Some Desperate GlorySome Desperate Glory
What it's about
Earth was destroyed by aliens when Kyr was a baby. She has grown up on Gaea Station, among the last fighters of humanity, training all her life to strike back. Then she's assigned not to the army but to the nursery, to have children for the cause. Furious, she sets out to prove herself, and what she discovers about the war, the aliens and her own people changes everything.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Hugo Award for best novel and was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a thrilling, surprising story about breaking free of what you were raised to believe.
You'll love it if you liked
Ancillary Justice
The Hunger Games
Red RisingGood to know
It deals with indoctrination, abuse and violence. There are major twists, so avoid spoilers.
By the numbers
- Readers46 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics56 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller26 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz51 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #61 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #93 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #172 of the 481 new books we rank
- #977 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Dark, Adventurous
More by Emily Tesh
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Tress of the Emerald Sea
Ender's Game
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The First to Die at the End
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Death of the AuthorExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Some Desperate Glory worth reading?
Yes. It won the Hugo Award for best novel and was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #977 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 73.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Some Desperate Glory about?
Earth was destroyed by aliens when Kyr was a baby. She has grown up on Gaea Station, among the last fighters of humanity, training all her life to strike back. Then she's assigned not to the army but to the nursery, to have children for the cause. Furious, she sets out to prove herself, and what she discovers about the war, the aliens and her own people changes everything.
How long does it take to read Some Desperate Glory?
About 11 hours (438 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Some Desperate Glory won?
Hugo Award winner (2024).
What should I read after Some Desperate Glory?
If you liked it, try Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins or Red Rising by Pierce Brown.