Part of The Expanse, book 8
First published 2020
Teresa Duarte lives in the shadow of her father's galactic empire, but she harbors secrets that could shake his authoritarian rule. While Emperor Duarte believes he controls humanity's expansion through thirteen hundred alien gates, his daughter prepares to shoulder burdens he never intended for her. Across the galaxy, scientist Elvi Okoye searches dead solar systems for clues about an ancient genocide, seeking weapons against unimaginable forces that destroyed civilizations before humans existed. The knowledge she pursues may cost more than she can afford to pay. Meanwhile, the scattered Rocinante crew wages a desperate resistance against Laconian control as memory of the old order fades. In the imperial palace, dangerous figures like sociopathic scientist Paolo Cortázar and prisoner James Holden threaten the delicate balance of power. Teresa must navigate deadly court intrigue while the empire faces terrors lurking between worlds. The future points toward eternal Laconian dominance and a war humanity cannot win. Against cosmic forces beyond human understanding, neither courage nor ambition may prove sufficient to save the species from its fate.
Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, space-opera, political-thriller
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, resistance-against-oppression
Setting: Laconia, Rocinante
Period: Future
537 pages · Paperback · Orbit
Content warnings: death, violence