The ‘Captive’s War’ series, introduces a new epic space opera from the authors of ‘The Expanse.’ I was very much expecting something similar to The Expanse, which isn’t the case for this new series.

Set on the planet Anjiin, we explore the different species struggle for survival against the Carryx, an empire on galactic conquest. Dafyd Alkhor is thrown into a deadly competition among the other species, Dafyd must deal with the complex alien politics and the war between the species to ensure humanity’s survival.

I would give this 3/5 stars. It was a good, fun read. However I was left wanting more. I will be looking forward to book 2, though.

Brilliant! I never thought they'd team up again but this was outstanding and a competitor for book of the year.

This is one of the most perfectly balanced books I've read. Everything from the characters, to the plot, to the worldbuilding has been brilliantly developed, giving the reader such an immersive and satisfactory experience. And that's not a simple task, especially when we're talking about such an imaginitive world, with many alien species that feel so different and unique.
The science is kept at a level that will not alienate the inexperienced sci-fi reader, but will satisfy the hardcore ones. The characters are believable and easy to resonate with, without feeling superhuman. As I mentioned above, balance is the key word. And though we get a glimpse of the huge world here, there are a lot of intimate moments in close quarters that set up the story for an epic continuation.
I really can't find anything to fault here. Maybe some readers will wish for more action, or for some more answers about the main enemy, but I didn't mind any of the above. The second book has the potential to offer all of those and even more and I honestly can't wait (though I'll have to)
Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for this Arc.

Rob’s review:

The Mercy of Gods is the first book in a new series from the Expanse author James S.A. Corey. The book follows a group of scientists whose home planet of Anjiin is invaded by the imperialist Carryx.

The Mercy of Gods sets the foundation for a new story of a grand scale, completely separate from The Expanse series. The world building is excellent, introducing an array of alien species and societies. The workings of Carryx society, emotionless and logical, are particularly interesting and the exploration of this through a human viewpoint is incredibly well written.

The Mercy of Gods focusses on the stories of a group of researchers and their reactions and struggles to the traumatic events that occur throughout the book. It does a great job of exploring their own faults and emotions when it seems all hope is lost. This book lays a great foundation for the rest of the series, however the scope of this book alone remains fairly narrow - limited to two settings (Anjiin and a small compound of the Carryx world). However, both of these places are extremely well constructed, and feel unique in their own respects.

The writing is dense with scientific terminology and concepts which could be confusing initially, but it is clear it well researched by the authors and as the story continues becomes easier and easier to comprehend.

5⭐️

Thank you to James S.A. Corey, Netgalley, and Little Brown Book Group for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

I finished this book hours ago and I’ve been sitting around wondering how to review it, and I just don’t know how.

Let me start by saying The Expanse by James S.A. Corey is a big part of my life and I still remember the day they announced they were writing a new book series together. I knew it was sci-fi, and that was enough for me to know I wanted it. The Expanse was ending, but we had something else coming, so that was that. It was enough for me, so when Daniel Abraham ‘warned’ people that this series would be very different from the Expanse, I missed it. And when I started reading this book, I struggled - it is a very good book. I think it’s closer to Daniel Abraham’s work than it is to The Expanse, but it’s very much sci-fi instead of the fantasy he favors as a solo author.

It took me a long time to read this book. Is the book bad? Not at all. But it’s a dense book. Here’s a little summary: Humans have occupied Anjiin and co-exist with the ‘local’ flora and fauna. Tonner Freis’ lab is currently researching how to bridge both bio-whatevers as opposed to existing fully separately. That is until another scientist, Larren, spots something up in the sky - ships. Human ships trying to find their lost colonies? Nope. Alien ships.

This is a story about colonialism and being human. I’m going to borrow a line from the Expanse TV show: “We help each other, that's why we have a civilization.” This book is about much more than this. Is about how humans create civilization but also how they try to maintain it when they face a species they cannot overpower (or understand). The book follows scientists, which I thought was amazing, and the trials they go through had me scratching my head and theorizing for days. I liked the fact that I didn’t know, that I stumbled into questions as the characters did.

