Babylon's Ashes

Babylon's Ashes is a science fiction novel by James S. A. Corey, the pen name of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, and the sixth book in their Expanse series. Its title was announced in early July 2015, with the cover and a brief synopsis revealed on 14 September 2015. It won the 2017 Dragon Award for Best Science Fiction Novel.

The book is the last in the series to be set in the period that began with Leviathan Wakes, because the remaining sequels take place decades later. The title refers to the fall of the empire of Babylon and mirrors the fall of an empire within the story, which is the connection the author makes explicit.

The plot is three months after the previous volume. The Free Navy holds the initiative, and the former political powers are too weakened to protect the colony ships crossing to the new worlds, so the Rocinante's crew are sent on a mission to reach Medina Station at the heart of the gate network. The Free Navy is a force of Belters in black-market military ships, and the colony ships crossing to the new worlds are its easiest targets.