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The Expanse (Chronological) #1-3
The Expanse: Leviathan Wakes / Caliban's War / Abaddon's Gate
For the first time in hardcover, the first three novels in James S. A. Corey's New York Times bestselling epic science fiction saga the Expanse. Now a Prime Original series.
"Interplanetary adventure the way it ought to be written."- George R.R. Martin
Humanity has colonized the solar system, but two hundred years after migrating into space, mankind is in turmoil.
When a reluctant ship's captain and washed-up detective find themselves involved in the case of a missing girl, what they discover brings our solar system to the brink of civil war, and exposes the greatest conspiracy in human history.
The Expanse
Leviathan Wakes
Caliban's War
Abaddon's Gate
Cibola Burn
Nemesis Games
Babylon's Ashes
Persepolis Rising
Tiamat's Wrath
The Expanse Short Fiction
The Butcher of Anderson Station
Gods of Risk
The Churn
The Vital Abyss
"Interplanetary adventure the way it ought to be written."- George R.R. Martin
Humanity has colonized the solar system, but two hundred years after migrating into space, mankind is in turmoil.
When a reluctant ship's captain and washed-up detective find themselves involved in the case of a missing girl, what they discover brings our solar system to the brink of civil war, and exposes the greatest conspiracy in human history.
The Expanse
Leviathan Wakes
Caliban's War
Abaddon's Gate
Cibola Burn
Nemesis Games
Babylon's Ashes
Persepolis Rising
Tiamat's Wrath
The Expanse Short Fiction
The Butcher of Anderson Station
Gods of Risk
The Churn
The Vital Abyss
1792 pages, Hardcover
First published November 3, 2015
50 people are currently reading
2489 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 14, 2016
I received the boxed set as a result of winning a Goodreads giveaway. I have not seen the television version of The Expanse, based on these books. I found this three-book set to be very engaging. The characters are well developed and have depth to them, and they make you want to know more. Each book has peripheral characters specific to one book, and even they are intriguing enough to make the reader want to keep reading. Once I started reading these books, they were difficult to put down, even when I had work to do (I am a teacher with LOTS to grade and prep)! I reached the point where I was even sad when certain characters died (no spoilers). I highly recommend these books. They are easy reads, although there is a lot in them so it will take time to get through. I spent a couple of weeks on each book, but it was well worth it.
May 27, 2020
A space opera in the grand tradition, the three books of "The Expanse" are rollicking good fun! Hard to put down! Well written, with great attention to detail and wonderful delineation of the characters. And now that I've read all 8 books currently available (the final book in the series is being written), I will say that this is perhaps the best sci-fi series I've read in quite some time.
The action never stops coming, and the odds our heroes face never get higher. The challenges seem incremental, but you soon realize that if anyone can meet them, this team can. James Holden, the main character, is complex and often difficult to predict. Faced with a choice between A, B or C, he generally picks D and the team, the planet, the solar system, or the universe is the better for it.
Naomi Nagata, his XO and lover, perfectly complements Holden. She is analytical, focused, and can be counted on to find the weakness in the opponent or the defect in its defenses. She also happens to be beautiful, which I'm sure lends this series particularly well to TV adaptation ("The Expanse" on Amazon Prime).
Alex, the pilot, is unsure of himself in social settings but is the best damn pilot in the universe. He is one with the Rocinante, the team's pilfered Martian attack corvette, and gets them out of tight jams again and again.
Amos, the team's muscle, will take on anyone and everyone to help his team. Even when he is seriously injured, he continues to fight like a beast, adding to the body count. He's also the mechanic, and knows his way around the Roci's various systems blindfolded.
Bobbie, a late addition to the team, is a former Martian Marine and tough as nails. Together, she and Amos are virtually invincible. But she's a leader as well as brawn, and frequently plans -- and leads -- successful ground battles.
Among the relatively minor characters, Clarissa is tops -- and most interesting. Early on, she tries to assassinate Holden using her surgically enhanced powers. Later, she's taken in by Amos, something Holden isn't sure he can handle. But her dedication and loyalty ultimately win her admission to the family. Ultimately, she lays down her life for them, the final proof of her love.