The best thing about this book, beyond the whole concept of what happens when humans face something that is bigger than they are, is the characters. There is a big focus on found family, human interaction, and mental health. The bigger focus here is in depression through Jessyn (who I love to death) and trauma. All characters experience trauma and cope with their new realities differently and it was just fascinating to read. My favorite scene was perhaps when, finally, Daffyd lost it and snapped at Campar for his constant jokes, but then he said he’s annoyed at them but he never wants them to stop. I thought that was just so sweet. Honestly, the character development and character work in this book is so excellent.

This interaction between Campar and Jessyn wraps up this book beautifully, in a way:
“It’ll be all right,” he said.
“It won’t.”
“No. But we’ll find a way to be all right with that.”

I’ll wrap this up by saying Campar is dope. Jessyn is a goddamn valkyrie. The swarm/spy/thing was so confusing until we finally find out what it is. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE CARRYX, and I’ve decided that is fine 🙂 I DO NOT UNDERSTAND (ALIEN) BIOLOGY, and I’ve also decided that is fine 🙂 The academia jokes are hilarious (you need funding, I need funding, we all need funding). Aaaaand Night Drinkers suck, I’m still SHOCKED at the one thing that happens and the way I was not expecting it at all.

Sentences I highlighted (just the few that survived since Adobe Digital Editions is a shit software and I hate it):
“If there was a war coming, it would find them gardening.”
—

“We should field-test it,” Jessyn said.
“Invite one of our little friends over for dinner and some light vivisection?”

—
“They had made two weapons from what they had. She was one of them.”

I had no idea what to expect with this but after loving The Expanse series I hoped it wouldn't let me down…

It was definitely different but not in a bad way! After quite a slow start things built towards a pretty low stakes event (or so I thought!). How wrong I was - everything changed MASSIVELY!

The writing duo (Corey) have such a great talent for juxtaposing normal day-to-day human existence with epic tragedy on an almost inconceivable scale. Suddenly yesterday's problems are just a footnote in an absolutely epic drama where life-as-we-know-it is at stake.

Does this review sound vague? I hope so. I’m glad I didn't read the blurb because 100 pages in the whole book shifted and added to the excitement.

What I will say is that the bar is continually raised as this book progresses. The tension and haunting scenes have left me not knowing which direction this series is going to go in... All I know is that I am 100% invested in finding out what happens next 🤷🏽‍♂️😅

The Mercy of Gods is part 1 of a new science fiction epic series from the author(s) of the Expanse series. I haven't read the Expanse but really loved this book so clearly am going to have to clear some more space on the old bookshelf.

It begins with humans on a planet called Anjiin. They're on the brink of some new scientific discoveries when a violent and ruthless alien species arrives in the skies, kills one eight of their people, and then kidnaps their best and brightest minds.

What follows is traumatic - weeks in a cramped prison cell, then arrival on a new planet. The aliens - the Carryx - tell the surviving humans that they must prove themselves useful. But beyond the practical tasks they must accomplish, Dafyd, one of the scientists, sees that this is also a test of their social skills and ability to understand alien minds. Not everyone agrees with him, and it's a challenge for their group to work together successfully. They don't have the resources to hand they'd have at home and they're traumatised, some having lost friends and loved ones. Should they do what it takes to survive, or do what they can to strike back, despite it meaning death?

I was pulled into the story almost immediately, being intrigued by the human world that was not Earth. Dafyd is our main character, but I wouldn't say you get to know him intimately - some of his motivations, but not all. And he's not always sympathetic, because they're in a difficult situation with difficult choices to make. But that makes him interesting, along with his colleagues and friends. They're all reacting to the situation in a way that's unique to them.

The Carryx and the planet we see are fascinating and truly alien. They 'collect' other species too and you get a good sense of how each of them differ from one another. And let's not forget about the enemy of the Carryx, a species and character that I found myself really rooting for by the end (but can't say too much about here).

Being part one of a series, the book does not wrap everything up in a bow at the end. However, it as satisfying for me - it does come to a good teaser point without being too cliffhangery. Bring on part two!

I was so happy to receive an ARC of Mercy Of Gods.

I went into this with the expectation of it being similar to the Expanse. Wow was I wrong!
Alien invasion, scientific researchers used for their skills. And life threatening decisions, not just for our main characters but the entire human race!
At times towards the beginning of the book I felt this quite heavy going. But as I progressed further the story flowed a lot better and became much easier to read.

