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The Expanse #8.1
The Last Flight of the Cassandra
Following the destruction of the Canterbury, Darius and his crew of Sundivers on the Cassandra realize the cost of prospecting will outweigh their ability to keep up with demands of shipboard life and have to make a tough decision about their future. While prospecting in the Aten Asteroids, the crew come across a mystery on Xi-Mallow 434 that forces a tough decision.
This story was published as part of Green Ronin's Expanse RPG as a jumping off point for new RPG sessions, and is not part of The Expanse book series canon.
This story was published as part of Green Ronin's Expanse RPG as a jumping off point for new RPG sessions, and is not part of The Expanse book series canon.
30 pages, ebook
Published March 19, 2019
19 people are currently reading
4265 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
April 12, 2022
I have read a few reviews here and there - mostly here, on Goodreads - and I have to say some people really don't know the definition of anticlimactic.
This story is anything but.
"The Last Flight of the Cassandra" is basically a setup for a tabletop RPG set in the Expanse universe, but in itself, this novella is what I would consider a hidden gem of the Expanse.
Possibly the least-read story in the series (and also considered non-canon, I hear), I couldn't help but love it from the beginning to the end.
It introduces brand-new characters, as they never appeared in other Expanse-related work, and builds up suspense, unraveling a mystery while ending on somewhat of a cliffhanger.
There are a lot of questions left, but I guess they are left to the imagination or to a tabletop gaming session.
All in all, I love a story that challenges the reader, and this one was definitely it.
This story is anything but.
"The Last Flight of the Cassandra" is basically a setup for a tabletop RPG set in the Expanse universe, but in itself, this novella is what I would consider a hidden gem of the Expanse.
Possibly the least-read story in the series (and also considered non-canon, I hear), I couldn't help but love it from the beginning to the end.
It introduces brand-new characters, as they never appeared in other Expanse-related work, and builds up suspense, unraveling a mystery while ending on somewhat of a cliffhanger.
There are a lot of questions left, but I guess they are left to the imagination or to a tabletop gaming session.
All in all, I love a story that challenges the reader, and this one was definitely it.
April 21, 2020
The short story is 4 pages long.
It doesn't add anything to the Expanse saga, nor is it interesting (It could have been, with a different ending...).
Unless you're interested in the game it comes with i suggest you skip it.
It doesn't add anything to the Expanse saga, nor is it interesting (It could have been, with a different ending...).
Unless you're interested in the game it comes with i suggest you skip it.
November 5, 2021
Very short story set during the events of Leviathan Wakes (immediately after the broadcast about the Canterbury) about the crew of a small four-man mining vessel attempting to mine ores off asteroids between Earth and the Sun. The set up is good and interesting but the end is an anti-climatic let down with pretty much everything left unanswered...
January 31, 2022
A very short story featuring the crew on board the sundiver Cassandra right after Holden's system wide announcement about the ice hauler Canterbury's destruction. Due to the incoming rise in water prices, Darius and his crew land on a UNN quarantined astroid in search of clean ice, and find something strange. For how short this story is, I'm impressed by how quickly you are pulled in and brought up to speed with a new set of characters! I found the mystery compelling, but ultimately the story is unfinished. From my understanding this is a RPG prompt and it definitely reads like a prompt instead of a finished narrative. Overall, this was a nice little add on showing the widespread ripple effect from events in Leviathan Wakes, but definitely needs a real conclusion to the mystery.
March 5, 2020
Great read. It’s not intended to reveal any great secrets. It gives you just enough information to put your imagination at work.
It also provides insight into the minds of “regular” people in the Expanse Universe.
It’s not a must read or anything, but if you’ve read or or two of the Expanse novels it provides a little extra “color” for you.
It also provides insight into the minds of “regular” people in the Expanse Universe.
It’s not a must read or anything, but if you’ve read or or two of the Expanse novels it provides a little extra “color” for you.
April 22, 2023
Sasvim majušna pričica iz Expanse svemira koja nema veze s apsolutno ničim, al Ivana ne bi bila Ivana da nije prokopala po bespućima interneta, jer ju je njen OCD tjerao da ju pronađe, pročita i obilježi da je riješila i taj dio serijala.
Globalni ciljevi: nastavak serijala
Globalni ciljevi: nastavak serijala
January 27, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
Short and sweet and surprisingly sinister - I can see why this wasn’t included in Memory’s Legion but I definitely liked it and it felt like it could have been a cool, atmospheric pre-cursor to some of the events in book 1.
Short and sweet and surprisingly sinister - I can see why this wasn’t included in Memory’s Legion but I definitely liked it and it felt like it could have been a cool, atmospheric pre-cursor to some of the events in book 1.
