The Expanse

[TehStu]

I'm just going to start this thread, because it's bonkers we don't have one. I'm only half way through Leviathan Wakes, so perhaps not in the best position to write an OP, but there we go. Searching for Expanse in this forum, I see discussion is littered throughout the Scifi Recommendations thread for the last 3 or so years, so there's a chunk of existing commentary to react to if you're new, like me.

 

Prior to this, the last books I read were The Martian (excellent) and Dark Disciple (newer Disney star wars EU) so make what you will of my tastes. I tend not to read much beyond my Star Wars EU and the odd non-fiction math/science book, so completely missed this series until the TV show appeared on Amazon Prime. Honestly, I can see all the issues with the sort of flat writing in LW, but having seen all of this in action, it really doesn't matter. I'm just mentally animating Season 1 in my head as I read, but with the extra detail the book affords. That's perfect for me. At least it's readable - as much as I loved GoT early on, attempting to read the books was just an utter chore, and I gave up maybe a quarter of the way into book 1.

 

Anyway, we keep threatening to make this thread, so I did  Loads more people are way into the series and can offer better perspectives, though. I just wanted another Expanse thread to check. This is easily my favourite thing on TV, and I can't quite get over how quickly I'm managing to plough through the book.

[Butters]

I've not long finished the third book, with the fourth and the fifth on my shelves ready for me.

 

Enjoying how it's building, although I do find with each book they tend to spend a lot of time on set up, then it all goes manic  in the last section. In some cases it's because they are introducing new characters, but I'm intrigued to see if that is the case with the later books, or if they then use the characters they've already introduced.

 

Am I right in thinking they've already announced the number of books in the series overall? Finishes with nine?

[Danster]

I'm about halfway through Caliban's War on Audible, which are very well read by Jefferson Mays. As i'm almost completely up to date with season three I am actually quickly catching up the show. The characters are all very much the show stars, as to be expected when watching first. 

 

Am i right in saying (this a Prax/Caliban's war spoiler)

Spoiler

That whole smear campaign didn't happen in the show, I don't remember it happening. Nor the working for OPA, hunting pirates, or the crowdfunded cash raising. I thought it was interesting that they chose to leave that out as it does kinda of explain what they'd been up to in the previous year, and how they could afford to keep the Roci running.

 

[Spacehost]

Yeah, the show streamlined a lot of this and added in a lot of that.

 

I love these books. They're pulpy but rooted in a kind of realism it's hard not to get taken by. I defy anyone to read the end of the second book and not flip out a bit.

[MardiganX]

YES!!

 

Cheers for the nudge @Spacehost

 

I am about a third of the way through Cibola Burn and can confidently say the quality of the overarching story, characters and how it all links together is some of the best there is. Previously my biggest foray into Sci-Fi books was the Halo EU novels with Ghosts of Onyx to this day still being one of the best books I have read. Before the TV show I was very casually making my way through the Jack Reacher novels but as soon as Season 2 ended I was straight online to purchase the first 4 books. That was about 6 weeks ago and as I said I am well into book 4 so that should give an idea of how much these books have drawn me in.

 

Anyway, great to see this thread up and running and looking forward to the book related chat, especially as some of the key plot threads start to deviate in the show for obvious reasons.

 

End of Abaddons Gate related spoilers -

 

Fucking Bull man! What an absolute legend. Definitely my favourite non-Roci character and the final few chapters of Abaddons Gate was as good as anything I have read in a long time. I've not started watching Season 3 yet but I get the sense he won't make the show with certain, already established characters taking over his stuff. A little disappointed at this but have no doubt the show will more than make up for it with how it moves things forward in its own way.

 

 

[TehStu]

What's the agreed way to talk about books? Should specifics go in spoilers? I'll do it this time just in case.

 

Leviathan Wakes:

Spoiler

As I mentioned in the film folder, I'm rewatching season 1 and I noticed Miller takes a payment from the dude supposedly maintaining Ceres air filters. I'm half way through LW and the only crooked thing I recall is Miller offering to find money to get on the Roci by leaning on local Eros lowlife. Is that a change?

