I often say to people that The Expanse books by James S.A. Corey is more of a political drama that happens to be set in outer space. There are murder investigations and conspiracies, and the sci-fi element just helps to make it different from the usual political dramas and add another layer of friction and fear.
Once you’ve made your way through the book series — and what an epic series it is — you’ll want to find something else to check out. There's always the TV show, available to stream on Prime Video, but maybe you want to stick to the written word. You need the same mixture of sci-fi story and political thrilling, a story that explores the lives of different types of people living in different parts of the universe.
We have you covered with four great suggestions. Let's get reading!
The Praxis by Walter Jon William
The Praxis is the first book in Walter Jon Williams’ Dread Empire’s Fall trilogy. It brings the outer space adventure element, but also focuses on the constant changes in complex cultures with their own unique political systems.
For millennia, the Shaa has ruled over an interplanetary civilization. As their empire starts to fray and fall, the Naxid decides that its their time to shine. The Naxid are a warlike race that wants to be the masters of the galaxy, but one human makes that difficult by fighting for freedom.
There are new worlds and people to explore within this trilogy. Let’s face it: the idea of different cultures and how civilizations developed was something that drew you into The Expanse. Let it draw you in again.
Behind the Throne by K.B. Wagers
If it’s the political intrigue that you love the most about The Expanse, with the Earthlings in conflict with the Martians in conflict with the Belters, then it’s Behind the Throne by K.B. Wagers that you’ll want to read next. It brings the same political intrigue while also adding an element of risk and reward due to the bounty hunting and murder investigations mixed into the plot.
This story follows Hail Bristol, a woman who is known as one of the best smugglers in the galaxy. Of course, that means bounty hunters are after her, but it’s not actually for her smuggling ways. Hail is the heir to the Indranan Empire, and the Empress is ready to get her daughter back. Hail may be willing to go back, but it’s not because of her mother’s request or the bounty hunters after her; she wants to find out who murdered her sisters.
This is one of those stories that offers a mixture of humor and drama, which The Expanse was well-known for. This is also the first book in a trilogy, so you get to continue Hail’s story for a while.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
While The Expanse is a political drama that happens to be set in space, Red Rising is more of a survival story that happens to be set in space. Humanity has expanded into the solar system, and each person within society it labelled with a particular color. Gold is the color of the elite, while the Reds labor away.
Darrow is a lowly Red on Mars who finds himself pulled into the resistance set up to take down the Golds. This resistance is known as the Sons of Ares, named for the God of War, and Darrow is able to turn the flailing resisters into an army that puts the Golds on the back foot.
If you’re looking for a similar type of character to James Holden in The Expanse, you’ve got it with Darrow. He wasn’t originally focused on being a leader, but he has a natural ability and he wants to do what is right, although that doesn’t mean he’ll get it all perfect!
Wool by Hugh Howey
When we think sci-fi, we immediately think of outer space, right? Well, not all sci-fi is up in the air. Science fiction can also involve the development of technology here on Earth, which is something the Wool trilogy explores. You may not have heard of this book trilogy, but you may have heard of the Apple TV+ show based on it: Silo.
This series features some of the same political discord as The Expanse, but it’s set under the ground rather than in space. We see oppression, a communist system at work, and a conspiracy raveled into a story with heart and drama. At the heart of it all is the importance of survival, which is all Holden and his group want in The Expanse.
The first book, like the TV show, focuses heavily on an engineer-turned-sheriff named Juliette. The second book focuses a lot on the creation of the Silos, the underground facilities where Juliette and everyone else in this world live. Suddenly, a lot more falls into place to help you understand the world where she lives. You’ve got three books to work through, and then if you haven’t checked it out, I highly recommend Silo on Apple TV+.
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