What do you think?
Borderlands: Debt or Alive
THE CONTINUING STORY OF TALES FROM THE BORDERLANDS® BY GEARBOX AND 2K GAMES
Discover what awaited the thieving sister duo, Fiona and Sasha, after they opened the Vault of the Traveler in this new Borderlands® adventure.
Dive into a new adventure with Fiona and Sasha, in this sequel to the critically acclaimed game Tales from the Borderlands®.
Fiona and Sasha have struck gold. Better than a limited-edition Typhon DeLeon Vaultander™ doll.
This molded lump of plastic is worth more than some planets. All they’ve got to do is find a nerd with deep pockets and they’ll be set for life. And they know just the nerd.
Enter Eden-5, home to an equally bloodthirsty mix of billionaires and bandits. To survive long enough to offload the loot, Fiona and Sasha will have to use every trick in the book (plus other tricks not found in books). We’re talking hijinks, lowjinks, every jinks.
But just as the deal’s about to go down, a certain Mechromancer crashes the party, looking to murder the collector.
This is not the cushy retirement Fiona was promised.
Discover what awaited the thieving sister duo, Fiona and Sasha, after they opened the Vault of the Traveler in this new Borderlands® adventure.
Dive into a new adventure with Fiona and Sasha, in this sequel to the critically acclaimed game Tales from the Borderlands®.
Fiona and Sasha have struck gold. Better than a limited-edition Typhon DeLeon Vaultander™ doll.
This molded lump of plastic is worth more than some planets. All they’ve got to do is find a nerd with deep pockets and they’ll be set for life. And they know just the nerd.
Enter Eden-5, home to an equally bloodthirsty mix of billionaires and bandits. To survive long enough to offload the loot, Fiona and Sasha will have to use every trick in the book (plus other tricks not found in books). We’re talking hijinks, lowjinks, every jinks.
But just as the deal’s about to go down, a certain Mechromancer crashes the party, looking to murder the collector.
This is not the cushy retirement Fiona was promised.
- GenresScience FictionAudiobook
327 pages, Paperback
Published June 25, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
July 4, 2024
A MASTERPIECE. SO UNDERRATED. A well written, hilarious, and expertly paced story! Of course, it doesn’t make sense unless you’ve played Tales first. Absolutely nailed the characters. I was engaged the whole way through.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 20, 2024
Holy shit.
July 4, 2024
This was a masterpiece from start to finish. He really nailed Fiona’s character. The only thing I didn’t love was that Gaige’s personality so closely matched that of Tiny Tina’s. 10/10 would recommend for any Borderlands fans! (Must play Tales first.)
August 31, 2024
I played Tales from the Borderlands in the beginning of the year and was sooooo excited when I noticed that there would be a book about the Characters from tell tales 😫
(Spoilers??)
I wished there would be more Rhys in the book BUT its a story about the sisters so its fine :) I really enjoyed the story and the humor! Gaige was a fun character and I liked to get to know her better in the story (I played her Character in BL 2 but didnt knew about her backstory :0)
I hope that maybe there will be more storys about Fiona and Sasha in the future :)
(Spoilers??)
I wished there would be more Rhys in the book BUT its a story about the sisters so its fine :) I really enjoyed the story and the humor! Gaige was a fun character and I liked to get to know her better in the story (I played her Character in BL 2 but didnt knew about her backstory :0)
I hope that maybe there will be more storys about Fiona and Sasha in the future :)
August 6, 2024
omg i loved this book i laughed so much
September 1, 2024
To state the obvious first: It's a real shame that after all this waiting for answers following the ending of the original Tales from the Borderlands, after 9 years, what fans got from this game franchise is a book. It is disappointing to see the story continue this way and not in the games. I found myself imagining many times how amazing this story would be as an actual Tales game.
However, after you move past this fact, you will find a truly wonderful Borderlands novel that is completely true to the franchise, and better yet – an amazing sequel to the Tales of the Borderlands game! This book just gets Borderlands. The writing is vivid and funny, and the character work is great and thoughtful. I loved this book, and it feels like one truly made with love and care for the fans.
However, after you move past this fact, you will find a truly wonderful Borderlands novel that is completely true to the franchise, and better yet – an amazing sequel to the Tales of the Borderlands game! This book just gets Borderlands. The writing is vivid and funny, and the character work is great and thoughtful. I loved this book, and it feels like one truly made with love and care for the fans.
October 3, 2025
ALC 🎧 Book Review 🤍
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you love Borderlands, this is a must read!!
The writing is always such a fun time, I literally cannot obsess over a game franchise more.
Gauge had me cracking up the whole time. The way she gave me Tiny Tina vibes lowkey, I live. DT 🫶🏽
If you know Borderlands, they excel at character work. Each character was spot on lol!!
