How a tabletop role-playing game birthed a massive science fiction television and book franchise
In short: Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck transformed a collaborative game into The Expanse, a sprawling universe that conquered both literature and television. By alternating chapters and meticulously blending their prose, the duo created a seamless narrative so unified that even they struggle to distinguish their individual contributions to the series.
The foundation of The Expanse began when Ty Franck developed a science fiction setting for a tabletop role-playing game. After relocating to New Mexico, Franck ran several campaigns, including one featuring fellow writer Daniel Abraham. Impressed by the depth of the world-building and research, Abraham proposed turning the game's universe into a novel. Franck agreed, and the two began a partnership that eventually saw them writing under the joint pseudonym James S. A. Corey.
Their creative process is highly structured. The pair meets weekly to outline the overarching plot and individual chapters. They divide the work by character, with each author taking responsibility for specific roles before swapping drafts to rewrite each other's work. This iterative cycle continues until the prose is polished and the distinct voices are harmonized. Abraham has noted that by the final stage, it is nearly impossible to identify which author wrote any given line.
The franchise expanded rapidly after the first novel, Leviathan Wakes, was published in 2011. The series grew to include nine main novels, concluding with Leviathan Falls in 2021, alongside numerous novellas and short stories. In 2013, Alcon Television Group secured the rights, leading to a television adaptation that premiered in 2015. Abraham and Franck remained deeply involved, serving as writers and producers for the show. Their collaboration continues today; in 2024, they co-founded a production company with plans to adapt The Captive's War trilogy for the screen.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Daniel Abraham (author)
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