cphenly 's review for:

Leviathan Falls by James S. A. Corey

4.0

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So....I was suffering from some confusion because when I finished re-reading #7 in the Expanse series, I remarked that I remembered #9 really well, but that I had no memory of #8. Then I re-read #8 and realized that it was the story I remembered really well, so then I had no memory of #9. Turns out there was a very good reason for this: I hadn't read #9, as it had not yet been published when I originally read the series. (Insert dope-slap emoji here!) So now I have read #9, and I liked it very much. It's a little more out there than the rest of the series, but it does a really great job of tying up the story and putting an end to the whole protomolecule threat. (I'm not giving anything away here, given the title of the novel!)

Spoiler

I LOVE that they brought back Miller to work with James Holden to eliminate the threat to mankind--the partners from the very early novels coming together to save everyone one more time. I also think that the fact that they split the team up, that Naomi loses Jim, that Alex leaves with Rocinante to go to his son, was fitting, if sad. A really nice all-tied-up-with-a-bow ending which, say, brought back Bobbie and Clarissa would have just been way too much. These people engaged in highly risky behavior, and they had to pay a steep price for the sacrifice they made for others. That only makes sense. And since Amos was already brought back to life, bringing others back--including Jim--would also have been way too much.

All in all: I really enjoyed this series and I'm glad I read it again start to finish once the final novel was actually published. I go 5 stars for the series as a whole.