I’m a huge Marvel fan, so getting approved for this was a blessing! I loved Gamora & Nebula. A story about my two favorite Guardians of the Galaxy written by the author who wrote Loki, my second favorite superhero ever? Sign me up! If you like Loki by Mackenzi Lee, Guardians of the Galaxy, or just Marvel in general, you’re guaranteed to like this book.

The Review

As a longtime fan of all things Marvel Comics, I was immediately drawn to this book. The author does a fantastic job of balancing the source material of the characters with the creativity and originality of this novel’s narrative. The writing expertly paints a vivid image in the reader’s minds of this vast Marvel Universe, exploring the vastness of the universe that has relatively been unexplored in the comics while adding new layers and context from the creative mind of the author.

What stands out of course is the strong character development of this narrative. From the complex and emotional struggle of sisters Gamora and Nebula, who has been driven against one another and brainwashed by the vile Thanos and his war machine. The interesting thing is that the author utilizes concepts of the comics rather than the MCU as a whole into the narrative, exploring the effects Thanos’s relationship with the personification of Death has had on both protagonists. Even the humorous and tricky personality of The Grandmaster shines brightly in a grim and gritty corner of the Marvel Universe.

The Verdict

Emotional, action-packed, and entertaining superhero storytelling, author Mackenzi Lee’s “Gamora & Nebula: Sisters in Arms” is a must-read sci-fi and fantasy read. Expertly crafting an original science fiction narrative within a well-established Marvel Universe is an extraordinary feat, and the author excels at navigating the complex relationship between the protagonists and their villainous adoptive father, which has always been a crucial part of the fabric of Marvel’s Cosmic storytelling. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Wow, this book emulated the amazingness of Marvel into a book very well-written, I felt like I was in a theatre. Can't wait to delve more into future works!

Thanks to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this!.I loved it! I could hear All of the characters voices from the MCU as I read it! A fast paced, exciting read!! I blew through it very quickly and couldn’t put it down! Love, love, love, the Grandmaster! Just like the Loki book, this author took the characters and made them her own! Meticulous attention to details and she was very true to their personalities! And the ending was great!! I can’t wait to see which Marvel characters this author writes about next!

This reads more like a Star Wars novel than a Marvel story, and I’m 100% okay with this. There’s something about the characters from Guardians of the Galaxy that are just so great. They go beyond the superhero tropes and motifs into something bigger, something galactic. So I enjoyed a story about the turbulent relationship between Gamora and Nebula.

Like most novelization of superheroes, the story isn’t necessary but it’s fun. This book could fit canonically with the movies (maybe with a few tweaks) as a prequel to the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, but I’m not sure if it’s actually canon or not, especially since it includes characters like Death, who aren't in the MCU films.

My only complaint is the ending. Since it’s supposed set before GOTG, I realize that Gamora and Nebula couldn’t end up on good terms, but I was hoping that this wouldn’t be a canon novel, just another story to add to the Marvel lore, and that things between them would end up well. Instead, the ending left me feeling bitter and that I’d been duped. (Maybe that was the point?) Also, unless I missed it, I don’t think it’s ever explained what the Channel is that Thanos and the Matriarch are gunning for with this whole competition. I thought maybe it was connected to the Infinity Gauntlet, but it’s never clearly mentioned again after the final showdown. That was a bit annoying as well.

I wouldn’t recommend this to readers who aren’t familiar with the characters and galaxy as it leans heavily on prior knowledge of who Gamora, Nebula, Thanos, and the Grandmaster are. But fans of the movies or comics can enjoy the story for what it is.

Disclaimer: all my Marvel knowledge comes from the MCU.

Read if you... are craving more MCU content, like complicated family relationships and/or simultaneously want to kill and hug your sister, or think the Russo brothers robbed us of quality Gamora-Nebula content in End Game.

You know that cave scene in Guardians of the Galaxy 2 before the creepy reveal when we get a look at a dysfunctional sibling rivalry? Well, Gamora and Nebula is pretty much what you'd get if you expanded that one scene into an entire story and set it in an alternate universe.

The dynamic between Gamora and Nebula was my favorite part of GOTG 2 (after Baby Groot, of course.) Individually, they're these two incredible (anti-)heroines, but when you put them together, there's a whole lot more complexity added to the mix. Two sisters from another mister brought together by a grape-faced psychopath who pits them against each other until they're harden soldiers, but put these two hardcore fighters together and you realize they're just two bickering siblings with swords.

All that rambling to say the whole mood of Sisters in Arms is two softies trying to hide behind tough exteriors. When that fails, we get a heartwarming(-ish) story about the reconciliation (kinda) between two sisters. There are also explosions and stuff.

