A series of novels turned into a TV show offers one of the most realistic views of what the colonization of space can really be like.
Why you should read and watch: “The Expanse” imagines a future where human beings have moved into space without growing far beyond today’s often unjust political and economic systems.
How it works: Set in the 24th century, when humanity was able to colonize Mars and part of the asteroid belt, “The Expanse” sees space not as the final frontier, but only as the latest setting for ancient geopolitical struggles – albeit without the “geo.”
- Humans left Earth less because of the spirit of discovery than because their planet became hot and crowded, with the only opportunities for advancement found in the hostile environment of space.
Context: “The Expanse” is an example of “hard sci-fi”, which means that it operates largely under the constraints of science as we know it.
- This means that there are no warp drives, no transporters, and absolutely no strength.
- What definitely exists is gravity, which works almost like a supporting character in “The Expanse”, a factor that always needs to be taken into account.
- Humans who grow up in Mars’ lighter gravity or in the asteroid belt can’t really function on Earth, which contributes to political divisions.
Analog for “Star Trek” fans: The “Deep Space Nine” series from the 1990s.
- But if “Deep Space Nine” was occasionally brave, “The Expanse” is a true Beijing-style sandstorm, with brutal exploitation of workers, war on a planetary scale and very nasty aliens.
Yes but: Still fun!
- In addition, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is such a fan that he allegedly helped save the program from cancellation by transferring it to Amazon Prime in 2019.
- This is a little strange, since Bezos is one of the main defenders of the space settlement, which “The Expanse” largely portrays as a terrible mistake.
The end result: Read the books and watch the show.
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