A Review: Cibola Burn

by James S. A. Corey
ISBN: 78-0356504193

In some ways Cibola Burn is a lot like Abaddon’s Gate, it’s slow to get going. It takes about half the book, however the second half of the book is really good. One way in which it is different from the stories which precede it, is the Space Opera scope. The vast majority of the story is based on or in orbit around a single planet. For me, this means it doesn’t qualify as Space Opera. That sort of thing may not be important to you though.

The new characters in the book are outstanding. Of course James Holden and his crew are central and key to the story. Chrisjen Avasarala is mostly absent again. The members of the opposing factions on New Terra are complicated and feel real. The natural order of who is right and who is wrong is constantly changing and being reevaluated. Star Wars this isn’t!

I didn’t really get my head around what I think was meant to be the thought processes of the Protomolecule within the planet or how Miller interacts with it at the end. It didn’t work in the TV series either. Perhaps it will become clearer later.

I made the mistake of watching the TV series at the same time. Again I was very disappointed at how the TV series has changed the story, the events and which characters did what for no good reason which I could see. There were whole other threads in the TV series which are not in the book and I assume will come in a future book. The end of the book suggests a totally different path for Bobby.

I’m looking forward to getting back to The Expanse universe regardless.

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