Nemesis Games

Started off kind of slow and unknown where the story was going. But boy did it take off!

The Expanse series has been going on for a while, and with a new frontier open for exploration, readers may be wondering where the story will head next. The answer is home. In the fifth book of the series, Nemesis Games splits up the crew of the Rocinante as they all head to their respective homes. Oddly enough, the separation is the driving force of the novel. The authors push readers to the edge of their seat as they leave you wondering if the crew will ever see each other again. Of course that’s not the only thing going on in the galaxy. Beyond the crew’s separation anxiety, the powers of Earth, Mars and the Outer Planetary Alliance (OPA) once again find themselves in a make or break situation. This time it’s not an alien weapon threatening destruction. Instead, it’s a radical terrorist group bent on causing so much devastation that everyone will have to stop and take notice of them. While that might sound ordinary or boring, this is a setting where people can travel to other planets. There are entire societies of people who have never set foot on an actual world. Furthermore, it’s a time of colonization and shifting balances of power. The story of humanity is at a crux, a delicate point of transition that could lead to untold evolution or massive self-destruction. In a setting like that, terrorists become something quite different than what we usually think of. Yet as interesting as that angle of the story is, it’s really only the backdrop for what actually happens. Alex goes to Mars to see his ex-wife. Amos goes to Earth to pay his respects to the only family he’s had. Naomi goes to the Belt to help old friends. Holden is the only one that doesn’t go home. Instead, he stays on Tycho Station with Fred, the leader of the OPA, and his ship, the Rocinante, which might very well be what he now considers home. However he comes to realize it’s not home without its crew, which has also become his family. That in itself is the heart of the story. It goes to great lengths to show readers how much the characters depend on each other. How together they are so much more than their individual selves. Yet the separation allows the authors to explore each character in detail. Who are these people really? It’s an interesting question, and a fun one to explore. Nemesis Games does just that. If you’re a fan of The Expanse series, the good news is James S.A. Corey have not lost their touch. This is a great, engrossing read that will leave you tense and nervous as the characters are put in peril. They shine like never before. The changes in the galaxy set things up for the next book, but this one will leave you content enough in knowing there will be more. While there are a lot of great spoilers to be had, the fun is in discovering them for yourself in the story. Suffice to say, this one earns a five out of five.

I found this to be the best sci-fi plot I have ever read. The main characters have a "deep" development without tedium and boring details. I found myself both laughing out loud and tearing up. Best sci-fi read.

Overall, I really liked the book. We learn a lot about the individual pasts of the Roci crew in the context of a new adventure. The book has its own narrative arc, but it also seems to set up a big conflict in the overall narrative arc of the series. I'm anxious to hear about a sixth book (and presumably fourth novella). This book continues the trend of the recent books being more of an adventure than the sci-fi noir feel of Leviathan Wakes. Part of that is character-driven, though there are still some nods in that direction in his book. This isn't really a criticism; the authors continue to tell an interesting story set in a brilliantly conceived universe. I've read all of the novels and the novellas, and I'll be happy to keep reading. If you like the series, you'll likely like this installment. If you haven't read the series, I think it's worth reading.