I found the story so original and encapsulating. And it's safe to say that the rest of the series will be pre ordered and read on release day.

”I think some important scientific questions have finally been answered. Alien life exists, and they are assholes."

This is the hardest book to describe without giving anything away.
If anything, know it has my glowing, excited approval and don’t read anything else and just pick up this book.

The Carryx ruled the stars for epochs and they brought fire, death, and chains to Anjiin - the planet humans have made their home.

This centres around a strange, awkward, haphazard little biologist team which are chosen as the top of the crop by the Carryx to work for them.

“You're joking."
“Of course I am," Campar said. “It's how I keep from spending all day screaming. What do you do?"

This book is incredible.
It is heavy but also touches on the mundane. How life continues on even in the face of the end. People still need to eat, to pee, to wash.

The team have to reframe their circumstances. They’re not scared, they are curious. They aren’t slaves, they are achievers.
How do humans react when everything is uprooted? Violence? Madness? Depression? Humour? Sex? You see the extremes: giving in to being led like dazed animals on a slaughterhouse or mounting a doomed rebellion.

Despite this being science fiction about an alien invasion, it is also intimately humane and relevant. Spiralling thoughts, anxiety, and depression. Feeling you’re not enough. Dealing with uncertainty.

Between one step and the next, he'd had an epiphany about the vastness and strangeness of the universe and his place in it. The insignificance of one boy on a strange planet in the vastness of galaxies. For a moment, his mind had reached out to the farthest ends of the universe, and he'd felt the weight of his life, his ego, his struggles as less than a feather. Then I came back to myself and refocused on my sock, he'd said, and they'd both laughed.

I know I haven’t touched on the characters, but that’s because there are a myriad and it is hard to pin down a standout. They all bring such different outlooks which creates such a strong and fascinating dynamic.

A powerful study on human instinct, relationships, and primal tendencies.

Thank you to Orbit for providing an arc in exchange for a review!

A brilliant beginning to another series, both entertaining and dealing with serious and interesting questions of collaboration and survival. I've been a fan of 'The Expanse' for years, and my expectations were already quite high when I started reading the book, and yet it more than delivered. It might not be to everyone's taste, but personally I appreciate that this is a more grounded tale, less space opera-y than many other modern novels, with different characters that each have their own voice and never cross the line into being heroes or villains because the plot needs them to.

The only bad thing about this book is that now I have to wait until the sequel comes out instead of waiting and devouring the series in one go. I can't wait to find out what happens next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review:

This was a very interesting and thought-provoking start to a new SF series! I loved the author's Expanse series, and so when I heard about this book I was immediately intrigued. Luckily for me, I received an ARC, and was able to read this, and the author did not disappoint.

Compared to Leviathan Wakes and the rest of the Expanse series, this book felt slightly slower and more thoughtful- of course, it is the first in the series and so had to lay the basis for the world and plot to expand in future books, but because of this it felt less suspenseful than Leviathan Wakes.

The world-building was rich and complex, and I loved the descriptions of the alien species. Our characters were well-developed and generally fun to follow, though I will admit to being less taken with some of the POVs included.

Overall, this was an interesting start to a new SF series, and I look forward to following where the story goes in the next books!

Utterly addictive

I finally read my first S.A. Corey book and started with The Mercy of Gods. I got caught up in the hype and wasn't quite ready to dive into The Expanse series, given its length of eight books.

The Mercy of Gods was brilliant. Set in the distant future on a planet where humans have lived for over 3,000 years, the story unfolds in a civilization that has forgotten its origins and started anew. This new human society faces a severe threat when the alien race, the Carryx, arrives and takes away the brightest humans. The kidnapped humans are then forced to compete against other alien species, with extinction as the price of failure.

There were several things that really drew me into this novel. The concept itself was incredibly captivating. This story reminded me a bit of Red Rising and Hunger Games but with a darker and more “sciency” undertone I appreciated that the aliens felt truly alien, rather than just humans with different appearances. Aliens are not supposed to act like humans as lots of modern franchises tend to do. S.A. Corey also did a phenomenal job at consistently adding intriguing layers and twists to the plot which consistently made me want to come back to the story – the stakes are really high!

Probably my favourite part of the novel is that it felt horror-like in parts. The haunting scenario of a sophisticated alien race forcing humanity into a deadly game, were particularly compelling.