🙏🏽 I could read a spinoff on literally anyone in this, esp Laurel lmfao!! She had meeee weak.
The storyline was as chaotic as you would expect, but in such a fun way. In addition, the mentions of familiar names just adds so much enjoyment that I have the urge to pew pew some psychos 💥 loot some vaults, and cause some ANARCHY.
Overall, I hope that there will be more additions in this universe. Such a fun time, esp if you want to follow an action packed storyline while laughing your ass off— Jesse Villinsky did a phenomenal job narrating this!! Her range 🤌🏽
I’m def a fan.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you love Borderlands, this is a must read!!
The writing is always such a fun time, I literally cannot obsess over a game franchise more.
Gauge had me cracking up the whole time. The way she gave me Tiny Tina vibes lowkey, I live. DT 🫶🏽
If you know Borderlands, they excel at character work. Each character was spot on lol!!
🙏🏽 I could read a spinoff on literally anyone in this, esp Laurel lmfao!! She had meeee weak.
The storyline was as chaotic as you would expect, but in such a fun way. In addition, the mentions of familiar names just adds so much enjoyment that I have the urge to pew pew some psychos 💥 loot some vaults, and cause some ANARCHY.
Overall, I hope that there will be more additions in this universe. Such a fun time, esp if you want to follow an action packed storyline while laughing your ass off— Jesse Villinsky did a phenomenal job narrating this!! Her range 🤌🏽
I’m def a fan.
October 7, 2025
I’ve played most of the Borderlands games so far so I was super excited when I found the audiobook for this on Netgalley! This was such a fun listen and I was super excited to hear more about Fiona, Sasha, and Gaige! I actually used Gaige as my character while playing. The narrator was awesome as well. She really fit for this. Highly recommend if you are a Borderlands fan and wanted to hear more about the characters! Thank you so much to Netgalley and the Publisher for an early listen to the audiobook in return for an honest review!
April 28, 2025
good BL book showing Fiona and Sasha after Tales with Gaige as extra. 3 favorite characters
September 26, 2025
Loved it!
September 20, 2024
Enjoyed this after missing Tales From The Borderlands for years. I think the humour and the characters hold up super well even now. I really appreciated the overall craziness yet fun engaging story throughout.
A small note though, I've seen people who were up in arms about characterization through this book - I'm not really sure what you're talking about as all the characters stay pretty true to how they were in the games.
If you're a fan of the games, I recommend, it's a great read :)
A small note though, I've seen people who were up in arms about characterization through this book - I'm not really sure what you're talking about as all the characters stay pretty true to how they were in the games.
If you're a fan of the games, I recommend, it's a great read :)
August 12, 2024
Great representation of the games, but this feels like a side quest more than a main feature?
5* secured regardless due to the anti-fascist anti-capitalist anarchy.
5* secured regardless due to the anti-fascist anti-capitalist anarchy.
August 26, 2024
This story, coming at a pivotal time in Borderlands history, is a breath of fresh air, free on Pandora stench at least. Borderlands 3 had some issues, Borderlands 4 has just been teased in a trailer, Borderlands the movie is a giant flop. Which direction will the game franchise follow suit?
The orange cover features Fiona, Sasha and Gaige. Fiona and Sasha are sister con artists on Pandora from Tales From the Borderlands, the first Tell Tales of the Borderlands games. Gaige is a DLC character in Borderlands 2 and the party planner from the Borderlands 3 DLC, Love, Blood and Tentacles.
Let me pull back a bit, and explain my history with Borderlands. I, as with most things, was a late bloomer to the series. I started playing it with my husband, and fell head over heels in love with it. The characters, the plot, the mechanics were just fun to play, even as a shooter noob like myself.
I may be a new fan, relatively speaking, but I feel I am a pretty loyal one. Borderlands claims to be a looter and shooter game, but I love the atmosphere of it, it is dark humor but told in a light hearted way. This terrible place with terrible people could get tired quickly but they always make it fresh and completely unexpected and it pays off.
Also, to get back to the book… how did they expect to make a book out of looter-shooter game? The gore, the limbs blown off in battle?
Anthony Burch is no stranger to Pandora or its wild people, as he is the sole credited writer of Borderlands 2, the B2 DLCs, and the Pre-Sequel game. These are the games of the series that initiated me into the Borderlands Fan Club. The characters, the plot, all divine; they were just fun games to play and keep me entertained all day of gaming.. So once I noticed the author, I had more confidence in the book, which did not disappoint.
The book opens with a prologue, showing how little Fiona and Sasha found themselves running with Felix, who called them his apprentices and Fiona countering with partners, forever on a con. Even for people who aren’t super into Borderlands lore, this book is a great introduction to Gaige’s history and if you do know her backstory, this book elaborates on her twisted tale of revenge like nothing before.
