Victories Greater Than Death
2021 • 288 pages
Ratings19
Average rating3.6
15
Ratings19
Average rating3.6
**Outsmart Your Enemies. Outrun the Galaxy.**
Tina never worries about being ‘ordinary’—she doesn’t have to, since she’s known practically forever that she’s not just Tina Mains, average teenager and beloved daughter. She’s also the keeper of an interplanetary rescue beacon, and one day soon, it’s going to activate, and then her dreams of saving all the worlds and adventuring among the stars will finally be possible. Tina’s legacy, after all, is intergalactic—she is the hidden clone of a famed alien hero, left on Earth disguised as a human to give the universe another chance to defeat a terrible evil.
But when the beacon activates, it turns out that Tina’s destiny isn’t quite what she expected. Things are far more dangerous than she ever assumed. Luckily, Tina is surrounded by a crew she can trust, and her best friend Rachel, and she is still determined to save all the worlds. But first she’ll have to save herself.
Reviews with the most likes.
While I loved the queer romance and the sci-fi idea, the content of the book fell short; info-dumps, abrupt starting-and-stopping of scenes, and things feeling like they could've slown down a bit at times yet sped up at others left the book harder to get through than I would've hoped. It's always a shame, because most often when I read novels I struggle to get through, the idea is really, really cool, but it's the writing, editing, and/or pacing that keeps the book from reaching a 4 or 5 star potential (or even 3 star potential). For this book, that was what I noticed. Better pacing and more time to get to know the characters before abrupt battle-like scenes, as well as less info-dumping (sometimes it's needed, I get it, but too much is TOO MUCH) could've made a painfully average novel more enticing and stellar.
I am in love with this story. I will be singing its praises to anyone who will listen. Victories Greater than Death is a cozy scifi, hopepunk adventure about found family, learning your identity, and the harmful legacies we inherit. It is full of brilliantly realized queer representation (including bi, pan, trans, nonbinary, and polyamorous). It is smart, funny, and sweet. It made me cry and feel safe. I absolutely cannot say enough about how good this novel is.
I hadn't realised it was a young adult novel. Not really my sort of book. Someone younger needs to properly rate this book.
A modern teenage girl is whisked away into an adventure between the stars meeting a huge variety of fascinating characters and creatures.
I couldn't help imagining this as a brightly coloured animation - perhaps something like Titan AE. Ms Ander's writing is just so vivid and lively. Taken as an adventure this is excellent, but there is a strong moral to the story (not preachy, but there) about the importance of working in unity as a team for the better of all, while respecting diversity.
Being different is great - so long as we respect each other.
I really enjoyed this story and can't wait for the sequel!
