Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ 's Reviews > Leviathan Wakes
Leviathan Wakes (Expanse, #1)
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Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ 's review
bookshelves: science-fiction, space-travel, aliens-i-love-em, bat-shit-crazy, diabolical, creeptastic, favorite-secondary-characters, revolting, it-burns-us-precious, kickass-heroines, not-your-ordinary-creatures, pirates, rabid-reads-reviews, that-bastard
Dec 14, 2012
bookshelves: science-fiction, space-travel, aliens-i-love-em, bat-shit-crazy, diabolical, creeptastic, favorite-secondary-characters, revolting, it-burns-us-precious, kickass-heroines, not-your-ordinary-creatures, pirates, rabid-reads-reviews, that-bastard
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
Here's another Jessica quirk: I LOVE sci-fi on screen, but I rarely like reading it. I have no idea why. Some things just are.
BUT. I binge-watched The Expanse last week, and it was good enough that it made me curious. There were no giant-insects-as-aliens, no surplus of tech gobbledygook, and no discernible artificial intelligence (the things that make me avoid sci-fi literature, even though I can usually handle the movie version), and what there was was mysteriously mysterious, plus, you know, SPACE, so pretty great, IMO.
The story revolves around two male MCs, Jim Holden, the XO of the ice-hauling freighter Canterbury, and Joe Miller, a washed-up, "prototypical Noir dectective" (description stolen from Mike , b/c it's darn near perfect, and I didn't want to bother coming up with my own lesser version).
Holden is a thirty-ish bright-eyed idealist whose naivete borders on unbelievable, given his dishonorable discharge from the UN Navy (for punching a superior officer who needed to be punched, if I remember correctly) amongst other things. He's also rather immature about relationships, convincing himself that he's in love with every female he lusts after. His actions would've been more consistent with someone ten years younger, but then he wouldn't have the experience to land his XO gig, so what are you going to do?
Miller . . . is ahot tepid mess. He's in his mid-fifties, divorced in what feels like the recent past, but in reality is probably going on a decade ago, and unable to move on. He's a drunk. He moves through life in a contradictory haze of apathy and regret. Then, when he's forced to face a personal truth that he's thus far insulated himself from, he latches on to his last assignment: a retrieval job for the rich parents of a young woman who has turned her back on her upbringing to champion the Belters, the dregs and underdogs of her world.
During his detecting, Miller becomes infatuated with the Earthen-turned-Belter freedom fighter. He's obsessed with finding her, convincing himself that if he can save Juliette Andromeda Mao, all of life's disappointments and failures will be worth it.
It's another stretch, or at least it was for me, but I'm inexperienced in all things Noir, so maybe that's my ignorance talking.
Regardless, both Holden's idealism and Miller's transference were stretches that I was willing and able to accommodate, in part b/c of the character growth both MCs went through from start to finish.
At first, I straight-up didn't like Holden. I thought he was an idiot, who recklessly made decisions that had consequences he couldn't begin to understand, and a manwhore who justified his manwhoring by believing his was in lurrrrve. Every, single time. *rolls eyes*
But just as I was about to write him off, someone schooled him about a little thing called REALITY, and that in conjunction with several other hard-earned lessons he eventually took to heart, he turned into someone I could admire. He was no longer an unrealistic dreamer, he was an uncorruptible man who stood by the principles that guided every aspect of his life.
Miller . . . damn near broke my heart.
The only other thing I'll say about him is that (view spoiler)
Something readers coming to LEVIATHAN WAKES post-Syfy series should know is that Chrisjen Avasarala doesn't show up until book 2, CALIBAN'S WAR. The absence of any female POVs makes this a very male-driven story, but I've been assured that problem (if you see that as a problem) is resolved in the later installments. CALIBAN'S WAR introduces not only Chrisjen Avasarala, but also a "space Brienne with power armor." (<------description also courtesy of Mike .)
