There are novels that construct worlds, and then there are novels that breathe worlds into existence.
Leviathan Wakes does the latter, creating a reality where the vast emptiness of space feels ominously alive, humming with tension, political intrigue, and the relentless drive of human ambition. As the first book in The Expanse series, it’s an introduction to a future where humanity has expanded into the solar system, bringing along not only technological advancement but also all our flaws, conflicts, and ethical dilemmas. This novel is the beginning of a story that doesn’t just entertain but unearths a mirror held up to our world today, asking us to examine our relationship with power, survival, and the unknown.
In Leviathan Wakes, humanity has taken root in the solar system. Earth, Mars, and the Belt (the asteroid colonies) are locked in an intricate web of dependence and distrust, each region sculpted by unique struggles. Earth, the ancient home, is a place of bloated resources but waning influence. Mars is a bastion of military might and self-sufficiency, driven by a fierce desire to terraform its world and eclipse Earth. And then there’s the Belt—a gritty, unforgiving place where survival hinges on adaptability and ingenuity. Belters, those who live in the asteroid belt, are as diverse and rugged as the space they inhabit, marked by low gravity and scarcity. With elongated bodies adapted to life with minimal gravity and a dialect all their own, Belters are as distinct from Earthlings as Martians are from both.
But not everything in this book is politics and survival. Leviathan Wakes is about the human spirit, that stubborn refusal to yield, even as we’re confronted with our own fragility. This spirit, however, is painted with shades of hubris, as the story introduces the protomolecule, a mysterious alien entity that shifts the balance of power and fundamentally threatens the stability of the human race. It’s not just an extraterrestrial life form—it’s a concept that forces humanity to confront its own vulnerability, a catalyst that reveals both the best and worst of us. The protomolecule is a reminder of the vast unknowns beyond our reach, the ultimate humbling agent in a universe that owes us nothing.
In this world, James F*in Holden and Detective Joe Miller stand as two compellingly flawed protagonists. Holden, with his idealistic insistence on transparency, operates as a moral compass, though often rigid and frustrating in his sense of right and wrong. His transparency doesn’t feel like a virtue—it feels like a gamble, a reckless gamble that brings consequences he can barely control. Holden’s insistence on truth is his way of fighting corruption, but it becomes a double-edged sword, thrusting him into political and personal chaos, it honeslty took me some time to actually understand Jim, as he is often called.
Miller, a detective haunted by cynicism, who views the universe through the weary eyes of experience, he’s as cynical and bruised as the people he polices. While Holden dreams of changing the system, Miller just wants to survive within it. But when Miller is assigned the case of Julie Mao—a wealthy Earther gone missing in the Belt—he finds himself entangled in a case that’s far bigger and far deadlier than anything he could have anticipated. Miller’s world-weariness and moral ambiguity contrast sharply with Holden’s relentless, sometimes reckless, idealism, and their partnership is uneasy, fraught, but utterly absorbing. They’re two men fighting for control in a universe that couldn’t care less about their beliefs or values, and their journey is one of the book’s most profound explorations of duty, sacrifice, and what it means to be human, and pave the grounds for the magnificent novels that compose The Expanse.
“The stars are better off without us”
The universe of Leviathan Wakes is as vivid and mysterious as any literary landscape could be. Every maneuver through space adheres to the hard truths of physics; there’s no faster-than-light travel here, no quick jumps between worlds. There’s the Epstein Drive, a novel propulsion system, discovered by accident, for the unfortunate fate of its creator. Humanity is constrained by the real science of inertia, acceleration, and the high-G forces that push the human body to its limits. Space travel is a visceral experience, where speed is both liberating and deadly, and where each journey feels like a gamble. High-G burns, long transits, and the physiological toll of space in a world that feels chillingly real and precarious, Corey immerses us in a world that feels—almost—scientifically sound.