I have two minor nitpicks. First, I didn't fall in love with any of the characters, although Dafyd, the protagonist, was definitely my favorite. The characters are not bad though. Second, while the aliens felt incredibly "non-human," the humans felt almost…too human? Given that this human civilization has lived on another planet for 3,500 years, I expected their culture to be significantly different from Earth's in 2024. While there were some differences, I hoped to see more substantial cultural changes. However, I understand that the authors might have aimed to keep the humans relatable for readers, especially considering the aliens are not relatable at all, which could explain why they felt so much like modern humans.

Fortunately, the plot was so compelling that this didn't detract significantly from my enjoyment of the story.

I would definitely recommend adding this book to your tbr.

4.5

Thanks to Orbit for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

After having read and loving The Expanse series I was made up to see a new book from the author duo James SA Corey and beyond excited when orbit accepted my request on netgalley and started almost immediately.

I absolutely flew through The Mercy of the Gods, it was such a compulsive read and I enjoyed every single page. I loved the characters, the world building was great … overall, it was a very solid start to new series! I honestly can’t think of a single negative and cannot wait for the next instalment… the scope feels big and I am intrigued at where it’s all going.

The best way I’d summarise this book is with this quote …

“I think some important scientific questions have finally been answered. Alien life exists, and they are assholes.”


4.5 rounded up

James S. A. Corey thrilled readers with The Expanse series. Therefore expectation is high for this, and hopes that the magic that made The Expanse can be replicated. Launching a new series, The Mercy of Gods is an epic, engaging and entertaining beginning. Straight from the off, I was drawn into this tale of alien invasion - the characters are well drawn, the writing whizzes along without feeling rushed. It is a book that will make you hope the sequel isn't too long coming. Overall, if you loved The Expanse, then this is a must. If you're new to Corey's writing, this is a very good starting point.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Many readers were excited when the start of a new series –a trilogy– was announced by the two authors behind pen name James S.A. Corey. With the epic The Expanse as heritage, nothing less than yet again a remarkable space opera was expected. And now, the first part of The Captive’s War is finally about to arrive. NetGalley offered a free DRC in exchange for a review which I didn’t want to miss.

With only a little over 400+ pages it’s not an oversized book, and I expected things to evolve rapidly because of that. That, however, didn’t. The story starts on a human planet called Anjiin. Humans know they originated from another place, but they have forgotten how that went and how their ancestors arrived here. Therefore one can assume that the story takes place far in the future. Yet, everything is very familiar. Names of places and people often have a somewhat “exotic” feel, but apart from that, we seem to be looking at a 20th-21st century Earth in terms of how society works and how people lead their lives. The people we meet are part of a team at a university, investigating ways to line up the genetics humanity brought to Anjiin with the ones that originated on the planet. They finally had success in that when the Carryx arrive. Up until then, humans had found no evidence of other life in the universe. This first encounter is not a success. One out of eight humans is immediately killed, and some others are enslaved and brought to the Carryx homeworld.

When the story gets at the point where humans arrive at that homeworld, a quarter of the book has passed. Some initial world building has taken place and the protagonists got introduced, but in essence not much has happened. Too many characters, which remained underdeveloped so far, made connecting with any of them impossible. After this quarter, only very little of the different characters, their position in the team, their relationships towards each other, any strengths or weaknesses, stuck. At that moment I decided to start all over and take notes. I made a list of characters I encountered with some useful information about them. I re-read this first quarter diagonally while creating the list, and by doing that, at least some of the protagonists started to come to live a little bit.

I had good hopes the story would explode from then on, being on a new planet and with my improved grip on the characters and background. The book, after all, is said to be the beginning of a new space opera. A space opera, to me, is a story that expands over many worlds, taking up a lot of physical space in the galaxy, and that has some battles and events that change the course of humanity. By that definition, The Mercy of Gods is no space opera though. Maybe the story will evolve into one later, but this book is confined to a limited space and despite my hopes, it remained that way. The setting was limited to the university of Anjiin in the first quarter, and continues on a very small portion of the Carryx homeworld in the rest of the book. Some intermezzos with “the swarm” here and there –which are imho rather boring to read– suggest something bigger is up, but in this book that doesn’t happen. The plot remains small in scope, in events, in inter-personal relationships. I’d rate the book as okay-ish, nothing more. There is potential for the bigger story, but it’s not showing yet. Installment one is basically a long-winded introductory story. I keep hoping the next volumes of the trilogy will be as exciting as The Expanse was, but for now, that is by far not the case.

