Book Review of THE MERCY OF GODS by James S.A. Corey

THE MERCY OF GODS by James S.A. Corey (Orbit Books, August 06, 2024) Hardcover, 422 pages. ISBN# 97803165225572 

Synopsis on the Goodreads website . . . . .

How humanity came to the planet called Anjiin is lost in the fog of history, but that history is about to end.

The Carryx – part empire, part hive – have waged wars of conquest for centuries, destroying or enslaving species across the galaxy. Now, they are facing a great and deathless enemy. The key to their survival may rest with the humans of Anjiin. 

Caught up in academic intrigue and affairs of the heart, Dafyd Alkhor is pleased just to be an assistant to a brilliant scientist and his celebrated research team. Then the Carryx ships descend, decimating the human population and taking the best and brightest of Anjiin society away to serve on the Carryx homeworld, and Dafyd is swept along with them.

They are dropped in the middle of a struggle they barely understand, set in a competition against the other captive species with extinction as the price of failure. Only Dafyd and a handful of his companions see past the Darwinian contest to the deeper game that they must play to survive: learning to understand – and manipulate – the Carryx themselves.

With a noble but suicidal human rebellion on one hand and strange and murderous enemies on the other, the team pays a terrible price to become the trusted servants of their new rulers.

Dafyd Alkhor is a simple man swept up in events that are beyond his control and more vast than his imagination. He will become the champion of humanity and its betrayer, the most hated man in history and the guardian of his people.

This is where his story begins.

My Four-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

     If you're like me and heard enough great things about the Expanse series to add to your to-be-read list but feel intimidated by the prospect of grinding through eight lengthy books, I have some good news to share.

THE MERCY OF GODS is a great way to introduce yourself to the collaborative work of James S.A. Corey. It's the beginning of a new series, and definitely worth reading. You don't need any prior knowledge of The Expanse to enjoy it. 

     Corey excels at both world building and characterization. The alien invaders and their homeworld are fascinating, and we learn about them through their captives, a group of scientist/researchers spared because of their potential value to the Carryx. There is plenty of mystery about them and more is learned by the end of the first book, but so much more remains. That's one of the fascinations that held my attention throughout, as I look forward to the next volume.

     The other factor that left an impression on me and made this compulsive reading was the full character development of the ensemble cast. Plenty of humans to worry about, and all different.

     I'm anxious now to check out the Expanse series and will need to put some time aside on my expanding reading calendar.