The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey
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Web ID: 20312102Corey is back!!
As a huge fan of The Expanse books and TV series, I was thrilled to hear these authors were back with another science fiction series. In The Mercy of Gods, a group of academic biologists spend quite a bit of time at the beginning academicing (is that a word?) and to be honest, I put this book aside for a few months. I had a hard time staying with it. When I picked it back up and continued, this time by audiobook (Jefferson Mays is back as narrator!), it finally became much more interesting as the planet is attacked by aliens. Many humans are killed but some, including our biologist group, are kidnapped and undergo harsh conditions while traveling to their destination. When they arrive, the group is forced to perform experiments for the aliens but in a way that they are never sure why or what they are needing to do. Communication with their capters is extremely difficult as the insectoid aliens are so very different from humans in their values, speech, customs, and everything else. The story was interesting overall and I will definitely be continuing on with the series. *Thanks to Orbit Books for the eARC!*
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Review of The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey
As a devoted fan of The Expanse, I dove into The Mercy of Gods with high expectations, hoping for more of the same brilliance that had made the previous series such a big part of my life. Instead, I found something quite different—denser, slower to unravel, and emotionally complex. At first, I struggled, but as the story unfolded, I realized it was setting the stage for something far larger, and by the end, I was hooked. The plot is fascinating but challenging to describe without giving away too much. It centers on Daffyd and his companions, kidnapped by an alien race and thrust into an alien world where survival hinges on proving their "usefulness." The aliens are a terrifying foe—both inscrutable and insurmountable. While it was a bit hard at first to visualize what the alien world would look like with all of its inhabitants, I eventually rose to the occasion and accepted a little mystery. The unpredictable twists kept me on edge, and the contemplative themes about humanity lingered with me long after I finished reading. The characters I initially wasn’t sure of grew on me, and I cannot wait to see what they do in the next book! Ultimately, while The Mercy of Gods wasn’t the continuation of The Expanse I initially craved, it’s a powerful, thought-provoking story in its own right. It made me feel deeply, and its unpredictability kept me enthralled. This book might take time to settle into, but it’s worth the effort. I can’t wait to see where this series goes next. Thank you to Net Galley, Orbit Books (my favorite publisher), and the authors for providing me with this ARC in exchange for a review.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Promising start to new space opera series
The two authors who penned The Expanse series are back! The Mercy of Gods is a promising start to a new space opera series built on a grand world-building scale with interesting characters and non-stop action. The humans on Anjiin are caught up in the politics of the moment when the Caryx invade the planet, killing the population into submission and then taking the best and brightest to their home planet. One captured research group is kept intact and given a problem to solve in competition with another enslaved species. The stakes are high: whichever group succeeds lives while the loser dies. Led by the brilliant but mercurial Tonnar Freis, the team must overcome technological obstacles and assaults from the rival research team to solve the problem. Dafyd Alkhor rises above his role as a research associate to understand what drives the bloodthirsty Caryx and see what they need to do to survive long term. Now, he must convince the others. The Mercy of Gods has an expansive yet complex plot, finely drawn characters, and alien races. It is a fast-paced book full of political intrigue. I especially liked the descriptions of the Caryx and some of the other oddly-configured species. The literary license taken about how these races exist in the same air and gravity bothered me at times, but I was so engrossed in the story that I let that slide. I am looking forward to many more books about the exploits of Dafyd and his friends. 4.5/5 stars.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Start of a great new series
James S.A. Corey, the writing team that brought us the incredible Expanse series, are back with the first book of a new series: The Mercy of Gods (Captive’s War book 1). While the story is all new, the writing style remains the same as The Expanse series and thus I felt right at home. As this is just the opening book of the series I have to say this book is tightly focused, but I sense the world (umm universe) building will expand in future volumes. After spending so much time with the characters from the Expanse, these characters don’t feel quite as fleshed out/as fully realized yet, but I’ve no doubt that will change as the series expands. (Of course I likely felt the same way back when I first read Leviathan Wakes over a decade ago.) One thing I have to say is that it’s certainly an action packed adventure. The struggles of Dafyd and co. will most definitely hold your attention and keep you entertained. This is a promising start and I look forward to seeing where the series will go from here. Thanks so much to Orbit Books for allowing me the chance to read and review an ARC of The Mercy of Gods.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Fantastic Sci Fi that explores humanity
Okay, wow. This was fantastic. The Mercy of Gods is my first S.A. Corey book. I have been wanting to dive into the Expanse but the length of the series is intimidating so I have been procrastinating. I haven't watched the show either, as I plan to read the series first. Set in the far future where humanity lives on another planet called Anjiin and has forgotten their origins, this first book in The Captive's War trilogy explores a devastating first contact with aliens known as the Carryx. The humans of Anjiin don't stand a chance, and a specific selection are taken to serve the Carryx. First, the aliens in this book are actually terrifying. S.A. Corey's vivid descriptions made the shock and horror that these humans experience feel so real and relatable. The human characters are flawed and struggling to reconcile with meeting aliens for the first time. Their reactions and feelings are realistic and understandable, even when you know they're making terrible decisions. While there is still plenty of action, the book focuses on how humans react to dire situations and the drive for survival. The biochemical science aspect was interesting, and the technobabble was minimal. The Mercy of Gods is definitely one of my favorite reads this year and is possibly a new all-time favorite. I cannot wait for the next book. 5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com