The book follows the events of Tales, with the group fighting to save the world, pretty noble for a couple of con artists! It fills in the gaps, like how Rhys ended up getting the Atlas company. The group splits up with the questionable nature of Rhys’ and Fiona’s relationship in the air, Rhys is busy with his new company, but he does pepper his way through the book. Fiona and Sasha have a small errand to do before making it big. But of course, everything goes wrong before long.
I enjoyed reading it, it was like reading the next few Tales episodes. The characters and actions all felt so natural to the environment and themselves, as the sisters venture onto a new planet and even begin to drift apart. It made me laugh at several parts, and I honestly cannot think of a single spot I disliked.
The orange cover features Fiona, Sasha and Gaige. Fiona and Sasha are sister con artists on Pandora from Tales From the Borderlands, the first Tell Tales of the Borderlands games. Gaige is a DLC character in Borderlands 2 and the party planner from the Borderlands 3 DLC, Love, Blood and Tentacles.
Let me pull back a bit, and explain my history with Borderlands. I, as with most things, was a late bloomer to the series. I started playing it with my husband, and fell head over heels in love with it. The characters, the plot, the mechanics were just fun to play, even as a shooter noob like myself.
I may be a new fan, relatively speaking, but I feel I am a pretty loyal one. Borderlands claims to be a looter and shooter game, but I love the atmosphere of it, it is dark humor but told in a light hearted way. This terrible place with terrible people could get tired quickly but they always make it fresh and completely unexpected and it pays off.
Also, to get back to the book… how did they expect to make a book out of looter-shooter game? The gore, the limbs blown off in battle?
Anthony Burch is no stranger to Pandora or its wild people, as he is the sole credited writer of Borderlands 2, the B2 DLCs, and the Pre-Sequel game. These are the games of the series that initiated me into the Borderlands Fan Club. The characters, the plot, all divine; they were just fun games to play and keep me entertained all day of gaming.. So once I noticed the author, I had more confidence in the book, which did not disappoint.
The book opens with a prologue, showing how little Fiona and Sasha found themselves running with Felix, who called them his apprentices and Fiona countering with partners, forever on a con. Even for people who aren’t super into Borderlands lore, this book is a great introduction to Gaige’s history and if you do know her backstory, this book elaborates on her twisted tale of revenge like nothing before.
The book follows the events of Tales, with the group fighting to save the world, pretty noble for a couple of con artists! It fills in the gaps, like how Rhys ended up getting the Atlas company. The group splits up with the questionable nature of Rhys’ and Fiona’s relationship in the air, Rhys is busy with his new company, but he does pepper his way through the book. Fiona and Sasha have a small errand to do before making it big. But of course, everything goes wrong before long.
I enjoyed reading it, it was like reading the next few Tales episodes. The characters and actions all felt so natural to the environment and themselves, as the sisters venture onto a new planet and even begin to drift apart. It made me laugh at several parts, and I honestly cannot think of a single spot I disliked.
January 10, 2025
This book is a goodamn MASTERPIECE... For a Borderlands story.
That's the stipulation here. This is a Borderlands story. So how do you rate it? As an actual book it's fine. An easy read with a decent plot, solid characters, and a few funny jokes. It's nothing special, and easy 3/5 kind of adventure. Not bad, but not something to write home about.
However, Borderlands as a franchise is kind of infamous for having godawful writing. So... Do we compare this book to other books? Or other entries in its franchise?
I'm choosing to compare this to other entries in the Borderlands franchise. Mainly because, if we're being honest, nobody is going to read this if they're not familiar with Borderlands.
The writing of this book is about on par with Tales From The Borderlands (which is by FAR the best written piece of Borderlands medial). And that quality is very fitting since it's a direct sequel to that game. Fiona, Sasha, and Rhys feel exactly like they did in Tales without missing a beat (which feels so good considering how badly Rhys is written in Borderlands 3). Gaige, my personal favourite Vault Hunter in the franchise, is also a main character here and she's just delightful! A loud brash anarchist who goes hand in hand with what little personality we get from her in Borderlands 2!
Anthony Burch (lead writer of Borderlands 2, The Pre-Sequel, Tales of the Borderlands, and this book) also goes through a lot of effort to recontextualise some of the more baffling decisions the new writers made whilst making Borderlands 3. For example, an entire chapter is dedicated to discussing Rhys' character change in Borderlands 3 and New Tales From The Borderlands, an arc showing how Gaige matured into her more tame Borderlands 3 personality, and a significant subplot of the book is dedicated to exploring the Macguffin introduced in New Tales From The Borderlands.