Along the way, we meet various men of evil. I won't name them here. Suffice it to say they give Holden and crew all the trouble they can handle.
Serious literature? No. But fun reading? You bet! At more than 500 pages per book, it took me several months to read the entire 8-book saga. But having come to the end of "Tiamat's Revenge," Book 8, the penultimate in the series, I can't wait for number 9!
The action never stops coming, and the odds our heroes face never get higher. The challenges seem incremental, but you soon realize that if anyone can meet them, this team can. James Holden, the main character, is complex and often difficult to predict. Faced with a choice between A, B or C, he generally picks D and the team, the planet, the solar system, or the universe is the better for it.
Naomi Nagata, his XO and lover, perfectly complements Holden. She is analytical, focused, and can be counted on to find the weakness in the opponent or the defect in its defenses. She also happens to be beautiful, which I'm sure lends this series particularly well to TV adaptation ("The Expanse" on Amazon Prime).
Alex, the pilot, is unsure of himself in social settings but is the best damn pilot in the universe. He is one with the Rocinante, the team's pilfered Martian attack corvette, and gets them out of tight jams again and again.
Amos, the team's muscle, will take on anyone and everyone to help his team. Even when he is seriously injured, he continues to fight like a beast, adding to the body count. He's also the mechanic, and knows his way around the Roci's various systems blindfolded.
Bobbie, a late addition to the team, is a former Martian Marine and tough as nails. Together, she and Amos are virtually invincible. But she's a leader as well as brawn, and frequently plans -- and leads -- successful ground battles.
Among the relatively minor characters, Clarissa is tops -- and most interesting. Early on, she tries to assassinate Holden using her surgically enhanced powers. Later, she's taken in by Amos, something Holden isn't sure he can handle. But her dedication and loyalty ultimately win her admission to the family. Ultimately, she lays down her life for them, the final proof of her love.
Along the way, we meet various men of evil. I won't name them here. Suffice it to say they give Holden and crew all the trouble they can handle.
Serious literature? No. But fun reading? You bet! At more than 500 pages per book, it took me several months to read the entire 8-book saga. But having come to the end of "Tiamat's Revenge," Book 8, the penultimate in the series, I can't wait for number 9!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed these three books which I received in a Goodreads giveaway. Fast-paced, engaging, and full of twists and turns. I can easily see why they would adapt it for television. These guys are good. I want to go out and buy the next book!
March 9, 2016
Great book!
February 20, 2021
I began with Leviathan Awakes, the first in the series. I had been casting around for something different but please, oh please, entertaining. I listen by audiobook, my current format of preference. Perhaps because I read all three, one right after another, I am struck by the similarities of each so far, despite their differences.
Though in number 3 the “young lost girl” is the apparent antagonist, and she is a doozy of a scary antagonist. The previous antagonists were either sociopaths or narcissists.
About midway between n the third book, however, I found myself working hard to keep track of who was on what ship, and the ship names began to blur a bit. Odd language names that didn’t stick out enough to be memorable or distinguishable. Who is where and what is happening to each. But that is when I decided it might be me and not the book.
So far, each book has of course our gang of
James Holden as Captain along with Naomi and Amos and Alex. They are distinctive characters and a tight crew. Gotta love them. Then there’s a tired, world-weary person with a separate POV who eventually runs into our beloved Gang of Four somewhere along the line. Miller in the first book, the sweet and sour older woman/political power (begins with an S) in the second, and the security chief Bull, in the third.
I’m not finished quite yet with the third, but I had to take a breather.
What I MOST like about Carey as an author so far are the beautiful turns of phrasing he has sprinkled throughout and that are music to my English major ear. After so many genre books in which I count myself lucky if they just make sense and the characters aren’t too stupid or act out of character or have to be forced to do ignorant things for some drama, or the writing is basic or even clumsy; lovely writing is very welcome. It helped to balance out the detailing of nasty gore parts I don’t enjoy. (Male authors vs. female authors I’ve noticed, tend to focus on the mission and the tech and the world-building which is a relief from the emotional/sexy stuff women seem to pump out. I find this is consistent in written books. Women are guilty of loading stories with sex: whether G rated flirting to M rated bizarre crap. So not what I would have predicted for some reason.
