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    Caliban's War
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    Caliban's War
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    Caliban's War
    Audiobook19 hours

    Caliban's War

    Written by James S.A. Corey

    Narrated by Jefferson Mays

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    The second novel in James S.A. Corey's SF New York Times bestselling Expanse series. We are not alone. On Ganymede, breadbasket of the outer planets, a Martian marine watches as her platoon is slaughtered by a monstrous supersoldier. On Earth, a high-level politician struggles to prevent interplanetary war from reigniting. And on Venus, an alien protomolecule has overrun the planet, wreaking massive, mysterious changes and threatening to spread out into the solar system. In the vast wilderness of space, James Holden and the crew of the Rocinante have been keeping the peace for the Outer Planets Alliance. When they agree to help a scientist search war-torn Ganymede for a missing child, the future of humanity rests on whether a single ship can prevent an alien invasion that may have already begun . . .
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books Audio
    Release dateJan 1, 2012
    ISBN9781464048562
    Unavailable
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    Reviews for Caliban's War

    4/5

    1,268 ratings69 reviews

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    • 5/5
      James S.A. Corey’s Caliban’s War continues the Expanse series, picking up about a year after the events of Leviathan Wakes. Jim Holden and the crew of the Rocinante have been working for Fred Johnson and the OPA hunting pirates in the outer system as Holden begins to lose his idealism, with Naomi warning him that he’s beginning to act like the deceased Detective Miller. Meanwhile, Mars and Earth find themselves in a shooting war on Ganymede, where Praxidike Meng works as a biologist and Bobbie Draper serves as a gunnery sergeant in the Martian Marines. On Earth, Chrisjen Avasarala works in the United Nations to prevent a war that would weaken humanity amid the uncertainty of what the protomolecule is doing on Venus.Holden and the Roci crew bring relief supplies to Ganymede, where they discover evidence of the protomolecule and agree to help Prax find his daughter, who was abducted immediately prior to the start of shooting on the surface. Bobbie comes to Earth to testify about the strange, glowing blue creature she encountered on Ganymede’s surface and ends up working with Avasarala to prevent a war. Eventually, these four find themselves back in the Jovian system trying to prevent the spread of the protomolecule to the inner planets.Leviathan’s Wake served largely to introduce the main characters and establish the universe of Corey’s work, while this expands upon it and raises the stakes. Corey, the pen name of Daniel Abraham and Ty Frank, continue their modern space opera in this work, demonstrating why it’s one of the best modern works of science fiction. The technology isn’t too far advanced to be unfamiliar and he explains the basic concepts, but the human drama drives this story more than the Epstein Drive. Abraham has written and collaborated on several adventure and graphic novels while Frank is George R.R. Martin’s personal assistant. Together, they craft a story that, for lack of a better description, is the Game of Thrones for sci-fi fans. Their evocative writing perfectly sets the tone. The grand scope easily leant itself to Syfy’s television series, The Expanse, with the second season serializing this novel. A must-read for sci-fi fans!
    • 5/5
      I am in love with these books. The second in the series was even better than the first. I think this just may be the best book I've read this year...certainly the most fun. Can't wait to get to book three.
    • 4/5
      4.5/5 starsThis was a great second book in a series. I really like seeing how our characters were affected by the events of the previous novel, and how things are playing out. You can definitely tell a much bigger plot is being built in this novel. I really liked the political aspect that got added in this sequel as well. I enjoyed the addition of Prax and Avasarala's POVs as well. Bobbie was a great character as well, and Holden really had some development and growth in this instalment. I really liked Prax's POV and how it shows the lengths parents are willing to go to for their children, and Avasarala's "mask" and "normal" faces. Bobbie's situation was also really interesting and I enjoyed how we started to explore her loyalty and how she views herself. I'm hoping we get to see more of her in future books.Overall, this was fun, full of action, but also political intrigue and I really enjoyed where this story is going.
    • 5/5
      Seriously, I don't think anyone is writing better science fiction right now. The only bad thing I can say about this book is that it ended and now I have to wait until June for the next one. I loved this book every bit as much as the first one. Great action, great characters, and giant story all wrapped up in a frightening alien bow. If you haven't started this series and you like science fiction it is time to start reading.
    • 4/5
      Somehow this feels very much like a rehash of the original book, rather than a continuation of the same series. There's a tricky croporation behind the scenes, James Holden shouting all the time, and few action sequences with the marines fighting an alien bad thing, and then it's set up for the next one - we're quickly running out of viable corporations though so maybe something new will happen.
    • 4/5
      I liked this second installment in the series but a little less than the first book. I felt it dragged a bit in the first half (basically the search for Mei and all things Prax) and given how many chapters there are, it felt interminable at times. Still though, I loved finally getting to Avasarala and all the politics going on and I very much enjoyed all things Bobbie Draper and I look forward to following her story more. Naomi, Amos, Alex and Holden were all good here and it was nice to see where they were as a group and individually after the big events of Leviathan Wakes. I'll be continuing with the series but I want to pace myself with the SyFy show so I won't be jumping right into the next book immediately.
    • 4/5
      Entertaining reading. Has a bit of a Jack Chalked feel about it, which is intended as a compliment.
    • 5/5
      New. Favourite. Series.
    • 5/5
      An excellent sequel to Leviathan's Wake. I really like how the author has set up the politics of the solar system, which he explores in more details in this second volume. When you keep reading because you want to know what will happen to the characters, you know the author has succeeded in building a credible cast of characters that you are drawn to. The protomolecule keeps getting more weirder and creepier. This definitely helps keep the series moving towards the unknown.
    • 4/5
      The second book of of the Expanse saga raising the stakes further. The diplomatic situation between the Earth and Mars getting even more chaotic and dangerous and in the background there is the threat of the alien 'protomolecule'. Of course Holden and his crew always finds themselves in the middle of the storm. One of the most interesting SF series recently.
    • 5/5
      Sometimes in a novel when you go down the well you have to put the lotion on your skin, other times you're travelling back to Earth. The latter, this one is the latter.

