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Welcome to the Mercy of Pods, a podcast that is normally about The Captive's War by James S.A. Corey, but today we are continuing our coverage of the main Expanse narrative with chapters 15 through 24 of LEVIATHAN WAKES, also by James S.A. Corey. This episode is spoilers for the entire Expansiverse!   

In this episode:

• We finish Act I of the novel as all the pieces come together to send all of our characters to a nice little vacay to Eros Station.
• Jim gets a new ship, a new job, a new boss, and a new crush. 
• Miller, completely out of NOWHERE, is fired from the job that he told everyone a week ago he was too drunk to do.
• Clint gives a legal analysis of whether or not the Rocinante is Legitimate Salvage, with citations to antiquity and relevant international conventions. If you listen to this you owe him his regular hourly rate*. 
• Brigid goes long on the Cervantes references buried in the story and runs down Detective Miller's Grade A detective work.
• There is so much talk about how we should or should not Push The Button.
• One host analyzes the gender politics endemic to book one, and offers a thoughtful critique about the way Jim, Miller, the authors, and men in general think about women in this world and the real one. The other host makes several juvenile chauvinistic jokes. Guess which one does which!
• We compare and contrast the Expanse, the Captive's War, and Andy D's actual canonical favorite book (thanks to Hndlebrrrr on reddit for setting us straight).
•  *this is a joke he is not your lawyer and you cannot pay him

Join us next time when we cover the fourth part of LEVIATHAN WAKES, and everyone is going to win big on Eros. Follow the Mercy of Pods on social media at themercyofpods, or email us at [email protected]. Logo by Matt Howse. Music is Push The Button by Sid Luscious and the Pants. Audio Engineering by QueenCorpseFace. Read Brigid's stuff here.

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Welcome to the Mercy of Pods, a podcast that is normally about The Captive's War by James S.A. Corey, but today we are continuing our coverage of the main Expanse narrative with chapters 6 through 14 of LEVIATHAN WAKES, also by James S.A. Corey. This episode is spoilers for the entire Expansiverse!   

In this episode:

• We spend more time with the Knight crew as they encounter the most terrifying and evil villain in the entire system: a corporate attorney.
• Miller journeys to the bottom of a bottle and back again, deepens his TOTALLY NORMAL interest in Ms. Juliette Mao, and meets a new friend named Andy.
• Holden offers his airtight alibi against accusations he accused Mars of killing the Cant: TECHNICALLY I never said that. Technically.
• Ceres station is devolving into chaos, but the OPA merch shop is still operational.
• Clint jumps at the opportunity to make a bunch of references to his favorite band and hones his Mariner Valley drawl.
• Brigid posits that Amos already knows that he's invincible and gives a rundown on the literary and cultural significance of the chosen names.
• We compare the pace of storytelling between the Expanse and The Captive's War.
• The entire crew (sorry Shed) narrowly escapes the Donnager in one of the most pulse pounding action sequences in the narrative. 
• Don't worry folks, FRED F'N JOHNSON is finally here. 

Join us next time when we cover the third part of LEVIATHAN WAKES, and find out what they're gonna name their new ship (NO SPOILERS JERKS). Follow the Mercy of Pods on social media at themercyofpods, or email us at [email protected]. Logo by Matt Howse. Music is Push The Button by Sid Luscious and the Pants. Audio Engineering by QueenCorpseFace. Read Brigid's stuff here.

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Welcome to the Mercy of Pods, a podcast that is normally about The Captive's War by James S.A. Corey, but today we are beginning our coverage of the main Expanse narrative with the first 6 chapters of LEVIATHAN WAKES, also by James S.A. Corey. This episode is spoilers for the entire Expansiverse!   

In this episode:

• We get introduced to the world of the Expanse with the most heart-pounding prologue chapter in sci-fi. 
• Star Helix Detective Josephus Miller is getting way too old for this shit.
• Jim Holden gets a promotion and - for what is surely the last time - makes some bafflingly stupid decisions.
• Brigid sings the praises of the ping-pong storytelling narrative, especially in a story as plot dense as this one.
• Clint gives a mini lecture on maritime law and draws an extended comparison between the Expanse, A Song of Ice and Fire, and Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan. 
• Both hosts gush about the gorgeous JSAC prose that we get exposed to right away, and do an extended comparison of the mental illnesses of Miller and Amos.
• We detail the minor and sundry differences between the book and the show and pitch the listeners on reading the goddanged Captive's War.

