// The Mercy of Gods Review

The title The Mercy of Gods might not ring a lot of bells for people outside the sci-fi book space, just as the name James S. A. Corey might not. You’ve likely heard of their work, however, from the TV, video game, or comic book adaptations of their other book series, The Expanse.

I’ve seen a couple of seasons of the show, and it was downright fantastic, as I’m sure the books are. But there are six seasons of television and nine novels to get through. That’s just a lot of content for a guy who has trouble playing and reading everything already in his backlogs.

So, when they started up a new trilogy (titled The Captive’s War) with the launch of The Mercy of Gods, it was the perfect chance to get in on the ground floor. No catch-up required.

To describe James S. A. Corey as an author is also not really correct, as it’s the pseudonym that two dudes use to write books together. Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck.

The Mercy of Gods is excellent. It’s a story that’s both grand in scale but feels very personal. By that I mean, it’s about aliens and other worlds, but the real meat of it are the human characters.

// The Premise

The Mercy of Gods follows a group of scientists and researchers who are being celebrated for their breakthrough in the field of biology. You’ll learn a bit about this crew and their dynamics before the invasion happens. The invasion, of course, is aliens.

These intergalactic invaders are so powerful in comparison to humans that it’s akin to a dude stomping out an anthill. But it would be a short book if they arrived and just blew up the planet. Instead, specific humans are rounded up and taken. This includes, of course, most of the cast we have met thus far. They load them onto transports and take them away. Official descriptions of the book describe the plot further than this point, but I think it’s best uncovered for yourself.

It’s easy to picture something splashy and epic like Star Wars or Halo from that description, but it’s not that sort of story at all. It’s grounded in a way that you wouldn’t expect from a story about aliens. The vibe is more akin to a wartime story than a sci-fi story.

That’s not to say you won’t get your science fiction itch scratched by freakazoid aliens and spaceships, but the vibe is just a bit different.

// The Science

One of the things that The Expanse was known for was having good Science behind the Fiction. Daniel Abraham has a degree in biology, and you can really feel that in this book. Of course, there is a lot of science going on. Space travel and aliens inherently have that built in. But the Biology angle is most thoroughly explored, and it’s also the “genre” of science that’s the characters utilize the most.

This is not only because the author has the experience, but it’s because the research working group in the story are experts in the field. They are not physicists, engineers, or all-round super-geniuses.

The working group often turns to biology to try and learn more about how another species might function. They use their observations to try and glean motives from their captors. Without giving anything away, a main pillar of the story revolves around the working group being tasked with solving a biological dilemma. Biology ends up being their way of solving problems in general. They use their knowledge to create chemical weapons and develop medicine, for example.

This is in a stark contrast to other groups of humans in the story, who leverage their own areas of expertise. One group, for example, develops a makeshift firearm.

This angle is not only what allows the main cast to have different strengths or weaknesses when approaching their problems, but it gives the reader a unique perspective from which to view the book. We see what they see. What seems foreign and alien to them is much the same to us. But what they are able to uncover via their areas of expertise create a unique slice of knowledge that we the reader are also able to uncover. 

In addition to this, one of the main protagonists is Dafyd. He was a lab assistant and is much less knowledgeable than the others. Some of the science goes over his head, as it likely will the readers. It through this lens that’s similar to our own that we can learn things in a way that feels more natural, as opposed to exposition or just not explaining things at all.

// The Fiction

I know I’m possibly making The Mercy of Gods sound like a biology textbook, but it’s not. I promise, there is tension and excitement to go along with the lab work.

The invasion sequence that kicks off the main plot line is intense. They really nail the feeling of a world-ending scenario. The gravity (pun intended) of the aliens’ power and technology – which is magnitudes higher than that of the humans – is felt through the characters’ shock, awe, and terror.

There are multiple alien races involved in this story. The primary dominant species and primary antagonists of the story are the Carryx. What their objectives are and how the other species fit into it are explored throughout the book. 

You can tell the lore of this universe and history of the Carryx have been concocted far beyond what we get to see in The Mercy of Gods. The reader is given morsels of information throughout the story. You’ll begin to piece together what you think is a more complete picture alongside the working group.

Much like you get glimpses of the workings and history of all the races in the Halo universe across various games and books, it will take more exploration to paint a full picture.

// The Working Group

Despite the grand scale of this story, a significant portion of “the good stuff” comes to the reader through observation of the humans.

The Mercy of Gods throws a lot of philosophical and anthropological questions at you. Not directly, of course. The book puts people in situations that push them to the absolute limits of their humanity. 

Some people double down on their work as a method of coping, others accentuate aspects of their personality that they can use as a barrier for themselves to hide behind. Some just break down.

For the most part, people have many different reactions. Just as you or I might try different methods of staying sane after being kidnapped by aliens, you see the humans in the story fluctuate day to day. These fluctuations never feel random or performative, and each member of the working group feels like a unique individual.

I was impressed with how well The Mercy of Gods was able to portray these things in a believable way. The authors have clearly done their research. Both into the vast spectrum of ways the human mind can cope with trauma, and the behaviours of people who have been in real forced labour camps throughout history.

// Should You Read This Book

If you are at all a sci-fi fan, then you should definitely read this book. Just know it’s not going to be laser-gun fights and spaceship races through asteroids. It’s a bit more grounded, but still with its fair share of action, intensity, and horror – but at a more personal scale.

There are teases of really grand moments and set pieces. These are made to feel even larger compared to the scope of working group in this story and world. I get the sense that as the trilogy continues, the sense of scale and grandeur will grow along with it.

Even if you aren’t a sci-fi buff, I think there’s stuff here for you. With its themes of exploring the human-spirit, resistance against insurmountable odds, and the grand scope of its lore and history, there’s a lot to sink your teeth into.

And hey, if you like themes like that, be sure to check out our breakdown of the themes in Godzilla Minus One.

In addition to The Mercy of Gods and the other two books in the trilogy, there will be two novellas, one of which has already been released. The second main entry in the series is planned for Fall 2025.

There is also a TV show in the works.

This is the prime time to get in on what could be a grand universe! So get yer reading pants on and grab your library card.