January 15, 2022
En realidad es la introducción a un juego de rol. Aporta poco o nada a las novelas y encima, como es una introducción, tiene que quedar abierta... Así que poco se puede sacar de aquí.
May 8, 2022
Not really a novella, but I had to read everything in The Expanse. It makes me want to play the game it is in the manual for.
September 15, 2025
Interesting little snippet. Zero impact on the larger story, but it wasn't meant to be canon.
I want to know what the thing is, but I assume you have to play the rpg to find out?
2 out of 5 stars.
I want to know what the thing is, but I assume you have to play the rpg to find out?
2 out of 5 stars.
June 23, 2025
Short. Too short.
May 29, 2024
There’s a lot of hate for this story and I can understand why however I really enjoyed it. To me it’s a 3 1/2 star if nothing in this story pans out in the last book. If it does tie into something, that’ll be a solid four stars from me. But I thought it was a great story showing how difficult life on a mediocre ship can be compared to something That were used to like Rocinante.
May 4, 2024
This was a very short story in the Expanse universe, and it was well worth reading. I love it when these authors introduce characters and events from totally different perspectives well outside the main action. This gave a further look into the general economics and opportunities within the Expanse world, with some well-fleshed out characters taking the lead, and a nice little plot to bring in some mystery and excitement. Amazing how much richness they brought into such a short story. It was a lot of fun and makes the Expanse universe feel that much bigger. Also, I really want to know what was behind what happened in this story (no spoilers here) - hopefully it's followed up by a later Expanse novel?
April 28, 2023
4 Stars! Pretty great for a short story. Only about 16 pages. Worth checking out if you love everything about The Expanse like me!
Read: 4/28/23
Quotes:
- “His life was defined by all the paths he didn’t take… And the mistakes he avoided.”
Link:
https://www.scribd.com/document/53554...
Read: 4/28/23
Quotes:
- “His life was defined by all the paths he didn’t take… And the mistakes he avoided.”
Link:
https://www.scribd.com/document/53554...
July 13, 2021
If you think of this novella as a gaming hook for a role playing game, it'll make a ton more sense. Imagine being on Luna and having someone come to you, telling you about this mystery they uncovered.
January 12, 2020
Interesting Setup but anticlimactic ending
October 9, 2021
This is hard to track down and not really worth it for the payoff
December 30, 2021
I love that Corey is writing short stories and novellas set in The Expanse universe. However, I don’t understand why this story, and many like it, can’t just be included as part of the main novels. Better yet, why couldn’t Corey expand this story to make it a full “spin off” story from The Expanse?
The lack of detail makes it hard to give a story like this a thumbs up. A ragtag space crew with their eyes set on a possible payday, only to find something that changes their entire life course.
It’s nice to see these diversions from the larger universe, but the shortness of the story, and desire to learn more of this crew and it’s ship, just left so much unfulfilled.
The lack of detail makes it hard to give a story like this a thumbs up. A ragtag space crew with their eyes set on a possible payday, only to find something that changes their entire life course.
It’s nice to see these diversions from the larger universe, but the shortness of the story, and desire to learn more of this crew and it’s ship, just left so much unfulfilled.
January 22, 2024
This story occurs immediately after Holden makes his announcement that the ice hauler was destroyed and a piece of tech with a Mars stamp on it was discovered.
The Cassandra is flying hand to mouth already and they realise that with the coming price fluctuations they won't be able to continue flying. So they go off to an asteroid in a last attempt at turning a profit: finding something that could change everything for them.
A good little story that i would suggest reading as soon as the Holden announcement goes out, or, you could wait until the end of Leviathon Wakes and read it then.
The Cassandra is flying hand to mouth already and they realise that with the coming price fluctuations they won't be able to continue flying. So they go off to an asteroid in a last attempt at turning a profit: finding something that could change everything for them.
A good little story that i would suggest reading as soon as the Holden announcement goes out, or, you could wait until the end of Leviathon Wakes and read it then.
November 4, 2024
I loved it, but you need to come into this story knowing it's just a prelude/prologue to a story that was meant to be played as a RPG. You just get the set up with a mystery to solve with your own imagination.
Of course, I wish the authors would reveal how they saw this story developing themselves. But the point was to let it open to us (the RPG players).
It's a cool set up, and it doesn't spoil anything from the main series, it just adds to the universe, with 4 new characters that just exist and are living their regular lives, trying to earn a living when they come across something....
Of course, I wish the authors would reveal how they saw this story developing themselves. But the point was to let it open to us (the RPG players).
