Abaddon's Gate
Book 3 of the Expanse
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4.6 • 277 Ratings
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- £5.49
Publisher Description
For generations, the solar system - Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt - was humanity's great frontier. Until now. The alien artefact working through its program under the clouds of Venus has emerged to build a massive structure outside the orbit of Uranus: a gate that leads into a starless dark.
Jim Holden and the crew of the Rocinante are part of a vast flotilla of scientific and military ships going out to examine the artefact. But behind the scenes, a complex plot is unfolding, with the destruction of Holden at its core. As the emissaries of the human race try to find whether the gate is an opportunity or a threat, the greatest danger is the one they brought with them.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Corey (a shared pseudonym for Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck) delivers a politically complex and pulse-pounding page-turner to continue the Expanse space opera series. Not too long after the events of Caliban's War, the alien matter-manipulating protomolecule that had taken over Venus catapults mysterious mechanisms out beyond the orbit of Uranus. Those mechanisms build a thousand-kilometer-wide ring that the governments of Earth, Mars, and the Outer Planets Alliance all race to investigate. Capt. James Holden of the Rocinante plans to be on the other side of the solar system during those investigations, but the government of Mars files suit to reclaim the Rocinante and forces Holden's crew to schlep a news team out to the Ring. Meanwhile, Clarissa Melpomene "Melba" Mao, the daughter of disgraced tycoon Jules-Pierre Mao, sets up an intricate plan of revenge against Holden for his actions against her father. Corey perfectly balances character development with action and uses shifts in point of view to keep the large cast intimate. Politics, philosophical ideas, and humor mingle in a tale that will shock and surprise. New readers should start with book one; series fans will find this installment the best yet.
Customer Reviews
Third book in an exciting series
I bought the first book in this series on a whim and absolutely loved it, bought the sequel and loved that and now bought this third book and again absolutely loved it.
The two writers weave a gripping story about three factions, Earth, Mars and The Outer Planets Alliance and the conflicts between them, which all centre on the protomolecule, an ancient creation from an alien culture.
My only gripe is that a character I particularly liked from the second book (whom I thought would make an excellent new crew member for the main cast) wasn't in this book, but hopefully she will be brought back in future novels.
If you like gripping space adventure then this is for you. I will definitely be getting the rest of this series as it comes out.
Robin
A fine way to end a great space opera. It took me a long to read because that's the only way I get to read books now. But the wait to finish it was worth it. It was and is a super fine series of books distinguished in his book by the character of Anna, the priest. If the author is mentioned for nothing else it should be for her and the way she thought and spoke.
Not only is she a great character so are the Rocinante's crew each one a unique person. The plot too is wonderful, each book in turn exploring new ways to revitalise tropes of sci-fi. A great concept and the author kept a tight grip on the plot never forgetting to mix in lots of excitement and tension. A great read and highly recommended.
Somewhere out there the Rocinante is flying. Some more stories about her and her crew would be greatly appreciated.
Poor ending.
While I found the first two novels in the trilogy really good, action, tight plots, this was a bit of a letdown. It lacks the same edge.