JH Lillevik

A friend of mine recommended this for me and I finally got around to reading the first book in The Expanse series; Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey.

James S.A. Corey is the pseudonym of Daniel Abraham, the author of The Dagger and The Coin, which I will read very soon, and Ty Franck, the assistent of George RR Martin. The Expanse books are placed in a not too far future where human beings have colonized the Moon, Mars and parts of the asteroid belt. In the asteroid belt there is extensive mining and the humans that live there are starting to show signs of living a life in lower gravity.

You follow Detective Miller, a sort of rent-a-cop of the future, and Jim Holden, an officer on board an ice miner. When Detective get a case regarding a girl whose parents, who are very influential people on the Lunar colonies, want back. She seems to have disappeared from Ceres, the base where he is stationed. As a back drop, tensions are building as an unknown ship has destroyed the miner, killing most of the crew serving with Jim Holden. Jim Holden and the rest of the crew are on board The Scopuli, a shuttle that they were salvaging. Evidence are uncovered that increases the tension between Earth, Mars and the Outer Planets.

I have not been this excited by a science fiction series since I first read Otherland by Tad Williams. The cooperation between Ty Fracnk and Daniel Abraham works like a charm. The balance between the cynical Miller and the sometimes naive Holden is perfect. The deep conspiracy they after a while uncover is really interesting and it asks questions about life in outer space. The writing is engaging, the characters are intriging and I love the setting. Book two has already been bought and I’ll probably read that very soon.