Scott's Take: Gamora And Nebula: Sisters In Arms by Mackenzi Lee

Gamora And Nebula: Sisters In Arms by Mackenzi Lee tells a story from two different points of view. Gamora and Nebula are the daughters of Thanos which is a different character than the movies. In the comics and in this book, Thanos is in love with Death, who has a physical form and is female, and is trying to get her back as they have a love/hate relationship. Abusive warlord wants what he wants and he manipulates his daughters, who do not get along at all, so that they go to the planet, Tordune, on separate missions to steal an object its core. Tordune is a polluted and dying world that once was a lush green planet until a valuable energy source was discovered beneath the surface. Mining has decimated the world and now the population is oppressed by a massive corporation known as the Mining Corporation.

 

In exchange for help to get to the core of the planet, Gamora allies herself with the rebels that are attempting to free their world from the Mining Corporation. At the same time, Nebula arrives on planet and allies herself with the Universal Church Of Truth (a cult). She agrees to “diplomatically” deal with the rebels so that the Church can continue to profit off the energy source through their controlling interests in the Mining Corporation. Like her sister, she is using this connection to get help to travel to the core to recover the object. Both sisters individually soon suspect that the object in question is far more important than they were told and have to decide if they will fight or work together.

 

The story being primarily told through two different perspectives that have very different personalities makes this read interesting. Thanos has raised his daughters to see each other not only as his personal living weapons, but as a direct threat and another face of competition. He has thoroughly and repeatedly traumatized both girls as they grew up and each sister has a different reaction to that ongoing trauma. The tale is heavily defined by their sibling relationship which frequently leads to some predictable cliches.

 

Gamora And Nebula: Sisters In Arms has action, drama, and humor and is a standalone book set in the Marvel Universe. Other than the understanding that this Thanos has little in common with the movie version, one does not need to know much about the Marvel Universe to understand and follow. I recommend this book for Marvel fans and newcomers alike. This author also wrote Loki: Where Mischief Lies which is also a stand-alone book set in the Marvel Universe. Both books are good and highly enjoyable.  

 

  

Gamora And Nebula: Sisters In Arms

Mackenzi Lee

http://www.mackenzilee.com/

Marvel Press

https://books.disney.com/book/gamora-nebula/

June 2021

ISBN# 978-136802225-5

Hardback (also currently available in audio and eBook formats)

400 Pages 

 

My reading copy came from the Audelia Road Branch of the Dallas Public Library System. 

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2021

Scott's Take: Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee

Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee is a novel using a late teen or early adult version of Loki as seen in the Marvel Universe. This story primarily focuses on his relationship with various individuals in his life such as Thor, Odin, Frigga, and more. Loki has been exiled to Earth during the 1800s and is ordered by his father, Odin, to investigate a series of magically caused murders in London. There are lots of twists and turns.

This is the storyline that is referenced in the book jacket copy and just scratches the surface of what is going on in the read. Also in the book is a storyline where the focus is on the relationship Loki has with his father, Odin, as well as the relationship between Loki and Thor. The complicated family relationship triangle resulted in one child ultimately being seen as a hero and the other as a bad guy villain. The how and why of that drives this storyline.

The author does a good job of allowing readers to identify and feel for Loki and his situation. This is especially true for readers who have ever felt different, misunderstood, lonely, and not like other people. Loki in this novel is depicted as being gender fluid and bisexual. If that idea makes you uncomfortable, this is not the novel for you. That angle did not bother me as he is a god and magical so trying to label him or put him in human categories seems very silly to me.

There are multiple themes throughout the novel such as sibling rivalry, being different than others, free will, and more. It works very well for the targeted age group of 12-18 years and older. I enjoyed this novel and I hope it has a sequel. I wish it was longer because the ending falls flat as it seemed like the author just was capped at a page or word count. Loki: Where Mischief Lies could be the beginning of a series or a stand-alone book. It is hard to know since the author leaves it open for a sequel. 

Loki: Where Mischief Lies

Mackenzi Lee

http://www.mackenzilee.com/loki

Marvel, Inc.

https://www.marvel.com/

September 2019

ISBN# 978-136802226-2

Hardback (also available in audio and digital formats)

416 Pages

My copy came from the Forest Green Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.

Scott A. Tipple ©2019