Caliban's War

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your favorite subplot in the book? What scenes did you enjoy most?

2. Who was your favorite character in the book, and why?

3. How would you compare this book to others in The Expanse series, like Leviathan Wakes (the first book) or Babylon’s War, the sixth? What does it have in common with the first book in Corey’s next series, The Mercy of Gods (2024)?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Which character’s struggle did you most identify with or relate to? Share why.

2. Do you agree with the novel’s depiction of the dangers of technology and military experimentation? How do you relate its concerns to the technology you encounter in your own daily life?

3. Did you anticipate any of the plot twists or antagonists? What foreshadowing or hints gave you an idea? When you read, do you try to guess the direction of the plot? Why or why not?

4. Which mode of action did you most relate to: Bobbie’s decisive and straightforward approach, Avasarala’s strategic games, Holden’s ideas about personal sacrifice, or the crew’s example of teamwork? How have you employed each of these approaches to solve the problems you’ve faced? Which was the most effective and why?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. What do you think the book is saying about the dangers of colonization and empire? Does it message resonate with contemporary concerns about the lingering effects of colonial influence?

2. How does the book’s futuristic setting mirror real-life issues, like use of natural resources, food production, overpopulation, medical technology, or the like.

3. In what ways do the power plays between the three civilizations in the solar system reflect or comment on international relations in our world? Which modern countries do Mars, Earth, and the outer belt resemble?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Why does the novel have four narrators? What do their different perspectives add that would be lost with only one narrator? How do their voices become distinct?

2. Compare antagonists Errinwright, Nguyen, Thorsson, and Soren. How do they function as villains? Which characters do they serve as foils for and why?

3. How does the novel use humor? Does this tone complement or dilute the tension and high stakes? Why?

4. Consider how the novel uses description. In an action-heavy piece of genre fiction, what narrative function do these more lyrical passages serve? How do they affect the reading experience?

5. How does the novel balance the more realistic elements of its science fiction setting, such as the logistics of living in space or the effects of access to resources to forms of government, with more magical or fanciful elements like the physics-breaking powers of the protomolecule? What genre conventions do these modes follow? Which do they subvert?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Watch the TV series The Expanse and compare how the film version imagines the characters and adapts events.

2. If you were to write a spin-off, which characters’ stories would you want to tell? Side characters from the book? Ones who live or work in places mentioned in the series?

3. Where do you think the protomolecule comes from? Imagining what kind of civilization invented it and for what purpose.

4. Write the scene where Holden’s parents meet Naomi. How do they react to the way she either fits or break their preconceptions? How does she perceive them?

5. Draw or construct a model of the Rocinante, explaining how your design and furnishings of the different spaces reflect its crew.