Cibola Burn

Since the events of Leviathan Wakes the protomolecule has opened up a thousand new worlds to human exploration. The different powers of the Solar System all have a different idea on how they should be explored. One such world, whose name varies, orbits a star far from Earth. The UN claims to administrate it, but refugees from the upheaval in the Solar System have already established a colony. With a UN chartered company trying to enforce claim over the planet and the OPA having a stake in the outcome, each side calls on the one man who might be able to make the difference and mediate the conflict, James Holden.

This world though hides many secrets. It's an unfamiliar planet whose very nature just might be hostile to human life. The Rocinante once again rides into danger in Cibola Burn.

From wikipedia

In the fourth book of the Expanse we finally ride out of the Solar System proper for some interstellar adventure. An alien sun shines above alien soil as the problems of how we legislate the first true extra-solar colony are ironed out. Who has the rights? The "squatters" who got there first, or the charter that the UN has given some corporation to survey and mine that world's resources? It's actually a rather poignant take on the problems of colonialism, the use of force to achieve ends, and how in the face of the truly alien, humanity would be far better coming together.

However, as is so often the case, petty tribalism, jurisdiction, and plain old fashioned racism make things worse.

On the planet Ilus (or New Terra) there are two distinct factions. The first are the colonists (or squatters) that settled after the events of the war in the Solar system which started over the course of the first book. On an old freighter and desperate for survival, they've pinned everything on running to the new star system to make a new life. Opposing them is a survey team from Royal Charter Energy, originally a purely scientific mission, it is meant to claim the planet under a UN mandate. Things quickly go awry.

Basia Merton is a refugee from Ganymede briefly met in Caliban's War who just wants a new life for his family. He may have to use violence to achieve that end. Elvi Okoye, an exozoological specialist from Earth, here to study a new planet. Finally, an old side character, one Dmitri Havelock, finds himself in his old role providing security, but now he has to choose between the contract and his morality.

Before I had gotten properly into the Expanse, I heard, extremely erroneously, that it was based on the old show Firefly. The series was far too centralized in the politics of oppression, great power problems, and the nefarious actions of corporate entities. There really wasn't anything resembling a space western in the series at all. However, Cibola Burn is arguably one of the best done space westerns ever produced. With numerous allusions to the frontier, the idea of the edge of civilization, and how we bring our society past the "settled" core.

It creates a complex swirl of ideas of ownership, war, tribalism, colonization and "who owns the land" all play a big part in this story. On a world not truly natural, it also explores man against a truly alien frontier. We haven't been exposed to this planet's creatures before. That becomes an increasingly apparent problem for both humans and animals,

As usual, the series explores concepts of identity to a group, race, and morality. It's a fabulous look at what people do on the edge. I found myself sympathizing with both sides of the conflict, even though there's absolute villains on each side. It made for an interesting example of looking at each side and trying to portray the escalations as responses to something another character has to justify for themselves. 

Finally, we get some further insight into the designers of the protomolecule and their ancient civilization. It's far to intriguing to spoil so I sincerely recommend reading it for yourself!

This is an amazing fourth installment in the series, carrying the Rocinante beyond Sol and into a new world. We get a setting we aren't used to in this series and see an entirely alien planet for the first time. There's deepening mystery, high stakes, and as always, well set up surprises that you don't see coming! The Expanse continues to entice and entertain.