There is some repetitiveness in the themes, but perhaps because I am moving too fast. So I’m taking a break. If you read and liked Leviathan Awakes, you will probably like #2, Caliban’s War. Abaddon’s Gate, # 3: I’m not sure where it’s going yet, but I am heartily tired of the scary or yucky parts. But that’s my problem and maybe due to it being early 2021. I want happy stuff right now. Anything similar to a Killer Virus or uncertain government situation causes me fatigue. Reality has enough of that right now.
One point of critique: Somewhere in book Two, and certainly in book three, the author seemed to really enjoy expanding use of the “creole patois” language of the deep space “Belters,” as well as building up the dislike or distrust between belters and world born. The Belters heavy accent is unintelligible, which is interesting and quaint until I need info from the speaker. Did I need to know what the person actually said or not? I will revise once I finish Abaddon’s Gate. (Also, who is Caliban and who is Abaddon?).
Though in number 3 the “young lost girl” is the apparent antagonist, and she is a doozy of a scary antagonist. The previous antagonists were either sociopaths or narcissists.
About midway between n the third book, however, I found myself working hard to keep track of who was on what ship, and the ship names began to blur a bit. Odd language names that didn’t stick out enough to be memorable or distinguishable. Who is where and what is happening to each. But that is when I decided it might be me and not the book.
So far, each book has of course our gang of
James Holden as Captain along with Naomi and Amos and Alex. They are distinctive characters and a tight crew. Gotta love them. Then there’s a tired, world-weary person with a separate POV who eventually runs into our beloved Gang of Four somewhere along the line. Miller in the first book, the sweet and sour older woman/political power (begins with an S) in the second, and the security chief Bull, in the third.
I’m not finished quite yet with the third, but I had to take a breather.
What I MOST like about Carey as an author so far are the beautiful turns of phrasing he has sprinkled throughout and that are music to my English major ear. After so many genre books in which I count myself lucky if they just make sense and the characters aren’t too stupid or act out of character or have to be forced to do ignorant things for some drama, or the writing is basic or even clumsy; lovely writing is very welcome. It helped to balance out the detailing of nasty gore parts I don’t enjoy. (Male authors vs. female authors I’ve noticed, tend to focus on the mission and the tech and the world-building which is a relief from the emotional/sexy stuff women seem to pump out. I find this is consistent in written books. Women are guilty of loading stories with sex: whether G rated flirting to M rated bizarre crap. So not what I would have predicted for some reason.
There is some repetitiveness in the themes, but perhaps because I am moving too fast. So I’m taking a break. If you read and liked Leviathan Awakes, you will probably like #2, Caliban’s War. Abaddon’s Gate, # 3: I’m not sure where it’s going yet, but I am heartily tired of the scary or yucky parts. But that’s my problem and maybe due to it being early 2021. I want happy stuff right now. Anything similar to a Killer Virus or uncertain government situation causes me fatigue. Reality has enough of that right now.
One point of critique: Somewhere in book Two, and certainly in book three, the author seemed to really enjoy expanding use of the “creole patois” language of the deep space “Belters,” as well as building up the dislike or distrust between belters and world born. The Belters heavy accent is unintelligible, which is interesting and quaint until I need info from the speaker. Did I need to know what the person actually said or not? I will revise once I finish Abaddon’s Gate. (Also, who is Caliban and who is Abaddon?).
October 8, 2017
The Expanse Boxed Set is comprised of the first three novels in The Expanse series of books by James S.A. Corey (pen name of authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck). It is set in a future where humanity has colonized the solar system and features chapters focused on different main characters - the primary character being a man named James Holden, whose actions help to create the conflict in this tale.
The best part of the story for me was the setting itself. Without going into spoilers, I would have been satisfied if these three books had consisted of a conflict internal to the solar system without any outside influence. I found myself fascinated with how the human civilizations depicted in Leviathan Wakes, Caliban's War, and Abbadon's Gate worked together and really want to see Earth, Mars, and the Belt become more fully fleshed out. If you enjoy world building, you'll love these books. Abraham and Franck excel at it.