      James Holden and his crew of the Rocinante are back again serving as an ad hoc belter law enforcement when they are sent to investigate an incident on Ganymede. Things quickly circle the drain from there as the war between Earth, Mars, and The Belt threatens to start again at any moment. Oh, and Venus is now under alien control. Fun times.

      This is the second novel in The Expanse series by James SA Corey (aka Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck) and as a sequel to Leviathan Wakes it delivers. I thoroughly enjoyed the further adventures of the Rocinante crew, but the new characters of Bobbie, Prax and Avasarala only added to fuel to the fire. Avasarala in particular is a great character to follow, making the political side to the story palatable (Avasarala is portrayed by Shohreh Aghdashloo in the TV series, and I'm sure the writers had her in mind when the character was created).

      I guess that means it is time to start reading the third novel in this series. Tough job but someone has to do it.
    • 4/5
      The second book in the Expanse series reunites us with James Holden and the rest of the crew of the Rocinante and a few other characters to see what has transpired since the end of Leviathan Wakes. The Roci has been working as a kind of local police force for the OPA, running down pirates and the like for Fred Johnson but when we rejoin them they are asked to try and find out what's happening on Ganymede as there seems to have been a bit of an incident that threatens the peace again. As Ganymede is basically the farmyard of the galaxy then just about everyone has a stake there to protect.). There's also the ever present and visibly growing threat of what's happening on Venus to worry about as well.The story is again told from alternating viewpoints but instead of just the 2 from the first book we now have 4: Holden, Gunnery Sergeant Roberta 'Bobbie' Draper of the Martian Marine Corps, Chrisjen Avasarala (assistant to the undersecretary of executive administration) and Praxidike 'Prax' Meng (a botanist stationed on Ganymede). The story rattles along with quick swaps between characters that are well drawn and the action sequences are many and keep the pace high. It was another enjoyable entry into this space opera series and my only quibble would be that the basic outline of the story is quite similar to the first book.
    • 4/5
      Excellent sequel to the first book. Now I am going to read the third in the series. Well written, expansive, not quite to the level of the Foundation series by Asimov, but reminiscent of that sort of writing. In some ways more like E. E. Smith, but with better character development and broader story line.
    • 5/5
      Grand space opera which doesn't totally strain the bounds of believabilty.
    • 5/5
      This book was as good as or better than the first book "Leviathan Wakes". Fast paced with several fun new characters joining the team as the stakes ratchet up another level and the mystery of Venus begins to overwhelm the governments of the solar system. I was hooked on this series after reading "Leviathan Wakes" and was reeled in by Caliban's war.
    • 3/5
      So who or what is Caliban? It's not in this book.

      My guess is the title refers to a character in Shakespeare's The Tempest.

      In this second novel in the Expanse series, an ethically deficient group of humans tries to weaponize the alien protomolecule they discovered in the first book...with predictable results. There are spaceships and monsters, some political squabbling, power plays, and inflated egos. The pacing is good. The characters aren't bad, although Holden's personality has changed from the first book, and not for the better. There are more POV characters in this one, too. The prose isn't inspired, but it is serviceable for this kind of story, and there's a bit more angst and emotional wallowing than I personally care for, but the book does keep you entertained and turning pages.
    • 4/5
      A friend introduced me to Anderson (one of the two people who are James S.A. Corey) and his Dagger and Coin series, which I enjoy. The Expanse novels are on a whole different level of excellence, however.

