Some Desperate Glory

Some Desperate Glory follows the story of Kyr, a young soldier on Gaea Station - one of humanity's last outposts after Earth's destruction by an alien federation called the majo. When her twin brother receives a classified combat assignment and disappears, Kyr begins to uncover dark truths about their isolated society. The story takes place in a complex universe where most surviving humans have integrated into majo civilization, governed by an omnipotent AI called the Wisdom. Gaea Station stands apart as a militant human stronghold, strictly controlling its citizens through rigid roles in combat, labor, or reproduction. Kyr's mission to find her brother evolves into a larger quest that spans multiple worlds and forces her to question everything she believes about humanity's fight for survival. The narrative combines military science fiction with elements of space opera and political intrigue. The novel explores themes of indoctrination, revenge, and the cycle of violence, asking what victory means when vengeance threatens to corrupt the victor. Through its character-driven story, it examines how trauma shapes both individuals and civilizations.

Readers describe this military sci-fi novel as emotionally intense with complex character development. Many reviewers note the book's unflinching portrayal of war, fascism, and indoctrination. Readers highlighted: - Compelling anti-hero protagonist - LGBTQ+ representation that feels natural to the story - Strong worldbuilding without excessive exposition - Fast-paced final third of the book - Fresh take on familiar sci-fi themes Common criticisms: - Slow start and pacing issues in first half - Some found the protagonist difficult to connect with - Military jargon can be hard to follow - A few readers wanted more detail about the alien species Ratings: Goodreads: 4.15/5 (12,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (1,800+ ratings) StoryGraph: 4.27/5 One reviewer noted: "It's rare to see a character's ideology dismantled so thoroughly while maintaining empathy for them." Several mentioned similarities to Ender's Game but appreciated this book's darker themes and queer representation.

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🚀 The book's title "Some Desperate Glory" comes from the famous World War I poem "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen. 📚 Emily Tesh wrote this novel, her first science fiction work, after establishing herself with award-winning fantasy novellas "Silver in the Wood" and "Drowned Country." 🌟 The novel won the 2024 Compton Crook Award, which recognizes the best first science fiction/fantasy/horror novel of the year. 🎯 The story's central location, Gaea Station, is named after the Greek primordial deity of Earth, reflecting humanity's attempt to rebuild after losing their home planet. 🔬 The book draws inspiration from real-world examples of military indoctrination and youth training programs, particularly those used during wartime periods.