Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for Abaddon's Gate by James S.A. Corey starting on August 23, 2023.


Happy Reading!

Thank you!

Spot!

I started this one a bit early. I had actually been reading the series with another group and when I started my chemo I stopped reading. I picked this one back up after several months when I found out this group was doing a read through. I’m happy to be on board. I’m about 33% through the book and it’s drawing me in.

I just started book 2--and I do love these books so much. I can't blame you for jumping in!

I just finished. That is one hell of a book. Damn.

I started yesterday, through chapter 28 (view spoiler)[I am sad no Bobbi or Avasarala POVs this time. A lot of set-up but Holden & crew are through the gate along with a few other ships, Julie's sister Melba/Clarissa just tried to kill Naomi and Anna saved her which is good because I was a little confused why she was getting POV chapters. Holden is with proto-Miller being chased by Marines, basically everyone is in danger right now. Stuff is happening and this is picking up for me which is good because the beginning was not really catching my interest. (hide spoiler)]

Oh yes. This was in a slow burn at first and then shit pops off big time. I also missed Bobbi and ChrisJen but I think this one has been my favorite of the series so far.

Finished (view spoiler)[and things definitely picked up in the second half of the book once they entered the gate. Holden got cleared fairly quickly and then he and the crew of the Roci were working to save the universe again. I enjoyed the power struggles on the Behemoth but I was sad Bull died, I liked him. The last battle for control of the ship was solid as well.

Overall this was a step down from the prior 2 books for me, the slow start was a bit of a struggle to get through and the new POVs took too long for me to really connect with. Everything got resolved too quickly - Melba/Clarissa got discovered and is on the way to redemption, Holden was cleared, way too many people bought into his assertion that attacking the gate would lead to the destruction of the universe because proto-Miller told him so, etc. (hide spoiler)]

Read The Churn (view spoiler)[loved the insight into Amos's life and why he is the way he is sometimes. Definitely recommend. (hide spoiler)]

I just burned right through this on Friday. I especially love Melba & Ana's chapters--though Melba took a while to grow on me.

Definitely a slow burn... I think this is actually my least favorite of all the books--but I still really enjoy it.

There's a part near the end when (view spoiler)[the Martian marines are brought in to help with the counter-coup, and Holden thinks back on Bobbi... aww, definitely miss Bobbi.... but I love how the Belters were totally incompetent in the suits, and one marine was like "that's why we go through years of training, dumbass." (hide spoiler)]

Agree with your criticisms, Ann-Marie...

I'm pretty sure that Franck took lead on the Anna chapters (and does Holden throughout the series) and Abraham did Melba & Bull.

re: Churn--probably my favorite short. And so so important to book 5&6.

I’m watching the show now and Churn is a pretty big part of season two.

I need to get on this...

I started yesterday and am up to Ch. 18... (view spoiler)[ Wow! It's interesting you guys say it is a slow start, but I have been riveted from the start!

Love Bull's character! Although it kind of shocked me when he spaced the drug dealer dude...

I know the captain of that ship is indecisive, but I kind of feel bad for him. They are all obviously in over their heads...

I really like Ana's character. There is something about her that makes me want to know her and to want to have more people like her in the world... She is not flashy, but definitely a Mensch!

Melba... Man, it hurt, really hurt, when she killed the nice dude who discovered the explosives! And now she is responsible for this whole mess!!! I am very angry!!! (hide spoiler)]

Choko wrote: "I started yesterday and am up to Ch. 18... Wow! It's interesting you guys say it is a slow start, but I have been riveted from the start!

Love Bull's character! Although it kind of shocked me wh..."

I feel like you would be the good cop to my bad cop lol

Up to Ch. 39... (view spoiler)[ I love Avasarala and Bobbie, but I am glad we get to know all those new characters! Avasarala is still my most favorite though:)

So, the Martians surrendered to the OPA and brought Holden to the Behemoth. First thing he did was go all crazy on the idea of keeping quiet as far as Melba is concerned and I loved Amos checking him on it!

I hope The Rocinante is recoverable and fixable...

Clarissa/Melba is absolutely insane! Her obsession with hurting Holden was above and beyond crazy! She herself, or because of her, so many people died or got hurt!!! Then she personally tried to kill Naomi. I most probably would have killed her myself, although alive she could clear our crew from all the false accusations... However, I am not sure I could be as good of a person as Ana, trying to work for her safety in order for her soul to achieve salvation... She is a much better human than me...

This counter-coup is making me angry! All of them need to think about survival, not kill each other! And the Priest, who thinks they have to do anything to stop humanity from getting to the gate no matter what, seems to have been mentally broken after the stoppage of the ships... This type of mental breakdown doesn't bode well for anyone... (hide spoiler)]

Ch. 42... (view spoiler)[ The bastards just killed Sam!!!! (hide spoiler)]

Yeah, I struggled with the people who got killed in this book.

Choko wrote: "Ch. 42... [spoilers removed]"

Agreed, I was not a fan of that at all!

I finished, and you guys are not kidding!!! So many deaths!!!:((((( I feel like the authors decided to hurt us ... (view spoiler)[ Bull, Sam, for some reason I was really upset about the Martian Lieutenant! And everyone else... Just sucks!

At least they have the Roci free and clear now. I really liked Tilly, the foul-mouthed lady, who became friends with Ana and had known Clarissa and the family forever.

