Scan barcode
odin45mp's review against another edition
3.0
They got further off track with this one. As with the last book, I didn't like most of the new viewpoint characters. They just weren't interesting. Elvi especially didn't benefit the story or the other characters until over halfway through the book. Our usual crew had some moments to shine, but due to the focus on the new POV characters and the overall story arc (which feels like it mattered a lot less in the end than it did at the beginning), they have a lot less time to shine. I enjoyed the continued realistic view of space and how vast and dangerous it is. I didn't enjoy the personal problems of pretty much everyone in the story. The action was much better than the characters this time, which is disappointing after the excellent balance the first two books struck.
This is a personal issue, but teasing two of my favorite characters at the edges of the story was cruel, guys. Lucky for you (and me) I'll be starting book 5 soon.
This is a personal issue, but teasing two of my favorite characters at the edges of the story was cruel, guys. Lucky for you (and me) I'll be starting book 5 soon.
comrade_stina's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sullne's review against another edition
4.0
The Rocinante heads out to a new solar system as mediator for a confrontation on land rights. If that sounds like a strange change of pace for a sprawling space epic to take, then your not wrong. A fun little sidequest none the less, everything has its filler episodes. Hopeful that this is the chicken breast with salt and pepper on a Tuesday before souvlakis on a Wednesday.
tomasthanes's review against another edition
5.0
This is the fourth book in the seven book Expanse series (and did you know that the series might be a long as nine books?). Each book goes "Where no man has gone before..." farther and farther out into the universe and the ride is not without a few bumps (not just course corrections).
This book pushes settlers (originally from Ganymede) out through the Ring into a brand new universe. They're willing to settle on an entirely unknown planet. Things must've been really really, really bad where they came from (which is true if you've read the earlier books).
In each of the books, you have the UN/Mars/OPA, a corporation (Protogen in the early books, Mao-Kwikowski Mercantile next, and Royal Charter Energy ("RCE") in the current book), the inhabitants of a moon (or settlers) and the crew of the Rocinante.
RCE has the "charter", a governor, and a shipful of scientists and supplies bound for the planet the settlers call "Ilus" and RCE calls "Bering Survey Four" or "New Terra" or "24771912-F23" and it was "sitting smack dab in the middle of the Goldilocks Zone" (every planetary system has to have one of these).
RCE must've never watched any Sci-Fi on TV because the organization of the captain, crew, and passengers has an entirely sovereign security group led by moderately cloaked psychopath. What could go wrong?
The scientists are smart, funny, and plausible (not that I'm a scientist).
Amos in the book seems bigger and balder than the actor playing him in the TV series (but Wes Chatham is permanently Amos in my head now). Amos suggested taking some supplies with them on a reconnoiter and Holden said no. "Later," Amos said, "when you're wishing we had this stuff, I am going to be merciless in my mockery. And then we'll die."
Bobbie Draper is mentioned in the Prologue and then in the Epilogue. This is just a tease for the next book. Okay, so I'm looking forward to the next book.
"One hundred and thirteen times a second..." What's the significance of this frequency? Just another tease like mentioning Bobbie Draper at the beginning and end of the book?
It was nice to see a return of Havelock, the Earther cop who worked with Miller back for Star Helix Security on Ceres and he has a moderately heroic role.
The Martians have a spaceship named after astronaut Sally Ride.
This book (the Kindle version) occasionally missing opening double quotes through out. Not consistently, just enough to pop the needle out of the vinyl groove about once a chapter. Too often.
This book pushes settlers (originally from Ganymede) out through the Ring into a brand new universe. They're willing to settle on an entirely unknown planet. Things must've been really really, really bad where they came from (which is true if you've read the earlier books).
In each of the books, you have the UN/Mars/OPA, a corporation (Protogen in the early books, Mao-Kwikowski Mercantile next, and Royal Charter Energy ("RCE") in the current book), the inhabitants of a moon (or settlers) and the crew of the Rocinante.
RCE has the "charter", a governor, and a shipful of scientists and supplies bound for the planet the settlers call "Ilus" and RCE calls "Bering Survey Four" or "New Terra" or "24771912-F23" and it was "sitting smack dab in the middle of the Goldilocks Zone" (every planetary system has to have one of these).
RCE must've never watched any Sci-Fi on TV because the organization of the captain, crew, and passengers has an entirely sovereign security group led by moderately cloaked psychopath. What could go wrong?
The scientists are smart, funny, and plausible (not that I'm a scientist).
Amos in the book seems bigger and balder than the actor playing him in the TV series (but Wes Chatham is permanently Amos in my head now). Amos suggested taking some supplies with them on a reconnoiter and Holden said no. "Later," Amos said, "when you're wishing we had this stuff, I am going to be merciless in my mockery. And then we'll die."
Bobbie Draper is mentioned in the Prologue and then in the Epilogue. This is just a tease for the next book. Okay, so I'm looking forward to the next book.
"One hundred and thirteen times a second..." What's the significance of this frequency? Just another tease like mentioning Bobbie Draper at the beginning and end of the book?
It was nice to see a return of Havelock, the Earther cop who worked with Miller back for Star Helix Security on Ceres and he has a moderately heroic role.
The Martians have a spaceship named after astronaut Sally Ride.
This book (the Kindle version) occasionally missing opening double quotes through out. Not consistently, just enough to pop the needle out of the vinyl groove about once a chapter. Too often.
behindpaperbacks's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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
3.75
glitterbomb47's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
grumpkin's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
librarydoc's review against another edition
5.0
Long but good
This 4th installment took us to a brand new planet with a whole new cast of characters. That usually annoys me when I fall in love with characters and then they change or the focus shifts. But this one is done well and I like the blend of old and new. Looking forward to #5.
This 4th installment took us to a brand new planet with a whole new cast of characters. That usually annoys me when I fall in love with characters and then they change or the focus shifts. But this one is done well and I like the blend of old and new. Looking forward to #5.
alana_readsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0