If the stakes were high in Nemesis Games, they are to the moon (no pun intended) in Persepolis Rising. It's really starting to feel like a massive culmination of all the stories, and though it was shocking at first, it was a great move to jump forward in time. I can't imagine where we go from here.

Reviewed on Monday, October 17th, 2022, 12:00am.

I was a little bit worried that things had gotten just a tad bit too...expansive...to wrap up tidily enough to feel satisfied, but I really enjoyed how things culminated here and the overarching threats of the series finally presented themselves. For a series about limitless space and connection between humanity across that space, turning that connection into something sinister was a great touch, I felt. I was also surprised that by the end of a nine-book series across galaxies, I was both extremely satisfied and eager for more. Again, the natural manifestations of human connection shone brightest here, and saying goodbye to these characters hurt. A real achievement in this genre, and I'm excited to see what the authors try next as Corey.

Reviewed on Monday, December 18th, 2023, 11:09am.

It was a big risk to split the crew of the Rocinante as the authors did in this novel, but it paid off in huge ways. Each of the four "branches" of the story is deeply compelling and action-packed, and the stakes feel absolutely massive in this installation. Amos' section in particular might have been my favorite as it was so close to the devastating catastrophe brought on by the Free Navy, but Naomi's zero-suit space jump probably takes the cake as the peak of the novel.

Reviewed on Wednesday, June 1st, 2022, 12:00am.

As the series marches into its climax, I am struck most by how, for a story as vast and epic as The Expanse has become, its greatest accomplishment continues to be the development of its characters. There were moments here where I couldn't help but pump my fist as I read a long-known and -loved character showing their culmination of strength and courage. We are essentially in Star Wars levels of scale at this point, which feels so far from where it started, but by tying the reader to the characters and having them grow so much, it almost feels natural. I am very excited to see how the authors end this thing. I have a feeling we're about to get real weird.

Reviewed on Wednesday, December 6th, 2023, 10:20am.

A tiny step back from the heart-stopping drama of Nemesis Games, but a great continuation of the action here. It's nice to get Marco and Naomi's relationship, and in turn, Filip, fleshed out a bit more, and to see how the authors paint the picture of the political and human aftermath of the rocks hitting Earth. The end feels slightly like a cop-out, but they do a good job of building up the "erasing" of the Free Navy throughout to where it doesn't feel out-of-nowhere.

Reviewed on Sunday, August 7th, 2022, 12:00am.

Since this is the de facto beginning of the second trilogy within the Expanse series, a lot of work is needed to be done in order to establish the next direction, and the book does succeed in that. However, it just feels entirely too removed from everything that had happened before, and even though it ties in the Protomolecule with how Ilus operates, it's a bit confusing to see the full picture right now. Of course, by the end of it, it's a bonafide page-turner.

Reviewed on Thursday, February 3rd, 2022, 12:00am.