It's a cool set up, and it doesn't spoil anything from the main series, it just adds to the universe, with 4 new characters that just exist and are living their regular lives, trying to earn a living when they come across something....
May 15, 2025
Quite a neat little story, breathing more life into the Expanse universe. A great little character study and apparently the set up for a RPG, which I think would be fun to give a run. I read that this is not to be considered canon, which is fine, but it doesn't seem to deviate from any of the known facts so I'm happy to pop it into my head-canon regardless.
Like 'Drive' the start of this seemed similiar to a clip from the TV series, but I think I'm confusing it with a some sort of a fatal daredevil stunt scene. Something about the finality of the trip I guess and the pilot's love story, rung a bell.
Not a necessary read, but a short one and a fun one.
Like 'Drive' the start of this seemed similiar to a clip from the TV series, but I think I'm confusing it with a some sort of a fatal daredevil stunt scene. Something about the finality of the trip I guess and the pilot's love story, rung a bell.
Not a necessary read, but a short one and a fun one.
July 7, 2025
"This short story was published with part of The Expanse Roleplaying Game Rule book is not part of The Expanse Cannon. Instead, it is a story that takes place concurrently with the beginning of Leviathan Wakes, ends in a cliff hanger, and sets up a good RPG story line. (Never played one)
I enjoyed the story very much. Before I knew this was for an RPG game, I was excited for where this story might go. It goes nowhere."
I enjoyed the story very much. Before I knew this was for an RPG game, I was excited for where this story might go. It goes nowhere."
July 1, 2023
This is a very short story. My understanding is that it wasn't really ever published and was somehow connected to a game. However, I love the Expanse universe so I tracked it down on the web and gave it a read. I kind of wish the author would come back to this. It had the beginnings of a good story, but ended very quickly. I'm sure that is because from this ending the game is supposed to start, but I would like to see some professionals run with it.
March 26, 2022
As an intro for a sci-fi RPG campaign (be it "The Expanse RPG", or one of the other games out there), this is fine. It sets the stage, and ends with hooks for the GM and players to run with.
But it barely qualifies as a novella. It feels like the authors were asked to contribute a little something for The Expanse RPG, and whipped this out over the course of an afternoon.
Does this even qualify as being worthy of a separate entry here on goodreads?
But it barely qualifies as a novella. It feels like the authors were asked to contribute a little something for The Expanse RPG, and whipped this out over the course of an afternoon.
Does this even qualify as being worthy of a separate entry here on goodreads?
October 17, 2024
The story is good for what it is, a little whacky and fanfictiony at times but not horrible. It is a bit of a shame that the overall meaning is locked with a tabletop game but oh well.
I very much liked the connection to Cassandra from Greek mythology, and thought it was cleverly intertwined with Darius being able to tell the future in a way.
I very much liked the connection to Cassandra from Greek mythology, and thought it was cleverly intertwined with Darius being able to tell the future in a way.
December 30, 2024
What if Holden wasn't Holden? This is the short and sweet story of a captain who sees a fucked up situation and decides not to put his dick in it. It introduces a few momentary but lovely characters, and illustrates the desperate scramble for life and livelihood outside of Earth and Mars that drives so much of the politics of The Expanse.
April 18, 2022
I'll be honest: I simply did not understand what this story was about, hence the low rating. If the story starts making more sense based on subsequent reading, I'll come back here and update this review.
May 24, 2022
Better than I expected, specially the ending, which I feared would be crappy but wasn't.
Doesn't add anything to the main Expanse story, but also doesn't subtract from it, and was worth reading. I'm glad I spent the time to hunt it down.
My rating is 3.5/5 which I round up to 4 stars.
Doesn't add anything to the main Expanse story, but also doesn't subtract from it, and was worth reading. I'm glad I spent the time to hunt it down.
My rating is 3.5/5 which I round up to 4 stars.
July 31, 2022
A little story about the 'everyday of normal people' in the Expanse-Univers(es).
You get to dip in the lives of the hard working miners, the decisions such people need to make...
A nice story to let you anchor deeper in the great background of the Expanse!
You get to dip in the lives of the hard working miners, the decisions such people need to make...
A nice story to let you anchor deeper in the great background of the Expanse!
February 10, 2023
It was a ok-ish experience.
It does not add much to the story or the universe.
It's a nice hint on the pre-amble of how things got in motion.
But in the end, feels like a chapter that was not worth putting in the book and was cut out.
It does not add much to the story or the universe.
It's a nice hint on the pre-amble of how things got in motion.
But in the end, feels like a chapter that was not worth putting in the book and was cut out.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews