"My name is (random smattering of letters) and my pronouns are (xxxxx)" should have been the name of this book.

Tina is an Earth human... sort of. She's aware that there's something different about her, something that says she's meant for space travel. She and her best friend, along with a motley crew of genius Earth teens, join the crew of a spaceship sent to gather her and release the memories of her previous incarnation from the vault in her mind.

This story reads like it should have been written with adult characters for adults when it comes to content, but the writing style feels like it would be best for middle schoolers - so many things were parenthetically explained that it seemed patronizing and dumbed down. It sits awkwardly in YA because it just doesn't feel appropriate for any audience.

I'll be honest, it feels like it has a big marketing push because the book kind of sucks...

The cover of this book is stunning and that’s what attracted me to it first, then I read the synopsis and I was sold. Sadly though, this one wasn’t for me. I wanted to love it but I found the writing style hard to get into

Wow. I loved this. What a fantastic YA Sci-fi. It’s about friends and what it means to be remembered after death. It’s about who we are and who we want to be. And it’s about love, loss and believing in something greater than yourself.

Tina – fake human – is finally rescued by the people who put her on earth. She’s a clone of the great Captain Thaoh Argentian. It’s a lot to live up to. But Tina is not Thaoh. She’s just Tina. And on board the spaceship that is headed for disaster she can’t be the hero they desperately needed.

Still, the spaceship is under attack and they need more crew to man the battle stations. Tina’s best friend Rachel (proper human) comes up with a great (terrible) idea. Bring on board more human teenagers… genius’s and they can help. Tina fears this means they will be put at risk. But the crew needs every body they can get. Soon Tina is working with Rachel and her four new human friends to save the ship and possibly the universe. And the battle is far from over… It’s worse than anyone can possibly imagine.

This is a fantastic science fiction. Brilliantly written. The worldbuilding is detailed and unique. The alien lifeforms are clever, interesting and deftly explained. At no point do you feel swamped in lengthy data-dumps or long descriptions of landscape. It’s a fun and horrific tale. The world, universe and space ships are believable and it is easy to get swept away in this story. Following Tina’s journey lets the universe build from Tina’s eyes as well as the minds of her friends. Her expectations and memories verses the expectations of her human’s friends and the memories of her alien friends. There is also a taste of horror in the evil they are facing and a thriller in the race to get there first.

Tina’s development in figuring out who she truly is faces hurdles from without and within. From her human friends and alien ones. What does she really believe in? And who? Her friends are with her every step of the way, but it’s tough to learn the person you think you should be is not the person you are.

Jump on this story as soon as it is out (April 13, 2021). I completely recommend it. You can pre-order it now. This book does what all good sci-fi should. Make you think. Make you question. Make you believe.

Victories Greater than Death was a disappointment. I loved Charlie Jane Anders' previous book, All the Birds in the Sky, and particularly her writing style, but here it fell flat. It felt too much like she was trying to make it teen-esque, but it really didn't work for me. I kept wondering if she had purposefully made her own writing worse because it was YA. I know she can write beautifully, but this book didn't show it. There wasn't much I actively liked about Victories Greater than Death, but a lot that had untapped potential. All of the characters, for instance, could have been really interesting and complex, but instead most remained surface-level and a bit unrealistic feeling. Most of the character development was done through extremely direct statements by the characters about themselves in dialogue, rather than showing who they are through their actions. I cringed every time one of the teenagers introduced themself with a summary of who they are as a person; people just don't talk that way.
Other reviews mentioned the strange pacing, and I completely agree. Scenes just started or ended abruptly. Like the characters, I wished they had more depth. More descriptions of the physical setting would have helped, too.
The story is about a teenager on Earth who has known her whole life that she was a clone of an alien General, and that one day she would be taken back to space and have her memories restored. When the day actually comes, however, she doesn't regain memories of the personal life of Captain Argentian, only disconnected basic information about the world. She joins the Royal Fleet against the Compassion, a group led by Captain Argentian's former friend. The Compassion is trying to find an artifact left behind by the Shapers, an alien species who favored humanoid-shaped aliens, giving them technologies that helped them thrive, and hated non-humanoid aliens, destroying their environments and making it more difficult for them to survive. They had shaped the universe, making humanoid aliens dominate other ones, and the Compassion believe in the supremacy of humanoid creatures as a result.
I thought this was an interesting idea, and the basic plot was fairly unique, but also could have used more slow development. Overall, I think this should have been a longer, more introspective book to truly do justice to all the many characters, conflicts, settings, and plot points introduced (especially since so many are literally alien). Because so many things did have potential, I didn't hate the book, it just disappointed me. I'd give it 2.5/5 stars.

Victories Greater than Death has a very interesting premise and tries to bring a younger YA group up to social/gender identifications. The story first starts off on Earth then moves into space where expectations are not always met.

I told CJA on twitter, but I adored this book. I teach grades 6-12 as a reading specialist and am always looking for books that appeal to struggling readers and marginalized kids, and this book has that, plus a ripping good story. It's going on my classroom bookshelf as soon as I can get a physical copy AND get back in the building!

Victories Greater Than Death had a great premise, but I don't think it was meant for me. The pacing just wasn't my cup of tea (seems like it's more suitable for a younger audience). The plot points were unique but unfortunately, I found they were executed poorly, making some things jumpy or unbelievable.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars

Victories Greater than Death is a thrilling sci-fi adventure, which to be completely honest I only requested because of the pretty cover (coupled with the fact I've heard good things about the author!) but I was so pleasantly suprised by this book! The fund family vibes and space intriuge were so interesting to read about!

We follow Tina, who knows she has a predestined purpose despite having a seemingly normal life. We soon find out Tina is secretly a clone of an intergalatic hero, and is soon thrust into a whole world (galaxy ?) of adventure, where things are not quite what they seem.

She and her best friend Rachael travel into space where they join the crew of a royal fleet spaceship and everyone expects Tina to be a hero, however she is just ordinary. They recruit some more crew members from earth, who are all such characters and watching them grow together as a crew is such a joy!! Also watching Tina grow into herself and her legacy is such a fun ride!!

They are trying to defeat this evil guy who can kill people with his touch, whilst turning everyones memories of them horrible. I know this was supposed to be serious but sometimes I found myself laughing out loud at some of the thoughts the characters would have after a character died and they all turned against thme haha. The villain is such a despicable character (unfortunatly no villain simping for me T_T) however it's easy to see how he got to where he is and how power can corrupt.

I also love the causal lgbtq+ rep, Tina is in a wlw relationship, with the love interest being trans, everyone always introduces themselves with their pronouns and there are lots of neopronouns used as well. The relationship was super cute and I did ship it, although it did happen slightly too quick for me, I would have liked a bit more angst and yearning hehe, but the whole book takes place at a breakneck speed so it's not really a surprise!

One thing I would have liked a bit more of is world-building, as I would have loved to have a bit more about the context of the war withing the galaxy. And possibly a few more emotional character moments, because the ones we did get were really good but I feel like sometimes they were sacrificed in place of a fast plot.

In conclusion this is a really fun, fast paced sci-fi which would be great for beginners!

I was busy trying to get some Christmas presents made so I didn't dedicate as much time to reading each day as usual which I think affected my enjoyment of this book and caused it to drag out too long. I was very into it at first, enjoying the sci fi-ness of it and Tina's excitement about finally coming into her prophesized destiny, but then some of the dragging began for me. Despite that issue - which might totally be due to my own schedule - there were quite a few very cool sci fi things that I don't recall seeing before. Marrant's power really stands out as unique, and the long-lasting effects of him killing people gave me a lot to consider which is always a plus! In addition to that there is Tina's own situation, the shape-changing/self-healing ship, the reason for an abundance of humanoids in the universe, and the race that sees three sides to every story. All of those were new ideas to me and things I don't recall seeing in any other book, TV show or movie. I'm having my husband, the even bigger sci fi geek, read it to get his take on it all but it's definitely unique and I will be happy to sell it to my students.

Wouldnt recommend this to my students. I have a young secondary school form group and would not recommend this to them at all. It’s aimed at their age group, but it’s so ridiculous that I feel that they’d scoff at it. Even as a scientist and Sci fi reader myself I am struggling to get past chapter 14 (just over 25% of the way through). Won’t be publishing a review to goodreads - have given 1 star for merit for an unusual plot idea.

Kids go to space and get to fight aliens. What's not to like here? I think this one is going to go over pretty well. It's very inclusive and full of action and adventure.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is being pitched as Star Wars meets Doctor Who, and I can definitely see why, I think it also has some Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy thrown in. This is a super fun YA space opera (and I really hope the first in a series). The quirky crew is great and love the found family amongst the earthlings, I wish there had been a bit more development of some of the alien crew members. I loved how diverse the cast was and how the emotional ramifications of leaving earth to join an alien spaceship and intergalactic war were explored. The world building was super interesting, and some great use of technology but again I wish there had been a bit more depth to it.
Overall super fun, probably leans towards the younger side of YA

I really enjoyed reading this book. The character development was subtle in a myriad of ways, and the plot moves along quickly enough to keep interest. I could have used a little more expansion around the ending of the book, but on the whole found the experience very enjoyable.

Victories Greater Than Death is a high-spirited space adventure with abundant humor and heart that speaks some important truths about how we come to accept who we are. It digs into challenging questions of identity and oppression while slinging us through the universe and its many worlds.

