Amazon Prime Video’s The Expanse is one of the best sci-fi shows of this century, and as they always say, the books are even better. If you like science fiction and haven’t read them, James SA Corey’s series is definitely worth the time commitment required to read nine novels. But if you’re here, chances are you already like The Expanse, so you’ll be pleased to hear that Corey’s new series, The Captive’s War, kicked off this week. The Mercy of Gods, the first novel in Corey’s latest space opera, is available now in hardcover for $27 (was $30) at Amazon.
Alternatively, you can get the Kindle ebook version for $15 or the Audible audiobook for $12 (was $17) or with an Audible Credit if you’re a Premium Plus subscriber.
but it’s actually based on a popular novel series by James SA Corey. The authors (James SA Corey is a pseudonym for writing duo Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck) are now working on a brand-new space opera–Captive’s War. The first book in the series, The Mercy of Godsjust hit bookshelves today, and you’ll find it available with the launch-day price of just $26 (down from $30).
$27 (was $30)
The writing duo behind The Expanse–James SA Corey is a pseudonym for authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck–did a phenomenal job building The Expanse’s believable world from the beginning with Leviathan Wakes. Early reviews of The Mercy of Gods indicate that same prowess is on display in Corey’s new series. Amazon’s book editors named The Mercy of Gods one of the best sci-fi and fantasy novels of August.
The Mercy of Gods sets up The Captive’s War as a darker, more sinister space opera than The Expanse. It takes place in a galaxy where aliens known as the Carryx have destroyed civilizations and enslaved species. But when the Carryx meet a seemingly unbeatable enemy, they turn to humans to assist in their quest. After descending upon the world of Anjiin, the Carryx abduct scientists and bring them back to their home to compete in a war with other prisoners, where the cost of losing is extinction.
The 432-page novel centers on Dafyd Alkhor, a scientist’s assistant who is forced to fight in the war. As you may expect, everything is not as it seems.
The book’s description offers a compelling teaser for what’s to come for Dafyd and the world of Anjiin, so it’ll be interesting to see how The Captive’s War evolves as the series becomes more expansive (sorry).
What follows is a lengthy (432 pages) story that centers on assistant Dafyd Alkhor. Like The Expanse, you’ll find plenty of provocative, sci-fi storylines along with plenty of personal, nuanced interactions between Alkhor and his fellow captives. Early reviews have been positive, and it’s an easy recommendation for fans of James SA Corey’s previous work.
Once you’ve closed the cover on The Mercy of Gods, you can preorder the first novella in The Captive’s War series, Livesuit, for only $3 ahead of its October 1 release. Like some of the short stories and novellas in The Expanse, Livesuit will be a digital-only release.
Circling back to The Expanse: If you haven’t read the series, you can record a box set with the first three Expanse novels for only $28 (was $50) at Amazon. We’ve listed all of the books in the series below, but you could opt for the complete set of paperbacks for $106. Although this set is sold by a third-party seller, it ships from Amazon. At the bottom of the list, you’ll find the graphic novel tie-ins to the Prime Video series as well as the ongoing Dragon Tooth series.
All six seasons of The Expanse are available to stream with an Amazon Prime membership. If you prefer owning your media, The Expanse: The Complete Series on Blu-ray is discounted to only $61 (was $80) at Amazon.
