The Vital Abyss
My favorite thing about e-publishing is the sudden proliferation of novellas. It lets authors of longer series pause between books to release shorter character studies. They enrich the world, even if they have no place in the proper novels. And since they only cost a few bucks, I happily gobble them up.
This one comes after the fifth book in The Expanse series, though it serves as something of a sequel to events of the first book. But since it hints at some pretty major spoilers in the fifth book, you gotta wait to read it. And then remember back to that first book to figure out who these characters are. Which is another fun way that characters who have been sidelined can suddenly pop back up again.
The Vital Abyss is told from the point of view of a sociopath, one of the researchers who was jailed in the wake of the attack on Eros. His justifications for what he did, his total lack of regret or empathy, his desire to do it all again and push forward is harrowing to read. He's been in jail for years, but this story opens with an opportunity to escape. And his ruthless pursuit of that opportunity is fascinating to watch. And more than a little scary.
The implications for the main story are exciting, and it was a neat way to get a bit of backstory that wouldn't have otherwise fit in the series. I'm so excited to see where this is all going and who will survive what's coming.
This one comes after the fifth book in The Expanse series, though it serves as something of a sequel to events of the first book. But since it hints at some pretty major spoilers in the fifth book, you gotta wait to read it. And then remember back to that first book to figure out who these characters are. Which is another fun way that characters who have been sidelined can suddenly pop back up again.
The Vital Abyss is told from the point of view of a sociopath, one of the researchers who was jailed in the wake of the attack on Eros. His justifications for what he did, his total lack of regret or empathy, his desire to do it all again and push forward is harrowing to read. He's been in jail for years, but this story opens with an opportunity to escape. And his ruthless pursuit of that opportunity is fascinating to watch. And more than a little scary.
The implications for the main story are exciting, and it was a neat way to get a bit of backstory that wouldn't have otherwise fit in the series. I'm so excited to see where this is all going and who will survive what's coming.
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