23 May 2018

Audio #Review: CALIBAN'S WAR by James S.A. Corey

CALIBAN'S WAR

Author: James S.A. Corey
Series: The Expanse #2
Source: Audiobook via Audible
Publisher: Orbit
Publication Date: June 26, 2012
Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary:
We are not alone.

On Ganymede, breadbasket of the outer planets, a Martian marine watches as her platoon is slaughtered by a monstrous supersoldier. On Earth, a high-level politician struggles to prevent interplanetary war from reigniting. And on Venus, an alien protomolecule has overrun the planet, wreaking massive, mysterious changes and threatening to spread out into the solar system.

In the vast wilderness of space, James Holden and the crew of the Rocinante have been keeping the peace for the Outer Planets Alliance. When they agree to help a scientist search war-torn Ganymede for a missing child, the future of humanity rests on whether a single ship can prevent an alien invasion that may have already begun . . .

Caliban's War is a breakneck science fiction adventure following the critically acclaimed Leviathan Wakes.
Purchase:
See my review of LEVIATHAN WAKES, book one in this series!

I listened to the audio of this one - just like I did for LEVIATHAN WAKES - so I liked how it was paced for that. I thought it was a good Science Fiction book and I am definitely going to continue the series, but I did have a couple issues with it. However, having some Grade A female, main characters was AH-MAZING. And I loved the way that the plot is all starting to fit together, especially at the end. If you're looking for a good, fast-paced, action-heavy Science Fiction book (and series!), this is the one for you!

I like the characters so much. Like, so much. I love that everyone has agency and that they make choices with actual consequences. I like that it's not just easy because they are the main characters. Which was especially true in this one and made my heart really happy. I would have liked a bit more from Bobbie than what we got but hopefully that is coming in the next one! I just had so much fun getting back into these characters and their world in this one.

However, I was kinda disappointed with how the plot started? I thought that LEVIATHAN WAKES was a great novel - and could probably have been a standalone one. Yes, there were some unanswered questions and room to explore other outlets in the world. But there was some resolution. And I think that plays into how CALIBAN'S WAR starts - and why it lags a little.

The first 25% of the book felt like the first 25% of a first book in a series, not a second. So it threw me off a little when I was listening. Like, yeah, you had to have read LEVIATHAN WAKES to understand what is happening in this novel, but I felt like it took a little too long to get to the point of this one. It started off strong and then dragged a little, then picked up again. I think the next book will start off a lot faster paced - and stay that way - so I am looking forward to queueing it up on my audible!

Again, this is a great Science Fiction novel and if you like space, action sequences, and badass females, you will like The Expanse series!

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