Anders is interested in the challenge of balancing who you are with who the world expects you to be, The novel's core family of Earth kids undertaking the mission to save the universe are all facing this challenge in themselves, and through them, Anders celebrates the joy of finding your power in embracing who you are at your core.

The whole thing is wildly imaginative, treats the identities of its characters with loving respect, and understands how to make systems of oppression understandable to teenage readers. It's a smart book that will satisfy a YA audience hungry for aliens, intergalactic battles and out-of-this-world romance. But it will also teach readers what a loving, equitable, respectful universe might look like.

This book was received as an ARC from Macmillan-Tom Doherty Associates - Tor Teen in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book will be for you if you are a fan of Pan's Labrynth and Star Trek. This book had the best of both worlds which made my eyes glued to the pages and I never wanted it to end. The emotional strength Tina had throughout her entire journey and being the keeper of an interplanetary life force and once it activates she will be given powers that are beyond comprehension. She is also the clone of an alien hero and now her burdens arise but adventure awaits. I was smiling from ear to ear throughout this entire book and every page was filled with excitement feeling like you are in the experience and along for the ride. I am curious to see how our teen book club will view this book and the opinions they share, I hope they will love it as much as I did.

We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Have not had a chance to read this yet, but will keep it on my list for a rainy day! Appreciate being offered the reading copy!

I love it when Charlie blesses us with another story. This one takes us to the far reaches of space as we follow along with a crew of new human recruits to an alien civilization. There are many wonders to see, described by Charlie’s rich prose. Little touches that remind us these characters are human and struggling. Tina finds out that joining a group of peacemakers means waging a lot of war. As she journeys with her new crew she comes to the realization that saving the galaxy doesn’t have to mean sacrificing herself for the greater good. I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the next installment. Also as a queer reader I loved the worldbuilding that included pronouns in every introduction.

When I read the first chapter of Victories Greater than Death, there was something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I went in expecting a Queer YA Sci-Fi and that’s definitely what I got, but what took me a few more chapters to realize was that this wasn’t specifically targeted at older YA, but younger YA instead. The YA genre has matured so much over the last few years that I didn’t even register the fact that this is for a younger audience. And when I changed my perspective, the whole story changed to a resounding ‘YES!’

Our protagonist is Tina, a clone of a now dead Space commander, hidden away as a human on earth until she’s to be retrieved. There’s always a little clunkiness when it comes to Sci-Fi stories that begins on Earth and not immediately in space. Unfortunately, this flaw was definitely evident in the first few chapters and dampened my interest at the time. Once Tina is with The Royal Fleet though, the plot evens out to a smoother, more fast-paced and interesting story.

I really appreciated the focus on friendship and on inclusiveness (cause if you’re building a Sci-Fi world, who says they have to function one way or another?? I very much enjoyed it) and as a final add on, I think people who are fans of the new She-Ra series will absolutely fall in love with this story of flawed but still badass teens trying to save the galaxy.

Victories Greater than Death is a Queer space adventure for younger YA readers. I’m so, so excited that there are going to be some young Queer people that pick this book up as some of their first taste of YA and I know they will feel so, so very seen. I really hope this is the group that will be targeted in the marketing campaign because they will be the ones to benefit most from this series.

What a beautiful story! I love a good YA novel set in space. I absolutely loved Tina, and I loved the Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who themes. I will be purchasing a physical copy and I am highly anticipating the sequel!

This was a very enjoyable, quick read. Remember the movie Galaxy Quest? I haven't seen it since it came out, but this book reminds me of watching that - quirky and light-hearted. There's humor throughout the story. Alien cultures - almost everything, really - are quirky and strange, but explained matter-of-factly.

Yes, there's a serious bad guy to defeat. Bad things happen, and there's plenty of dread to go around. But it's mixed with the sense of wonder at the universe.

Gender is a pretty fluid thing in this novel. Aliens include their gender pronouns when they introduce themselves, and with alien cultures, there's more than he/she/they. I've only recently seen nonbinary characters represented in novels with the pronoun "they." I even recently saw an actual email that included a person's pronouns in their signoff; this was a good preparation for me for this, and so including these pronouns isn't an invention just for this novel.

So, there's plenty of representation. There's a transgender character, and lots of discussion of consent (asking even to touch another person). All of this comes up without controversy among the main characters, which makes it even more natural.

At its heart, this is a coming-of-age story, with accepting who one is, not who one is supposed to be. Stepping outside of your expected roles, even if that role is what you want to be.

The novel wraps up concisely, and I really enjoyed it. Then, there's the twist - a surprising, cliff-hanger ending, which reads exactly like the last minute of the final episode of a season of a science fiction episode. Perfect, thematically, for a book that reads like a fun sci-fi show or movie.

I received an advance copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.