Join us next time when we cover the second part of LEVIATHAN WAKES, and get on the Donnager. Follow the Mercy of Pods on social media at themercyofpods, or email us at [email protected]. Logo by Matt Howse. Music is Push The Button by Sid Luscious and the Pants. Read Brigid's stuff here.

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Welcome to the Mercy of Pods, a podcast that is normally about The Captive's War by James S.A. Corey, but today we are covering The Butcher of Anderson Station, the second chronological novella in the Expanse series, also by James S.A. Corey. This episode is spoilers for the entire Expansiverse!   

In this episode:

• We cover the very important backstory of three of our favorite characters, Fred Johnson, Anderson Dawes, and [MYSTERY CHARACTER TO BE NAMED LATER].
• We give our sure to be controversial fancasts for those characters. 
• Your hosts hone their drama kid chops to dramatize the interaction between Fred and Dawes.
• Brigid defends the ethics and utility of frontier justice.
• Clint compares Fred Johnson to Frank Castle, and sings the praises of uber utilitarian Anderson Dawes.
• Fred's idealism is crushed forever, replaced by a dogged sense of righteous justice.
• Dawes drags Fred through some popular psychology with and without milk.
• The podcast finally gets to compare something from the show to the written work, and debates the strengths and weaknesses of both. 
• Your hosts discuss the similarities between this and the Captive's War, and the Expanse in general. 
• We build rapport. Lots of rapport. 

Join us next time when we cover the very first part of LEVIATHAN WAKES. Follow the Mercy of Pods on social media at themercyofpods, or email us at [email protected]. Logo by Matt Howse. Music is Push The Button by Sid Luscious and the Pants. 

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Welcome to the Mercy of Pods, a podcast that is normally about The Captive's War by James S.A. Corey, but today we are covering Drive, the very first chronological novella in the Expanse series, also by James S.A. Corey. This episode is spoilers for the entire Expansiverse!   

In this episode:

• We meet Solomon Epstein and Caitlin Esquivel, a pair of star-crossed lovers just trying to make it in this crazy world (of Mars).
• Your hosts discuss the Constitutional Moment that the story finds Mars in, not quite ready for independence but too far gone to be reigned in.
• Clint gets to talk about salutary neglect and how big of a dork Voltaire is, while dispensing necessary fashion advice.
• Brigid wonders if Caitlin is in the Heritage Foundation, and also manages to succeed despite the inherent disability of having a liberal arts degree.
• We talk about the essential irony of being killed by your own creation, something that no story in literature has ever explored.
• Drive is compared to the story of Moses in the bible, and your hosts reflect on legacy while facing imminent death. 
• We discuss the timeloop story structure and what it can tell us about the Expanse, The Captive's War, and Livesuit in particular. 

Join us next time when we cover the last prequel Expanse Novella, THE BUTCHER OF ANDERSON STATION. Follow the Mercy of Pods on social media at themercyofpods, or email us at [email protected]. Logo by Matt Howse. Music is Push The Button by Sid Luscious and the Pants. 

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Welcome to the Mercy of Pods, a podcast that is normally about The Captive's War by James S.A. Corey, but today we are covering Auberon, a novella in the Expanse series, also by James S.A. Corey. This episode is spoilers for the entire Expansiverse!   

In this episode:

• We meet everyone's favorite fascists, Biryar and Mona Rittenour, and cover what hijinks ensue when they try to rule over the unruliest planet in the gate network.
• Your hosts pose the question that everyone else is afraid to ask: WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON WITH LACONIAN BASKETBALL???
• Brigid talks themes and symbols, such as fig trees, grass, light and dark, and big reporter naturals.
• Clint gets way too personal about what Erich's final speech means to him, and makes the case for Erich as the Greatest Hero in Science Fiction.
• There is a far ranging discussion about the least subtle metaphor in literature: the fact that the air on Auberon smells like poop. 
• Mona Rittenour and Veronica Deetz are compared with their counterparts from The Captive's War, Tonner and Rickar. 
• We talk about the story's messages of choice, the power of impurity, and moral flexibility. 
• The podcast checks in with Jacob Mundell, who rules and should be in more things.

Join us next time when we cover the very first and fastest story in the Expanse universe, DRIVE. Follow the Mercy of Pods on social media at themercyofpods, or email us at [email protected]. Logo by Matt Howse. Music is Push The Button by Sid Luscious and the Pants. 

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In this TMOP Minisode, Brigid, Clint & special guest Steph discuss the seismic recent news related to The Captive's War series by James S.A. Corey. 

In this minisode: 

• We cover the recent revision to Livesuit which erases the Mina/Mira split from the written canon. RIP Mira, we hardly knew ye. 
• Your hosts shake their collective fist at JSAC and/or their editors for messing with the podcast's theories and requiring us to update the Livesuit timeline.
• The extremely metal title of the next book is revealed (YAY!) and the estimated release date in 2026 is set (boo.)
• Steph declares her love for Llaren Morse.
• Brigid speculates on how deranged the fan theories are going to get by the time the next book comes out.
• Clint gets very textualist about traps, baits, and spies.
• Various dogs bark more than they probably should on this very professional podcast.

Join us next time when we cover the other Expanse novella about your hero Erich, AUBERON. Follow the Mercy of Pods on social media at themercyofpods, or email us at [email protected]. Logo by Matt Howse. Music is Push The Button by Sid Luscious and the Pants. 

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Welcome to the Mercy of Pods, a podcast that is normally about The Captive's War by James S.A. Corey, but today we are covering The Churn, a novella in the Expanse series, also by James S.A. Corey. This episode is spoilers for the entire Expansiverse!   

In this episode:

• We cover the origin story of everyone's favorite babygirl sociopath, Timothy Amos Burton
• Brigid details her affection for Timmy and his amiable smile.
• Clint waives his tiny Erich Rules flag and yammers on about criminal procedure rights. 
• Lydia's choice to stop Timmy from killing Erich is contrasted with her, uh... other activities. 
• We talk about sex, baby. 
• We talk about you and me. 
• We talk about all the good things and the bad things that may be. 
• Also we engage in wild speculation about counterfactuals.

Join us next time when we cover the other Expanse novella about your hero Erich, AUBERON. Follow the Mercy of Pods on social media at themercyofpods, or email us at [email protected]. Logo by Matt Howse. Music is Push The Button by Sid Luscious and the Pants. 

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Welcome to the Mercy of Pods, a podcast about The Captive's War by James S.A. Corey, hosted by Brigid & Clint. Episode 9 is a recap and overview coverage of the ENTIRETY of the published narrative for The Captive's War to date.  

In this episode:

• We talk about the overall themes and symbols of the work, including what does it mean to be human and how much of your humanity are you willing to sacrifice in order to save humanity?
• Brigid talks about the importance of love in this narrative.
• Clint gives a rundown of all the species and classes of Carryxes that we have met so far.
• Your hosts go through their ranking of good theories, not so good theories, bad theories, and those that are 100% correct (Livesuit is a prequel, do not @ us.) 
• We critically evaluate the Trap World Anjiin theory, and discuss how it fits into the overall theme of human conflict.
• The podcast does its first gimmicky top 8 list.
• We answer some of our reader questions and discuss their theories, and in doing so Brigid tells everyone her pen name.
• BOLD predictions are made for plot points in future books.

Join us next time when we start our coverage of the Expanse novellas. Have you heard about the Expanse, folks? Check it out, you might like it. Follow the Mercy of Pods on social media at themercyofpods, or email us at [email protected]. Logo by Matt Howse. Music is Push The Button by Sid Luscious and the Pants. 

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Welcome to the Mercy of Pods, a podcast about The Captive's War by James S.A. Corey, hosted by Brigid & Clint. Episode 8 covers the second and FINAL half of The Captive's War's first novella, LIVESUIT.  

In this episode:

• We watch the futuristic noir crime drama Silent Horses through the eyes of our loveable dingbat Kirin, and we compare it to the Maltese Falcon and Blade Runner. 
• The squad goes on vacay in Liribas and meets several interesting locals while engaging in growth team building exercises that will change their perspectives forever.
• Your hosts pick their TCW kink scene names.
• Brigid notes how short stories are like hot pockets.
• Clint asks the important question on everyone's mind: why don't the Carryx have MOAR GUNZ?
• We refer back to The OFFICIAL Livesuit Timeline by The Mercy of Pods. 
• The team scattered to the wind is a strange look for victory.
• Piotr can't stop flapping his jaw. 
• Kirin has a no good very bad day. 
• The podcast finishes its set of recap episodes of the currently-published narrative of The Captive's War. 

Join us next time when we do a wrap overview of The Captive's War so far! Follow the Mercy of Pods on social media at themercyofpods, or email us at [email protected]. Logo by Matt Howse. Music is Push The Button by Sid Luscious and the Pants. 

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