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Quick answer: If you loved Leviathan Wakes, try Caliban's War, Red Rising, The Martian, Project Hail Mary, Children of Time and Revelation Space. Each one offers realistic space travel, solar system politics and a gripping mystery or war.
The first Expanse novel, written by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck under the pen name James S. A. Corey, follows Jim Holden, the executive officer of an ice-hauling ship, and Miller, a weary detective on the asteroid Ceres. When Holden's crew finds a derelict ship and Miller is hired to find a missing girl, their paths cross in a conspiracy that threatens the entire solar system. Readers love its grounded science, noir mystery and political tension. These books share the same mix of space opera and realism.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caliban's War | James S. A. Corey | Space opera | readers continuing the Expanse |
| Red Rising | Pierce Brown | Science fiction | readers who like rebellion in space |
| The Martian | Andy Weir | Science fiction | readers who like realistic science |
| Project Hail Mary | Andy Weir | Science fiction | readers who like problem-solving |
| Children of Time | Adrian Tchaikovsky | Science fiction | readers who like alien life |
| Revelation Space | Alastair Reynolds | Space opera | readers who like dark, hard SF |
| A Memory Called Empire | Arkady Martine | Space opera | readers who like politics |
| Old Man's War | John Scalzi | Military SF | readers who like humor with action |
| Hyperion | Dan Simmons | Science fiction | readers who like epic SF |
| Dune | Frank Herbert | Science fiction | readers who like politics and ecology |
| Seveneves | Neal Stephenson | Science fiction | readers who like big disasters |
| Leviathan Falls | James S. A. Corey | Space opera | readers who want the conclusion |
| The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet | Becky Chambers | Space opera | readers who like found family |
| Rendezvous with Rama | Arthur C. Clarke | Classic science fiction | readers who like mysterious alien objects |
| Ender's Game | Orson Scott Card | Science fiction | readers who like military strategy |
1. Caliban's War by James S. A. Corey
A mysterious creature attacks soldiers on Ganymede, and the solar system edges toward war.
Best for: readers continuing the Expanse.
2. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
A miner on Mars infiltrates the ruling elite.
Best for: readers who like rebellion in space.
3. The Martian by Andy Weir
An astronaut stranded on Mars uses science to survive.
Best for: readers who like realistic science.
4. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
A lone astronaut wakes up with no memory on a mission to save Earth.
Best for: readers who like problem-solving.
5. Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
The last humans meet a planet of evolving spiders.
Best for: readers who like alien life.
6. Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds
An archaeologist investigates the extinction of an alien race.
Best for: readers who like dark, hard SF.
7. A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
An ambassador investigates her predecessor's death in a galactic empire.
Best for: readers who like politics.
8. Old Man's War by John Scalzi
Seventy-five-year-olds are given new bodies to fight in space.
Best for: readers who like humor with action.
9. Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Seven pilgrims share their stories on a journey.
Best for: readers who like epic SF.
10. Dune by Frank Herbert
A noble family takes control of a desert planet.
Best for: readers who like politics and ecology.
11. Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
The Moon explodes, and humanity races to survive in orbit.
Best for: readers who like big disasters.
12. Leviathan Falls by James S. A. Corey
The final Expanse novel brings the series to an end.
Best for: readers who want the conclusion.
13. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
A ship crew tunnels hyperspace gates across the galaxy.
Best for: readers who like found family.
14. Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
A mysterious alien spacecraft enters the solar system.
Best for: readers who like mysterious alien objects.
15. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
A boy genius trains to lead humanity's fleet.
Best for: readers who like military strategy.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Leviathan Wakes: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
How to Choose
Continue with Caliban's War and the rest of the nine Expanse novels. For realistic science and survival, choose The Martian or Project Hail Mary. If you want political space opera, try A Memory Called Empire or Dune. Readers who enjoyed the protomolecule mystery should read Rendezvous with Rama or Children of Time. For a gentler, character-driven ship crew, pick The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. If you liked Miller's noir investigation, Revelation Space has the same dark tone, and Seveneves offers the same attention to how real people would survive in orbit.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many Expanse books are there?
There are nine main novels plus several novellas.
Is Leviathan Wakes hard science fiction?
It is grounded in realistic physics, but it is easy to read and focused on characters.
Is there a TV series?
Yes. The Expanse ran for six seasons, starting on Syfy and moving to Amazon Prime Video.
Who is James S. A. Corey?
It is the pen name of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck.
Is Leviathan Wakes violent?
It includes violence and body horror related to the protomolecule.
Do I need to read the novellas?
No, but they add background to characters and events.