I appreciate the concept of redemption, but it is too soon for me to forgive Clarissa. Maybe if we got to spend more time with her as she is changing, maybe I could get there. But she seems as a child who went through a temper tantrum and hundreds of people died because of it... She is only now going to start maturing, but she will probably be doing it in jail... A shame all around...

I really enjoyed the political and theological discussions in this book! Really hope we see more of Ana in the future... (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ I was shocked when lieutenant was shot. It came out of nowhere. I gasped loud enough my husband asked what was wrong. (hide spoiler)]

Felina wrote: "I’m watching the show now and Churn is a pretty big part of season two."

Damn but I love that show.

Ann-Marie wrote: "Choko wrote: "I started yesterday and am up to Ch. 18... Wow! It's interesting you guys say it is a slow start, but I have been riveted from the start! ..."

I feel like you would be the good cop to my bad cop lol ..."

LOL Now I pair you two as Peabody & Dallas.

Love your observations, Choko...
re: Chapter 18--(view spoiler)[Ana would definitely be a great person to meet! I really like how she sees people--looking forward to helping them solve their problems...

And Melba hurting Ren was so tragic... the point of no return... (hide spoiler)]

re: Chapter 39--(view spoiler)[Going off the last comment--I find it so interesting how it is still Ren's death that is breaking Melba. Even more than her later crimes, blowing up a ship, it is Ren's death that goads her. If she doesn't keep going, he will have died for nothing. His death is what makes her a murderer rather than a crusader.

This book is a really interesting investigation--much like book two--of the best and the worst of humanity when faced with a crisis... and like Choko said earlier, about feeling bad for the indecisive Belter leader--it's like, the "bad" people aren't evil, they're scared, they're deluded, they're making bad choices. I spent a lot of time yelling at the book for people being stupid, rather than cheering when evil gets brought down. (hide spoiler)]

re: Chapter 42--(view spoiler)[I fell like that is Ashford's point of no return, much like Ren for Melba... (hide spoiler)]

@Felina, re: Deaths--(view spoiler)[I think my first gasp of surprise was Bull's second in command--the first guy to get randomly shot...Sergio? The guy who wanted Bull's job. So much pointless death... (hide spoiler)]

@Choko--and finally, grats on finish! (view spoiler)[I think most of the Rocinante (with the exception of Amos, who doesn't worry with little things like feelings, and Naomi, who has almost Ana-level ability to forgive) feels the same... so that leaves Alex, who follows the leader, and Holden, who is allowing it because of Naomi...

I really liked Tilly too! And I love how Ana used her "favor."

We do get to see Clarissa and Ana again down the road... the series is good about checking in with its old POV characters. Not a lot, and some more than others, but some. (hide spoiler)]

Great to hear! Since it lets us be really invested in the characters...

One of my favorite books is when we actually get the full Roci crew as POVs...

I started back into this once I finished Something Wicked.....

It didn't grab me for awhile, which is why it got set aside for other shiny things....but I picked it up and I'm enjoying it now...

I think it set me back to have 3 new POVs...But the more I read, the more I'm becoming invested in those..

I also struggled with the POV changed in the first few books. Now I rather enjoy it though I do sometimes miss a voice from time to time.

How many have you read now?

I’m on 5.5 now.

Cool...

I think part of my problem too is having watched the series. Where the hell is Drummer? Ashford is a twat in this one lol....I don't even remember Bull in the series....

Though I do remember Melba and Anna..

Yeah, I got behind on the show. I think I’m still back near the beginning of the second season.

Chris wrote: "Cool...

I think part of my problem too is having watched the series. Where the hell is Drummer? Ashford is a twat in this one lol....I don't even remember Bull in the series....

Though I do remem..."

Drummer was in the October book, I was happy to see her as well! And I read that she is an unnamed character in the Fred short story, after listening I can totally see that. I also watched the series and although my brother & BIL both warned me that Bobbi & Avarasala are in the series significantly more than in most of the books I was still bummed when I finally started reading them.

Yeah--Drummer in the show is actually an amalgamation of several characters--from Sam, to Michio Pa, to Bull... She sort of became the "this character has an interesting storyline but is only in one book so lets give the story to Drummer to have a character carry through the series instead" character....

Bobbie & Avasarala come back more by book 5...

Nirkatze wrote: "Bobbie & Avasarala come back more by book 5...."

Yeah they do! *google eyes* 😋

Nirkatze wrote: "Yeah--Drummer in the show is actually an amalgamation of several characters--from Sam, to Michio Pa, to Bull... She sort of became the "this character has an interesting storyline but is only in on..."

I can see this, especially after what I read last night. Getting pretty far along, just don't have the book handy to refer to my spot....

But while I was a little "eh" with it early on, this thing is grabbing hold and not letting go...

#3 & #4 took a little longer to grab me too--but yeah, once it starts it doesn't stop!

This is still my least favorite so far of the main books, too slow of a start and connecting with the new POVs, very hopeful this remains the case!

Some of the later books were... uncomfortable... while they were being published, and had to wait a year for the continuation--a few really tense arcs where the initial book ends in a bad place--but with all the books out and reading planned, that probably won't be too bad for first timers--and I'm finding it doesn't bother me at all on reread...