Asuka feels like an imposter on a ship of elites on a space ship on a journey to save the future of humanity. When it becomes clear there is a saboteur on board, Asuka, with no obvious role is tasked with finding the culprit. She must do so while not tipping her hand and before the saboteur gets them all killed.

I really enjoyed this book! The back and forth between how the Asuka gets her role on the ship, what it means, and how it impacts her psyche was sad but interesting. I also really enjoyed the murder/sabotage mystery. I definitely didn't guess the outcome. I liked the use of the flashbacks that showed how the people on the ship were chosen and the politics underpinning the mission. Asuka's relationship with her mother and the ship was also a really interesting dynamic. The flashbacks also helped to help provide clues for the mystery. Overall, really enjoyed and I can't wait to read more from this author.

Pub Date: Jul 18

Thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for an advanced e-copy of the book!

An epic space odyssey that seamlessly blends the genres of science fiction, mystery, and thriller, leaving you on the edge of your seat and craving for more……

Book Information

"The Deep Sky," authored by Yume Kitasei, spans 416 pages and is set to be launched on July 18, 2023. Sarah Skaer lends her voice to the audio version, which runs for a duration of 12 hours and 16 minutes. Kitasei was raised in the mélange of two distinct cultures, precisely where her compelling narratives often take root. "The Deep Sky" marks her debut novel. Many thanks to Flatiron Books for providing me with an advance reader copy for review.

Summary

On the verge of Earth's impending environmental collapse, a crucial mission hangs in the balance. A lone ship carries the last hope for humanity: eighty exceptional graduates entrusted with the task of birthing a future generation in the depths of space. However, a devastating explosion rocks The Phoenix, claiming three lives and causing the vessel to veer off its intended course. As the sole surviving witness, Asuka finds herself immediately under scrutiny and suspicion.

Even before the explosion, Asuka struggled with feelings of inadequacy. She was the final selection for the mission, faced challenges during training on Earth, and grapples with her dual identity as a half-Japanese girl raised in America. With her strained relationship with her mother and the crew members turning against each other, The Phoenix becomes Asuka's sole anchor.

Determined to unravel the truth and preserve the mission's integrity, Asuka races against time to unmask the perpetrator before faith in their mission crumbles entirely—or worse, before the bomber strikes again. As tensions mount and trust wanes, the fate of their collective survival rests on Asuka's relentless pursuit of justice amidst the vast expanse of space.

My Thoughts

“The Deep Sky” delivers the pulse-pounding thrill of unraveling a web of conspiracy, navigating the complexities of human emotions, and witnessing the indomitable spirit of a diverse crew who have not only their own survival at stake but perhaps the future of humanity itself. It’s a highly captivating space adventure that weaves together elements of sci-fi, mystery, and thriller, while also delving into the depths of human emotions.

The narrative unfolds through alternating timelines, skillfully shifting between the present on the off-course ship and the past ten years leading up to the launch. This clever structure allows readers to discover Asuka's experiences in school and witness the formation of the diverse crew and their unwavering determination to be part of this extraordinary voyage. The structure also gives insight into Asuka’s struggles with imposter syndrome, her constant questioning of herself, and her place within the mission. Her half-Japanese, half-American heritage adds an additional layer of depth as she searches for connections and a sense of belonging.

The flashbacks to the training camp provide crucial clues about the characters and their motivations, deepening the mystery and driving reader engagement. The book excels with the diversity of the characters and the depth of intricate relationships shared among them, which adds layers of complexity to the story.

One aspect that I really enjoyed was the future technology, from the ever-present AI to the ship's ability to adapt, transform and personalize environments based on each crew member's preferences. This creative approach added to the vivid and immersive reading experience.