As a Marvel spinoff, this did not disappoint. The action scenes were descriptive and incredibly well-written. Lee made the fight sequences come to life--I would totally watch this movie. The characters were so spot-on this felt like a natural--albeit multiverse-version--extension of the MCU. (I mean, End Game changed everything anyway...) I could hear Jeff Goldblum's voice in my head every time the Grandmaster spoke and loved the way Nebula and Gamora were developed. The world building was spectacular, and details were seamlessly incorporated into the story. The descriptions were vivid and I could easily imagine the alien worlds Lee was painting. The excitement, the heartache, the twists, Sisters in Arms had everything--the emotion of cave scene from Guardians of the Galaxy 2, the world building of Black Panther, and the humor of Ragnarok. Now someone please give me my movie adaptation.
Special thanks to Disney Books for feeding my MCU addition giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Guardians of the Galaxy movies are my favorite in the Marvel Universe, so I was *extremely* excited to read a story starring Gamora and Nebula. I had high hopes, but this book fell flat for me.

I loved that this was set sometime before the first GotG movie and gave more backstory behind Gamora and Nebula's animosity towards each other. I feel like I understand and can empathize with them both more.

I really did not like the "Gamemaster" segments -- they broke up the flow of the story and felt like quirk for quirk's sake -- and (bear with me, this is not usually something I would ever complain about) there was random swearing that didn't add anything to the story but made me hesitant to recommend this for kids at school in the event they have parents who care about language -- I get that these movies are PG-13 and I don't personally care if my kids read/hear swear words, but it felt unnecessary and thrown in for no reason and limits the audience a bit.

Overall, if you are a Marvel/GotG fan, you'll get something out of this book, but it's not quite what I was expecting.

I'm not really sure what I was expecting from this book, but whatever it was I enjoyed the heck out of it.

I admit that I had no prior knowledge of the main characters beyond what was shown in the movies, but I really enjoyed getting more of the character's backgrounds, especially Nebula. Looking forward to reading more books from this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gamora and Nebula is the story of two sisters on the outs. This book was so well done because most of us already know a good percentage about Gamora and Nebula and their relationship and this explored how the characters we know came to be. The heart of this story is two angry sister searching for a bounty on a planet that is falling apart. I really enjoyed the alternating chapter perspective and the transcriptions from the Grandmaster's game room. Overall a great story with a sad but satisfying ending. I'm looking forward to the next book in this marvel series!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me an arc for an honest review!

Mackenzie Lee continues to bring the characters of the Marvel films to life in such fascinating and unique ways. Novelizations like these tend to sacrifice quality to tell an appealing story within the shadow of the films. However, I was delighted to find that was not the case with this tie-in book, which pulls backstory from the comics to flesh out Gamora and Nebula in ways that make sense for the narrative spun in the films.

The world we find these two sisters throw into it expansive and elaborately built, tripping the reader up at every turn with new reveals. The story of a dying planet and a race to see which champion can come out victorious in the Grandmaster’s games is faced-paced — and worth investing in. Lee does a brilliant job of bringing the action to life on the pages as if it's happening in real-time.

That said, it’s ultimately Nebula and Gamora that bring this book’s greatest achievement to life. Their individual voices are captured perfectly, and their actions are reminiscent of the characters we know and love. The fascinating origins of their relationship are on full display as we explore Nebula’s hatred for Gamora after losing her arm in battle and Gamora’s dark desire to appease Thanos above all else.

A moment in time where these two girls team up and become an unstoppable force against their father is truly worth picking this book up for. The final cliff-hanger that acts as a lead-in for the events of the films is the emotional linchpin necessary to demonstrate where a sisterly bond this powerful could go so horribly wrong.

For anyone eager to know more about these sisters pre-Guardians of the Galaxy, this novel is a perfect entry point. For those that have grown to love Nebula and her character’s growth, this novel also offers plenty of internal dialogue that compliments her journey through the films.

Lee continues to offer us quality Marvel stories with in-depth world-building, endearing characters, and beautiful balances of action, sci-fi, and trauma. I’m eager to see what under-appreciated and misunderstood character she plucks from the MCU to explore next because this exploration of dysfunctional space sisters exceeded my expectations in so many fun and emotionally compromising ways.

Mackenzi Lee did a beautiful job of analyzing the complicated relationship between Gamora and Nebula. Both are trapped in their roles despite wanting more just as so many are trapped in the roles society or others impose on them. Can they rise above them, or are they just slaves? The book poses important questions amid an action packed caper with lots of twists and turns. The only complaint would be that the Advance Reader Copy had portions of the story on Sakaar, but the format was script instead of normal prose; bringing the reader out of the story.