A few chapters in and you quickly realize that Leviathan Wakes becomes more than the sum of its parts because it doesn’t shy away from examining humanity’s deepest flaws. The political maneuvering, the corporate greed, the tribalism—these are all things we see today, amplified and projected into the future. The conflict between Earth, Mars, and the Belt is as much about humanity’s capacity for selfishness and exploitation as it is about survival, and the author doesn’t let us forget it. This is a story that holds a mirror to our world, a world where resource scarcity, inequality, and blind ambition create a volatile mix, a story that forces us to ask what future we’re really building for ourselves. If you’re reading this in 2024, this might ring some bells.
Saying that The Expanse novels are easily my favourite books is an understatement. As remarkable as Leviathan Wakes is, this is only the beginning. It lays the foundation for a series that will continually challenge, thrill, and disturb, peeling back layers of what it means to survive, to explore, and to exist in a universe that is as indifferent as it is vast. I’ll be reviewing each book in turn, exploring the philosophical and moral complexities that make The Expanse one of the most powerful and profound works of science fiction today. I can’t rate Leviathan Wakes 5 stars mainly because it’s not even the best one in the lot.
The Expanse series was adapted into a critically acclaimed television show, initially aired on SyFy but later picked up by Amazon Prime after an impassioned fan campaign. The show spans six seasons and brings this gritty, complex universe to life with a commitment to realism and character-driven storytelling that fans of the books have celebrated, pair that with a stellar cast — Thomas Jane (The Punisher), Shohreh Aghdashloo (24; The Penguin), Dominique Tipper (The After; Headhunters), Wes Chatham (Ashoka; the Hunger Games; Tenet) , David Strathairn (L.A Confidential), Cara Gee and the amazing Jared Harris (Chernobyl; The Crown; Mad Men; Foundation) — and you can understand why The Expanse is considered a SciFi masterpiece. You can watch the six seasons on Amazon Prime and they have a free 30-day, so grab some popcorn and binge watch the show!
If you’re like me and want the best of both, here’s the complete reading order for The Expanse series, combining novels and novellas chronologically:
- The Churn (2014) – Novella (prequel, focused on Amos Burton, set before Leviathan Wakes)
- The Butcher of Anderson Station (2011) – Novella (prequel, set before Leviathan Wakes)
- Leviathan Wakes (2011) – Novel
- Gods of Risk (2012) – Novella (set between Caliban’s War and Abaddon’s Gate)
- Caliban’s War (2012) – Novel
- Abaddon’s Gate (2013) – Novel
- Cibola Burn (2014) – Novel
- The Vital Abyss (2015) – Novella (set between Nemesis Games and Babylon’s Ashes)
- Nemesis Games (2015) – Novel
- Babylon’s Ashes (2016) – Novel
- Strange Dogs (2017) – Novella (set between Babylon’s Ashes and Persepolis Rising)
- Persepolis Rising (2017) – Novel
- Auberon (2019) – Novella (set between Tiamat’s Wrath and Leviathan Falls)
- Tiamat’s Wrath (2019) – Novel
- Leviathan Falls (2021) – Novel
- The Sins of Our Fathers (2022) – Short story (found in Memory’s Legion, set after Leviathan Falls)
Memory’s Legion (2022) is a comprehensive collection of all the short fiction in The Expanse universe. While many of the novellas were initially released as e-books, they are now available in print through Memory’s Legion. This way we can enjoy the complete Expanse experience in both digital and physical formats, and have a beautiful bookshelf in the process!
Still here? There’s more: Ty and That Guy, a podcast hosted by series co-author Ty Franck and actor Wes Chatham (who portrays Amos Burton in the show), originally focused on The Expanse, the podcast has since evolved into a broader exploration of cinema, storytelling, and the creative process. With a mix of behind-the-scenes insights, film discussions, and fascinating guest appearances, it’s a treasure trove for fans and cinephiles alike. There’s no welcome back like Wes’s “Welcomeeee Backkk”. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube, where it offers a unique look into the creative minds behind this universe and beyond.
Now go after it! Keep questioning, keep exploring, keep reading!
Do you want to read this entire collection?
I link each novel and novella above. For Leviathan Wakes exclusively, here’s the link:
