The Expanse | James S.A.Corey | Talks at Google

In conversation with James S.A. Corey at Google.
James S.A. Corey is the pen name of fantasy author Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck.
Daniel James Abraham is an American science fiction and fantasy author who lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is a graduate of Clarion West, and sometimes collaborates with George R. R. Martin, another New Mexico resident.
Daniel is the author of the critically-acclaimed Long Price Quartet. His short stories have appeared in numerous publications and anthologies. His novelette Flat Diane was nominated for the Nebula Award and won the International Horror Guild award. His novelette, The Cambist and Lord Iron: A Fairytale of Economics, was nominated for the Hugo Award in 2008, and was also nominated for a World Fantasy award.
Daniel also writes under the pseudonym M.L.N. Hanover, and he writes as James S. A. Corey with Ty Franck.
Ty Franck has spent most of his life in the West and Southwest. He developed the world of The Expanse series as the setting for a massively multiplayer online role-playing game.
He has broken rocks at a quarry, built masts for sailboats, sold newspaper and radio ads, worked as a reporter, renovated high-rises, served as director of operations for Northgate Computers, and co-founded a financial software consulting firm.
Franck began publishing SF with the story ''Audience'' in Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show. This qualified him to join the professional writing group Critical Mass, where he met Daniel Abraham. He also has contributed several stories to the recent Wild Cards series created by George R. R. Martin.
Franck lives in New Mexico with his wife Jayné.
Actually, they both live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Find out more about this series at www.the-expanse.com.

[@barrymantelli8011]

Imagine if these guys only knew, that in 2021 they would be working on Season 6 and have an eager, and voracious audience for their story. One of the greatest stories ever told, and we're not done.

[@screaming.pigeon]

I see you haven’t read the biblical word

[@samgriffith9878]

@@screaming.pigeon if this isn’t a joke the expanse trumps both testaments combined by at least 8 cliques

[@EvilJ069]

Too bad they as people are dickheads lol

[@AMITAWAGHADE]

Here after season 5 finale. What an amazing feat of our time are both books and tv show.

[@R4Y2k]

A lot of great stuff has happened since this talk :D They made a great show, Syfy cancelled it, fans saved it... guess we're a team now ;-)

[@reldies5364]

And this year the last book will come out. I cant wait.

[@someonewithsomename]

than amazon cancels the new one

[@SpaceMonke99]

My favourite sci-fi series of all time. Waiting with bated breath for the 9th book and very much looking forward to seeing what they do next.

[@ThatIdiotMatt]

these guys write the best damn sci-fi out there.

[@EveyJamo]

My one complaint about the show: Avasarala doesn't swear enough. That's it.

[@bjahava]

+EvieJay SYFY isnt HBO...

[@EveyJamo]

+JoseCAM10 I'm not sure the that the show is really doing it any differently than the books did aside from the obvious lack of time to go into all the detail that books can do. Hell, the first season included things that the books didn't even have(aside from the fact that Avasarala wasn't in Leviathan Wakes) Highly recommend reading or listening to the audiobooks.

[@eere3343]

+EvieJay Avasarala has the best swear word combos

[@cosmicphoto05]

I agree that it would be delightful to see Avasarala "unfiltered", because damn! But, I think for the rest of it, the show has maintained the tone of the books, even though it changed quite a few things.

[@lorcannagle]

The language has been harshed up for series 2, but it's being muted when broadcast on SyFy. There's three or four fucks in the episode 1&2 double-bill, another fuck in episode 3, and I think I heard Bobbie say cunt.

[@prayonkreutz2398]

Amazing Author(s) that ACTUALLY finish books!! (Yes...I'm talking about you GRRM!)

[@mydudeleakytiki3261]

@Prayon Kreutz ... I'll bet the finale of The Expanse hits the bookstores before Winds of Winter. Totally agree. GRRM is off writing prequels!

[@playermartin286]

Prayon Kreutz mediocrity happens quickly, greatness takes time

[@mydudeleakytiki3261]

@@playermartin286 GRRM's BS is what's taking time. He's moved on. I seriously doubt he'll finish Winds of Winter.

