The monstrous Carryx empire was built by subjugation and war. Thousands of species are bound to their Sovran's command in an endless, blood-soaked test: be useful in the eternal conflict or be slaughtered.
Dafyd Alkhor, highest among their human captives, is feared and despised by the very people he champions. Ruthless in carving out his niche in the eternal war machine of the empire, he will reshape human nature itself as a tool for their alien masters’ use. But Dafyd’s loyalty is not what it seems.
The Swarm, …
The monstrous Carryx empire was built by subjugation and war. Thousands of species are bound to their Sovran's command in an endless, blood-soaked test: be useful in the eternal conflict or be slaughtered.
Dafyd Alkhor, highest among their human captives, is feared and despised by the very people he champions. Ruthless in carving out his niche in the eternal war machine of the empire, he will reshape human nature itself as a tool for their alien masters’ use. But Dafyd’s loyalty is not what it seems.
The Swarm, an agent of the Carryx’s deathless enemy, has been smuggled into the Carryx world-palace along with the human slaves. It’s discover a way to bring down the empire’s eternal reign. But the longer it lives among and within humanity, the more it forgets that it is a weapon.
As the human captives spread through the battlefronts of empire, the awesome power of the Carryx becomes clear. And with it, a desperate plan for their destruction.
But empires hide secrets, and even the deathless enemy may not be what it appears…
Yeah I think I enjoyed this one a lot more. We get way more plot on the wider war, the aliens, and humanity.
I have to say it doesn't really shine - I wasn't overly gripped or dying to come back to the next book, which feels a shame.
If I forgive the first for setting the scene, and forgive this one for being the middle book. By all my usual theories, the third should be an absolute banger...
I didn't inhale this one like the first volume of the series, this was more like a steady build-up to whatever is going to happen in the next unpublished volume, but more in a get to know the characters, add some new ones (as is often the case, the aliens are most fun, looking forward to seeing more of the giant slug), and the plot thickens. I'm under the impression this is intended to be a trilogy, but seems like there's material here for another Expanse-long series.
The book got a lot more violent and darker with the human interactions and their relationships. Despite this they are slowly climbing up to a notorious status under the Carryx overlords. Interesting journey, and it was great to see and experience more of the lore behind the Carryx and their deathless enemy.
