The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey

The Mercy of Gods is the opening novel of The Captive's War trilogy by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, writing as James S. A. Corey — the duo behind the celebrated Expanse series. Set on a human-settled planet called Anjiin that is conquered by a formidable alien race known as the Carryx, the novel follows bioscientist Dafyd Alkhor and a cohort of researchers forced to survive and serve as prized intellectual captives under their alien rulers. Published in August 2024, the audiobook edition — narrated by Jefferson Mays and released through Recorded Books — runs nearly fifteen hours and has already charted prominently across multiple Audible science fiction categories. This review is based on the book's contents and published reception, not hands-on use or listening.

Reviewed Jul 17, 2026