Not to mention just how much of a love letter this book is to the videogame. Anthony Burch really goes out of his way to write game mechanics into the narrative so it feels like you're reading a Borderlands game (even going as far as implementing a few CYOA Dialogue Options that were included in the TellTale game this is a sequel of). I really can't compliment Anthony Burch's dedication and passion for the franchise that's so prevalent while reading this book. It just goes to prove that the franchise is basically nothing without him... Just a mindless shooting gallery with no style or substance.
So, ultimately, this is an EASY recommend for any Borderlands fan... Assuming you care about the story and characters in the game, and not just mindlessly pressing the shoot button until the orange glow makes your brain go "woo".
That's the stipulation here. This is a Borderlands story. So how do you rate it? As an actual book it's fine. An easy read with a decent plot, solid characters, and a few funny jokes. It's nothing special, and easy 3/5 kind of adventure. Not bad, but not something to write home about.
However, Borderlands as a franchise is kind of infamous for having godawful writing. So... Do we compare this book to other books? Or other entries in its franchise?
I'm choosing to compare this to other entries in the Borderlands franchise. Mainly because, if we're being honest, nobody is going to read this if they're not familiar with Borderlands.
The writing of this book is about on par with Tales From The Borderlands (which is by FAR the best written piece of Borderlands medial). And that quality is very fitting since it's a direct sequel to that game. Fiona, Sasha, and Rhys feel exactly like they did in Tales without missing a beat (which feels so good considering how badly Rhys is written in Borderlands 3). Gaige, my personal favourite Vault Hunter in the franchise, is also a main character here and she's just delightful! A loud brash anarchist who goes hand in hand with what little personality we get from her in Borderlands 2!
Anthony Burch (lead writer of Borderlands 2, The Pre-Sequel, Tales of the Borderlands, and this book) also goes through a lot of effort to recontextualise some of the more baffling decisions the new writers made whilst making Borderlands 3. For example, an entire chapter is dedicated to discussing Rhys' character change in Borderlands 3 and New Tales From The Borderlands, an arc showing how Gaige matured into her more tame Borderlands 3 personality, and a significant subplot of the book is dedicated to exploring the Macguffin introduced in New Tales From The Borderlands.
Not to mention just how much of a love letter this book is to the videogame. Anthony Burch really goes out of his way to write game mechanics into the narrative so it feels like you're reading a Borderlands game (even going as far as implementing a few CYOA Dialogue Options that were included in the TellTale game this is a sequel of). I really can't compliment Anthony Burch's dedication and passion for the franchise that's so prevalent while reading this book. It just goes to prove that the franchise is basically nothing without him... Just a mindless shooting gallery with no style or substance.
So, ultimately, this is an EASY recommend for any Borderlands fan... Assuming you care about the story and characters in the game, and not just mindlessly pressing the shoot button until the orange glow makes your brain go "woo".
August 23, 2024
"You seem to misunderstand who you're talking to," I growled. "We did this to save you. We're the good guys."
"Funny," Fittzwiggins said, a cruel smile curling his lip. "I seem to remember one Handsome Jack saying much the same thing."
Things I expected from Borderlands: Debt or Alive: My girls, guns, and fun.
Things I got from Borderlands: Debt or Alive: My girls, guns, fun, Rhysha goodness, Fiona being Very Gay, existential crises, and class revolution.
A solid addition to the Borderlands universe, Anthony Burch returns with the same wit, charm, and chaotic energy that made me fall in love with Borderlands 2 and get me hooked on the games in the first place.
(Side Note: If you haven't played Borderlands 2 and Tales from the Borderlands, this book probably won't make a whole lot of sense.)
After years of running, gunning, conning, and generally causing problems for everyone around them, Fiona and Sasha finally get their Big Break. The problem? They're miserable. Wealth, comfort, and security turn out to be a lot less satisfying than expected, and neither sister can quite figure out what's missing. It only takes Sasha's second death, Fiona's first death, Deathtrap's destruction (don't worry, he gets better!), Gaige getting tortured twice, and a full-blown uprising against Eden-5's obscenely wealthy elite for them to sort their feelings out, but hey, they get there eventually.
I was hoping, praying, for some Rhysha goodness, and Burch more than delivered; in-between bouts of dealing with her own mortality and the cold realization that nothing awaits her after death, Sasha examines her life, where she's at, what her future holds, and where Rhys slots into it all.
Being the insane Rhysha shipper that I am, I've compiled a comprehensive list of all their moments:
...and there you have it! RHYSHA GOODNESS IN THE YEAR 2024. THANK YOU, ANTHONY BURCH!!!!
Even without all that Rhysha goodness, Debt or Alive is still a solid book and an absolute blast to read. It's chaotic, hilarious, surprisingly heartfelt, and packed with enough guns, explosions, existential dread, and anti-capitalist sentiment to feel right at home in the Borderlands universe.
