Babylon’s Ashes (The Expanse, #6)
by James S.A. Corey
“We are not people, we are the stories that are told about people by others. Inners, Belters, women…“
I just read my first review and have to say that this book has not improved for me over time. It was good, but I could have stopped reading it at any time. It took me for ever to get through it. Very, very generously rounded up to four stars, because I do love all the main characters.
What I can say now though: this would have made a good final book for the series, because it nicely wraps up the major plotlines.
“Against all evidence, I keep thinking the assholes are outliers.”
James Holden, in one of the last chapters
Review of first read, February 2018:
Very quotable one hour into the narration. Yay for Bobbi and Avrasarala being there! Great one-liners, the usual humour.
Unfortunately the first half of the book did not interest me much, I felt no compelling need to pick up the book and continue. First time that happened to me with an Expanse book. It made me go back to the previous books and 5-star those with 4 stars, so I would have room to move. 9 hours into the book it still wasn’t doing much for me.
I care very little for Filip, his father and what they are up to. That trend continued for the rest of the story. I loved Holden and his crew, how Peaches and Bobby became part of the Rocinante family, the glimpses of Avrasarala, the dry humour… the plot just wasn‘t happening for me. It didn‘t add much to the world of the Expanse and there were no interesting new characters either. The guys on Medina station were depicted too briefly to elicit much of an emotional response from me.
This felt a bit like filler. Wrapping up some things from the previous book and setting the scene for the next one. Filling the gaps. A bit meh. Compared to other things I read over the years a pretty good filler, but filler nonetheless.
I give it four starts for the love of the series, but it was really more of a just-ok-3-stars.
Cathy's Reading Bonanza 
I completely agree. My reading of the whole series stalled at this book. I’m going to go back to it and finish at some point, but it might take a while!
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