      I don't read a lot of sci-fi, but this reads like the real thing. The authors are not just playing around w/ space as a different setting for the same kind of story, but they weave interesting stories about recognizable human archetypes and conflicts into some creative and insightful world building abou the middle ground between humans leaving Earth and humans leaving the solar system.

      Leviathan Wakes was good. Caliban's War is an improvement with fewer tired tropes and copied characters and more interesting people making the stories feel rich and complex.

      Keep it up, gentlemen, keep it up.
    • 4/5
      This one is really more like 3.5 stars -- not quite as good as the first. But still quite enjoyable and hard to put down.
    • 5/5
      I actually preferred this to the first of the series. Having horrified us with the introduction of the protomolecule, this book concentrates on the consequences of that arrival. New PoV characters make this much more enjoyable, breaking free of the duopoly of arseholes represented by Holden and Miller in the first book. Hugely enjoyable series, I hope the last book, when it comes, can live up to the standard set here.
    • 4/5
      Or: bad ass POC women in space.

      The writing in this is definitely tighter than in the first book, and the characterisations are much better. I loved Bobbi, Avasarala, and Amos, and Holden's voice was a lot more distinctive in this than in the first one. After the twist at the end, I can't wait to read the next one.
    • 4/5
      The sequel is less of a stand-alone than Leviathan Wakes as it is the setup for Abaddon's Gate (the third book in the series). There are more character arcs which adds an element of complexity, but the detective noir feel of the first book is gone (and with it an element of discovery or dawning horror). Still, Caliban's War is nearly as good as Leviathan Wakes.If you're looking for the meaning of the title, check out Shakespeare's The Tempest after reading or Google "Caliban."
    • 2/5
      Didn't hook me nearly as much as Leviathan Wakes.
    • 4/5
      First off, the book features one of the stupidest cover blurbs that I've ever seen: "This is the future the way it was supposed to be." If you've read the first book in the series you'll be asking yourself the question of whether you really want a future of over-population, tyranny by over-powerful corporations having gained sovereignty and the threat of annihilation by alien technology. The answer you come up with will probably be along the lines of, well, no; I think I'll pass on that future.If I seem a bit sour it will be due to how I look back on the first novel in this series with less enthusiasm the further I get away from it. The presence of not one, but two grumpy middle-aged men as the main protagonists became annoying (and speaking as a grumpy middle-aged man I ought to know), the ineffectual fetch quest that was used to drive the plot along ultimately seemed like a cheat (we never get to know the young woman in the first scene of the novel) and the zombie outbreak on Eros was almost the point when I was going to bounce the book off the wall (I've come to loath zombies as a plot device).So, you might be asking yourself why I continued on if I'm not that happy with "Leviathan Wakes;" mostly to see what happens with the nightmare weapon that has been dumped on Venus.Problem; we don't get that much sense of what is going on with Venus until the very end of Book Two.That said, even though I give this book a lower rating than the initial novel (which I should probably go back and change), I actually like it rather better. This is mostly due to the presence of two new characters; Martian space marine Roberta Draper (sole survivor of an encounter with a genetic super soldier) and the high-ranking UN official Chrisjen Avasarala (a professional schemer and meddler of the first order). Particularly when Avasarala is in action, things happen. Noted firebrand ship master James Holden is also back, if a lot worse for the wear in terms of body and soul.This gets me to my main gripe with this book, in that much of the plot is driven by another stinking fetch quest, as Holden and his crew get sucked into a hunt for the remnants of the corporate criminals they smashed in the first book, only with this kidnapped little girl as the McGuffin: Give. Me. A. Break. At least the authors behind the byline seem a little sheepish about taking this option, but they should have thought about their options more deeply. It's as though they thought about their mistakes in the first book and wanted to get it right this time around.All that remains is to see how the bigger threat that was left waiting in the wings in this novel is dealt with in the forthcoming "Abbadon's Gate;" the last scene leaves me with the fear that a shaggy dog story might wind up breaking out.
    • 4/5
      I was a bit wary about this at first, since I knew my favorite character from the first book, Detective Miller, would not be showing up in this sequel. I'm not too fond of Holden, the other protagonist, at all.Luckily, we're introduced to three new characters and their points of view in Caliban's War -- Prax, Bobbie and Avasarala. The two new female characters are especially interesting, especially Avasarala, the politician with a personality and one hell of a potty mouth. It's quite refreshing to read about such a genuinely unique character.Like the first novel Leviathan Wakes, this second book also takes its time to establish its plot. Once again, I found the first half of the novel to be rather slow, but the build up is worth it when you get to what comes afterward. There are elements of the story that are picked up from the first book, so I do recommend reading Leviathan Wakes before picking this up as things will make more sense.Overall, a very good book and a worthy sequel.
    • 4/5
