Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

My Review:

I received an e arc of this book from the publisher via TBR and Beyond Tours in exchange for an honest review and a spot on this blog tour – thanks!

This graphic novel was everything I had wanted it to be and so much more. The art style was phenomenal, and the story was just as impressive. Lu and Fassen were such excellent MCs and the absolute cutest. I couldn’t put this book down.

I am often wary of sci-fi and fantasy graphic novels because it is a complex narrative to convey world-building, but Across a Field of Starlight did so effortlessly. I would say this airs on the side of a lighter sci-fi, the world isn’t made to be as complex and the technology is relatively simple. It was easy to draw the connections to this galaxy and to others I was previously aware of. Even those who are not the biggest fans of the genre will likely enjoy this one.

This was my first time reading a book with two non-binary main characters, and I think it did a fantastic job of showing that the sci-fi genre belongs to more than just cis straight white men. There were queer characters and characters of colour; it was just a really warming experience. There was never any need to explain their presence within the world and it felt so natural. I am really loving the diversity that has been coming through in sci fi in the last few years.

I think this book is going to be a new favourite for a lot of folks – myself included. It was beautiful and thought-provoking. It really makes you consider how good vs evil is usually portrayed as being so black and white, but in reality it is a lot more complex. Fans of On a Sunbeam should definitely consider picking this book up.

Across a Field of Starlight releases February 8th!

The illustrations in this graphic novel were absolutely stunning which was the reason I kept reading it. Unfortunately I think that I missed something when it comes to the whole plot, the story, the world the story is taking place in… I am not sure I understand everything when it came to all the fights, etc… Which makes me sad because I’m sure that I would have loved it more if there were more explanations around everything going on in the story. I’m not even sure about the romance, was there supposed to be something romantic between Fassen and Lu? Or were they just very close friends? I’m not too sure what happened there.

This is a fun, exciting space opera filled with intrigue, action, strong friendship and found family vibes, and how much it sucks when you find out the "Good Side" that you've been fighting for does things that are just as bad as the "Bad Side." There is also queer rep all over the place, and it's done perfectly: it's not a plot point. No one suffers because they're queer. Everyone is accepted as they are, which is how the world should be. So this is own voices, but I wouldn't say it's about being queer.
We have two young people, Farren (they/them), who is part of the resistance against the evil empire in power, and Lu (she/her), a curious science-minded explorer from a utopian commune that stays hidden to protect their neutrality and their tech, an AI system that used to belong to the empire until it escaped. The two meet when Lu rescues Farren from the wreckage of a ship damaged in battle near where Lu was taking some readings (she LOVES collecting data!). They become friends, and Lu rigs up a way for them to send messages to each other, no matter how far apart they are. As Farren trains to fight with the resistance, they begins to notice some things that disturb them, finally escaping in a stolen empire prototype ship. They find Lu and go to her world, but unfortunately both the resistance and the empire are able to track the ship. How will Farren and Lu protect the commune and save the day?
So much adventure, so much intrigue, so many feels! I really enjoyed the story, and the art is just fabulous - bright, emotive, and perfectly matched to the text. The ending was right for the story - final enough to end here, but absolutely open enough for a sequel. A great read!

#AcrossaFieldofStarlight #NetGalley

Two kids meet by accident and keep in touch across space as they go their separate ways. Lu lives in a science-based commune where a galactic war does not occur and the other, Fassen, is in the middle of the rebels fighting against a technical army of robots trying to take over the galaxy. When Fassen discovers that their mentors aren't as honorable as they expected and a new tech could be used to cause more death, they accidentally jump into the path of Lu's exploration shuttle and has to take refuge in the commune that is trying its hardest to stay away from the war.

Positives:
- A non-binary society where nearly all the named characters explicitly falls into the queer spectrum.
- Brightly colored and beautiful illustrations of space
- Diverse body shapes, skin tones, and facial expressions on characters
- Despite taking place in the middle of a galactic war, saving lives on either side is enforced as the most important.
- Conflict is ultimately resolved through empathy and understanding, accepting the humanity of technologically-based life forms.
- The relationship between Lu and Fassen remains a very reliable and supportive friendship, never becoming romantic.
- Examines how different social expectations can clash even when doing good.

Negatives:
- There are stretches of pages that are full of technical jargon mumbo jumbo that went well above my head. It didn't feel like it added anything to the world building, but left me feeling lost and disconnected from the story.

I was only able to read about half of this graphic novel because of the format. Adobe Editions only lets you zoom in a little and with two pages displayed at once and my tiny phone screen it was a literal headache trying to read this. I really enjoyed what I saw of the story and the art was lovely. I wish I could have finished and provided a full review but I don't feel I can. I will definitely keep an eye out for this book and hopefully be able to review it properly some day!

I absolutely loved this guide. I especially enjoyed the discussion questions, the waterbottle labels, and the prompt "ask everyone to bring an item that they'd miss if they were trapped on Raxter" for food ideas. The book club quiz (what would your tox symptoms be) was fun, but I wasn't a big fan of the "Would you survive the Tox" quiz. All in all a fantastic guide for a fantastic book.

I think the first 70% of this book had a lot of promise. I loved seeing the diversity in characters; not only were they people of color, but Fassen is non-binary, Bda is a bearded woman, Nide is a trans man, Lu is fat, and one of the council members on the station uses a wheelchair. All of these aspects of their lives are treated as completely normal and aren't the focus of the story, which is good. Not all stories about non-binary or fat characters need to be about their struggle with choosing they/them pronouns or their struggle accepting their weight. Just let the characters be.

That being said, my interest in the story decreased as the sci-fi tech talk increased. I truly had no idea what was going on, and the battle scene illustrations did not help (I find battle scenes in graphics to be hectic). The scenes with Gorge made no sense to me and I just skimmed those. The concept of kidnapping an AI confused me too. I think if the battle against Blossom were more concrete and less about particles and quantum channels I would have liked it more.

This book is a nonstop SPACE ADVENTURE featuring A REAL ACTUAL NONBINARY PERSON and it’s effortlessly queer. The art is fantastic, IT’S SET IN SPACE, it’s a concept that’s like, “what if Star Wars was actually good and featured regular people rather than Just Luke Skywalker And His Dad Constantly?” Is there some weird worldbuilding? Also yes. Could this be a toss-up between me being An Idiot and also Not Caring That Much? Yes. You might have better luck. Also there are some politics and I love some SPACE POLITICS.

This was incredible. Yes, I did cry. Four and a half stars, rounded up for NetGalley. It came out February 8th, 2022.

It started off a little rocky– a very, very cold open with no explanation of anything. But it quickly started to make sense and I started to fall in love with the cast, who was INCREDIBLY diverse. There was so much trans representation, it was just SO MUCH and all incredibly well done. Gender presentation does not equal gender identity and this book highlights that in such an impactful way. I loved the worldbuilding and the concepts. The action scenes were great– hell all the illustrations were pretty fantastic. The pacing felt great and it really felt like the epic sci-fi book that it was trying to be.

beautiful beautiful illustrations & a diverse range of characters. a fun read overall but at times i was quite confused at the world building/ storyline

Across a Field of Starlight is the perfect graphic novel for fans of the anime/manga Astra: Lost in Space or any other queer sci/fi books and shows!

I absolutely loved the art style, the difference in colors based on which planet/field space they were in, the diverse cast of characters breaking the binary, and the story was just *chefs kiss*!

There was action, drama, heartfelt emotions and advice, and that ending was just lovely. The dual POV was really fun and I cannot wait to read the other web comics available from Blue Delliquanti.

Non-binary representation. It’s so great especially for middle school/early high school readers where there is less representation

Beautiful illustrations. I love a good graphic novel but the sci-fi/fantasy piece gives more room for some really great art

Character development. Fassen and Lu are such interesting characters and following their bond from childhood is really great

Moral questions. I think it’s great to see such complex questions broken down for young readers and really engaging them in critical thinking

Alternate viewpoints. It allows the reader to see how minority rebellions can interrupt the status quo, even when standing up for your beliefs is difficult

Thank you so much to netgalley for an early review copy. I am obsessed with the illustrations in Across a Field of Starlight. The nonbinary star-crossed lovers I didn't know I needed. I can't wait to sell this title and to see what Blue Delliquanti does next! I highly recommend this to all sci-fi graphic novel lovers.

This was a very interesting read. The characters were fun, the graphics were amazing, and it’s very modern in a science fiction world. My daughter grabbed this book and devoured it in one night and is now researching other books from this author.

I don’t tend to read graphic novels, so this was out of my comfort zone from the start. It was a little hard for me to get into in the beginning, but by the end I was swallowed up by the story & rooting for the main characters. The colors were vibrant, the queer representation was overflowing and diverse, and the duality of worlds the MCs lived in all while in space is compelling. Here are a few of my favorite quotes and why:

“No one should ever be alone the way you were”

This was the catalyst in creating the friendship/relationship of Lu & Fassan. They have lived different lives and will continue to do so for most of the book.

“Have you flown anything before?” “No, I just…used my instincts”

Fassan is destined to be more than just a medic. They see being a soldier as the ultimate goal in life, but sometimes it's not all what it seems.

“We’ve earned whatever we take. We’ve earned the best food in the mess. Especially when the supplies run short and the lines run long.”

Captain Nide places soldiers above everyone else. Why are other jobs looked at as less? This is a running theme that Fassan is faced with and they will ultimately discover if they are willing to sacrifice to be this person.

