Leviathan WakesLeviathan Wakes
Score Modern
What it's about
Humanity has spread across the solar system, and Earth, Mars and the people of the Asteroid Belt are on the edge of war. Jim Holden, an officer on an ice-hauling ship, answers a distress call from a derelict and finds something his enemies will kill to hide. On the asteroid Ceres, a burned-out detective named Miller is hired to find a missing rich girl. Their two cases turn out to be the same, and far bigger than either imagines.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Hugo finalist and began The Expanse, one of the most popular science fiction series of the century. It's a noir mystery and a space thriller, with physics that feels real.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It's the first of nine books. James S. A. Corey is two writers, Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. There's some body horror. The TV series The Expanse is excellent.
By the numbers
- Readers91 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz1 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #26 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #147 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #284 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Epic, Thought-provoking
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Quick answers
Is Leviathan Wakes worth reading?
Yes. It was a Hugo finalist and began The Expanse, one of the most popular science fiction series of the century. It ranks #284 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 81.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Leviathan Wakes about?
Humanity has spread across the solar system, and Earth, Mars and the people of the Asteroid Belt are on the edge of war. Jim Holden, an officer on an ice-hauling ship, answers a distress call from a derelict and finds something his enemies will kill to hide. On the asteroid Ceres, a burned-out detective named Miller is hired to find a missing rich girl. Their two cases turn out to be the same, and far bigger than either imagines.
How long does it take to read Leviathan Wakes?
About 14 hours (571 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Leviathan Wakes?
If you liked it, try Red Rising by Pierce Brown, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir or Dune by Frank Herbert.