Best James S.A. Corey Books

The best books by James S.A. Corey — 13 titles spanning Sci-Fi, averaging 4.39 BLT stars.

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James S.A. Corey — the pen name of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck — wrote The Expanse as if they wanted to prove that hard science fiction didn't have to sacrifice character or momentum. Leviathan Wakes opens with a mystery and a solar system on the brink, and it never really lets go. The prose is clean and propulsive, the physics is taken seriously without becoming a lecture, and the politics — faction against faction, planet against belt against Earth — feel genuinely earned rather than decorative. What sets The Expanse apart is its scale: Abaddon's Gate and Nemesis Games expand the stakes without losing track of the handful of crew members at the center. Readers who want space opera with ideological weight, morally complicated factions, and a plot that actually pays off its setup will find Corey one of the genre's most satisfying long-game writers.

James S.A. Corey's highest-rated book in our collection is Tiamat's Wrath (4.79 BLT stars). Browse the full list below.

Where to Start with James S.A. Corey

  1. 1
    Tiamat's Wrath cover

    Tiamat's Wrath

    The Expanse • Book 8

    by James S.A. Corey

    4.79 BLT Score (83.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.57 Goodreads (83.1K)
  2. 2
    Caliban's War cover

    Caliban's War

    The Expanse • Book 2

    by James S. A. Corey

    4.72 BLT Score (185.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.39 Goodreads (185.8K)
  3. 3
    Nemesis Games cover

    Nemesis Games

    The Expanse • Book 5

    by James S.A. Corey

    4.69 BLT Score (116.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.45 Goodreads (116.9K)
  4. 4
    Leviathan Wakes cover

    Leviathan Wakes

    The Expanse • Book 1

    by James S. A. Corey

    4.63 BLT Score (324.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.31 Goodreads (324.2K)
  5. 5
    Persepolis Rising cover

    Persepolis Rising

    The Expanse • Book 7

    by James S.A. Corey

    4.63 BLT Score (88.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.38 Goodreads (88.5K)
  6. 6
    Abaddon's Gate cover

    Abaddon's Gate

    The Expanse • Book 3

    by James S. A. Corey

    4.61 BLT Score (156.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.28 Goodreads (156.9K)
  7. 7
    Babylon’s Ashes cover

    Babylon’s Ashes

    The Expanse • Book 6

    by James S.A. Corey

    4.54 BLT Score (100.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.26 Goodreads (100.4K)
  8. 8
    Cibola Burn cover

    Cibola Burn

    The Expanse • Book 4

    by James S.A. Corey

    4.51 BLT Score (129.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.23 Goodreads (129.8K)
  9. 9
    The Mercy of Gods cover

    The Mercy of Gods

    The Captive's War • Book 1

    by James S.A. Corey

    4.26 BLT Score (38.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.16 Goodreads (38.5K)
  10. 10
    Calibans Krieg cover

    Calibans Krieg

    The Expanse • Book 2

    by James S.A. Corey

    4.03 BLT Score (185.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.39 Goodreads (185.8K)
  11. 11
    Abaddon's Gate. La fuga cover

    Abaddon's Gate. La fuga

    The Expanse • Book 3

    by James S.A. Corey, Stefano Andrea Cresti

    4.01 BLT Score (156.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.28 Goodreads (156.9K)
  12. 12
    Gods of Risk cover

    Gods of Risk

    The Expanse • Book 2

    by James S. A. Corey

    3.98 BLT Score (26.1K ratings)
    ★ 3.74 Goodreads (26.1K)
  13. 13
    Caliban - La guerra cover

    Caliban - La guerra

    The Expanse • Book 2

    by James S. A. Corey

    3.65 BLT Score (0 ratings)

How We Rank Audiobooks

Rankings are driven by listener ratings and review counts from Audible and Goodreads. Books with high ratings across a large number of listeners rank higher — a 4.5 with 50,000 ratings says more than a 4.8 with 200.

Unlike most book lists, we weight audiobook-specific factors: narrator performance, production quality, and how well a story translates to audio. A great book with a poor narration isn't a great audiobook.

We don't accept paid placements or prioritize new releases. These rankings reflect what listeners actually enjoy, not what's being promoted.

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