Looking forward to a new novel in James S.A. Corey's Expanse space opera series has become an annual event in my household, and it was no different with the 6th and latest entry in the series, BABYLON'S ASHES. I might also point out that every time an announcement came out that the novel was delayed there was much anguish not only here at the homestead in Illinois but in Colorado as well with the other half of the Duel Fish Codices pair wailing loudly enough to be heard all the way back to Chicagoland (okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the point). The Expanse is that seemingly rare breed of action, heroism, great deeds, space battles, terrific characterization, and excellent writing that your high school English teacher, who may not approve of you reading science fiction, would be fond of.
When last we left the Expanse universe, the Earth was a planet in ruins. The Free Navy, led by Marco Inaros, has dumped rocks onto the planet's surface, destroying the planet's infrastructure and killing millions. His goal is to remake the political structure of the Solar System. He has begun attacking colony ships, those vessels heading for the ring gates to get out of the Solar System and start new lives of their own. He feels his people, the Belters, have been given the short straw all throughout their existence, and it's time to start a new regime with his people on the top of the food chain. The Earth and the Martian Navy are weak and without enough power to stop him - and pretty much everyone in the Solar System other than his own people want to stop him. Even some of his own people are turning against him. But Inaros is power mad and a megalomaniac who sees that he can do no wrong, that his plan is the best for his people. It *will* succeed.
Of course, this is where James Holden and the rest of the crew of the Rocinante come in. What's left of the Earth and Martian governments - let's face it, for all intents and purposes, this means my personal favorite character of the entire series, Chrisjen Avasarala - enlist the aid of the crew if the Roci to try to take over Medina Station out at the Rings to attempt to stop Inaros from wreaking even more havoc. And while they're out there, Holden and the crew discover something that is more sinister and worrying than the Free Navy (and thus setting things up for the next book, PERSEPOLIS RISING, presumably to be published later this year (and thus restarting the whole looking forward to a new Expanse novel thing I wrote earlier in this review).
BABYLON'S ASHES is quite a departure from the previous two books in the series, 2014's CIBOLA BURN and 2015's NEMESIS GAMES. CIBOLA BURN took us outside the Solar System for the first time, going to a colony planet where Holden has to play - what else? - peacemaker. NEMESIS GAMES brought us back to the Solar System, but more importantly had a very small cast of characters - basically the crew of the Rocinante itself - who have to deal with their own personal struggles while the Solar System collapses around them. In BABYLON'S ASHES, the whole world has already crumbled around them, and they are charged with trying to pick up the pieces. To tell this story requires a massive cast of characters, several subplots and storylines, and just a whole lot of juggling of things not only for the characters but the authors (Ty Frank and Daniel Abraham, the writers who collectively make up James S.A. Corey) themselves.
I'm not completely convinced that Corey could have written this novel six years ago when the series began with LEVIATHAN WAKES. As the series has gone on, Corey has grown as a writer - which in part means, I'm sure, that Frank and Abraham have gotten the collaboration act down to an art form (or maybe a science - who knows?) and can feed off each other really well. LEVIATHAN WAKES was terrific because it was the type of story a lot of us have been waiting for, but BABYLON'S ASHES is that and a whole lot more. Corey manages to weave intricate plotting with characters that we care about in a feat of one handed juggling that is a sight to behold.
Yeah, I loved the book. Can you tell?
So, Jefferson Mays. I cannot possibly say enough about his narration of the book. I look forward to listening to these books almost as much as I do reading them in the physical form. His voice is perfect for the story. His voicing of Chrisjen Avasarala is the single, biggest reason I'm going to miss that character when the series ends, supposedly, after the ninth book. Every time a chapter that featured Avasarala began, a smile came across my face. Mays voicing her profane, no holds barred character is perfect.
The Expanse novels keep getting better. Trust me. We'll all be looking forward to the next book.
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