“There’s only one loose end for us to tie up. Scoot those prisoners over to the wall..and shoot them out the air lock”

This goes hand-in-hand with the previous quote. Captain Nide is willing to kill civilians/unarmed innocent people because they are Blossom, essentially murdering them for the “greater good”

“I'm sorry you saw your friendship as a transaction. And im sorry thats how you thought people behaved”

Lu just wants to help their friend, and Fassan only knows that there is only give and take in the world, nothing is ever free. Will Fassan realize there is more in the world than earning your keep 24/7 and that others can look out for each other without expectation of compensation?

“If there was nobody in your way telling you what to do - to be safe, to be fed, to have a place to sleep at night - who would you be?”

To me, this is the whole book. Who are you, if you were to choose your path entirely? What do you stand for? Who do you want to be?

As children, Fassen and Lu had a chance encounter when Fassen’s ship crash-landed near Lu’s research site. Since then, they have secretly maintained contact through a cross-galactic messaging system Lu created. Technically, they should never have met, given that Fassen is a soldier in an intergalactic war, and Lu the child of a secret pacifist commune hiding from the conflict. Yet, their connection pushes past the factors that would keep them apart, and they are reunited against all odds. But, when Fassen enters Lu’s world, they’re bringing the war with them, no matter how they might like to leave it all behind.

You can get your copy of Across a Field of Starlight now from Random House Graphic!

This graphic novel was absolutely packed with adventure and I loved it! Oftentimes, I’m left feeling like I need a little more from a graphic novel to feel like a fully completed story, but that absolutely was not the case for Across a Field of Starlight! There was incredible world-building, character development, and narrative arcs all built into a gorgeously-illustrated framework. I adored the illustration style, with its conscientious use of color in different settings. I especially loved reading this book because of its almost casual centering of non-binary narratives in a science fiction landscape. Each of the characters was given space to be themselves while also dealing with high-stakes galactic drama, which was simply fantastic to read about! I’ll be recommending this book to my friends for years to come!

My Recommendation-
If you love queer adventure stories, you absolutely have to pick up a copy of Across a Field of Starlight! I would especially recommend this book to fans of the new She-Ra series!

Across a Field of Starlight is an engaging and exciting graphic novel that, while confusing in the beginning, had me on the edge of my seat towards the end of it.

To begin with, the art style in this graphic novel was stunning. The character designs were all fabulous, and all of the little details really helped to draw the reader in. I think the biggest reason I wasn’t as confused as I might’ve been was because of the art style. This helped me picture some of the more complex sci-fi ideas that were never fully explained or developed.

I absolutely loved the way Across a Field of Starlight dismantled gender norms. All of the characters are so diverse, and all of it felt genuine. Sometimes in stories, it can feel like there’s diversity for the sake of diversity, but not in this graphic novel. It felt natural (as it should be), and effortless. This was by far my favorite part of the story, and I was so excited to see it portrayed as such.

I will say, I wish that it had been clarified whether one (or both) of the main characters were asexual or aromantic. It was almost touched upon, but then the novel transitioned into a different scene, and was never brought up again. This part felt unfinished, and I wish it had been developed more.

Additionally, I feel that there needed to be more worldbuilding here. While I thought the concept was super unique, I also didn’t understand it very well. Most of it became clearer as the story went on, but it took me a while to feel like I had a good interpretation of what was happening, which was a bit of a shame, because it really was a cool concept.

Despite these issues, I still enjoyed this. I loved getting to know Fassen and Lu, and they were such interesting characters. I loved watching their bond develop, even though they were always so far away from each other.

Across a Field of Starlight also brings up some interesting questions when it comes to politics and war. This, combined with the very needed discussions on sexuality and gender, makes this graphic novel a must read for those interested in science fiction.

While I did have some issues with it, I really enjoyed it overall and would recommend it to anyone considering picking it up.

As soon as I started reading Across a Field of Starlight I was sucked in by the stunning artwork and colors. I was very impressed and loved how art was used throughout this science fiction story. The characters were diverse and I loved see them all coming to life.

When you start this story you’re thrown into a world with a lot of politics and where a war is going on. I loved seeing the world and learning about the politics. Also, the characters Fassen and Lu are such interesting characters and I loved learning about them. The technology and ways of doing things was really interesting.

The second half of the book was more focused on character development and it was really interesting to see how the characters were in their own world and what their take was on things in their world. I would love another story to see how these characters are after the events in this story.

I don’t read science fiction often and I have to say while I could easily follow this story I definitely had a harder time understanding everything. If I’m honest I would’ve loved a little more explanation about these worlds and also just a little more focus on the characters. All in all, still a very impressive story and beautiful artwork. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more by this author.

I really loved the artwork in this graphic novel, especially the representation of Fassan and Lu. I loved the diverse bodies, Lu's hair (so pink!), their facial expressions as they spoke to each other. Their friendship and their courage to continue building it across space and time was powerful. However, I had a lot of trouble following the rest of the plot. It might be because I'm not a big sci fi person, and this was heavy on sci fi, or because the plot moved very quickly around the lead two. That being said, I would totally read and view another one of their stories just for them.