(Side Side Note: The sisters' last name is Dillon? Dillon???? After all these years, FUCKING DILLON????????)
November 13, 2025
I will start this off by saying I have yet to play any borderlands games. However, I have seen the movie. There for there was not a whole lot of game bias before starting this story.
This book is the sequel to the critically acclaimed game Tales from the Borderlands. You start right in to a new adventure with Fiona and Sasha.
As Sasha dies and then comes back to life during a vault hunting trip, Fiona starts thinking about what she can do to keep her sister safe. Once Fiona cracks the vault, she's given the opportunity for one wish, any wish. What would a vault hunter wish for, well....she didn't think it was a limited-edition Typhon DeLeon Vaultander action figure. Yet, here they are holding a collectible that is supposed to set them up for life.
This action figure would set them up for their entire life and then some, as long as they got it to the right buyer.
The sisters spend the last of the money they have to get to Eden-5, This is a planet unlike Pandora, where they grew up. where Pandora is full of Vault hunters and bandits, Eden-5 is full of Billionaires and ... well also bandits. Once they arrive, its not all sunshine and rainbows, they have a buyer but they run into a few mishaps before even getting the small plastic man that would change their lives to its new owner.
Finally they get to where they are going, settle on a price then out of no where a very young, determined , and somewhat deranged Mechromancer crashes the party. She just so happens to want to murder the buyer. This does not sit well with Sasha and Fiona, for obvious reasons. This is where the real story starts.
Fiona finds out rather quickly what she thought she wanted, isn't what she really wants. The story follows the sisters along their path of having nothing, having it all, and then getting a bit rowdy.
Where I have yet to play the games, after this story I went and bought the Telltale game and the other Borderlands games. It didn't feel like a book that was forced because of a popular game. We all know of a few that felt like that, and I'm happy to say with very little knowledge of the world and the games I was very entertained, and at no point did I feel like lack of knowledge kept me from understanding the plot, setting, or characters. Id actually rather like to have more books in this series, following the sisters on more adventures.
Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Media | Tantor Audio for the Digital ARC for review.
This book is the sequel to the critically acclaimed game Tales from the Borderlands. You start right in to a new adventure with Fiona and Sasha.
As Sasha dies and then comes back to life during a vault hunting trip, Fiona starts thinking about what she can do to keep her sister safe. Once Fiona cracks the vault, she's given the opportunity for one wish, any wish. What would a vault hunter wish for, well....she didn't think it was a limited-edition Typhon DeLeon Vaultander action figure. Yet, here they are holding a collectible that is supposed to set them up for life.
This action figure would set them up for their entire life and then some, as long as they got it to the right buyer.
The sisters spend the last of the money they have to get to Eden-5, This is a planet unlike Pandora, where they grew up. where Pandora is full of Vault hunters and bandits, Eden-5 is full of Billionaires and ... well also bandits. Once they arrive, its not all sunshine and rainbows, they have a buyer but they run into a few mishaps before even getting the small plastic man that would change their lives to its new owner.
Finally they get to where they are going, settle on a price then out of no where a very young, determined , and somewhat deranged Mechromancer crashes the party. She just so happens to want to murder the buyer. This does not sit well with Sasha and Fiona, for obvious reasons. This is where the real story starts.
Fiona finds out rather quickly what she thought she wanted, isn't what she really wants. The story follows the sisters along their path of having nothing, having it all, and then getting a bit rowdy.
Where I have yet to play the games, after this story I went and bought the Telltale game and the other Borderlands games. It didn't feel like a book that was forced because of a popular game. We all know of a few that felt like that, and I'm happy to say with very little knowledge of the world and the games I was very entertained, and at no point did I feel like lack of knowledge kept me from understanding the plot, setting, or characters. Id actually rather like to have more books in this series, following the sisters on more adventures.
Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Media | Tantor Audio for the Digital ARC for review.
November 20, 2024
Borderlands: Debt or Alive by Anthony Burch is a thrilling continuation of the much-loved Tales from the Borderlands game storyline, bringing back the iconic characters Fiona and Sasha for an explosive new adventure. For fans of the game series, this novel feels like a true sequel, diving back into Pandora’s chaos and delivering the signature mix of humor, danger, and heartfelt moments that make the Borderlands universe so unique.
The plot follows Fiona and Sasha as they take on a risky mission that lands them in a complex web of schemes, villains, and vault-related mysteries. True to Borderlands form, Burch’s writing is sharp, witty, and filled with memorable one-liners, staying true to the tone that fans have come to expect. His familiarity with the series shines through, allowing him to authentically capture Fiona and Sasha’s personalities and the quirky, dark world they navigate.
