Leviathan Falls

Leviathan Falls is an underwhelming finale to the 9-volume Expanse novel series. The difference is stark between how it all started in Leviathan Wakes and how it ends here. Gone is the gripping plot and excitement for things to come. The leviathan ends up paddling in a lukewarm puddle.

Leviathan Falls had the biggest publishing time gap to the previous one. Maybe James S.A. Corey (Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck) had to rewrite the story at some point and that's why it took so long. The final version didn't turn up so great, in my opinion. Technically it has the same elements as the story has had previously; it just failed to grab me. It does also lack something like a big reveal or a new science fiction concept with alien beings.

Comatose High Consul Duarte suddenly wakes up and takes off to save humankind from the dark gods. His solution is basically where the Foundation series was heading had Isaac Asimov continued it. Duarte's plan isn't to the liking of others (once they discover it). There's even a final showdown but it lacks tension, it progresses in a predictable manner.

Leviathan Falls finishes in the lame scenario I predicted. The novels averts it somewhat by not shedding too much light on the dark gods and with a prologue that drops some continuity into the otherwise definitive ending. I feel the authors could've almost crammed the finale into Tiamat's Wrath; this one was almost pointless.

There was something positive about the novel too. Laconian Colonel Aliana Tanaka is tasked to find where Duarte disappeared. During her search, Tanaka often wears a power armor which I have always found to be an awesome detail in the series. Their wearers can overcome such an opposition due to being so resistant to damage. Tanaka's armor is Laconian-made too, which are even more advanced than the Martian ones.