Check out my review for the previous book in the series, Persepolis Rising.
Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: Orbit Books
Pages: 608
Release Date: March 26, 2019
Thirteen hundred gates have opened to solar systems around the galaxy. But as humanity builds its interstellar empire in the alien ruins, the mysteries and threats grow deeper.
In the dead systems where gates lead to stranger things than alien planets, Elvi Okoye begins a desperate search to discover the nature of a genocide that happened before the first human beings existed, and to find weapons to fight a war against forces at the edge of the imaginable. But the price of that knowledge may be higher than she can pay.
At the heart of the empire, Teresa Duarte prepares to take on the burden of her father’s godlike ambition. The sociopathic scientist Paolo Cortázar and the Mephistophelian prisoner James Holden are only two of the dangers in a palace thick with intrigue, but Teresa has a mind of her own and secrets even her father the emperor doesn’t guess.
And throughout the wide human empire, the scattered crew of the Rocinante fights a brave rear-guard action against Duarte’s authoritarian regime. Memory of the old order falls away, and a future under Laconia’s eternal rule — and with it, a battle that humanity can only lose – seems more and more certain. Because against the terrors that lie between worlds, courage and ambition will not be enough…
If I’m being honest, I should have rated Tiamat’s Wrath four stars instead of five because it almost suffers from second book syndrome in that it feels incomplete. Tiamat’s Wrath is set up for the spectacular finale that the final book will be.
Tiamat’s Wrath follows Naomi, Alex, Teresa, and Elvi (check spelling) as they navigate the new world order that the Laconian’s have imposed. Our loveable heroes are part of an underground resistance bent on checking Laconian power. The new perspectives feature the emperor’s daughter and a scientist whose focus is on what happened before human being existed.
Elvi’s chapters are by the most interesting in terms of world building. I couldn’t wait to get to them and were sad when they finished. They really start getting to the heart of this phase of The Expanse novels, what happened to the creators of the protomolecule.
Teresa’s chapters were a hit or miss. Some of them were full of interesting information and world building concerning the Laconians, while others were slower paced dealing with Teresa’s daily life. That’s not to say her chapters were bad, but it’s hard to care about a crush she has on a boy when there’s a space battle happening in another chapter.
Naomi and Alex’s chapters are what you expect from Naomi and Alex chapters. I won’t say too much about them for fear of spoilers, but this book made me almost cry multiple times.
SPOILER:
I will say that if Amos had actually died I would have rioted. He’s easily my favorite character, so I’m excited to see what happens with him moving forward.
Bobbie. What a badass way to go out, but damn did it ever hurt. I wouldn’t have predicted her death, so that makes me nervous for who else might die!
Overall, Tiamat’s Wrath is an action packed addition to The Expanse series. Though it sets up a lot for what is to come in the final book, Tiamat’s Wrath packs multiple punches you won’t see coming.
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