Caliban’s War (2012) is the explosive second installment in James S.A. Corey’s (pen name of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck) The Expanse series, a cornerstone of modern sci-fi. The novel escalates the solar system’s turmoil after the events of Leviathan Wakes, as Jim Holden and the Rocinante crew investigate a catastrophic biological weapon derived from the alien protomolecule. New POV characters join the fray: Bobbie Draper, a Martian marine traumatized by monster attacks; Chrisjen Avasarala, a razor-tongued UN politician playing high-stakes games; and Praxidike Meng, a desperate botanist searching for his abducted daughter. Amidst Earth-Mars brinkmanship and rogue scientists, the crew uncovers a conspiracy that threatens humanity’s survival.
For fans of Caliban’s War, try:
- Abaddon’s Gate (2013) – Book 3, where the protomolecule’s mystery deepens.
- The Forever War (1974) by Joe Haldeman – A gritty, political military sci-fi classic.
- Revelation Space (2000) by Alastair Reynolds – Hard sci-fi with ancient alien threats
The Expanse Novel Series
- Leviathan Wakes
- Caliban’s War
- Abaddon’s Gate
- Cibola Burn
- Nemesis Games
- Babylon’s Ashes
- Persepolis Rising
- Tiamat’s Wrath
- Leviathan Falls
- Memory’s Legion