"The Deep Sky" also felt remarkably real in the moments it presented. I felt like I could connect with each situation even though it was within a future world that we have yet to experience. Whether it's the intricate dynamics of school hierarchies, the complexities of government bureaucracies, the well-meaning but ill-informed conspiracy theorists, or the poignant exploration of lapsed friendships and estranged parents, the emotions and dilemmas faced by the characters resonate authentically. The guilt of survival, the weight of being chosen or left behind, and the characters' intelligence blended with their flaws make them believable and relatable.

With a multitude of twists and a wealth of heartfelt moments, this book takes readers on a wonderous journey. The world-building is both comprehensive and concise, creating a fully realized universe. The exploration of the characters' emotions is particularly enriching, providing a deep and rewarding reading experience.

Recommendation

"The Deep Sky" is a must-read for fans of space adventures, sci-fi, mysteries, and thrillers. It combines a thrilling plot with intricate character development, creating a story that will captivate your imagination and touch your heart. Strongly recommended.

Rating

4.5 Asuka Stars

I think the plot was mostly solid and there were points that I were really invested in, but a looooot of things were so grating it made it hard for me to enjoy it. The writing can be very dated (“imho,” “low-key,” “fat berg,” not exactly dated language, but using “eugenics” wrong), “inclusive” language made quite a few parts difficult to understand, and there were many sentences that were started in the middle of a statement.

There were lots of things that were contradictory (the ship had simulated gravity, but some parts had zero-g (or were later changed to “low not-gravity”)), or just not well explained (the layout of the ship, there being an unspecified number of crew mates that weren’t part of the 80 women selected, the messaging system…). Oh my god—the spiraling I went through trying to figure out how their messaging system worked nearly gave me an aneurysm and I don’t want to retype it, so I’m just going to say it made no sense to me.

Honestly, most of this book was some form of “world” building, and it could’ve been a cool speculative fiction novel about space travel or the mission in general, and it really didn’t need to have the added mystery to it. I think that actually detracted from the rest of the story, which was a lot more interesting—maybe focus on a few students over their years of training and then a few years while they’re in the middle of the journey, and maybe some introspection into the moral/ethical concerns around the entire story. Among Us did not need to factor into any part of this book for it to be good.

Thank you to Netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this! The thriller aspect coincided really nicely with the themes of hope and forgiveness throughout the book. I do think some of the subplots were a little rushed but this is a fantastic debut and I am interested to see what else Kitasei writes!

A absolute page-turner. The book is propelled by a can't-put-it-down mystery with a wonderful protagonist: honest, naive Asuka, raised by and between two cultures, never feeling quite "enough": not smart enough, not Japanese enough, not American enough. Her complicated relationship with her mother reflects not only a generation divide, but also a cultural one – with the attendant guilt and fear of turning one's back on heritage as well as family.
I am beyond impressed with this debut novel because it wastes not a single word. Its worldbuilding is complete and concise; its exploration of characters' emotions is rich but never excessive; its use of Asuka's position on the ship ("Alt") is not only perfect for the plot, but also for her character.
Thank you Macmillan Flatiron and NetGalley for early access to this wonderful book.

Thank you for this free arc in exchange for an honest review.
This book was very enjoyable, a classic sci-fi sabotage on a colonization mission to a new planet.

Things I enjoyed
- The main story’s pacing, the main plot of the book was deeply engaging and kept me up past 12 am a couple of nights.
-The world building and side stories that cropped up throughout the book

Things I didn’t enjoy
- there were too many flashbacks. At one point the reader has to read THREE before returning to the main plot. These chapters were mostly red herring fuel that became a bit of a chore to read (literally think 40% of this book is a flashback)
- the main character has a very woe-is-me outlook that dragged the plot along. At not point did she consider she could be the victim of sabotage but instead threw and ongoing pity party about why she was even on the ship. Got old fast.
- I found the final reveal obvious (after adding about 3-4 red herrings for each side character the perpetrator was obvious by 50%)

That being said, I did enjoy this book. It was a fun spin on space sabotage.

