The planet Anjiin may have human inhabitants, but fossil and DNA records reveal that humans are not native to the planet. How they got there, though, is information that has been lost over time. None of that matters when the Carryx arrive, instantly killing 1 out of every 8 humans, and then subjugating the brightest and best humans into service within their hive-like society. The invading force is comprised of a hierarchical structure of multiple alien races, and unfortunately, all of them are physically superior to humans. The story follows a group of researchers who have recently made some important discoveries just before the Carryx arrive. Their skills are valuable to the Carryx, so they are taken to another planet and tasked with doing some research work that is not outside their expertise. The Carryx society has been built over centuries entirely on the backs of enslaved alien species, so they know how to subjugate a race. Resistance is truly futile. Carryx culture is also so different from human society that the researchers don't actually know what is actually expected of them. What is clear though, is the price of failure is extinction for humanity.

I rarely read or listen to novellas, even when I like the series they are a part of, because they are usually too short to be satisfying. I am also of the mindset that if the stories were any good then they would have found their way into the full length books of the series. However, when I really like the series and the author puts out a collection of the short stories/novellas as a full sized book, then I will sometimes bite. I did that for The First Law series and it turned out just ok. So with no other options available for more stories in The Expanse universe I decided to give Memory's Legion a try. It contains 8 short stories that are spread across almost the entire story arc of The Expanse, and for the most part they are all worth your time. Some start a bit slow but once you get your bearings then each one is interesting enough and they are actually long enough to feel relatively complete. So if you want to spend some more time with Amos Burton, Bobbie Draper, or Fred Johnson then here's your chance.

The Expanse is one of the best sci-fi series around and it is sad to see it end. For 9 books, and a handful of novellas, a gritty, believable future has acted as a backdrop for a likable set of characters that have become old friends. The crew of the Rocinante, who we first met back in Leviathan Wakes, is at the center of the storm with humanity's future on the line. Elvi Okoye is desperately trying to uncover who the gate builders were, and what destroyed them; however, she is running out of time as their ancient enemy is now awake. Unless she comes up with a better option, it looks like Winston Duarte's dream of evolving humanity through the proto-molecule may be the only way to withstand them. James Holden is certainly not ok with it and Naomi is still leading the resistance against the Laconians, but the conflict is a giant distraction from the existential threat of the awoken ancient enemy. Can we get our act together to ensure the survival of our species or are we doomed to go the way of the gate builders?

After the events of the last book, Babylon's Ashes, the Expanse series was clearly building up to a crescendo and I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. Even though the TV series is a hit, it just doesn't bring the story to life like the books do, and it is lagging behind in the story anyway. Tiamat's Wrath is the eighth book of the series, with only one more to follow if James S. A. Corey sticks to the current plan, and it took only a single sentence for this book to make clear that the series is nearing the end. To keep things spoiler free I won't say what that sentence was, but know that this book is full of big moments and if you are a fan of the series then you will not be disappointed.

To my dismay Persepolis Rising starts a full thirty years after the end of the previous book, Babylon's Ashes. I found myself instantly unhappy that the writing duo known as James S. A. Corey had decided it was time for the crew of the Rocinante to be getting old. All of a sudden my favorite characters were spending time complaining about the aches and pains associated with aging instead of kicking ass and taking names. Luckily the authors also put forth an intriguing story line that makes it easy to set aside such concerns. When everything goes to hell, Holden and company prove that despite their age, they aren't done just yet.

Our solar system will never be the same.  Book 6 of The Expanse picks up right after the end of the last one in the bleak aftermath of the sudden and devastating attack on Earth by the Free Navy. Out of nowhere they laid waste to the bread basket of the solar system and now humanity struggles to pick up the pieces and find a way to survive. The super powers of the solar system who were central to mankind's expansion into space now find themselves mere shadows of their former selves and short on resources. Earth is in disarray after the attacks with billions of starving people and Mars is a hollow shell after being left behind by those that moved through the ring gate to colonize other planets with actual atmospheres. To add insult to injury, those same Martian defectors were the source of the military ships acquired by the Free Navy to wreak havoc on Earth so Mars also finds itself in the middle of a political upheaval. 

The future, as initially presented by author James S. A. Corey, finds mankind having achieved space travel within our solar system but with no means to reach further out to the stars. Unfortunately, having access to additional planets and resources does little to unite humanity and instead it gives us a new way to discriminate against each other. A tenuous peace barely exists between Earth, Mars and the residents of the outer planets, and it is within this fragile environment that the discovery of an ancient alien proto-molecule lights a spark that threatens to ignite the powder keg. It all feels very plausible and makes for some great story telling.