Book Review: The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey

Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Book 1 of The Captive’s War

Publisher: Orbit (August 6, 2024)

Length: 422 pages

Author Information: Website

As a long-time fan of the Expanse series, I was beyond excited to dive into The Mercy of Gods, the start of a new series by the duo of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck writing as James S. A. Corey. I had hopes that it would deliver more of what I wanted from an epic sci-fi saga—intricate world-building, compelling characters, the promise of a new universe that blends elements of hard science fiction and space opera that feels both intimate and all-consuming.

In hindsight, I may have set my expectations a bit too high.

Set in the distant future, The Mercy of Gods takes readers to the planet Anjiin, where its unsuspecting inhabitants are about to face an unprecedented threat. The Carryx, an alien species that has conquered countless worlds across the galaxy, has begun its invasion with intent to destroy or enslave the population.

But right before the attack, scientists had just made a startling discovery on origin of humankind on Anjiin, information that has been lost to time since the first colonies settled on the planet. Researchers who were involved in the breakthrough, some of the best and brightest minds humanity has to offer, are quickly rounded up following the Carryx invasion to be shipped off to a prison world where they would be forced to use their talents to help the enemy. Still, it’s arguably better than the fates of the roughly one-in-eight who were slaughtered almost immediately, or the many more who were ultimately cast aside to perish. The story then follows the struggle of the survivors as they grapple with the horrific reality of their captivity along with the members of other species that the Carryx have conquered. Humanity’s only hope may lie in how well our characters will be able to play their part, biding their time long enough to turn the tables on their captors.

Admittedly, things got off to a great start, with the story throwing readers into the chaotic soup created by the alien invasion right away. The initial chapters were packed with suspense and action as our POV characters, primarily scientists and researchers, are left scrambling to try and fight off the invaders. The godlike Carryx themselves are terrifying and almost caricature-like when it comes to their appearance and aggression, from their unsettlingly many-jointed insectile forms to their unsatiable need to subjugate everything they come across. Not gonna lie, I was feeling pumped; the book’s intro had me hooked right away, feeling excited and ready for the ride ahead.

But as the focus shifted from the invasion to a closer and more personal look at the characters, the whirlwind momentum of the early chapters started to fade a bit. The splitting of the narrative into multiple threads as the plot progressed was also reminscent of the structure of the Expanse novels, except in this case the changing perspectives had the unfortunate effect of watering down interest even as horizons were broadened. There simply wasn’t the emotional depth to make each character feel fully realized, and the resulting challenge to form meaningful attachments to any of them made it hard for me to care about their fates of the unfolding drama.

The themes that were so irresistible at the beginning—a planet’s hostile takeover by an alien race, the resulting destruction and humanity’s desperate struggle to resist and save itself—all gradually gave way to a lackluster middle. Despite the breathtaking world-building and lore associated with the story, the novel just wasn’t quite ticking all the boxes. Still, I am hopeful for the series’ future. It’s possible that, just like Expanse which took a couple books to find its footing, all it needs is a little time to grow and improve. I’m looking forward to seeing if the next installment will be able to build upon this foundation and bring back energy and momentum with the ingredients that are already there.