The popular sci-fi show The Expanse is currently available to stream for free, offering a great entry point for new viewers and a welcome return for existing fans.
Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, writing as James S. A. Corey, dedicated the last ten years to creating The Expanse – a sprawling science fiction series that includes nine novels, nine shorter stories, and a successful six-season TV show originally on Syfy and later on Amazon Prime. Now, they’re starting fresh with a completely new story in a different universe.
I’m so excited about the Captive’s War books by Abraham and Franck! They started this year with The Mercy of Gods, which was a huge hit and became a New York Times bestseller. Now the second book, The Faith of Beasts, is out today, April 14th, and you can even read the first chapter for free over at Polygon! Plus, I heard Amazon is already working on adapting the whole series, which is amazing!
If you’re new to the series, don’t start with the first chapter of The Faith of Beasts – it reveals key plot points from The Mercy of Gods. Instead, begin with the very first chapter of The Mercy of Gods, which you can read now on Polygon. You can purchase The Faith of Beasts from Amazon, the Orbit Books website, Bookshop.org, and most other bookstores.
The Mercy of Gods begins with a dramatic alien invasion where humanity is quickly overwhelmed. The Carryx, a powerful species that enslaves civilizations they find valuable and destroys those they don’t, take over the human world of Anjiin. As a display of their power, they instantly wipe out a large part of the population.
A scientific team, close to a significant discovery, is brought to a massive, palace-like structure belonging to the Carryx – a race of beings who have gathered representatives from across the galaxy. The scientists, including Dafyd Alkhor, Tonner Freis, and Jessyn Kaul, are compelled to work for the Carryx, and quickly realize they must demonstrate humanity’s worth to avoid being wiped out.
The first book explores the aftermath of Anjiin’s capture, how different characters cope with being held captive, and the shocking discovery that one of the kidnapped scientists has been fundamentally changed. The story primarily centers on Dafyd’s attempt to understand the beliefs and culture of the Carryx in hopes of saving humanity. You can begin reading the next installment, The Faith of Beasts, with the first chapter provided below.
Anjiin was once the home of 4.5 billion people. When the Carryx left, they brought about 4,000 of those people with them to work at the world-palace.
About 14% of the travelers died during the journey or shortly after arriving due to sickness or accidents. Once the empire deemed them worthy, the groups – and even individuals who had become separated – were reunited, like a family lost and then found. However, nearly 500 people were excluded and sent on assignments known only to the Carryx.
Their new living space felt like one enormous building designed for a community, and it was both more genuine and noticeably different. Carryx was beginning to understand humans better. Small improvements made life more comfortable – for example, bathrooms now had dispensers for the cleaning gel instead of automatically starting every shower with it. The space also addressed personal care routines like haircuts, shaving, nail trimming, and menstruation, making even the less pleasant aspects of human life a little more respectful.
The tunnels had broadened, their walls gently sloping inward, and a strong, resinous, salty smell filled the air. This scent became so pervasive that people stopped noticing it, except when they returned from elsewhere in the palace or from the small garden on top. The garden offered a cool, high-altitude breeze and a stunning view.
Two massive, curved structures loomed on the eastern horizon, rising from the planet’s surface and extending beyond the atmosphere. Lights twinkled along their sides – perhaps for decoration, some practical purpose, or simply reflecting from countless windows. Beneath them, darker shapes of other towering ziggurats emerged from the clouds, stretching as far as the eye could see.
The garden wasn’t as large as the courtyard outside Dafyd’s old apartment, but it felt incredibly luxurious to him. It contained a single tree with dark, textured bark and thick leaves, a patch of wild mint, and a waist-high fountain made of dark metal and light stone. The fountain’s gently flowing water created a quiet, murmuring sound, and Dafyd was surprised by how much comfort he found in such a simple space.
The strange little Sinen, with features resembling both a goat and a cuttlefish, finished speaking, leaving the man with a throbbing headache. He pressed his thumbs against his eyes, hoping to ease the pain, but it didn’t help. He then heard Jellit climbing the stairs and didn’t bother to look up.
“Something wrong?” the other man asked.
“Another summons from my lord and master,” Dafyd said. “Ekur wants to talk about something.”
“More alterations in our duties and responsibilities?”
Dafyd stood up and said, “I’ll figure it out when I arrive.” He then asked, “Is there anything I need to know about the visualization lab before I go?”
“Just what’s in the report,” Jellit replied, holding back from elaborating. Dafyd then descended the broad staircase into the main part of the building, leaving Jellit behind. The Sinen employee trailed after him.