 

Also, who is the other cop on the show? Is it the version of the partner he gets in the book when Havelock leaves? 

 

[Spacehost]

Muss? Yeah, she's in the books but they're very different characters. I think the show takes the "explicitly corrupt" angle because it's a quick way to set up Miller's lack of scruples.

[Colonel Panic]

I've not read the first three and got a coworker hooked on the series. I enjoy the changes of the TV series though, the S3 shift was a bit jarring, but it skipped the boring shite at the start of Abaddon's Gate quite nicely.

 

 

[Colonel Panic]

On 25/05/2018 at 12:14, MardiganX said:

 

End of Abaddons Gate related spoilers -

 

 

  Hide contents

Fucking Bull man! What an absolute legend. Definitely my favourite non-Roci character and the final few chapters of Abaddons Gate was as good as anything I have read in a long time. I've not started watching Season 3 yet but I get the sense he won't make the show with certain, already established characters taking over his stuff. A little disappointed at this but have no doubt the show will more than make up for it with how it moves things forward in its own way.

 

  

 

 

You are right, I'm afraid. I think the series suffers a bit as a result!

[Vulgar Monkey]

It does raise certain interesting plot problems for them to resolve. That in itself has me curious.

[MardiganX]

Today is a great day! I finished Cibola Burn on Friday night and immediately ordered books 5 and 6 for collection on Saturday. 2 working hours and they will be ready they said. Lies. I was lied to!

 

Saturday morning and book 5 is nowhere to be found and it apparently has now been ordered for delivery during the week. I put that disappointment behind me and spent most of Saturday staring at the cover to book 6. Inside raging!!

 

Came home from working in London tonight and Nemsis Games is waiting for me. World Cup starts today, the next 2 books ready to go so yes, today is a great day  add to that the particular characters that are now chapter perspectives in Nemsis Games and I actually cheered after quickly flicking through to check them! Buzzing!!

 

[MardiganX]

Nemesis Games (Book 5) done and how is it possible that it feels like things have just cranked another couple of levels?! Like everything before the events of Nemesis Games was just the introduction. Like the pieces on the board have somehow shifted again, but now to a place where every single conversation and action is going to carry weight, meaning and consequences. Before I start a new book I always flick through to see the Chapter perspectives and I thought Nemesis Games was the best mix but Babylon's Ashes looks like it could beat it... comfortably.

 

I am dreading reaching the end of currently available books and then not having the next one ready to go, much like I am with the TV show at the moment with Season 3 not yet viewed. For the time being I have everything I ever wanted in a series of books and could not be happier!

 

[starls]

4 minutes ago, MardiganX said:

I am dreading reaching the end of currently available books and then not having the next one ready to go, much like I am with the TV show at the moment with Season 3 not yet viewed. For the time being I have everything I ever wanted in a series of books and could not be happier!

 

 

Same - other than I recently finished Book 8, having rinsed all the books since January. I'm at a complete loss now until the next one is released in the autumn.  Slowly catching up on the TV show to tide me over until then!

[Spacehost]

You mean book 7, right? Eight is this December.

 

But yes, Nemesis Games significantly ups the ante on the series. I bought it hardback before going on holiday in the US and Canada, and humphed that big chunky thing around in my bag the entire time. I read it on the subway and the bus, in the line for airport security and loved every minute. The traditional big event halfway through the book was an absolute mind blower and completely reset my expectations of where the series was about to go.

[idiwa]

I'm just hitting the half way point of Babylon's Ashes (6) after reading the previous novels one after the other. I think I've scunnered myself a bit, I'm not really enjoying it as much as the previous. I feel like I need a pallet cleanser, maybe I'll take a break and read some contemporary nonsense for a bit sa sa. 

 

I'm just at the part in Babylon's Ashes when...
 