*visions of Aeryn Sun dance in my head*
![description](https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1465567343ra/19374905.gif)
The first half of the book is mostly repeat, if you've watched the series, but I knew that going into it, and when I hit new material at the midway point, it took off. So that's also important to know: season one of the Syfy series doesn't cover the entire first book, only half of it.
So maybe it's consistently like this throughout the book for people who read LEVIATHAN WAKES prior to watching THE EXPANSE, but at around 60%, revelation upon revelation starting being revealed, and in a holy-crap-that's-so-cool or holy-crap-WTF?! kind of way, not an overwhelming bombardment of information kind of way.
I plowed through it, resenting every moment I had to spend away from it, and when I finally got to the ending, it was perfect. There were enough unanswered questions to keep me eager to read the next installment, while still having sufficient closure to be satisfying. And the closure allowed me to appreciate Corey's wry humor in a way I probably missed in earlier parts of the book, b/c too desperate to find out WHAT IS HAPPENING to pay attention to silly things like the subtleties of wry humor. Fred Johnson's reference to himself as a "marriage counselor" even made laugh out loud.
Verdict: LEVIATHAN WAKES by James S. A. Corey is sci-fi enough to satisfy the hardcore fans of the genre without being overwhelming to the rest of us who just kinda like space and the idea of intelligent life in the universe. This mystery is just beginning to unravel and I will definitely be reading CALIBAN'S WAR to find out what happens next. Highly recommended.
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Here's another Jessica quirk: I LOVE sci-fi on screen, but I rarely like reading it. I have no idea why. Some things just are.
BUT. I binge-watched The Expanse last week, and it was good enough that it made me curious. There were no giant-insects-as-aliens, no surplus of tech gobbledygook, and no discernible artificial intelligence (the things that make me avoid sci-fi literature, even though I can usually handle the movie version), and what there was was mysteriously mysterious, plus, you know, SPACE, so pretty great, IMO.
The story revolves around two male MCs, Jim Holden, the XO of the ice-hauling freighter Canterbury, and Joe Miller, a washed-up, "prototypical Noir dectective" (description stolen from Mike , b/c it's darn near perfect, and I didn't want to bother coming up with my own lesser version).
Holden is a thirty-ish bright-eyed idealist whose naivete borders on unbelievable, given his dishonorable discharge from the UN Navy (for punching a superior officer who needed to be punched, if I remember correctly) amongst other things. He's also rather immature about relationships, convincing himself that he's in love with every female he lusts after. His actions would've been more consistent with someone ten years younger, but then he wouldn't have the experience to land his XO gig, so what are you going to do?
Miller . . . is a
During his detecting, Miller becomes infatuated with the Earthen-turned-Belter freedom fighter. He's obsessed with finding her, convincing himself that if he can save Juliette Andromeda Mao, all of life's disappointments and failures will be worth it.
It's another stretch, or at least it was for me, but I'm inexperienced in all things Noir, so maybe that's my ignorance talking.
Regardless, both Holden's idealism and Miller's transference were stretches that I was willing and able to accommodate, in part b/c of the character growth both MCs went through from start to finish.
At first, I straight-up didn't like Holden. I thought he was an idiot, who recklessly made decisions that had consequences he couldn't begin to understand, and a manwhore who justified his manwhoring by believing his was in lurrrrve. Every, single time. *rolls eyes*
But just as I was about to write him off, someone schooled him about a little thing called REALITY, and that in conjunction with several other hard-earned lessons he eventually took to heart, he turned into someone I could admire. He was no longer an unrealistic dreamer, he was an uncorruptible man who stood by the principles that guided every aspect of his life.
Miller . . . damn near broke my heart.
The only other thing I'll say about him is that (view spoiler)
Something readers coming to LEVIATHAN WAKES post-Syfy series should know is that Chrisjen Avasarala doesn't show up until book 2, CALIBAN'S WAR. The absence of any female POVs makes this a very male-driven story, but I've been assured that problem (if you see that as a problem) is resolved in the later installments. CALIBAN'S WAR introduces not only Chrisjen Avasarala, but also a "space Brienne with power armor." (<------description also courtesy of Mike .)
