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A review by tomasthanes
Tiamat's Wrath by James S.A. Corey
4.0
This is the 8th book in the 9 book "The Expanse" series and what an incredible story.
**Spoilers** It starts with the death of Avasarala which helps move you far enough into the future that you know that all of the characters are much older (despite medical technology to reduce the effects of aging).
Meanwhile, imagine that you're standing near the center of our solar system (okay, not exactly at the center of the Sun because that would be "hot" but somewhere functionally centric). You have an arm of infinite strength that can throw things far enough that they land in the outer plants. You've thrown James Holden in one direction (followed by Amos Burton), Naomi Nagata in another, Alex and Bobbie in yet another direction. And don't forget the Rocinante; it's in mothballs in one of the ring gateway systems. It's going to take some incredible writing to bring them all back together.
There is new technology in the novel (which one would expect after a significant passage of time). For example, the new full-submersion crash couches with breathable fluid. I liked the details about how the Underground hid their information transfers inside of slow, modulated encrypted noise ("bottles").
Who knew that repair drones could turn Tim's dead body into a reasonable facsimile of the original person. Plus the 2 children, Cara and Xan. No one expected that there would be zombies in The Expanse; all we're missing now are sparkly vampires.
Plus we get quotes like:
* "A lot more kings and princesses got poisoned by their friends than eaten by bears."
* "I'm sorry ... that my deep existential panic at the prospect of your death hasn't faded as quickly as yours."
* "nutritive slurry in eight different flavors"
* "it wasn't strange to run a low-grade fever when a limb was regrowing"
* "oncocidal-resistant cancer"
* "The universe is always stranger than you think"
This book nicely ties up nearly all of the loose ends. The most powerful (Laconian) ship in the Sol system, the Tempest, turns out not to be invincible. The invincible Laconian empire turns out to not be invincible (but not because of any massive strength wielded by underground led by Naomi).
Now, all we have to do is find out who the aliens are behind the protomolecule. That's all.
**Spoilers** It starts with the death of Avasarala which helps move you far enough into the future that you know that all of the characters are much older (despite medical technology to reduce the effects of aging).
Meanwhile, imagine that you're standing near the center of our solar system (okay, not exactly at the center of the Sun because that would be "hot" but somewhere functionally centric). You have an arm of infinite strength that can throw things far enough that they land in the outer plants. You've thrown James Holden in one direction (followed by Amos Burton), Naomi Nagata in another, Alex and Bobbie in yet another direction. And don't forget the Rocinante; it's in mothballs in one of the ring gateway systems. It's going to take some incredible writing to bring them all back together.
There is new technology in the novel (which one would expect after a significant passage of time). For example, the new full-submersion crash couches with breathable fluid. I liked the details about how the Underground hid their information transfers inside of slow, modulated encrypted noise ("bottles").
Who knew that repair drones could turn Tim's dead body into a reasonable facsimile of the original person. Plus the 2 children, Cara and Xan. No one expected that there would be zombies in The Expanse; all we're missing now are sparkly vampires.
Plus we get quotes like:
* "A lot more kings and princesses got poisoned by their friends than eaten by bears."
* "I'm sorry ... that my deep existential panic at the prospect of your death hasn't faded as quickly as yours."
* "nutritive slurry in eight different flavors"
* "it wasn't strange to run a low-grade fever when a limb was regrowing"
* "oncocidal-resistant cancer"
* "The universe is always stranger than you think"
This book nicely ties up nearly all of the loose ends. The most powerful (Laconian) ship in the Sol system, the Tempest, turns out not to be invincible. The invincible Laconian empire turns out to not be invincible (but not because of any massive strength wielded by underground led by Naomi).
Now, all we have to do is find out who the aliens are behind the protomolecule. That's all.