“Persepolis Rising” Review

“Persepolis Rising” (The Expanse No. 7) by James S.A. Corey

In the thousand-sun network of humanity’s expansion, new colony worlds are struggling to find their way. Every new planet lives on a knife edge between collapse and wonder, and the crew of the aging gunship Rocinante have their hands more than full keeping the fragile peace.

In the vast space between Earth and Jupiter, the inner planets and belt have formed a tentative and uncertain alliance still haunted by a history of wars and prejudices. On the lost colony world of Laconia, a hidden enemy has a new vision for all of humanity and the power to enforce it.

New technologies clash with old as the history of human conflict returns to its ancient patterns of war and subjugation. But human nature is not the only enemy, and the forces being unleashed have their own price. A price that will change the shape of humanity — and of the Rocinante — unexpectedly and forever…

Review

It’s 30 years after the previous book and everything is changing once again for the entire solar system. Given the current climate right now with everything going on I feel like I struggled with reading this one more than I did the first time I read it a few years ago. It’s a good look at how quickly everything can fall apart when a stronger power wants to take over everything and sees themselves as better than everyone else. I feel like in some ways the series is better ended with book 6 but in other ways this final trilogy of books will resolve some of the plot elements regarding the aliens who created the rings and what happened to them. It also changes everything for the crew of the Rocinante and their final fate is told in the next books where book 6 ends with them as they are – traveling together.

Warnings and additional reviews are available on the StoryGraph page for “Persepolis Rising”.

Book Details

The cover is taken up mostly by the edges of two ships on the left and right flying forwards away from the view. There are a lot of silver panels with some read and blue colorings. The rest of the background is mostly orange with some red highlights. The title of the book is at the center with the authors name at the top.

Author’s Website
James S.A. Corey
Publisher / Date
Orbit Books, December 2017
Genre
Science Fiction

Page Count
622
Completion Date
June 2, 2024