*visions of Aeryn Sun dance in my head*
![description](https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1465567343ra/19374905.gif)
The first half of the book is mostly repeat, if you've watched the series, but I knew that going into it, and when I hit new material at the midway point, it took off. So that's also important to know: season one of the Syfy series doesn't cover the entire first book, only half of it.
So maybe it's consistently like this throughout the book for people who read LEVIATHAN WAKES prior to watching THE EXPANSE, but at around 60%, revelation upon revelation starting being revealed, and in a holy-crap-that's-so-cool or holy-crap-WTF?! kind of way, not an overwhelming bombardment of information kind of way.
I plowed through it, resenting every moment I had to spend away from it, and when I finally got to the ending, it was perfect. There were enough unanswered questions to keep me eager to read the next installment, while still having sufficient closure to be satisfying. And the closure allowed me to appreciate Corey's wry humor in a way I probably missed in earlier parts of the book, b/c too desperate to find out WHAT IS HAPPENING to pay attention to silly things like the subtleties of wry humor. Fred Johnson's reference to himself as a "marriage counselor" even made laugh out loud.
Verdict: LEVIATHAN WAKES by James S. A. Corey is sci-fi enough to satisfy the hardcore fans of the genre without being overwhelming to the rest of us who just kinda like space and the idea of intelligent life in the universe. This mystery is just beginning to unravel and I will definitely be reading CALIBAN'S WAR to find out what happens next. Highly recommended.
![Jessica Signature](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1421060968i/13316940.jpg)
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Reading Progress
December 14, 2012
– Shelved
June 7, 2016
–
Started Reading
June 7, 2016
–
1.04%
"The mud caked around the reactor had structure to it like nothing she’d seen before. Tubes ran through it like veins or airways...Not mud, then.
Flesh.
An outcropping...shifted toward her. Compared to the whole, it seemed no larger than a toe...It was Captain Darren’s head.
“Help me,” it said.
"
page
6
Flesh.
An outcropping...shifted toward her. Compared to the whole, it seemed no larger than a toe...It was Captain Darren’s head.
“Help me,” it said.
![description](https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1440846884ra/16032787.gif)
June 7, 2016
–
13.82%
""Aggression against the Belt is what Earth and Mars survive on...” the masked woman said from Miller’s terminal screen. The split circle of the OPA draped behind her... “Don’t be afraid of them. Their only power is your fear.”
“Well, that and a hundred or so gunships,” Havelock said.
“From what I hear,” Miller said, “if you clap your hands and say you believe, they can’t shoot you.”
*giggle snorts*"
page
80
“Well, that and a hundred or so gunships,” Havelock said.
“From what I hear,” Miller said, “if you clap your hands and say you believe, they can’t shoot you.”
*giggle snorts*"
June 8, 2016
–
46.98%
"“Captain,” Naomi said, a warning in her voice.
“Still,” Holden said, talking to Miller, “you hate a mystery.”
“I do at that,” Miller replied with a nod and a faint smile. “And you, my friend, are a damn busybody.”
“It’s been said.”
“Goddamn it,” Naomi said quietly.
Boys . . . Always looking for trouble, LOL."
page
272
“Still,” Holden said, talking to Miller, “you hate a mystery.”
“I do at that,” Miller replied with a nod and a faint smile. “And you, my friend, are a damn busybody.”
“It’s been said.”
“Goddamn it,” Naomi said quietly.
Boys . . . Always looking for trouble, LOL."
June 8, 2016
–
53.02%
"“Want to guess what the argument is about?” Miller asked.
“Hey, can we have a ride too?” Holden said mockingly with a Ceres accent. “Uh, no, we need you guys to stay here and, uh, keep an eye on things, which we promise will be totally safe and absolutely not involve you turning into vomit zombies.”
Way to keep your sense of humor in a crisis, Jimbo. Also, VOMIT ZOMBIES. O_____O"
page
307
“Hey, can we have a ride too?” Holden said mockingly with a Ceres accent. “Uh, no, we need you guys to stay here and, uh, keep an eye on things, which we promise will be totally safe and absolutely not involve you turning into vomit zombies.”
