Warrior sisters with a fraught history attempt to steal the heart of a planet in Gamora and Nebula: Sisters in Arms, a richly imagined Marvel Universe science-fiction novel by Mackenzie Lee (Loki: Where Mischief Lies; The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue).
Gamora and Nebula, the adopted daughters of the Mad Titan Thanos, are trained warriors. But Thanos glorifies Gamora and shames Nebula, sowing distrust between the two and making them bitter rivals. When Gamora is tasked to retrieve the heart of a valuable mining planet, Nebula secretly follows, seeking glory for herself. The young women unexpectedly bond when they find themselves forced together: "The desperation of a warrior who had never had anyone but herself to rely on, craving support. Two thirsty beings drinking the ocean." The sisters yearn to trust each other despite their painful history, allowing them to question their rivalry and consider joining forces. But can they overcome a lifetime littered with violence, jealousy and treachery and survive a journey into the depths of a crumbling planet?
In Gamora and Nebula, Lee has written a riveting Marvel origin story charged with emotional tumult that gives delicious depth to the existing literary and film franchise. With gritty descriptions of a planet disfigured by mining trenches, saloon shoot-outs and enormous space ships, Lee's creation is an action-packed sci-fi western, fantastic in its intergalactic reach yet accessible through its emotionally (and physically) scarred heroines. Fans of the Marvel universe as well as newcomers will relish Lee's complex characters and the beautifully rendered universe she imagines. --Jennifer Oleinik, freelance writer and editor