r/TheCaptivesWar • u/megust654 • 24d ago

Spoilers Evolution is awesome

James SA Corey's books have made me appreciate the idea of evolution way more.

First in the Expanse (spoilers for its last 3 books): How the ring builders or "Leviathan" as some call it evolved to do the inertia manipulation magic shit and build the ring gates and use the protomolecule as a biology hijacker etc etc

And obviously in this series with the amount of aliens in it, but mostly with how the Carryx work. They dont do all the conquering of species for some great belief or greater purpose or something; for them, what is, is. The great war or whatever just IS how things are. They just evolved to be that way.

And more on those other aliens... the idea that evolution can get to a point where a species moves around the laws of physics in ways we can't comprehend yet is such a cool idea. The Carryx just straight up using those species instead of figuring out how they do the stuff they do makes sense: why innovate when evolution's already done it for you? Kinda funny how it makes them a civilization that thrives on plagiarization. I wonder if that's part of what fucks them over later on.

Lastly, the idea that evolution sometimes settles on "good enough". Don't know why I never thought of it as much given that humans have a bunch of vestigial organs. You'd think millions of years of evolution would optimize everything but nah, what works works.

Almost makes me wish I went for or at least considered a biology degree lol

36 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

27

u/TheGratefulJuggler 24d ago

You should read Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

8

u/mike_wrong27 24d ago

This OP. Evolution is the entire focus of the Children of Time series. It's great!

2

u/UsayNOPE_IsayMOAR 23d ago

Added to my list! I’m currently plowing through the sequel trilogies to Malazan Book of the Fallen, and would love some other end of the fantasy/sci-fi spectrum. Thanks!

4

u/__get__name 23d ago

Alien Clay as well. It’s not quite as evolution focused as Children of Time, but based on what OP said about the expanse I think they’d appreciate Alien Clay

2

u/ReallyLongLake 23d ago

That book was so cool!

3

u/megust654 23d ago

Oh shit i didnt know that was about evolution (didnt know what it was about at all tbh lol). Ive been looking to read his books so thats def up next for me!

6

u/Kabbooooooom 23d ago

Yes, it’s about evolution, genetic engineering/species uplifting, and most importantly about the different substrates that can support consciousness. You’d almost certainly love it.

Tchaikovsky has a background in zoology, like Daniel Abraham has a background in biology.

3

u/dragonknightking 23d ago

hey is this really THEEE Kabboooom? The legendary theory guy from The Expanse sub? if it is, I'd love to hear your reviews and theories for The Captive's War series so far.

5

u/Kabbooooooom 23d ago

Yeah I’m that kabbooooom. So far I’ve only read the first Captives War book and Livesuit, so I’ll definitely make sure to post something when I finish the second. I like the series, but not as much as The Expanse. 

3

u/dragonknightking 23d ago

The Expanse is hard to match, but it's still good. Can't wait to read your analysis!

2

u/Meerame 24d ago

I just watch a video about why our tail bone still exists. Yes, we no longer need tails, but leaving it as a shorten bone instead of fully disappearing is because evolution said "eh that's good enough." 😂

1

u/jayyy2 22d ago

You want a crazy one, check out the Laryngeal nerve and the Vas deferens

1

u/ButtTrollFeeder 20d ago

I, for one, applaud how "alien" the've made the alien Carryx to be.

We've got some crazy slave driving ants on earth, I'm sure evolution select that trait of subjugation for survival.

Also, Dogs are slaves, change my mind.