What makes Debt or Alive particularly engaging is Burch’s ability to balance the absurdity and humor with a surprisingly heartfelt exploration of Fiona and Sasha’s relationship as sisters. Their bond, already a strong aspect in Tales from the Borderlands, deepens here, revealing layers of loyalty, trust, and the strain that life on Pandora places on them. This emotional core provides a nice counterbalance to the action-packed, occasionally over-the-top plot.
Burch also introduces new characters and villains who add fresh dynamics to the story, along with some delightful cameos that Borderlands fans will appreciate. The pacing is quick and relentless, sometimes almost too chaotic, but that fits well with the unpredictable, anarchic spirit of the Borderlands universe. However, the book occasionally leans a bit too heavily on humor, which, while entertaining, can undermine the tension in certain moments.
Overall, Borderlands: Debt or Alive is a fun, action-packed, and heartwarming read that feels like a love letter to the Tales from the Borderlands fans. Burch does an impressive job blending comedy, drama, and thrilling action, giving readers an authentic Borderlands experience. Whether you’re a dedicated fan of the series or new to Pandora’s madness, this novel offers a roller-coaster ride with unforgettable characters, making it a worthwhile addition to the Borderlands canon.
The plot follows Fiona and Sasha as they take on a risky mission that lands them in a complex web of schemes, villains, and vault-related mysteries. True to Borderlands form, Burch’s writing is sharp, witty, and filled with memorable one-liners, staying true to the tone that fans have come to expect. His familiarity with the series shines through, allowing him to authentically capture Fiona and Sasha’s personalities and the quirky, dark world they navigate.
What makes Debt or Alive particularly engaging is Burch’s ability to balance the absurdity and humor with a surprisingly heartfelt exploration of Fiona and Sasha’s relationship as sisters. Their bond, already a strong aspect in Tales from the Borderlands, deepens here, revealing layers of loyalty, trust, and the strain that life on Pandora places on them. This emotional core provides a nice counterbalance to the action-packed, occasionally over-the-top plot.
Burch also introduces new characters and villains who add fresh dynamics to the story, along with some delightful cameos that Borderlands fans will appreciate. The pacing is quick and relentless, sometimes almost too chaotic, but that fits well with the unpredictable, anarchic spirit of the Borderlands universe. However, the book occasionally leans a bit too heavily on humor, which, while entertaining, can undermine the tension in certain moments.
Overall, Borderlands: Debt or Alive is a fun, action-packed, and heartwarming read that feels like a love letter to the Tales from the Borderlands fans. Burch does an impressive job blending comedy, drama, and thrilling action, giving readers an authentic Borderlands experience. Whether you’re a dedicated fan of the series or new to Pandora’s madness, this novel offers a roller-coaster ride with unforgettable characters, making it a worthwhile addition to the Borderlands canon.
October 8, 2025
Borderlands: Debt or Alive
Written by Anthony Burch
Narrated by Jesse Vilinsky
Produced by Tantor Media / Tantor Audio
Releases October 14, 2025
Go back into Tales from the Borderlands and discover what happened to the thieving duo, Fiona and Sasha, after they opened the Vault of the Traveler. Bringing true Borderlands humour, mentions of Psychos, and an adventure you can’t forget, we’ll learn what becomes of these sisters as they take Eden-5. Enter a Mechromancer, slaves, rich people with a fear of bandits, and a strong need for justice and Fiona is not getting the cushy retirement she thought she would. (Plus one of our favourite choices of player in the games – Gaige!)
This book was great! Jesse did an amazing job at narrating this and changed her tune to match the Borderlands humour that we know and love from the game franchise. This has rekindled my want to replay the Borderlands franchise (despite Borderlands 4 pulling political stunts to cash out quickly). If you have not played the Borderlands franchise, I highly recommend you do so first as I feel this book will not be enjoyed without having the knowledge of the games and characters within.
Thank you to Tantor Media, NetGalley, and Anthony Burch for providing me with an Advanced Listeners Copy!
Rating: 3 Stars as I do not think this is a story I will gravitate towards reading again but I am in love with the feeling it evoked in me of desire to return to the game franchise. For that alone, I have bumped my rating to 4 stars.
*Please note that I use star ratings to show how I enjoyed the book, not for the quality of the story and the writing!
Written by Anthony Burch
Narrated by Jesse Vilinsky
Produced by Tantor Media / Tantor Audio
Releases October 14, 2025
Go back into Tales from the Borderlands and discover what happened to the thieving duo, Fiona and Sasha, after they opened the Vault of the Traveler. Bringing true Borderlands humour, mentions of Psychos, and an adventure you can’t forget, we’ll learn what becomes of these sisters as they take Eden-5. Enter a Mechromancer, slaves, rich people with a fear of bandits, and a strong need for justice and Fiona is not getting the cushy retirement she thought she would. (Plus one of our favourite choices of player in the games – Gaige!)