[@Conorp77]

@@mydudeleakytiki3261 oh he'll finish winds of winter, a dream of spring howeve? thats gonna be a pipe dream, its probably not even a wiggler in his balls yet

[@daddyleon]

@@mydudeleakytiki3261 I don't think so, I think some people just have an easier time even with high standards. GRRM just has high standards and a hard time. What makes it hard for him, idk, idc. I just want the books, but I'm not gonna hate on him either, I suspect hating on him might even make it harder for him. I just try to focus my attention on things I do like. But...I suspect, since you seem so passionate about it, that you're one of those people that are insanely lucky in that you can "really feel immersed"? I _never_ have that, I'm always aware I'm reading, I can never..idk float away in my imagination?

[@kamalnaeem92]

11:42 for book recommendations

[@AnthonyPenningsPhD]

Clarke didn't guess about satellites, he figured it out. Great interview!

[@SpaceCaseZ06]

Ted Chiang's *_"Stories of My Life"_* is the basis upon which the Movie *_"Arrival"_* was based on! 2016 Denis Villeneuve So love it.

[@seankelly1291]

This sci-if is written in today’s standards. That’s what makes it so brilliant. The economics is the driving force that draws me so strongly. It’s the exact future we’re trying to avoid. But that we are definitely moving towards if we can’t get over our current economic norms.

[@TennSeven]

If you're into economics, Daniel Abraham's "Dagger and Coin" series is really good. It's a fantasy series (I think his "new project" Ty Franck mentions in the interview that reads a lot like The Expanse) in which Abraham's apparent love for medieval economics shows through in a lot of the major plot.

[@gswovoka6286]

There was some great SciFi written during the time period mentioned - post cyberpunk. Try Neal Stephenson for example The Diamond Age. The problem in that time period was the lack of the WWW. The number of Authors had exploded and the means to find them stayed the same. We still relied on book stores to find new authors, and book stores tended to carry what sold the most. There would always be more fantasy than SciFi. because Fantasy covered a wider audience. Just my $.02

[@HJamesLucas]

Do we know who the unnamed sci-fi author mentioned at 34:30 is?

[@Dadecorban]

@@HJamesLucas I'd like to know

[@specimenp9090]

I hope Syfy won't fuck it up. I want blood, and gore, and drama and amazing CGI mixed with real sets,... a gritty dark looking series. Like Battlestar Galactica.

[@Snowy123]

Specimen P 3 years later are you pleased?

[@coelhoigor]

@@Snowy123 I love how these comments have aged. I'm curious as to both of you guys's reactions 5 seasons in.

[@prasun6084]

38:17 finally realised why I love science fiction the most?

[@daddyleon]

42:36 it's not [inaudiable], it's "MMORPG"

[@Bpopclover]

Thanks!

[@poliestotico]

Wow best audience questions ever

[@gillianrosheuvel6750]

Really love hearing them talk about their writing process.

[@elfboy29]

Very interesting discussion, especially on how they put together a book. Just started reading it and it's great.

[@rosiek1990]

30:53 - and it shows. Avasarala and Amos are my favorite characters in the series. When they met in _Nemesis Games_ I was all like _squeeeeeeee_

[@steevidrums]

Years ago there as a game for PS1 called Colony Wars developed by a UK company called Psygosis. There was at least 3 games if I remember. I loved them being a Star Wars kid. As well as being a great 1st person shooter, with lots of ground and space missions it contained a very rich and detailed encyclopaedia about the history and relationships between the Sol system, its navy and ruling Tzar and all the colonies and their resistances. As soon as I started the watching expanse I wondered if the writers were influenced by these games.

[@heather-linbrannon8352]

I guess I'll need to come back to this after I've read at least the third book. Book 1 was so good, I don't want any spoilers!

[@mmb628jr2]

I watched the show first, then it got canceled- so i started reading/ listening to the books and got hooked. The visual of the world and the characters- they did a good job. But I can’t watch their interview. 😅

[@TurnerRentz]

University of New Mexico helped bring the Expanse into existence. Nice.

[@MizMite2002]

Would like to see their version of Starlost....Foreseeing the destruction of Earth, humanity builds a multi-generational starship called , 50 miles (80 km) wide and 200 miles (320 km) long. The ship contains dozens of biospheres, each kilometres across and housing people of different cultures; their goal is to find and seed a new world of a distant star. In 2385, more than 100 years into the voyage, an unexplained accident occurs, and the ship goes into emergency mode, whereby each biosphere is sealed off from the others.

[@noize2040]

Julie=Kiko Mizuhara Holden=Damien MALONY Alex=Kiowa Gordon Amos=Guiermo Diaz or Nick Stahl Fred=Tony Todd Miller=Thomas Jane

[@kossboss]

Even the fact that you nailed Miller is astonishing, unless that was an edit. How the fuck did you do that if it wasn't a post edit? There is a pool of tens of thousands of actors.

