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Showing posts with label James S.A. Corey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James S.A. Corey. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Nemesis Games (The Expanse Book 5) by James S. A. Corey

Just like last weeks post this week I  am doing a review on another of the Expanse series by James S. A. Corey.  In discussing this weeks book, I will likely bring up events, plot points and characters that may give clues to the ending of the previous books, you know, spoilers.  If you have not read any of this series (and I believe you should at least try it out) and wish to be spoiler free, turn back now and ,please come back when you've caught up.

When last we left Captain James Holden and the crew of the Rocinante they had just saved themselves and hundreds more from a planet.  Well, to be honest a planet re-engineered by one group and taken over by yet another.  All before humans even knew it existed. It was a story that delved into many hidden thoughts, feelings and talents of the Rocinante.  In Nemesis Games, we get the opportunity to find out the hidden story behind them and some of the crewmembers themselves.

The setting of this reminded me much of one of hA Song of Ice and Fire Books in that it took place in a finite period of time but, the story was told in many different places.  We are allowed to sort of time shift to see events take place in one locale and be reported in another.  This is one of those times when I'm not sure if it is easier to have more than one author on a project.  Seeing as James S. A. Corey is really two people writing these books together and they did such an awesome job at managing it all, there may be some benefit to it. They keep a good time line and a very good pace throughout the book.

This, though, is truly a story of character development.  Events unfold that lead to some having to confront past decisions and the consequences and maybe even atone for those acts in the present.  Then there is a sort of re-introduction of somebody who was sorely missing from the previous book, Chrisjen Avasarala, the potty-mouthed, no-nonsense politician of Earth's UN.  She was showed up very briefly in Cibola Burn but, never fear, the diplomat with the razor sharp tongue and wit to match is on full display this time.

The Expanse is a series that delivers each time a  new story is released and Nemesis Games is a fine example of that.  It is meant for a mature audience so still maintains its R rating for violence, language and mature subjects.

Robert

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Wednesday, September 07, 2016

Cibola Burn Expanse Book 4 by James S. A. Corey

This is the 4th book in the Expanse series by James S. A. Corey.  Not only has it spawned numerous books in the series (starting with Leviathan Wakes) but also a TV show on the SyFy channel.  Since this is the fourth installment of that series, I will likely be touching on major plot points from the earlier books and the series (also known as Spoilers). So, if you have not started reading or viewing this series but think you may, turn back now and get started already! It's an excellent series in both print and video.

Those who have read this series thus far probably remember the black goo that turned people into 'vomit zombies' and took over a couple of settlements in the 'Outer Planets'?  It's what led to James Holden and three of his crewmates/friends claiming by right of salvage a Martian warship.  It also brought the already strained relations among Earth, Mars and the Outer Planet Alliance to its boiling point.  All of which was rendered mundane when the origin of the black goo was discovered and a gate that was a shortcut to many habitable worlds was found.

Cibola Burn begins at that gait and just within.  The discovery of a world suitable for humans was too much for two factions to deal with and tensions are high once again.  This is actually the continuation of a story that always seems to be on the brink of resolution but never makes it.  That is not meant in a negative way.  In reality, life is only resolved when it is over and this story has plenty of life left in it.  This part of the story is merely the next logical steps after what has happened previously.

This book does take a bit of a departure from the rest in two ways.  One is in the setting.  The number of different settings is reduced and the nature of one of them is very different indeed.  The other difference is that more POV's from characters other than the major four occur in this book.  One the more unusual characters gives us insights that were missing and we didn't likely realize it.

Cibola Burn is an action filled story that not only gets the heart pumping at times but also forces us to engage our minds and emotions.  This whole series has intense violence at times, frank sexual discussions and liberal use of language so, it gets a mild R rating from me

 

 

Robert

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse #1) by James S. A. Corey

I think it might be obvious what brought this choice to mind since recently SyFy has started airing a TV series on this book series.  So, let's address the 800 pound CG gorilla in the room:  This is NOT made by the same folks who gave us Sharknado.  The TV show Expanse is a well done small screen adaptation of the book series.  Yes, there are differences between the two but, it is a case of Vive la difference! Now, we have two very cool science fiction stories to get lost in!

Now, on to the book!  This is a true space opera.  I imagine it helps that James S. A. Corey is actually two authors so, offering them the ability to develop the story in parallel while still maintaining a central theme.  This is something that Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck (their real names) manage to do very well.  It's like when children sing songs like Row-Row Your Boat in the round only, these guys are doing that with at the concerto level.  It moves from exposition to cliff hanger and on to the next scene with a certain grace.  I never felt bombarded by tech or period jargon.

There are many characters we get introduced to in this, the first installment of the series but, it's easy to pick out the ones you will see the most of as the story unfolds.  We get to see many of the most familiar archetypes: The Hard-nosed Detective, The 'Boy Scout', The Hard Drinking Lech and many more.  I don't want to give too much away because, this is one of those tales where the fun is in the journey and the journey is often less than predictable.

The scenes and scenery are just as unique and almost as plentiful as the characters.  These also have the added bonus of giving the reader a glimpse in the origination and motivation of the people who inhabit this world.  To me, it brings up the age old question of "nature vs nurture".

Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey is an entertaining space opera that will both engage and intrigue most readers.  There are many scenes of harsh violence and some mature discussions all of which lands in the PG13 rating but, not too deeply.

Roberts Signature

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