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the_pale_woman 's review for:

The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey
4.5
adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

It's always exciting to explore a new universe in its inception, but it's also torturous to wait for the continuation and, ultimately, the conclusion of a new book series. I spotted that there will be a new novella for this series out later this year, but how long will I have to wait for the conclusion of this story? I think The Expanse was nine books and seven novellas. Will this new series truly be a trilogy? You could argue that they failed that prompt already with the addition of a novella before the other two books are even out. Regardless, you guys got me; I'll wait and read.

This story surprised me multiple times. I find avoiding the back blurb to be a generally good practice when you already like the writer. I'd highly recommend going into this one blind, just as I did, if possible. The twists were unexpected and quite interesting. I'm hoping that theme continues throughout the series. Blindside me, please. I like it.

If you're a hard sci-fi reader or familiar with game theory, then I'd recommend reading this with someone else so you can debate the scientific quandaries this story creates. I enjoyed it, but I could also pull it apart for hours. I'd wager you'll feel the same way. 

Jefferson Mays does a great job with the audiobook. That's not surprising, as he also narrated The Expanse. However, I think this type of sci-fi might lend itself better to physical reading. There were names and descriptions I wanted to flip back to, and that's just not feasible with audio.