I requested this book because Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Lady Astronaut series, recommended it and it does not disappoint . I love a good sci-fi thriller and this was no exception. The characters are so well fleshed out and really keeps you guessing on what happened on this ship and the future of the mission.

What a strange and wonderful story this is! If you like science fiction this is the book for you. If you like a good mystery then this is the book for you. A bomb explodes sending the spaceship off course. Who placed the bomb? Why did someone place the bomb? Who's the murderer? Why? Why? Well, the last person selected for this mission, Asuka, who is also the only surviving witness is determined to find the answers. You're going to like tagging along as she works out the puzzle. But, will she survive?

I enjoyed this book, but I think I'd really love it as a TV miniseries. I say this because:

1. I find that I quite enjoy watching mysteries and thrillers, but not so much reading them, and that's what this book is. I was expecting more of a vibey, character-driven sci-fi (which is more my problem with the publisher's blurb, not the author's work), but this is more of a plot-driven mystery that happens to take place in space.

2. I don't mind a non-linear timeline, but I had a little trouble here. The present timeline was high-urgency and quick-paced, while most flashbacks felt more reflective. I'd have to reset myselff a bit during each timline shift, getting in the groove only in time for it to shift again. And, the tension I felt in the present tense was sometimes explained immediately in the flashback, which began to make things fall a little flat instead of creating a constant rise of tension and action. I'd like to see how breaking the timelines up only a few times--like, every other episode instead of every few pages--could help readers like me.

3. Kitasei has created a world that I deepy want to see and feel. Earthly apocalypse! Boarding school! A spaceship! High-tech augmented reality! It's a delectable compilation of settings and technology that I can only imagine, and I'd love to see it brought visually to life.

It only takes a few pages for The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei to hook you and turn any plans you may have had into a day of reading. Asuka is part of a select team tasked with traveling to an earth-like planet light years away to begin colonization. Earth has been decimated by climate change. The story opens with a crime—there is an explosion on the ship, which could only have been planned and carried out by someone on board. Asuka is charged with quietly evaluating who might have carried out the crime. As she works her way through the crew, collecting small details and insight from her shipmates, the story’s timeline shifts between the present and scenes from Asuka’s youth. Having grown up a climate refugee turned high-stakes space mission candidate, Kitasei develops a main character both capable and plagued by childhood loss.

While the mystery unfolds, so to does the complicated history of friendship and competition between the candidates who were ultimately chosen for the mission. Deep Sky explores the constellation of Asuka’s many relationships, from her family through childhood friendships skillfully, using the exploration to build an interesting character. Less skilled writing would’ve made for boring reminiscences, but Kitasei times her protagonist’s reflections expertly, adding more and more relevance to her experience on the ship.

While the character-building is well done, one particular trait of Asuka’s presents so starkly as to be almost uncomfortable in it’s realism. Asuka suffers from impostor syndrome. Her self-doubt is very reasonable in the context of the competitive space-mission program in which she’s a candidate, but also made clear in the book is her mastery and many accomplishments. The realism comes in when us, as readers, can easily see her competence and how the inability to see it herself causes her near constant strife and damages relationships. It's impossible to observe this dynamic in Asuka without questioning how much self-doubt weaves its way into our own lives and prevents us from realizing our full potential.

Deep Sky is an exciting read and an expert marriage of action and character development. This book is worth your time!

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron books for this electronic advance reader copy.

I reallyyyyyy wanted to love this book, but there were just too many things that seemed implausible to make it work for me.

Here's what I liked:
- The premise was so interesting, and well, with the current state of the world, maybe one day we will be sending a group of people off into space to try inhabiting another planet. This was an interesting take on how they would choose who went and possible worldly conflicts that arise before and after take-off.
- I loved the inclusivity - queer and trans representation in a way that wasn't overpowering or overshadowing of everything else.