The Mercy of Gods is the first book in a new sci-fi series from those who brought us The Expanse and what a superb start to the series it is!

There are so many fantastic elements to this book.

Firstly, the alien species themselves. The reader is drip fed information about them and their intentions as it is uncovered by the protagonists, which provides a great experience of discovery and intrigue .

Secondly, the surviving humans.. We follow a group of mixed personalities, each with their own issues and vulnerabilities and we get to experience their respective POVs throughout the book. The way these are portrayed in such a terrifying setting is so well done and it's hard not to be invested in their lives as they navigate their new surroundings.

Thirdly, the world building. I found this spot-on. It is awe-inspiring but believable, without being too much. There are some wonderful explainers as well as plenty of mystery remaining.

Finally, the story itself. It is set up to be something truly epic whilst covering themes key to what it is to be human and the challenges we face in life, both big and small. The arrival of the Carryx was a real highlight, with so much tension, uncertainty and terror in the mix. There is some subtle and not-so-subtle foreshadowing throughout, and I cannot wait to see what happens next. The ending really does set things up nicely too!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Orbit books for an ARC of this brilliant book!

I was initially wary of how anything could compare to The Expanse, which I adored but - I had to keep reminding myself - took a while to really gel with. However, by a quarter of the way through The Mercy of Gods, I was completely invested. The tension and sense of creeping terror were on par with what I felt reading Premee Mohamed's Beneath the Rising trilogy - and there were similar themes here too. I absolutely could not put this book down - I haven't been this gripped by a book in a while, and found myself picking it up again every spare minute I had. I can't wait for the next instalment, but I am very aware I've probably got at least a year of doing so ahead of me!

<i> I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book (thank you NetGalley & Orbit), but that doesn’t impact any of my opinions or feelings apart from the fact that now I will need to wait even longer for the next book <i/>

Imaginative, intriguing and highly complex.

This was the first book that I have read from these authors, and I must say it was an excellent introduction. I was initially captivated by the description months ago when I first saw it and added it to my TBR. So I was obviously overjoyed when I received an ARC.

This book was amazing, I finished it in little under two days (would have been one, but alas there is no rest for the wicked when it comes to university work). The story delves into a more academic setting than I was expecting but it was done in such a wonderful way that none of it felt overbearing or confusing. The academia of the world was handled perfectly, as soon as it was beginning to get too long it moved into something else. Honestly, I applaud the writers for their pacing and timing because of how expertly it was executed.

The world set up is incredible, the other species are imaginative but also plausible. There are so many twists and turns, secrets upon secrets that I cannot wait to discover. The characters are extremely complex and developed and the way in which they are written makes them seem like real people. The story itself is inspired, and I cannot wait to see where the authors take it.

The balance in this novel is just superb, between the character development, plot and subplots, academia and action. I am actually shocked at how well it was all handled as it would have been so easy to ruin the story if just one of these aspects weren’t so perfectly balanced. The cover is also amazing, it pairs perfectly with the descriptions in the book and really brings the setting to life.

My only issue with the novel is that now I’ll need to wait so long for the next instalment.

Huge fan of the expanse series so I was super excited to see a new series released.

Really interesting characters both human and alien. Look forward to the rest of the series.

The Mercy of Gods is the first book in the new series called The Captive’s War. The Carryx has waged wars and enslaved different species across the galaxy for centuries. They descend on Anjiin and the human population is slaughtered and captured. The brightest humans on Anjiin are taken to the Carryx world-palace to join prisoners from other species. Dafyd Alkhor is captured along with the rest of his science team. He is set up to be the champion of humanity as well as its betrayer.

This was a really great start to the series and I really enjoyed it. It was easy to become invested in the story and the characters. I liked the different character dynamics. The story is told from different POV’s and each one was equally enjoyable. It has some really interesting themes such as control and colonialism as different species are forced under the rule of the Carryx. The writing was really good and I loved the ending. 4.5 stars rounded up to a 5 because I had a really great time with this.