[@steel12fire8]

Cool dude you got miller

[@TomUK737]

Created The Expanse and work with George RR Martin...I love these men

[@ZosoHitler]

Really interesting talk. I enjoyed it.

[@seas1392]

And here we are now with the books done and the TV show with so much potential ending 3 books short and what a ride it was. Maybe someday we might more from the expanse universe if we are lucky enough

[@TatianaBoshenka]

That's the Slash the Berzerker we know and love.

[@audio_dregs]

I really hope the TTRPG or a version of it can get released eventually. That sounds so much freaking fun.

[@natecanavanar4696]

There's one already out, from Green Ronin.

[@burgesskj]

Good chat from a couple of real world builders.

[@kossboss]

one world builder :P

[@sakcee]

good one guys, interesting stuff

[@unlightenment]

Thanks for the subtitles!

[@grealalal]

28:14 is that a stab at almost human? lol

[@Serachja]

only 650 likes, this talk at google should be promoted better. I'm sure there are thousands of people interested in this conversation

[@dwheresmymana]

@10:02 "nit noi" Did he just speak Thai??? Nice little easter egg there.

[@ramonagalen]

Just renewed for a second season ;-)

[@SilasMendes3]

And now saved by Amazon for a fourth season :D

[@jamesmule]

5th confirmed

[@hikermanwa]

shout out for Scalzi!! Old mans war

[@Terrastomper]

Talk about replying to an old comment... but damn. One of my favorite SciFi series ever!

[@billyalarie929]

This backstory sounds like how Malazan started!

[@lilly4380]

Interesting that they call the narrator ‘Jimmy’ and the main character is named Jim... ...just saying ;)

[@daddyleon]

Well, I'm guessing they're closer than just "first-name basis, they've achieved "nickname basis", that's really advanced.

[@clintbrunke2074]

I hate that no one brings up how much these writers use the influence of other novels in their work.

[@flobo23]

dont hate! ; )

[@RedSntDK]

Around 37:00 ?

[@stevenjames1138]

His original pitch idea for an MMO sounds similar to the "Earth and Beyond" MMO that was published by EA. (I actually played that game. Pity it only lasted about a year and a half.) I wonder which came first.

[@realFurby]

Stars my destination

[@ojasvirajpal9434]

David Sent me here ;)

[@flobo23]

12:46 still recovering too^^

[@weatheranddarkness]

I kinda disagree with him about Heinlen. I don't think a lack of a sizzling climax to be anti-climactic.

[@AtheistCitizen]

wrong? Asimov's Foundation wrt computability

[@SuperJeremy1982]

Please consider Nathan Fillion for Holden and Adam Baldwin for Amos.

[@ThatIdiotMatt]

please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Bustermaniax]

SuperJeremy1982 Funny thing reading this comment after the fact. I'm a Fillion fan like so many others, but I think the actors they chose fit the parts better than Fillion and Baldwin would have.

[@juristuCDPC]

You know, he's right, Ted Chiang is a god.

[@c0nsci0usness]

Awesome interview, and red haired girl is too cute c:

[@MrScroogedmcduck]

!

[@toedrag-release]

The Expanse>Dune Sue me

[@Twirlyhead]

Oh, come on - that's Ben and Jerry.

[@TheWakturtle]

God from what I have seen for the trailers and everything the show is definitely not going to be anywhere near what it could be. SyFy probably doesn't want to spend too much money on it, but it makes me sad to see this amazing story get a cheesy television show (from what I have seen so far that is).

[@benjamindavis5635]

+8Bit Agreed. Its needs Battlestar Galactica money and its getting Farscape money

[@bernardettea9046]

ooooh, you were so wrong! :) hope you're enjoying it.

[@benjamindavis5635]

I am indeed, I did think it had flaws but production values certainly weren't one of them.

[@kossboss]

wrong universe buddy. we rocked it in this one

[@benjamindavis5635]

??

[@boltcrank5259]

27:45 the pink hair girl is super cute!

[@clubsport9334]

Never harwrd veebsdyy h

[@AbsolutelyParched]

These guys cater the the lowest common denominator so well.

[@c0nsci0usness]

+Absolutely "These guys cater the the lowest common denominator so well." the fuck is that supposed to mean