Way to keep your sense of humor in a crisis, Jimbo. Also, VOMIT ZOMBIES. O_____O"
June 8, 2016
–
67.01%
""After we get this thing done, I want the whole crew together. Just in case we need to get out in a hurry.”
Something painful happened under Miller’s sternum. Not a sharp pain, just a sudden ache. His throat felt thick. He coughed to clear it.
“As soon as we get the place secure, I’ll get in touch,” Miller said.
*lip quivers* *heart grows three sizes*"
page
388
Something painful happened under Miller’s sternum. Not a sharp pain, just a sudden ache. His throat felt thick. He coughed to clear it.
“As soon as we get the place secure, I’ll get in touch,” Miller said.
*lip quivers* *heart grows three sizes*"
June 8, 2016
–
75.47%
"Oh, and aliens. Aliens that had tried to take over the Earth two billion years ago, and failed because Saturn got in the way. Can’t forget the aliens.
I've been accused of oversimplifying sci-fi things in the past, but--at least superficially--that sounds an awful lot like the opening sequence from PROMETHEUS . . . o.O"
page
437
I've been accused of oversimplifying sci-fi things in the past, but--at least superficially--that sounds an awful lot like the opening sequence from PROMETHEUS . . . o.O"
June 9, 2016
–
76.51%
"“I need a win, Naomi,” he continued. “I need to do something that makes a difference. Fate or Karma or God or whatever dropped me in the middle of this thing, and I need to know I’m making a difference.”
Naomi smiled at him and squeezed his hand. “You’re cute when you’re being noble,” she said. “But you need to stare off into the distance more.”
*snorts*"
page
443
Naomi smiled at him and squeezed his hand. “You’re cute when you’re being noble,” she said. “But you need to stare off into the distance more.”
*snorts*"
June 9, 2016
–
77.2%
"“Oi, Pampaw,” Diogo said as the door to the public hall slid open. “You hear that Eros started talking?”
Miller lifted himself to one elbow.
“Sí,” Diogo said. “Whatever that shit is, it started broadcasting. There’s even words and shit.”
"
page
447
Miller lifted himself to one elbow.
“Sí,” Diogo said. “Whatever that shit is, it started broadcasting. There’s even words and shit.”
![description](https://s3.amazonaws.com/photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1465484655r/19363691.jpg)
June 9, 2016
–
84.97%
"Eros shouted.
"DON'T YOU FUCKING TOUCH ME!"
Okay, seriously . . . This shit has got to stop.
And without so much as overcoming the grip of Miller's magnetic boots, Eros Station had dodged.
"
page
492
"DON'T YOU FUCKING TOUCH ME!"
Okay, seriously . . . This shit has got to stop.
And without so much as overcoming the grip of Miller's magnetic boots, Eros Station had dodged.
![description](https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1431088346ra/14790971.gif)
June 10, 2016
–
Finished Reading
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Simply Sam
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Jun 07, 2016 10:40AM
![Simply Sam](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1722629373p1/14235956.jpg)
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![Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1393785730p1/10336538.jpg)
Me, too. The show was awesome, and just confusing enough to make me want to read the books. Like WTH is that stuff?! You know what I'm talking about. ;)
Do you love Amos?? I really hope the book version of him doesn't suck . . . I don't think I've ever said that before. o.O
![Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1393785730p1/10336538.jpg)
Thanks! I'm pretty sure I will. I'm all about the details. ;)
And come on, you've read it--is Amos awesome? (view spoiler)
![Mike](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1470679918p1/7022024.jpg)
Also, just as a heads up, the series ended before the end of this book so you run the risk of spoiling the second season for yourself, just FYI.
![Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1393785730p1/10336538.jpg)
Bah. I'm not worried about spoiling myself for the show. I think this is the first time I've not read the book first--if I'd thought I would ever read this, I wouldn't have watched it. *shrugs awkwardly* BUT. Now I'm more excited about reading it, b/c I don't already know what happens. :)
Thanks for the heads up about Chrisjen Avasarala. I'm sad I won't get to see her until book 2, but it's better to know, so I don't keep waiting for her to appear.
![Mike](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1470679918p1/7022024.jpg)
Also, when she does show up in the second book you get A LOT of her, she is one of the POV characters and she is AMAZING! Hope you end up enjoying the book at least as much as you enjoyed the show!
![Simply Sam](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1722629373p1/14235956.jpg)
![Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1393785730p1/10336538.jpg)
You say, 'psychopath,' I say, 'PRAGMATIST.' ;)
![h o l l i s](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1673226218p1/16668577.jpg)
![Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1393785730p1/10336538.jpg)
YEP. I would agree, THE EXPANSE is definitely not a show for multitasking. Neither is GoT or ORPHAN BLACK, FYI. ;) I figured that out about halfway through, but by then I'd already decided I was probably going to read it, so I didn't stress about it.
I think it's going to be fun to keep track of other things like that as I go, LOL.
![h o l l i s](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1673226218p1/16668577.jpg)
I look forward to seeing the updates!!
![Shannon](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1635818243p1/2016128.jpg)
I hope you like it because I'm enjoying it a lot so far.
![Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1393785730p1/10336538.jpg)
I look forward to seeing the updates!!"
Yet another perk of reading: it requires your full attention. ;)
![Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1393785730p1/10336538.jpg)
Yeah, my primary issues with sci-fi are: yes, an overabundance of space/tech speak, I loathe giant insects-as-aliens, and AI freaks me the hell out. BUT. So far, this one has not fallen into any of those categories, so we're good. :)
![toasters](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1378221953p1/3300260.jpg)
![Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1393785730p1/10336538.jpg)
Amos is fantastic. He gets overshadowed a lot, but I still love him. I've got my fingers crossed that we eventually get his backstory. And I'll try to work some kind of comparison/contrast in my review, if I can make it work. ;)
![Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1393785730p1/10336538.jpg)
Yeah, I figured that was his. I'm looking forward to it. ;)
![Terence](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1667701164p1/23206148.jpg)
I share this quirk with you. I think the visuals on screen bring things to life in a more exciting fashion than just reading it.
![Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1393785730p1/10336538.jpg)
Joanita wrote: "Excellent review, Jessica!"
Thanks guys!
![Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1393785730p1/10336538.jpg)
I share this quirk with you. I think the visuals on screen bring things to life in a more ..."
You speak sense, Terence. ;)
![Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1393785730p1/10336538.jpg)
Thanks, Matthew! I hope you like it.
![Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1393785730p1/10336538.jpg)
Igor"
Hey, I can do sci-fi sometimes. ;)
![Alexandra](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1568913395p1/351830.jpg)
Thanks for the heads up, been eyeing this one so I snagged it.
![Books are TARDIS](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1415537252p1/5740882.jpg)
![Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1393785730p1/10336538.jpg)
No, you are not alone. I do actually know a few of the reasons I prefer some sci-fi on screen, but it's long and boring, so I don't expound upon it. Space stories I can't handle in print b/c too much time waxing eloquent on incomprehensible (to me) hardware. I'm a very not spatially oriented person, so describing hyperdrives and super complex space traveling-enablers (that are also incomprehensible b/c science is hard) . . . No thank you, please.
Anyway, hope you like this one. ;)
![Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1393785730p1/10336538.jpg)
ALWAYS the book. And those are like the only two Syfy shows I haven't watched. Ugh. *adds to watchlist*
And thank you!
![Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1393785730p1/10336538.jpg)
Glad you liked it! 📚🖤🖤🖤
![Lomahongva](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1488206676p1/60054652.jpg)
worldbuilding and all those little doses of spacial poilitics and social problems.
I'm really enjoying the book, something I wasn't expecting and considering to five the show a try (watched some edit videos in YouTube and it looks awesome!).