      This is a difficult review for me. I enjoyed the book. It was a quick read. I purchased it at 11:40 pm on Kobo on Monday, March 4th. I finished On Thursday, March 7th at about 4 pm. I have two Kobo electronic readers. One is small and can go in any shirt pocket. The other is normal size. So any time I was not in class or driving I could read. It was space opera, and does the job. I was lucky to not find the first in this series until last week. I finished Levithan's Wake and immediately afterwards began this book. I almost didn't. I had one major complaint with the previous book. I give this book a higher rating. It think someone could read this one without reading the first one. But of course I could be wrong, since I read the first one first. If one avoided the first one and wanted to start this one instead, first read reviews of the first one and learn about the Miller character. He is not present in this second book, but there are many references to Miller and some of the action is in response to or followup from Miller's actions and patterns. As I and most reviews say, this is space opera. Space ships including large dreadnought battleships, shuttles, frigates, and a two person racer. Vast societal impact and consequences. We are finding out who has the most power in the solar system, Earthers, Martians or belters. Humanity at peril. We might find out nobody in the previous list is most powerful, perhaps and alien force from beyond the solar system will destroy all human life. Battles in space happen between Earther fleets and Martian fleets with Holden's small ship and crew trying to keep from being hit. Fun and exciting characters. I think of Holden's crew as a single element. There is Alex the hot shot pilot, Amos the muscle who can fix anything and is not afraid of death or injury. Naomi, the earth mother who holds the crew together and brings humanity and compassion to the heartless team. And all space opera needs villains. This story has evil industrialists, power mad military leaders, soulless scientists and sympathetic zombie monsters. For me, this story works as space opera. Vomit Zombies. What can I say, I am not a fan of vomit zombies. They played a major and disturbing role in the first book. In my opinion this second book benefits because of reduced use of that plot device. Perhaps a book should lose a star in review grades when the authors resort to zombies as a plot device? The protomolecule again plays a central role in the motivations and decisions made by the characters. Most reviews miss the resolving of any issues around Venus, but I am OK with it. There is enough to keep me moving forward in the story without major answers about the mystery that is Venus.Blue collar space opera. There was an aspect that I notice in much space opera, that I read, of looking at the nuts and bolts of travel in space. I enjoy this attention to the small details. When someone is eating pistachio nuts in zero-g, where do the shells go. They will either get sucked into the airfilters or fall to a surface with acceleration. Then who will clean them up? There is a scientist as a major character, and there is science talk, but most characters don't know the difference between genomes and super-strings.Women. There are two major women characters in this book. They were seemingly created by men authors, but hey, I'm a man and I give the authors an A- for effort. Avarasala is a very powerful government bureaucrat who can make things happen. Is she perfect? No, but even with her feet of clay and prejudices she is working to make the solar system a safer place for humans. Martian marine Bobbie has lost her squad and is doing what she thinks she has to do to even the score for her dead squad members. She is definitely a hammer when it comes to seeing the world and expects to find nails everywhere. But, sometimes you want a hammer to use on some problems! It is even interesting when she needs to act like a screwdriver or can opener to solve problems. Lost daughter! I know some reviewers decry a similar lost daughter plot as in the first book. It does not bother me. I like that the father is a central character in this story and gives motivation for all the characters to move in the same direction. This is important in stories. Why are people in the book doing one thing or moving in one direction. Even many non-central characters in the story are interested in the search for Mei and want to encourage a happy resolution.I give a qualified recommendation to potential readers of the book. I would define the audience as people who like some science in their stories with strong attention to human characters and interactions and willing to tolerate crazy space travel, aliens and zombies. There is some attention to families. We hear of Holden's family, Bobbie's dad and Avarasala's husband. I was interested in the stress and courting between Holden and Naomi. So I enjoyed the book and will get the next in the series as soon as it comes out.
    • 5/5
      A real page turner, couldn't put it down. No dull rantings or technobabble and all plot lines were lines not dots and dashes. You sigh when you reach the end and need to put these enjoyable characters way until the next instalment. HURRY GUYS!!AND who the heck is Caliban!!!!!
    • 4/5
      Like the first book, this is very much a fast paced read that seems perfectly written for TV. This book is similar in scope to the last one and should not be read without first reading Leviathan Wakes as you will not understand some aspects of the story without it. In this particular book I did feel like the ending wasn't quite as big of a build up/resolution as the first, but still a good continuation of the story started in book one.
    • 5/5
      An excellent follow-up to Leviathan Wakes. Nothing is superfluous, even though this chunkster is about 600 pages long. Elements of the story vaguely reminded me of the movie Aliens, but in a good sense. Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      Pretty good space opera, worth reading if you enjoy the genre. I'm uncertain about whether to continue with this series based upon the descriptions of Abaddon's Gate but this one certainly carried its own weight.
    • 4/5
      Really good space opera book. The characters are reasonably engaging altbough Alex and Amos weren't well distinguished in my mind.