This book was great! Jesse did an amazing job at narrating this and changed her tune to match the Borderlands humour that we know and love from the game franchise. This has rekindled my want to replay the Borderlands franchise (despite Borderlands 4 pulling political stunts to cash out quickly). If you have not played the Borderlands franchise, I highly recommend you do so first as I feel this book will not be enjoyed without having the knowledge of the games and characters within.
Thank you to Tantor Media, NetGalley, and Anthony Burch for providing me with an Advanced Listeners Copy!
Rating: 3 Stars as I do not think this is a story I will gravitate towards reading again but I am in love with the feeling it evoked in me of desire to return to the game franchise. For that alone, I have bumped my rating to 4 stars.
*Please note that I use star ratings to show how I enjoyed the book, not for the quality of the story and the writing!
August 23, 2026
Sisters Fiona and Sasha feel like things are finally going their way. Yes, Sasha had to die and be resurrected but they have a valuable item to sell and never set foot on Pandora again. With it they'll never have to work again. But on a new world and a run in with a vault hunter, things aren't all that easy on easy street.
This audio book got me wanting to replay the games. It reminded me of the best parts of the series with the chaos, the interesting sci-fi worlds, the interesting characters and the over the top violence. The narrator did a fantastic job of giving all of the characters a unique voice. I also appreciated that it allowed some of other characters in the franchise shine. The jokes almost all hit for me and didn't over do it or take away from the moments where there shouldn't be a laugh.
While it worked for the most part there were some things that stuck out as out of place and didn't work for me. There are a few sections that are choose your own adventure style, which probably would have worked better as a normal book that throws off the audio book. It also slows down the book as you end up listening to the same scene a few times to reach the same point. It doesn't happen too frequently but towards the end it happened more often than not. A smaller note that threw me off was the narrator does a very good job but one or two of the robotic voices just didn't work for me. Still a good read for any fan of the games or looking for an excuse to dive back into the world of Borderlands.
This audio book got me wanting to replay the games. It reminded me of the best parts of the series with the chaos, the interesting sci-fi worlds, the interesting characters and the over the top violence. The narrator did a fantastic job of giving all of the characters a unique voice. I also appreciated that it allowed some of other characters in the franchise shine. The jokes almost all hit for me and didn't over do it or take away from the moments where there shouldn't be a laugh.
While it worked for the most part there were some things that stuck out as out of place and didn't work for me. There are a few sections that are choose your own adventure style, which probably would have worked better as a normal book that throws off the audio book. It also slows down the book as you end up listening to the same scene a few times to reach the same point. It doesn't happen too frequently but towards the end it happened more often than not. A smaller note that threw me off was the narrator does a very good job but one or two of the robotic voices just didn't work for me. Still a good read for any fan of the games or looking for an excuse to dive back into the world of Borderlands.
August 6, 2024
I love Borderlands, but did not love this. It had an amateurish, almost Wattpad-level of writing I wasn't expecting given Burch's contributions to the best games in the series. There were a few memorable characters, but the weak antagonist (one-note moustache twirling rich people! with lasers!), the anachronistic millennial angst asides about student loans and 'problematic language,' the reused and recycled metaphors an editor should have easily caught, the capricious, zig-zagging character motivations, the shallow world building, jokes that rarely landed, the artless prose, the 'choose your own adventure' gimmicks breaking the fourth wall, the nonsensical footnotes, even the lazy, slapped together clipart cover... it was all a bit tedious and seemed to lack confidence. Not art, but product. Taking a look at the writer's bibliography it's nearly all corporate IP adaptations. I get that we all have mortgages, but if you have talent and art matters to you wouldn't you aspire for more than what's basically long form ad copywriting? Anyway, if you loved the book, I'd never try to talk you out of it, but it just wasn't for me. I may just be getting old with 50 right around the corner. Or I'm just a snob purist. Who knows? On to the next.
September 19, 2024
Full disclosure: I have never played Borderlands nor seen the movie—I bought this book solely based on the comedy and story writing chops of the author, Anthony Burch, as the DM on his podcast Dungeons and Daddies (not a BDSM podcast). I was delighted to enter a fully realized world with two female leads and two female secondary characters that were written like…actual people. His sensory descriptions were so vivid I got mad at my own writing for being so beige and flat. His twists and turns were funny and exciting, the stakes real (even with a pretty video gamey MacGuffin in play) and I desperately want to read any further works by Burch.
