/lit/ - Literature

Kino

>>21481954
Leviathan Wakes, The Expanse #1 - James S.A. Corey [Daniel Abraham & Ty Franck] (2011)

I tried reading this in 2011, but I wasn't interested enough at the time after reading a few chapters. Four years later I began watching the TV series and watched all of it as it aired. I've also read many of Abraham's other books during that time. Now that it's roughly a year later after both the tv and book series have ended, I thought that I'd try again. The book has now joined the evergrowing list of critically acclaimed and/or highly popular series that it seems I didn't give enough chance. This is the first time I've finished the first book of a series after finishing its tv series. Surprisingly, I wasn't bothered at all by knowing everything that would happen. I almost always go to the source material first for tv series, but not movies. I'm interested to see how that goes as I read more.

This is a space opera series in which both authors empathetically say that it isn't hard SF. For the most part it tends towards a relatively conservative realism of what human society may be like a few centuries from now in terms of technological and social progress, as compared to most science fiction I've seen. For the first few books everything stays within the solar system. The authors have stated that they wanted this series to be about when humans first began exploring beyond the solar system. The only thing that bothers me is the populations of the planets and moons, 30 billion for Earth, 9 billion for Mars, and other absurd numbers elsewhere. The reasons for these numbers are given later in the tv series, which I assume are the same in the book, and are highly unsatisfactory.

The story alternates between two viewpoints, even when they're literally feet apart from each other. One is a self-righteous idealist with a savior complex on a merchant vessel who finds himself pushed into stellar events. The other is a cynical and nihilistic detective who becomes obsessed with a case that becomes his sole reason for living. The cast of characters are quite enjoyable and there aren't any that I disliked, as I think they're well-written and developed. In terms of plot it means the former is escaping from a series of disasters while trying to save the solar system and the latter is pursuing an obsession.

It's difficult for me to compare the first book and the first and second seasons six/seven years out, so I'll just say that they have their own strengths and weaknesses. I don't mind the changes the TV series made of what I've read so far. The characters in the book feel better, particularly in terms of their humanity and emotionality. There's also considerably more worldbuilding details and the inner monologue. I may come to like the book series more by the end. I'm highly motivated to enjoy this series. I very much want to like it despite it not quite being what I ideally want, but it's both close and rare enough though that it suffices.

Rating: 4.5/5