Some Desperate Glory

 

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh, 438 pages

Every aspect of life on Gaea station is dedicated to avenging the murder of the planet Earth, and Kyr, barely an adult, is one of its most passionate devotees. Then adult assignments come through, and Kyr finds herself unable to stay in her home, instead going out to find her brother with his brilliant but deviant friend and a captive alien. Out in the wider world, Kyr finds that the universe isn't as it was always described to her, and vengeance may be more complicated than she ever thought. 

This book blew me away. I'm still not sure if Kyr is a likable protagonist, but she's certainly a compelling one, and she served this story perfectly. This story is full of twists that make it interesting from an action perspective, and a complex examination of vengeance and reparations that makes it interesting on a thinkier level. I usually like my space operas on the silly side, but this is an ideal example of the more serious side of the genre. I can't wait to talk about this one with Orcs & Aliens tonight!