Some Desperate Glory - Emily Tesh

Hi all,

I'm really excited to read one of 2023's biggest sci fi titles. Some Desperate Glory is a thought-provoking and immersive read. Maya Gittelman says in her glowing article for Reactor that it is one of the "...definitive sci-fi novels of the year. Tesh is undeniably a versatile talent, and she translates her trademark ache and heart to an interstellar epic with effortless elegance."

From the beginning of the novel, we learn that humanity waged—and lost—an interstellar war against an alien species. What comes after is a nuanced exploration of survival, revenge, and what lies beyond both. It is supposed to be an action-driven story that keeps sight of a deeply human narrative.

Book of the Month
Some Desperate Glory - Emily Tesh (2023)

Gittelman also touts Tesh's writing skills in her review. She talks about how interesting it is to read an author riffing on previous authors in the genre: "I’m not going to spoil plot points aside from what can be gleaned by the summary, but I’ll share that it feels like this book is in conversation with conventions of the genre such as Ender’s Game. How fucking delightful and satisfying, as someone who grew up being taught those books as an unassailable part of the canon, to read something that does everything Card does, but with an intentionally conscious eye toward white supremacy, misogyny, homophobia, ableism, and transphobia. What a relief, honestly. I laughed aloud with joy at how well some of this was executed."

It's been a while since we've read a space opera in Book Club. So strap in and hold on, looking forward to discussing this epic story!

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