 

Michio Pa has just come face to face with Team Roci outside of Ceres)

 

 

[Hawklord]

12 minutes ago, idiwa said:

I'm just hitting the half way point of Babylon's Ashes (6) after reading the previous novels one after the other. I think I've scunnered myself a bit, I'm not really enjoying it as much as the previous. I feel like I need a pallet cleanser, maybe I'll take a break and read some contemporary nonsense for a bit sa sa. 

 

I'm just at the part in Babylon's Ashes when...
 

  Hide contents

Michio Pa has just come face to face with Team Roci outside of Ceres)

 

 

 

I'm at the exact same part 

 

I've been, I was going to say struggling to get through BA. But I don't know if I am. I only read when I go to bed but I've been falling asleep every night after only a few pages. It seems a fairly long book, but I'd imagine they could cover most of it in only a couple of episodes

[Spacehost]

It’s definitely not as good as the previous book. Wasn’t massively impressed with Persepolis Rising either, not that it’s bad but it isn’t great.

[Hawklord]

Edit: Wrong thread 

 

I follow some of the cast on various social media and Frankie Adams just posted this on Insta...

 

 

[\spoiler]

[TehStu]

An extremely long article of how The Expanse came to be.

 

 

I got about 3/4s through before I realized I was going to get, if not spoilers, then certainly more hints about the later books than I wanted. 

 

Just bought 4 through 7 the other day, I need to get cracking before next season starts

 

[grounded_dreams]

Really interesting interview with Wes Chatham, who plays Amos Burton on the show.

* Warning, it does contain spoilers from the show *

[Spacehost]

I gotta say, the new book feels like a return to form. I'm not finished yet but I'm very excited to see where they go next.

[gizmo1990]

Have you got an advance copy then?

[Spacehost]

5 minutes ago, gizmo1990 said:

Have you got an advance copy then?

Waterstones always puts books on sale as soon as they arrive, rather than the release date.

[gizmo1990]

Ah righto, cool. Looking forward to reading it. I enjoyed the last one but think overall the last couple have dipped in quality. Good to hear positives about this. Only one more after it so I’m hoping it sets things up nicely.

[Spacehost]

I've finished it and it's absolutely their strongest book since Nemesis Games, and probably between Calaban's War and Leviathan Wakes in the quality stakes.

[MardiganX]

On 23/03/2019 at 15:27, Spacehost said:

I've finished it and it's absolutely their strongest book since Nemesis Games, and probably between Calaban's War and Leviathan Wakes in the quality stakes.

 

Just hardback at the moment isn't it? Will be picking this up at the weekend. Not long finished Persepolis Rising so can't wait to get into it.

[new666uk]

I sort of got into this by accident. I usually read a lot of Peter Hamilton (all very weight tomes and mostly excellent) or Stephen Donaldson's Gap series and was looking for something similar and spare opera-y when I stumbled over Leviathan.

 

Very impressed, ready more like a movie and I feel it uses a lot of movie symbology. About half way through Calibrans War and have the rest queued up ready and waiting. Torn about watching the series, a brief trailer looked good but I didn't want to spoil the books.

[Spacehost]

You should be able to watch the first season without any issues, and if you read the first three books you'll be covered for the first three seasons. It's a great show.

[footle]

Having watched the first couple of episodes of the second arc of Season Three, I find it interesting how much of Abaddon's Gate they've skipped over.

[footle]

On 23/03/2019 at 00:33, gizmo1990 said:

Ah righto, cool. Looking forward to reading it. I enjoyed the last one but think overall the last couple have dipped in quality. Good to hear positives about this. Only one more after it so I’m hoping it sets things up nicely.

 

The problem with PR was it was basically setting this book up. It's probably the strongest middle book of a trilogy I can remember, and really leads me to wonder what's next.

Since Abraham hasn't written an unsatisfying multi-book-sequence ending yet (even if it's not necessarily the ending you might expect), I'm really hopeful.