I LOVE Gamora and Nebula. I think they are interesting characters with a really good dynamic and backstory and jumped at the opportunity to find out more about them. Fans of Guardians of the Galaxy already know that Gamora and Nebula have a complex relationship. The sisters have been pitted against each other for years, developing quite a bit of jealousy, skepticism, competitiveness, and a hidden desire for a real relationship. Nebula even says within the MCU “you were the one who wanted to win and I just wanted a sister! You were all I had but you were the one who needed to win.” Gamora and Nebula Sisters in Arms by Mackenzie Lee expands on this theme. The book takes place prior to the MCU when Gamora is hired to steal the heart of the planet of Torndune and Nebula sets out on a mission of her own to claim the heart first and beat her sister for her part in making her lose her arm.

The book does have a little bit of a slow start but that didn't bother me much. I personally think this is probably more enjoyable if you are a fan of Guardians of the Galaxy but you could easily get into it if you’re not already familiar with the characters. I would also recommend sticking to the suggested age range for readers on this one (12+) due to some language and adult themes but if your kid is mature enough for the movie I think they’d be fine with the book as well. My personal favorite part though? Nebula. Nebula completely stole the spotlight in the book. Lee did a good job capturing a more vulnerable version of Nebula who has to constantly fight but still is holding on to shreds of the compassion and humanity she desires. I was so happy to see one of my absolute favorite antiheroes really shine.

Gamora & Nebula: Sisters in Arms is the latest installment in Marvels hero series. The other notable addition to this series (so far) follows Loki, so you just know that this will be a fun ride! What made me so eager to pick up this read, in particular, is a combination of the characters (I adore Nebula) and the author – Mackenzi Lee.

The relationship between Gamora and Nebula has always been rocky – and that's putting it kindly. Their adoptive father was (and still is) always pitting them against one another to make them stronger (so he claims).

The end result? One daughter is his favorite, and both sisters tend to resent each other more often than not. Still, there are times when they can work together when their sisterly bond rises up and gets them through even the worst situations.

"Her father courts Death. He pulls her close and kisses her hair as he breathes deep her woody perfume."

Gamora & Nebula is everything that I had hoped for in this novel, and then some. It's fun, fast-paced, and puts two sisters through the wringer. It also ended up having at least one major pun, I've come to realize.

Moving on, I really did enjoy this read. I knew I would, given the characters we're talking about. To be clear – these are not the same exact versions we see in the movies or even the comics. By that, I mean that their history and personalities are the same, but their current events are open to change.

Then again, there will always be a constant element for these two powerful women. They will always be fighting. Fighting against one another. Fighting together. Fighting for their freedom, and for the right to love each other as sisters.

It's complicated and messy, and that is why we love them. All of that was so beautifully captured in Lee's writing; it was perfection. I also adore that she included Thanos' obsession (I'll give you three guesses). That was a nice touch and helped to show how messed up he is.

I could happily spend all day writing about these two characters. But I won't. Other than to say: I really hope that both sisters get a sequel and that we get a chance to see them happy. That's always my hope for these two (Nebula especially, that girl needs a win!).

Thanks to Disney Publishing and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A fun book showing more about the relationship and dynamic between Gamora and Nebula before we see them in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film. It’s heartbreaking to see how much Thanos really pitted them against each other, and how they really did care for each other in their own way. I love reading these “before” books and hope to see more of them!

This book was a lot of fun! The Grandmaster was lowkey the best part, haha. I really enjoyed getting inside these characters heads. There was a LOT of action, which isn’t really my thing, but I know a lot of people will absolutely love that. A fun read for Marvel fans for sure!

Gamora and Nebula: Sisters in Arms by Mackenzi Lee is a delightful addition to the Marvel Universe. I don't really know all that much about their comic book iterations, but I've enjoyed getting to know Gamora and Nebula of the MCU. Lately, Nebula has really earned a special place in my heart as we've had a great chance to see her grow. Either way, it was good to see them at the teenage stage in their lives. One character I didn't expect to see at all was the Grandmaster, but every one of his scenes were absolutely delightful. I could practically hear Jeff Goldblum's voice and everything! Even Topaz had a little cameo. The Grandmaster is the real scene stealer in this novel, that's for sure.