Let me tell you, things have really fallen apart. Campar, Rickar, and Jessyn are off on some secret assignment for the Carryx – thankfully, as far as I know, they’re still breathing. But Nöl, Synnia, Else, and Irinna… they didn’t make it. Looking around, all that’s left of the old crew from Anjiin is Tonner, who can’t stand me, and Jellit. Surprisingly, Jellit went from being someone I distrusted to my partner in uncovering the human revolt against the Carryx. And now, we’re all bonded by the terrible things we’ve had to do – we’ve all got blood on our hands.
To those unfamiliar with him, Dafyd was the representative of the Carryx. He was the go-to person for anything the people needed and relayed requests to the empire. Essentially, he acted as a mediator between his community and those they considered godlike rulers.
He entered his room, which was cluttered with stacks of papers and notes. These contained records of every person on Earth – who they were before the Carryx invasion, and what their current lives, desires, and needs were. He gathered about six pages of notes he had already compiled.
The report he needed most was still missing. Of course it was.
Dafyd told the Sinen overseer he needed to check the labs. He was expecting an update from Tonner, but it hadn’t arrived.
I was completely captivated by the scene. He had this little device around his neck, and it made these strange, gurgling sounds, almost like a cough. Then, this other being – the Sinen, I think they called it – responded with a delicate chime and a soft exhale. When the device finally spoke, it was in this totally flat, emotionless tone. It just said, ‘If you do, you do.’ It was so weird and intriguing!
It wasn’t a request, more like a warning. He felt a tight pressure at his temples, as if wearing an unseen crown, as he returned to the hallway and continued walking.
As the human team arrived, a flood of advanced equipment and supplies came with them, leaving behind everything they were used to. The new labs were filled with the best technology from the Carryx empire—the brilliant creations and discoveries of countless species. Dafyd thought the machines resembled a strange collection from a tide pool, carefully arranged by a child. Some were unsettling, others were stunning, and a few were simply impossible to understand.
Tonner’s new assistant, a tall, slender man named Brun with dark hair and a very noticeable Adam’s apple, had once led a thriving chemical cooperative on the planet Anjiin. Now, he stood with several members of Tonner’s team, examining a massive, segmented creature that resembled the shell of a giant crayfish. When Brun spotted Dafyd, his face brightened.
“It’s a static centrifuge,” the tall man said with a grin. “Can you beat that?”
Where’s Tonner? was in the front of Dafyd’s mind, but A static what? came out of his mouth.
“I get it,” Brun said. “You just tell the ship what speed you want and for how long, and it creates the necessary force without making you feel dizzy. I have no idea how it works, but this gravity control is incredible – unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It’s really something special.”
“Where’s Tonner?”
“The legacy labs,” Brun said. “He said he’d be back after midday, but you know how he gets.”
Dafyd turned toward the common areas, the Sinen at his heels. He walked a little faster.
When Dafyd first arrived, the cathedral was a bewildering and frightening place, filled with strange creatures that felt incredibly powerful. The sheer alienness of it all had been overwhelming. Now, he walked past bizarre, crab-like animals the size of dogs without a second thought. Tiny, glowing blue insects filled the air, and he instinctively held his breath to avoid inhaling one. The Phylarchs of Astrdeim, with their luminous eyes and creaking movements, passed by like familiar city buses. Above, the Eddentic of Lof swirled, while the Oumenti and Soun clicked and chattered below. Each creature had its role in this new world, serving some purpose for their unseen masters. Dafyd no longer bothered trying to understand what that purpose was. His mind had built defenses, automatically filtering out information he deemed unnecessary, protecting him from being overwhelmed.
He carefully made his way across the large town square they both used and headed for the wall where the lab extension – taken from the Night Drinkers – was located. He remembered the small hallway with its tall slate bench and familiar equipment. The glass containers that once held the berries and the strange, turtle-like creatures were now empty. That experiment was finished, and new ones had already begun.
Anjiin’s actions had deeply affected Tonner Freis, far beyond just physical harm. He’d once been the planet’s most respected researcher, his youthful energy highlighted by his prematurely graying hair. Now, his face held a grimness that wasn’t due to age, but looked like it. He rested against a worn-out protein analyzer, his almost-healed broken arm twitching as his fingers searched for something to grasp. When he saw Dafyd, he simply shook his head.
Tonner didn’t bother with a greeting, immediately stating, “These new lab machines are a mistake.” He insisted they needed to focus on actual work, not waste months learning how to operate unfamiliar equipment. He argued that experience and established knowledge were valuable and shouldn’t be discarded simply because management had decided to introduce new, flashy tools.
The device on the Sinen’s chest repeated Tonner’s words. Dafyd jumped, then quickly gestured for Tonner to relax. It’s listening. Please stay calm. “I didn’t make that choice.”
“I thought it was all your decision,” Tonner spat back at him. “Aren’t you the boss around here?”
“You know I’m not,” Dafyd said.
Tonner quickly looked back at the Sinen, who was hanging around behind them, and gave a small, mocking smile. “If you insist,” he said.
