhelming was Holden's arc. I mean, yeah he's sorta the protagonist of the series, but compared to the others he felt very two-dimensional. I did not like his emotional arc in the story. His relationship (and his view of it) with Naomi is just weird to me, and seems a little pointless and insignificant compared to everything else that's happening around this dude.
Finally. Venus. Holy fuck Venus. It's a real effort not to pick up the next book after that last scene with Venus.
All in all, a brilliant sequel to an already epic book 1. Definitely gonna keep reading.
TL;DR:
WHAT I LIKED: Everything except Holden's arc
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: Holden's arc
To start off, something felt off to me in the beginning because we had 4 POV characters instead of 2 like in LW. I knew I liked Bobbie, but Prax and Avasarala felt kinda meh to me. However, Avasarala quickly became my favourite POV to read. Prax was vulnerable and a little useless in terms of combat or wit, but still I kept rooting for him because of his motivation. Bobbie was pure and simple badass.
The plot was a bit more complex, given that there were twice as many POVs this time, but not once did it feel off-balance or confusing. Each POV contributed to build on the plots from the other, and by the time the plots converged, the tension and stakes had grown so high that the book became un-put-downable.
Spoiler
The whole plot of the protomolecule hybrids was a little too obvious right from the prologue, which is why I'm glad the authors didn't spend too long trying to position it as a mystery. The focus remained on how the characters were all in the dark, and seeing them connect the dots when we the readers have a clue was simply brilliant. Every time the monsters showed up, there was a sense of real danger, with the focus on survival and "how the fuck do we beat this thing". All this coupled with Prax's constant battle with his anxieties over Mei's survival was just painfully beautiful to read.
Loved the direct exploration of politics in this one through Avasarala. It was like seeing a chess game, where Avasarala is backed into a losing position with severe material loss, but still manages to convert it into a victory. From start to end, every single one of Avasarala's chapters was a masterpiece. Every single element from every single chapter, from her grandchildren to Arjun, to her seemingly-insignificant meeting with Mao all added up to the finale of this spectacularly constructed political thriller. Damn, I hope I never get on this woman's bad side.
What I really found a little underwhelming was Holden's arc. I mean, yeah he's sorta the protagonist of the series, but compared to the others he felt very two-dimensional. I did not like his emotional arc in the story. His relationship (and his view of it) with Naomi is just weird to me, and seems a little pointless and insignificant compared to everything else that's happening around this dude.
Finally. Venus. Holy fuck Venus. It's a real effort not to pick up the next book after that last scene with Venus.
All in all, a brilliant sequel to an already epic book 1. Definitely gonna keep reading.
TL;DR:
WHAT I LIKED: Everything except Holden's arc
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: Holden's arc
jcollet21's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
kellhus's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75