The characters in the book are, for the most part, entertaining and I found myself feeling for all of them. Having said that, a certain character in Caliban's War caused the story to drag for me. I sympathized with him, but I also found myself trying to rush through his chapters in order to get to the other main characters.
My only other minor complaint - and the reason why this boxed set gets 4 instead of 5 stars - is a spoiler. When I began reading Abbadon's Gate I began to dislike the feeling of the Stargate universe intruding into the book. Perhaps it's just my love for the civilization presented in The Expanse so far, but the notion of having gates to the larger galaxy lessened some of my love for Abbadon's Gate. There's so much story to tell in our system that I just want to continue reading about it.
In conclusion, if you love medium-hard sci-fi (something more "hard" than Star Trek novels), then definitely get this boxed set. You won't be disappointed.
The best part of the story for me was the setting itself. Without going into spoilers, I would have been satisfied if these three books had consisted of a conflict internal to the solar system without any outside influence. I found myself fascinated with how the human civilizations depicted in Leviathan Wakes, Caliban's War, and Abbadon's Gate worked together and really want to see Earth, Mars, and the Belt become more fully fleshed out. If you enjoy world building, you'll love these books. Abraham and Franck excel at it.
The characters in the book are, for the most part, entertaining and I found myself feeling for all of them. Having said that, a certain character in Caliban's War caused the story to drag for me. I sympathized with him, but I also found myself trying to rush through his chapters in order to get to the other main characters.
My only other minor complaint - and the reason why this boxed set gets 4 instead of 5 stars - is a spoiler. When I began reading Abbadon's Gate I began to dislike the feeling of the Stargate universe intruding into the book. Perhaps it's just my love for the civilization presented in The Expanse so far, but the notion of having gates to the larger galaxy lessened some of my love for Abbadon's Gate. There's so much story to tell in our system that I just want to continue reading about it.
In conclusion, if you love medium-hard sci-fi (something more "hard" than Star Trek novels), then definitely get this boxed set. You won't be disappointed.
April 10, 2024
Hands down - the BEST futuristic space travel books with policial intrigue and the good guys flying around saving us all. It’s SO good. I watched the series first and as is not usually the case - loved the books even more and was glad to read them after I saw the show. It gave me a reference for many of the science-y things they use/wear and the books go into so much more detail and beyond the timeline do the show. I love the characters including MANY strong females. I also love that they get the science right (from a novice perspective) and it makes the story believable. The world of the Expanse seems very plausible - where earth is overpopulated, Mars is an independent military colony and an exploited population lives and works in the Belt (where much of humanity’s resources are found and mined). It’s incredible. I LOVE this series!!!
September 2, 2022
The writing did not improve in the second book, although I did learn that neither Ty nor Dan can really write female characters. The premiere of the new LOTR show was the excuse I needed to go back on Prime and find the point in the second book that synced up with the end of the second season, and in the process I came across multiple direct examples of how the show is better than the books, most notably in the Avasarala and Bobbie characters, who are really made by the actresses, despite coming across as painfully inauthentic on the page (although the line "these cunts are cutting into my grandma time" is a great one). Plus they did such a great job with the ships on the show, I will stick with the televised version from this point on.
February 5, 2019
Just too much jargon to be enjoyable.
March 20, 2019
The most realistic and believable sci-fi I've ever read.
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January 2, 2020DID MEME READ ANY BOOKS THEY FELT FANNISH ABOUT THIS YEAR?
December 26, 2020
Calibans war was a bit too tedious for me
March 12, 2023
Great sci fi saga
January 5, 2024
I' read these years ago this was a gift to someone.
June 11, 2024
Good scifi
January 28, 2025
Like everything but the boring politic chapters
June 29, 2025
Brilliant sci fi trilogy and the basis for one of the best TV shows ever.
June 8, 2017
Reviews I have written are on the individual book pages, but all three of these were 5-star reads, for me.
Leviathan Wakes
Caliban's War
Abaddon's Gate
Leviathan Wakes
Caliban's War
Abaddon's Gate
March 9, 2017
Excellent series of books.... I can't wait until next book.
May 10, 2019
Leviathan Wakes
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews