I had enjoyed the previous two books in this series and was so glad I was able to continue this series. It had the elements that I was looking for from the world and characters. It had the charm that I enjoyed from Lindsay Ellis' writing and thought this story was a great continuation. It had the elements that I enjoyed and left me wanting more from Lindsay Ellis.

Between you and me I am never quite sure where this series is going to go when I pick up one of the book, I lock in for an experience and hope for the best. In this installment we obviously have to spend some time with characters processing the character death that was at the end of the second book, something that gutted me more than I thought was going to happen. That's not the only thing going on though. We have to deal with the fact that Ampersand and Co definitely aren't the only aliens in the universe, but they also aren't the only aliens on Earth and what those implications have for our characters. Once again Ellis does a really good job balancing the human characters and their alien counterparts; interjecting the political backdrop of the mid aughts that is the setting. What we're building toward in terms of a series plot still feels mostly nebulous in favor of zeroing in on the questions that this specific book wants to answer. It's something that I think works, not only for this book, but the series overall. Like really good TV it has the sense of telling a contained story that will ultimately benefit the overall season arc. It's also just very refreshing to have a science fiction series that is so grounded on Earth and the characters having to wrestle with the issues they face with resources that feel relatable in an era that still feels close but also has a thin veneer of nostalgia.

As soon as I got the notification I had received this book, I dove straight into a reread of Axiom's End and Truth of the Divine so I could fully immerse myself in this new installment of Superorganism dread. Ellis's writing truly showcases the intense nuances that Cora & co. have to deal with when dealing with the aliens and the existential questions they pose. I found myself just as engrossed in Book 3 as I was in 1 and 2, and there was a pivotal moment that hit me straight in the gut and that I never saw coming. It's safe to say after this book, I will read whatever else Lindsay Ellis puts out into the universe! Thank to to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the previous books in this series and while I still greatly enjoy the writing, I didn't love this one. To be fair, I thought this was going to be the series conclusion, so when nothing was getting resolved, I was a little miffed. I like Cora but I don't get why everyone falls in love with her. Overall, something was missing in this novel. Excitement? Character development? Energy? Not sure.

While I enjoyed the earlier books of this series, I found that this third book lost me somewhat. I felt like I was being "told" instead of "shown" a lot of the inner workings of the story. So many characters and motivations that the plot became, I felt, too sprawling and lost its momentum as we keep jumping from person-to-person, plot-to-plot etc.

I was extremely excited to receive an ARC for this title, so thank you NetGalley! And I'm pleased to say, I enjoyed it a lot more than I did the previous title in the series. This book really made me feel like it achieved the perfect balance in Ellis's writing: the polished prose of Truth of the Divine with the more balanced plot structure of Axiom's End.

Ampersand has returned as a more prominent figure this time around, which brings it back to the alien romance that spoke to me in the first novel. As much as he can be a frustrating figure to observe. Also, it's been great to see Cora build up more agency in her personal and political life. I was really excited leading up to this entry, wondering how Cora would evolve after her decision too leave humanity behind, and I'm enjoying the journey so far.

This book introduces some plot elements that were alluded to in previous entries but that I was NOT expecting to manifest in this way, so that was a fun surprise. This book is more action orientated than previous entries, and I'm loving that Cora is now more capable of participating in these things. I really want to see where she goes from here.

I'm extremely eager for the next entry, whenever it comes about.

When Netgalley emailed me to offer me an ebook ARC I was both elated and a little annoyed that they had foiled my plans to re-read the first two books before starting this one. I must plan better for next time. I thank them wholeheartedly for the opportunity to read this early.

Lindsay Ellis has once again crafted a novel that encompasses the breadth of people's (very pointedly not referring only to "human" here) emotions when faced with desperate situations. The myriad reactions to fear, the things we will do to save ourselves and those we love, the urges to be cruel or compassionate in the face of impending doom, and how there are always choices.

There is infinite nuance in how Ellis writes her characters. It makes one wonder what one would do in those circumstances, between a rock and a hard place. The times when we would choose cruelty over mercy. It's easiest to imagine oneself as noble and self-sacrificing, but I know how irritable I am when I haven't slept well, so I cannot possibly imagine being my very best self when faced with horrific existential quandaries. I hope never to find out. Some of these characters are irredeemable, and it comes down to their own choices when the only unforgivable sin is protracted callous self-interest.

I believe we are, slowly but surely, societally moving away from finding earnest hope and love as a way to move forward naïve. Ellis very carefully steps away from nebulous revolutions as a solution to anything and advocates for slow, steady changes in policy as the only way to fix any problems we are dealing with. The solution is not blowing up the Bad Guys because there are fundamentally no collective Bad Guys. There are individuals who make choices. American imperialist politics and the military are scrutinised from within.

And then there's the romance. How the characters love each other is incredibly compelling. I can't go into any detail without spoiling things, but one of the most touching scenes in the book is one I did not expect at all. I simply can't wait to read what Ellis publishes next.

In Apostles of Mercy we continue the story of Cora and the alien Ampersand. I don’t want to give too much away for anyone who hasn’t read the first two books, so I’ll be a little vague in the synopsis. Cora is still acting as interpreter for Ampersand due to their connection, and many of Earth’s nations have offered legal personhood to the amygdalines. Things aren’t all rosy though – there’s still anti-alien sentiment, the worry about the Superorganism and their response to humanity, and now another group of aliens that Ampersand considers enemies. In the midst of this, Cora also begins to question her own connection to Ampersand and what it means for her and her future.

Both of the previous books in this series were 5 star reads to me, so I expected something similar from this book. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this one nearly as much. In terms of personal enjoyment I’d give it 2 stars, but I also can’t deny that Lindsay Ellis is a fantastic writer. The depth of the characters, the prose, everything about her writing itself is masterful, so I’m bumping it up to 3 stars on those merits.

A lot of people are really going to enjoy this book, and there IS a great deal here to enjoy. The characters feel like real people with real and believable motivations, even the ones that are absolute jerks. (I’m looking at you, Sol.) The story has a broad view which I appreciate; it doesn’t focus only on Cora and Ampersand, but considers the broader impact of first contact on global politics, and the internal dynamics of the alien group itself.

Where this fell apart for me was the relationship between Cora and Ampersand. It didn’t bother me so much in the first two books, but here the uneven power dynamics began to really make me uncomfortable. That’s not because of bad writing or a bad story; in fact it’s realistic that the cultural norms of an alien civilization WOULD feel alien and off-putting. I would compare it to the Lillith’s Brood series by Octavia Butler; an amazing and seminal work of science fiction, but one that I could not enjoy purely because of the alien/human dynamics and relationships. But I believe it was Butler’s intent that we were made uncomfortable, and that very well may be the case here; certainly some of Ellis’s characters have serious questions about their connection, and Cora’s wellbeing.

Or, just as likely, there’s a deeper message here that I’m not seeing and I need time to sit with it and let it soak in. That’s entirely possible.

In the end, while this book didn’t resonate with me, I still think Ellis is a fantastic writer and I plan on reading the next book in the series if there is one; I’d like to see what happens with the Superorganism and if I continue to feel this way about Cora and Ampersand.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance digital copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review!