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A review by kp_hobbitreads
Abaddon's Gate by James S.A. Corey
4.0
#1 Leviathan Wakes: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars
#1.5 The Butcher of Anderson Station: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars
#2 Caliban's War: ★★★★✮ | 4.5 stars
#2.5 Gods of Risk: ★★★☆☆ | 3 stars
#2.7 Drive: ★★★★✮ | 4.5 stars
#3 Abaddon's Gate: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars
Oof. This is a much more introspective story than the first two, but when the action happens the authors definitely don't pull their punches.
This book picks up about a year after Caliban's War. The protomolecule has created a massive structure outside of Uranus - a ring of some kind that leads to places unknown. Although he was hoping to end up on the opposite side of the solar system from this alien artefact, Jim Holden and the rest of the Roci crew end up as part of a group of ships from Earth, Mars, and the Belt going out to examine the ring to figure out exactly what it is, and what it does. Once there, Holden finds himself in the middle of a plot to destroy his reputation that puts the lives of his crew and everyone else near the ring at risk.
In addition to Holden's POV we also get three new POV characters: Carlos "Bull" de Baca the Chief Security Officer on the Behemoth who has been tasked with keeping the peace by Fred Johnson, Pastor Anna Volovodov who is looking for way to make sense of what is happening with the ring and also bring peace to those who are terrified, and lastly Melba/Clarissa who is hellbent on destroying James Holden's life.
Though I really liked both Anna and Bull as characters, I did really miss having both Avasarala and Bobbie (hopefully they will be back in future books). Bull and Anna wildly different character with incredibly disparate views of the world, but this story needed them both. Bull is a pragmatist. He's someone who will put his head down and get the job done because somebody's gotta do it. His ability to bite his tongue is admirable - I wouldn't have been able to do it. As someone who is not religious, I was a little worried that I wouldn't like Anna's chapters, but I did (even if I found her a bit naive at times.) But, I appreciate her approach to religion and the discussions she had with others, but especially with Cortez.
I liked the questions this book was asking about humanity and faith. And, the risks we take and the sacrifices we are willing to make for advancement, or scientific inquiry, or money. I cannot quit thinking about this line: "Show a human a closed door, and no matter how many open doors she finds, she'll be haunted by what might be behind it."
Three Things:
1. I never really understood Clarissa's motivations - why she did what she did beyond just defending her family. I kept waiting for some kind of explanation that make it make sense or justify her actions (even if only in her own mind), and it never really does.
2. Ashford is the literal worst. And, I blame Fred Johnson for about half of what happens in this book. Ashford should have never been given command of that ship.
3. Tilly was a fantastic character, and I wanted to clap every time she called someone on their shit.
This book may not be my favorite in the series, but the impact of the events of this book are going to be massive. And, I can't wait to see what's next.
content warnings: death, PTSD, bigotry, misogyny, violence, gore, vomit, domestic violence, self immolation, drug use/dealing, childhood sexual abuse (in the past, off page), murder, depression, alcoholism, ableist slur
#1.5 The Butcher of Anderson Station: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars
#2 Caliban's War: ★★★★✮ | 4.5 stars
#2.5 Gods of Risk: ★★★☆☆ | 3 stars
#2.7 Drive: ★★★★✮ | 4.5 stars
#3 Abaddon's Gate: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars
Oof. This is a much more introspective story than the first two, but when the action happens the authors definitely don't pull their punches.
This book picks up about a year after Caliban's War. The protomolecule has created a massive structure outside of Uranus - a ring of some kind that leads to places unknown. Although he was hoping to end up on the opposite side of the solar system from this alien artefact, Jim Holden and the rest of the Roci crew end up as part of a group of ships from Earth, Mars, and the Belt going out to examine the ring to figure out exactly what it is, and what it does. Once there, Holden finds himself in the middle of a plot to destroy his reputation that puts the lives of his crew and everyone else near the ring at risk.
In addition to Holden's POV we also get three new POV characters: Carlos "Bull" de Baca the Chief Security Officer on the Behemoth who has been tasked with keeping the peace by Fred Johnson, Pastor Anna Volovodov who is looking for way to make sense of what is happening with the ring and also bring peace to those who are terrified, and lastly Melba/Clarissa who is hellbent on destroying James Holden's life.
Though I really liked both Anna and Bull as characters, I did really miss having both Avasarala and Bobbie (hopefully they will be back in future books). Bull and Anna wildly different character with incredibly disparate views of the world, but this story needed them both. Bull is a pragmatist. He's someone who will put his head down and get the job done because somebody's gotta do it. His ability to bite his tongue is admirable - I wouldn't have been able to do it. As someone who is not religious, I was a little worried that I wouldn't like Anna's chapters, but I did (even if I found her a bit naive at times.) But, I appreciate her approach to religion and the discussions she had with others, but especially with Cortez.
I liked the questions this book was asking about humanity and faith. And, the risks we take and the sacrifices we are willing to make for advancement, or scientific inquiry, or money. I cannot quit thinking about this line: "Show a human a closed door, and no matter how many open doors she finds, she'll be haunted by what might be behind it."
Three Things:
1. I never really understood Clarissa's motivations - why she did what she did beyond just defending her family. I kept waiting for some kind of explanation that make it make sense or justify her actions (even if only in her own mind), and it never really does.
2. Ashford is the literal worst. And, I blame Fred Johnson for about half of what happens in this book. Ashford should have never been given command of that ship.
3. Tilly was a fantastic character, and I wanted to clap every time she called someone on their shit.
This book may not be my favorite in the series, but the impact of the events of this book are going to be massive. And, I can't wait to see what's next.
content warnings: death, PTSD, bigotry, misogyny, violence, gore, vomit, domestic violence, self immolation, drug use/dealing, childhood sexual abuse (in the past, off page), murder, depression, alcoholism, ableist slur