“I’ve been called in to the librarian. I need your report.”
“I don’t have it,” Tonner said, then, noticing Dafyd’s look, explained that his whole team was gone. He was in the process of training new people, but unlike his previous team, these new hires weren’t easily directed. He described how Brun had effectively run things independently, Addira was a seasoned researcher with twenty years of experience, and Abfoss was nearing retirement anyway. Tonner felt everyone thought they knew best and wouldn’t simply follow instructions. “I had a good team. I had people,” he said, his voice breaking on the last word before he paused to compose himself. “So, yes, please tell those in charge that I’m working as fast as I can. Sometimes, actually doing the work is more important than constantly writing updates about it.”
“Can you just tell me about where things stand? Just verbally.”
Tonner shrugged as the protein assay signaled it was moving into the next stage. He glanced over his shoulder, looking utterly drained.
Expanding our food production will require us to double our current hydroponic system – that includes everything from the growing tanks and lights to the water filters and nutrients. We’re hopeful we can modify the small-scale berry farm technology to work for a wider range of crops, which will handle lower-volume needs. It will likely take me several months to train enough people to perform the protein analysis, and that’s probably the most valuable skill we can teach them.
His shrug meant What the hell do you want from me?
“So. Double the hydroponics,” Dafyd said.
“Go ahead,” Tonner replied. He began to turn, then stopped and asked, “Have you had any news from them?”
Them. Jessyn, Rickar, Campar. The only ones left.
“No,” Dafyd said. “Not yet.”
I watched Ekur-Tkalal shift its body, a strange movement on those delicate legs, while I finished up my report. Thankfully, it kept its huge, black and red arms firmly planted on the floor – that was the sign it wasn’t going to kill me right then. Its four eyes were all over the place, like it was thinking four different things at once. And those mantis-like arms inside its chest were unfolding, playing with these glowing lights that I couldn’t even figure out where they came from. It kept making these little chirps and gurgles, almost like it was talking to itself, but it wasn’t saying anything to me. What was new, and honestly a little creepy, was that the Sinen who’d called me here was still in the room with us. It just felt… ominous.
Dafyd waited while the Carryx completed its task. He was in what he considered the keeper-librarian’s office – a small room where he could hear other Carryx singing in the hallways. After adjusting the glowing objects one last time, Ekur began to speak.
The creature’s natural voice sounded like birdsong, but it was deeper, slower, and carried a sense of menace. The voice originating from its fragmented consciousness was simply human, lacking any distinct characteristics. Any impression of disdain it gave might have been due to Dafyd’s own biases.
The empire is interested in your work helping animals provide food for other creatures, and in your imaging and gravimetric lensing research. We want you to focus only on these two areas. All other activities you’re currently doing are considered unproductive and will be discontinued. Please restructure your team and resources to prioritize these useful endeavors.
“I understand,” Dafyd said. “We will.”
“Also, I have no use for animal scratchings. You will submit your reports in proper archival form.”
Dafyd knelt, pressing his palms flat against the floor, and said, “I don’t know how to do that.”
Ekur-Tkalal indicated the Sinen with a feeding appendage, saying, “The Sovran has taken an interest in your group. You’re going to be needed for larger tasks within the empire, so expect to be assigned to missions across countless worlds.”
“Ah. There are only about three thousand of us here,” Dafyd said.
The Carryx adjusted its position, then focused three of its eyes on Dafyd. “You don’t have enough people to sustain yourselves in the future.”
“Will you bring more from Anjiin? Are there other people coming — ”
As a film buff, I always interpret that line as chillingly pragmatic. Basically, it’s saying ‘you need to reproduce and provide citizens for the empire, or you’re worthless and will be eliminated.’ It’s a brutally honest statement about population control – survival of the fittest, but enforced by a powerful regime. It’s not about kindness or compassion; it’s purely about maintaining the empire’s strength through numbers, and discarding anything that doesn’t contribute. It really highlights the cold, calculating nature of the power structure in that world.
The air had gone thin. Dafyd tried to catch his breath. “I don’t know… I mean…”
Look, if you’re hoping this film will resonate with a younger audience, don’t be shy about asking for features that cater to them. Honestly, as long as those requests aren’t too demanding, I’m pretty confident the filmmakers will deliver. They seem open to making it happen if it’s reasonable.
Dafyd observed that children take a considerable amount of time to mature. He noted they develop gradually and require education to do so.
“I understand,” Ekur-Tkalal replied. “The Sovran’s plans stretch across vast stretches of time. Start immediately. Prepare them for when we need them.”
He wondered what would happen if they refused. But he already knew the answer – it was the same old story: either find a solution, or everyone would die.
“I understand,” he said. And the hell of it was, he did.
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2026-04-15 20:26