I almost even want to play the game even though like Jamie Lee Curtis said, she plays as if with her feet! I ALMOST want to see the movie based on this book, though I know the only thing they have in common is a source IP. All that to say is I laughed, I, okay, I didn’t *cry* so much as give a ding song diddly (its lack of profanity was wild) about the people, and I seethed with jealousy. If post-apocalyptic bad-assery and all around pew pew pew mixed with heavy scorn for the offensively rich is of any interest to you, do Burch a favor and buy this book. You can’t have my copy.
I almost even want to play the game even though like Jamie Lee Curtis said, she plays as if with her feet! I ALMOST want to see the movie based on this book, though I know the only thing they have in common is a source IP. All that to say is I laughed, I, okay, I didn’t *cry* so much as give a ding song diddly (its lack of profanity was wild) about the people, and I seethed with jealousy. If post-apocalyptic bad-assery and all around pew pew pew mixed with heavy scorn for the offensively rich is of any interest to you, do Burch a favor and buy this book. You can’t have my copy.
April 14, 2026
The book itself is very good. The comedy is both entertaining and fits with the rest of the franchise, and the story being told is very interesting. I had expected the portayal of the characters from the relevant games to be fairly accurate, and for the most part they are, but while the scam artist duo (Fiona and Sasha) is portrayed well and get to explore their motivations, the archaic vault hunter with a badass robot (Gaige) is quickly sidelined into a damsel-in-distress role, becoming less an active participant in the story and more an excuse for conflict between the rest of the main cast and the antagonist. After the first quarter of the book she effectively becomes a background character that even the main cast forgets about, and even when she does get some focus it often results in her getting the Woobie treatment. While this works for the story being told, it is a significant departure from how this character is treated in any other part of the franchise.
Overall a very good book that I would recommend, but if you're wanting a good balance between the three characters on the cover you may finding yourself a little unsatisfied.
Overall a very good book that I would recommend, but if you're wanting a good balance between the three characters on the cover you may finding yourself a little unsatisfied.
January 11, 2026
BORDERLANDS
DEBT OR ALIVE
by Anthony Burch
Narrated by Jesse Vilinsky
Fiona and Sasha, sister duo vault hunters!!
What can I say… I loved the game itself and the book didn’t disappoint!! The story line was good and my imagination took me straight into the world of game play!! All they wanted was to take care of the regular people and of course some good revenge on those who wronged them… The girls were pretty badass vault hunters… focused on balance and giving back (well at least they tried) the villain… well she sucked
(because she was mean) but that’s what villains do…However, good prevails even in the midst of chaos!!
If you’re a fan of the game or just a fan of adventures author Anthony Burch brought it, pick it up and enjoy the adventure!!
Narrator Jesse Vilinsky was perfect and the background detail made it that much better!!
Thank you @NetGalley @Tantor Media
DEBT OR ALIVE
by Anthony Burch
Narrated by Jesse Vilinsky
Fiona and Sasha, sister duo vault hunters!!
What can I say… I loved the game itself and the book didn’t disappoint!! The story line was good and my imagination took me straight into the world of game play!! All they wanted was to take care of the regular people and of course some good revenge on those who wronged them… The girls were pretty badass vault hunters… focused on balance and giving back (well at least they tried) the villain… well she sucked
(because she was mean) but that’s what villains do…However, good prevails even in the midst of chaos!!
If you’re a fan of the game or just a fan of adventures author Anthony Burch brought it, pick it up and enjoy the adventure!!
Narrator Jesse Vilinsky was perfect and the background detail made it that much better!!
Thank you @NetGalley @Tantor Media
October 6, 2025
Thank you to the Publishers for sending me the Audiobook! This was a fun listen, the narrator nailed all the voice acting for all the characters. It was a good listen, especially if you know the borderlands world and unseriousiness (not sure that’s a real word) of it. The plot wasn’t anything crazy and was easy to keep up with. It felt like a side mission, more than a main story if that makes sense but Would remember to listen!
July 16, 2025
hilarious. really captured the humor of the games, actually even more funny. loved the characters, good story, good ending. gets you invested. the multiple path parts are a gem, I loved them and I loved this book.
August 26, 2024
A breath of fresh air in the Borderlands universe. Very happy to see Anthony adding to the world again and I would love to see more!
October 5, 2024
Loved it! The callbacks, the choose your own aspects, just great fun. You definitely have to play tales to get some of the references but I think you could get away with not and still enjoying it.
July 19, 2025
Reading this felt like playing a mixture of Tales and BL2 DLC.
August 26, 2025
This book is everything you would expect from a Borderlands book, and I had a blast reading it. It was a good pregame for the fourth game coming out in a few weeks :))
December 30, 2025
the narrator single handedly saved this from being a 1 or 2, borderlands humor just doesn't work for me in book format, unfortunately
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