Being a huge fan of the Expanse, I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into James S. A. Corey's new space opera, the Captive's War. From the blurb, it was obvious that The Mercy of Gods would be a totally different sort of tale. In retrospect, that novel was little more than an introduction meant to pave the way for what comes next. Though good, if a bit slow-moving throughout, it wasn't exactly the sort of story that really captures your imagination from the very beginning.
Had this been written by anyone else, it probably would have been a DNF for me. But I've learned to trust Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, and I knew I'd be giving the sequel a shot. Still, when The Faith of Beasts was released earlier this year, I was in no hurry to do so. Perhaps taking my time and coming into this one with lower expections are the reasons why I enjoyed it more than its predecessor? True, the Captive's War will likely never manage to hold a candle to the Expanse, yet I like the direction the series has taken in this second installment. Time will tell if the authors can close the show with an exclamation point in the final volume of this trilogy.
Here's the blurb:
The monstrous Carryx empire was built by subjugation and war. Thousands of species are bound to their Sovran's command in an endless, blood-soaked test: be useful in the eternal conflict or be slaughtered.
Dafyd Alkhor, highest among their human captives, is feared and despised by the very people he champions. Ruthless in carving out his niche in the eternal war machine of the empire, he will reshape human nature itself as a tool for their alien masters’ use. But Dafyd’s loyalty is not what it seems.
The Swarm, an agent of the Carryx’s deathless enemy, has been smuggled into the Carryx world-palace along with the human slaves. It’s discover a way to bring down the empire’s eternal reign. But the longer it lives among and within humanity, the more it forgets that it is a weapon.
As the human captives spread through the battlefronts of empire, the awesome power of the Carryx becomes clear. And with it, a desperate plan for their destruction.
But empires hide secrets, and even the deathless enemy may not be what it appears…
The worldbuilding continues to be amazing. Kudos to the authors for creating a plethora of aliens that truly feel alien. As mentioned in my previous review, I for one certainly did not expect the Carryx to be giant lobsters that can mutate their bodies to fit their societal roles within their hierarchy. Their interstellar empire has been built by the species they have enslaved over the course of centuries or millennias, and we do meet many of these creatures throughout both volumes. Revelations are made about the Carryx and some of the alien species, especially the Soft Lothark. Once again, I really enjoyed reading about the swarm and particularly liked how its sentience grew as the tale progressed. Also about how the people it has assimilated can influence its way of thinking. From the get-go, I got the feeling that humanity was the Carryx's great enemy, the one they've been fighting forever. Though there was no confirmation within the pages of The Mercy of Gods, the new novella Livesuit appeared to imply as much. Though it seems that humanity may not be the deathless enemy after all, The Faith of Beasts confirms that the human population of Anjiin could be an offshoot from an era when mankind went out to colonize the stars that lost contact with their brethren ages ago. I can't wait to find out more about all this!
In my opinion, the characterization is the facet that leaves the most to be desired. It's not that the protagonists are not well-drawn. Through no fault of their own, they're just not as interesting and endearing as the cast from the Expanse. To be honest, the only two characters I remembered from the first installment were Dafyd and Jessyn. I couldn't for the life of me recall any of the others. Dafyd's storyline continues to be intriguing and it's compelling to see him grow into the person who'll come to be known as the great betrayer. I felt that too much time was spent on Jessyn's mental health issues and the fact that she was running out of meds in the first book. An unexpected discovery makes her plotline the most fascinating in The Faith of Beasts, something that will have important repercussions in the endgame of the series. From Campar's storyline, we discover more about how war is waged between the Carryx and their deathless enemy. Although they were all flawed and three-dimensional characters, there were simply too many perspectives that were unnecessary in The Mercy of Gods. Less POVs helped the plot move forward at a better pace in this sequel.
In terms of rhythm, this novel is another slow-burn. There are a few tedious parts here and there, yet there are enough revelations and surprises to keep you engaged. Once again, there is no grand endgame or thrilling finale, but each plotline reaches a form of resolution that sets the stage for the final installment. I'm curious to see if Abraham and Franck can close the show with a single book, or if this will grow into a Tad Williams-esque 4-part trilogy. There seems to be a lot of ground to cover in just one novel, so time will tell if the authors can pull it off.
The Faith of Beasts avoided many of the pitfalls that often made The Mercy of Gods a more monotonous read at times. If the Corey duo can elevate their game like they did with many Expanse titles, the forthcoming third volume could be a memorable conclusion to the Captive War's series.
Keeping my fingers crossed!
The final verdict: 8/10
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