Reading Well: Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh

A little way into Emily Tesh‘s 2023 science fiction novel Some Desperate Glory, I did not think I would enjoy it.

But Tesh pulls off a very tricky shift, changing the narrative from a revolutionary narrative to one layered with a lovely take on the usual challenges of time travel.

The protagonist starts as a fairly heavily brainwashed star-in-the-making and designated future leader of a fairly authoritarian space colony. It’s all a bit heavy-handed, and the fact that the leaders of this colony are–despite her deeply held beliefs–clearly not the good guys is telegraphed very early and very obviously.

And then … it all shifts. I don’t want to give it away, but it’s handled with an intelligence and deft touch that makes me think the bluntness of the opening chapters is quite intentional. It won’t work for everyone, but it worked for me, turning Some Desperate Glory into a page-turner as the protagonists struggle to figure out if–and if so, how–they may avoid the pitfalls of their original future. She does so while probing the nature of family ties and friendship, and while maintaining sympathy for a range of the primary characters, despite some fundamental disagreements between them. I like that a lot.

If a phrase like their original future intrigue you, read it–for fans of sci-fi with a focus on time travel, it’s strongly recommended.