LEVIATHAN WAKES (BOOK REVIEW)

This book was immaculate
I was shocked by how deeply invested I was in the story by the end and how badly I wanted success for our cast of realistic and intriguing characters who all ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Miller, a film noir detective has lost everything in his life but his last case- a kidnapping job for a girl named Julie Mao who had gone missing a little while prior. As he delves further into the case he realizes how much deeper the rabbit hole goes as Julie's secrets unfold to him, and as they unfold the secrets of the solar system unfold with them.
Holden, a young, compassionate, steady captain loses everything he loves in a matter of seconds when his ship- the Cantebury is annihilated in front of him. He begins a desperate search for answers on how and why his ship and his friends had to die and begins to discover horrors that lay beneath the political surface.

Both men are on the same path, one looking for revenge and one looking for justice as a beautiful (and horrifying) space opera that delves into the human psyche, war, weaponry, and what we're willing to do to each other to survive.

Leviathan Wakes is horrifying in so many ways and I think it captures the fear, anguish, gore, and absolute dread of war almost perfectly. This book doesn't shy away from the gruesome details or the things your mind doesn't want to think about- it lays everything out so you feel the visceral experience along with the characters.

“There were two sides fighting—that was true enough—but they weren’t the inner planets versus the Belters. They were the people who thought it was a good idea to kill people who looked or acted differently against the people who didn’t.”

The way these characters interact with the world around them and with each other feels very real- almost to a painful extent at some points but it is absolutely amazing how well written the characters are.

The supporting characters provide a lot of emotional weight and carry the story and the discoveries along the way in a way thats so real.
The worldbuilding is so intense that I feel like I need another book to just explain how the worlds work so I can understand what the different stations are and why the different planets act the way they do.
Leviathan wakes has stellar worldbuilding and characters and deserves every good review it has. This book is honestly a masterpiece and I'm so glad I decided to pick it up and enjoy the ride along with the characters.

M A J O R SPOILERS





The twists in the story were honestly so good and constantly kept me guessing but my favorite twist of all was Julie becoming Eros at the end and Miller sacrificing himself to die with her. That felt like the only way his arc could have ended but I do wish Holden could have felt some guilt for pushing Miller to that point of suicide.
It was a beautifully devastating ending to watch Miller sit at Julie's side and soothe her as he gently guided them to their inevitable deaths.
The entire last 150 pages had incredible imagery and character work that really made you feel the mixed emotions of the crew and political leaders as they pushed to achieve the best possible ending.
My final words are just that I loved it.