“We did not see the adversary for what he was, and we brought him into our home.”
After the blazing success of The Expanse, the dynamic duo James S.A. Corey takes a fresh turn and kicks off a brand-new epic sci-fi trilogy with The Mercy of Gods. Exploding with mystery, intrigue, horror, and brutally raw human emotion, this survival first-contact story will fill you with equal parts terror and fascination, and then leave you star-struck by the end.
Set in a far distant future, The Mercy of Gods transports us to the planet Anjiin where humans have been thriving for the past few millennia. But now, the desperate gaze of the Carryx has landed on their planet, and only the brightest of society are safe from the conqueror’s destruction. Swept away to the Carryx’ homeworld, a group of brilliant scientists is thrown into a deadly competition against other captive species for the favour of their captors, and they will either have to learn, sacrifice and adapt, or else face total extinction.
Now, having not read The Expanse myself (though I have watched 3 seasons of the show), I went into The Mercy of Gods with no expectations and just let the story carry me away. And honestly, I think going into this morbidly fascinating trainwreck of a story completely blind is the ultimate way to experience it. It might not be spectacularly fast-paced or action-packed, but I guarantee that you won’t be able to stop turning the pages.
For me, the highlight of The Mercy of Gods is without a doubt the stupendously captivating character work. The diverse group of scientists that we follow through this nightmare scenario is exceptionally well developed, to the point that they are almost too terrifyingly realistic and relatable in their human flawedness. We get such an intimate and brutally raw exploration of how this insane level of stress, trauma and horror affects each person differently, and I truly ate up all the inner conflict and interpersonal drama. Especially the themes of morality and mental health shine bright in this story, and I found it fascinating to see how much a mind can take before it breaks and how people would justify their own horrible actions under the guise of survival.
Having said that, I do have to admit that I was more captivated and engrossed on an intellectual level than an emotional or enjoyment level, and I generally prefer it to be the other way around. While I was absolutely in awe of Corey’s wild imagination and evidently brilliant scientific expertise, I personally felt a bit alienated (pun intended?) by some of the more sciency aspects of The Mercy of Gods; at some point I just had to accept that my pea brain is not made for this type of information, and that is okay (or that is what I have just decided to tell myself, let me have this consolation, thank you).
Honestly though, I think it is a true testament to Corey’s skill as authors that I was still so engaged and excited despite some parts of the story going over my head and not being fully invested. See, for all that I felt lost at times, I also kind of appreciated how wildly alien and deeply immersive this story felt. Especially the way that the Carryx are portrayed terrified me to my core, and my anthropology and linguistics loving heart absolutely burst with joy over all the clashing between species and cultures.
Moreover, I loved how Corey infused this narrative with so much intrigue and mystery, especially through the occasional inclusion of non-human perspectives. Be it the Carryx’ excerpts at the start of each new Part of the book or the elusive ‘swarm’ POV, these shifts in perspective created such a riveting level of looming dread that just kept me on my toes the entire way through. And in a way, Corey literally spoils the ending of the story on the very first page, yet somehow that only heightens the intrigue level to truly unimaginable heights.
While I had never expected this to be my introduction to James S.A. Corey’s works, I think it ended up being the perfect entry point for me. Not only did this first instalment in The Captive’s War series leave me desperate for more with its tragically fitting and ominously foreboding ending, but it also instantly rekindled my interest in The Expanse series. If you like the sound of a slow-burn and character-driven take on an alien invasion story that is as epic as it is intimate, as alien as it is human, and as horrifying as it is fascinating, then I can’t recommend The Mercy of Gods highly enough.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Mercy of Gods is scheduled for release on August 6, 2024.
