Reviews

Gods of Risk by James S.A. Corey

souponthebarby's review against another edition

4.0

Reading this put me back into the world of The Expanse more than [b:The Butcher of Anderson Station|11570653|The Butcher of Anderson Station (Expanse, #0.5)|James S.A. Corey|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1316999513s/11570653.jpg|16511459] did, and I think it's because it included one of the my favorite characters from my readthroughs of the novels in the series so far. I won't reveal exactly who it is, but this character had a voice that I could hear so cleanly and crisply in my head that the instant I saw their name, it all came back to me. They aren't the main focus of the story, but this really does further their story line in a way that isn't just some cheap side story. This is worth a read, and it really builds out more of Mars in a way I hadn't expected to read.

This makes it a lot easier to have sympathy for every side in this fight for the solar system. I think that, honestly, this is what these stories are about. There are bad folks and bad organizations out there, but that doesn't necessarily mean that [i]everyone[/i] is terrible. There's a line about fear and what it looks like that's in this story that I think perfectly encapsulates this, and I think this brings the belters, the martians, and the earthers together in the same umbrella.

This is once again a great read, and it's amazing how much this universe can suck me in every time I go back to it.

kelseysmith's review against another edition

3.25

I read this after reading Babylon’s Ashes and wished I read it at the correct time after reading Caliban’s war. I would have understood the political situation better and gained a new perspective for Bobby. 

Overall it was a nice little story. I find it uncomfortable to read from the perspective of a horny teenage boy. But I liked the ending of the story with the time jump and the lack of a future with Leelee.

curly_entropy's review against another edition

4.0

Love the point of view of a kid who has never been earther or martian or belter. It actually makes me think about how even tho we want to discover new things we tend to be afraid of them.

smmrmmrmmr's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

All of my reviews for these short stories are influenced by the fact that I adore this world and these characters and am desperate for all of the scraps I get given. That being said, the way that violence is written from the perspective of an outside character vs how it is from the character doing the violence is insane. The quick brutality and shift in power in a scene is so well done I could scream (and did).

Did I mostly enjoy this one because we got to see Bobbie being an annoying aunt? Yes... maybe. but it did a really good job of reminding me how much time she is out of work after Caliban's War. Also! Baby Bobbie Nephew being a GOOD BOY (and a dumb one)
(I have so many thoughts about the contrast between reading this story and how it was portrayed in the show but ahhhh)

rmasinelli's review against another edition

reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

liketheday's review against another edition

2.0

A whole lotta nothing happens in this book, but at least it's short and also Bobbie gets to be a badass. A decent read for half-hours on the treadmill.

thedrtaylor's review against another edition

4.0

this was a fun little addendum to the Expanse series, taking place almost immediately after the second novel

lectorliber04's review against another edition

3.0

Got a little more insight of what life in Mars is like as well as its relationship with earth. Learned about Bobbie's return to Mars after the events in Caliban's War. Poor Bobbie is coping best she can. But this novella wasn't about Bobbie, but her nephew David. David is a teenager trying to get an education, pinning for the wrong girl and hanging out with a really bad guy. Might we encounter David in future books? I'd rather have Bobbie back.

vinnydee's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

reclusivereader's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

1.5

I thought we would see more of Bobbie dealing with her uncertain future in the aftermath of the event's of book two (more in line with what we saw her doing in the show) but instead this focuses on her young nephew and a little bit of his personal drama with some political goings on in the periphery around him.. and it was horribly dull and uninteresting and way too long. This, simply put, was a slog.