My thoughts throughout this galactic read:

0% I loved the Loki book in this series and I really like both Gamora and Nebula’s characters so this could be interesting.
19% I just decided to try this new reviewing method so what are my thoughts on the first 19%... the world may never know...
20% “Welcome to the Devil’s Backbone” oooo what’s that??
35% I like Nebula’s chapters better. They give more insight into the sisters’ past and Gamora and Nebula’s relationship.
73% *GASP*!
73% Okay.. that was a little cheesy
100% Thanos sucks... also Oh, snap!! (Pun intended)

100%- I’m not a big fan of reading books where space or planets out in galaxies are the setting, but I did enjoy this one because of the main characters. There was enough action to keep me interested and a few twists and turns. I liked the way the ending ties into the MCU in a couple ways. Overall, I feel like this was Nebula’s backstory. There were some insights into Gamora as well but Nebula shined for me, and I liked it that way. (less)

Honestly I was hesitant to start this book because I felt rather indifferent about Loki: Where Mischief Lies, but I absolutely LOVE Nebula and really wanted a story more about her.

One thing I still can’t figure out with these books though is if it takes place in the comic book world, the MCU, or a third alternative storyline. There’s some elements of both and it’s hard to place exactly where this story takes place within the grander marvel universe.

The book starts rather slow, with a recent incident making Gamora and Nebula at odds, and the Grandmaster putting two higher beings against each other in a game to win a fabulous prize, with Gamora and Nebula being the two beings champions.

Usually I’m not a big fan of info dumping in books, but I’m this case there was almost NO prior information to the story. The reader is supposed to know the players and they’re general story, and accept the vague mystery of the Grandmaster’s game. It was slightly off putting because even though I know a lot about Gamora, Nebula, and Thanos, I don’t know THIS version of them, and I would have liked more.

(Random note, Nebula is said to have short hair in this story and the cover depicts her as bald and it bothered me a lot more than it should have)

Now one character who is present in this story is Lady Death, and once again her character is not well explained at the beginning. Gamora and Nebula are aware of her presence at Thanos’ side, but it doesn’t seem like everyone is. Is she somehow his lover? His confidant? What role does she play? It’s never explained or given a real purpose and I HATED IT.

Then we have the characterization of Nebula and Gamora. This was really interesting to me because it’s quite different than the dynamic that’s become well known because of the MCU films. Gamora is still the favorite daughter, but she is a loyal and obedient daughter, while Nebula is the one who questions the dynamic and what Thanos wants.

I really enjoyed seeing Nebula in a more vulnerable role, and get a glimpse of how she becomes the cold and ruthless version of herself.

The relationship between the sisters is always so enjoyable to read about, and I loved seeing a new relationship between them. They constantly switch between allies and enemies and it was so fun to read and see which way their loyalties would go at any given point.

Once this story got to the climax, the tone of the story shifted a great deal and was suddenly action packed and quick moving. There were secrets revealed, betrayals, surprise unbetrayals (what do you call a reverse betrayal?), and answers to a lot of the questions I had until this point.

Overall I enjoyed this story, but it’s far from being a favorite. The pacing was off, and it took so long to explain some aspects of what was going on that I was rather confused for the first half and didn’t really enjoy reading it. This also isn’t a book you can read if you don’t have a basic understand of Gamora and Nebula, either through the comics or the MCU. There’s not enough backstory into who they are, and new marvel fans will be left rather confused.

I recommend this book for anyone looking for a fun, quick superhero/villain read, but don’t expect too much substance or continuity with other lore.

This book was received as an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of Guardians of the Galaxy and Gamora is one of my favorites so I was very interested in this story and was pretty much addicted from beginning to the end.
If you haven't been associated with the fandom you might be confused sometimes and need refreshing. Though if you are up to date and know the fandom this will be super fun and also very enjoyable I think.

It has an amazing plot and character-driven parts and the world is something you can vividly imagine.

Definitely recommend this!

I enjoyed reading this book a lot! It was fun following a journey of Gamora and Nebula before we met them in Guardians of the Galaxy. Mackenzi Lee perfectly depicted the relationship that Gamora and Nebula have in the movies. I didn't expect to see The Grandmaster make an appearance. Reading about him was great. Again, Lee captured a character perfectly from screen to page. Thanos appearance was great too.

The plot of having to retrieve the heart of Torndune was really interesting. I kept wanting to read to see how Gamora and Nebula were going to cross paths finally. Once they teamed up the story got even better. I loved watching them work together to unravel what exactly was going on.

Lastly, this was a really good origin story for Gamora and Nebula. I really liked how the plot ended with Gamora and Nebula in the arena dueling. Seeing the start of Nebula becoming a test subject to Thanos was a smooth transition into the story we know in MCU. It was a nice touch to see how that part of Nebula's journey to becoming more machine.