Book Notes: Leviathan Falls

Leviathan Falls is a satisfying ending to the epic Expanse saga. The story comes full circle and the protomolecule chapter of human history comes to an end.

The characters stay true to themselves until the end (and some of them even past it! spoilers!). Holden engages in self-sacrificing heroics, breaking Naomi’s heart for the umpteenth time. Naomi keeps a clear head, all systems running and various factions coordinated. Alex is his usual gregarious, convivial self; he continues listening to questionable music, and looks forward to dying of old age surrounded by grandkids. Amos puts his affable, loving knucklehead self to extremely good use. Muskrat the dog is embarrassed by the indignities of peeing and pooping on the float. Elvi Okoye does even madder science, the results of which help Holden with his heroics, as per usual.

Despite staggering sacrifices and tragic losses, the human race keeps on keeping on, shockingly and unsurprisingly. (I suspect we’re the real cockroaches.)

I loved getting this one last time to hang out with the these people, and say goodbye to them and their stories.

Book Highlights

It was hard to believe that there had been a time when her life hadn’t been moving from one trauma to the next like walking on stepping-stones in an ornamental garden.

It couldn’t be so hard to see how accepting a little restriction and regulation benefited everyone. But inner-worlds culture didn’t measure it that way. For them, being better meant being better than the person next to you, not both of you sharing the same increase.

Hopelessness and despair could almost look restful.

Every generation had its apocalypse. If they made humans stop falling in love and having babies, celebrating and dreaming and living out the time they had, they’d have stopped a long time before.

There had always been that thread in the tapestry of Laconian culture: the willingness to assert whatever reality your commanding officer proposed.

It was always like this. People trying to get their work done even while atrocities were blooming around them. Avoid eye contact and hope that the fire doesn’t spread to you and yours.

So yeah, you fucked me and mine over. And we’ve done shit here that the gods will never forgive us for. But when you’re feeling bad about it, remember that the alternative was somehow even worse.”