Here's what I didn't like:
- The jagged timeline. The jumps back in time to before the ship launched made the story feel very chopped and took away momentum from the current timeline. They also got repetitive and didn't add anything to the story. It was hard to keep track of the drama and who was mad at who at which point. It was also a few timeline jumps into it before you realized that the beginning of the timeline jumps was 20 years prior to the current situation, and that one "cycle" was equal to one 24 hour day. 10 years of that they were in hibernation on the ship, but it makes the past feel less relevant as they were 12-16 years old in most of the flashbacks verses their current 32 years old.
- It took a while before I could get a decent grasp on who the characters where. They were pretty one dimensional and hearing about the drama they had when they were 12 only made most of them unlikeable since there wasn't much room for growth.
- Maybe it was because it took me awhile to get through this, but I never really got a clear picture on what the ship was like. The descriptions seemed confusing and the layout just didn't make sense to me when they were describing going from mod to mod or doing spacewalks.
- Again, maybe I missed it or just can't remember the very beginning of the book, but Planet X was very ambiguous. Did they actually know this planet existed and exactly how to get there and how long it would take; or were they just shooting in the dark? It seemed in the beginning that it was a concrete place they knew about, but then towards the end it seemed like they weren't sure it actually existed.
- They have the technology to reach Planet X within 20 years (since they mentioned that they were over halfway there and they were almost 11 years into the journey) but at the same time the ship wasn't equipped to do a larger course correct and they had zero ability to steer it?? It seemed implausible. Our current technology allows us to reach the next closest star (Proxima Centauri) in 6300 years, so being able to reach Planet X in about 20 means they are much more technologically advanced than we currently are. The ship also had to pilot itself for 10 years without any crew being awake, as they were all hibernating, and it seems highly unlikely that it wouldn't have encountered any objects in its way during 10 years of space travel and needed to navigate around them, or the following 10 as they got closer to Planet X. It doesn't seem like the explosion could have sent them off course that much that they only had 3 cycles/days to course correct or the entire mission would fail and they'd never get back on the right path. Even if the engines couldn't do a large course correction initially (like the equivalent of making a sharp turn in a car) even a small correction would eventually put them back on the right path. They still had approximately 9 years to go, so it didn't really make much sense that they needed to course correct in such short time. The explosion couldn't have knocked the ship off that much for the small amount of damage that it did. The math ain't mathing.

Still rating 3 stars because the parts that I did like of the book, I really enjoyed. The book just seemed a little too long for me and I would have enjoyed it more had the focus of the novel been on something other than having to course correct in only 3 days.

Always love a good interstellar mystery, and Yume Kitasei certainly delivers the intrigue. The pacing between current ship events and the flashbacks to main character's time on earth was well done, and well balanced. The various characters growth throughout the book was also entertaining, if a little frustrating at times. If you like Anthony Weir, I really think you'll like this book.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61884842-the-deep-sky" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Deep Sky" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1675082851l/61884842._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61884842-the-deep-sky">The Deep Sky</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19533114.Yume_Kitasei">Yume Kitasei</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5380333621">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Always love a good interstellar mystery, and Yume Kitasei certainly delivers the intrigue. The pacing between current ship events and the flashbacks to main character's time on earth was well done, and well balanced. The various characters growth throughout the book was also entertaining, if a little frustrating at times. If you like Anthony Weir, I really think you'll like this book.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/86143998-allison-willey">View all my reviews</a>

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I DNF this book. This book is written in a strange way that I know many will like but it’s not for me. I also don’t want to read about a bunch of pregnant women. This book had an interesting premise but I’m not interesting in continuing on. I’m only rating this because it makes me and giving a review so my feedback ratio isn't messed up.

A locked-spaceship mystery with cool technology and a cast of interesting characters. I really felt for Asuka and her uncertainty of her place aboard the ship, her desire to prove herself, and the questions she faced about her crew mates. While I wasn't sure about the dual timeline at first, by the end, I was just as invested in the past chapters as I was the present.

I genuinely enjoyed this story and found myself looking forward to reading more.

[NOTE: Unless otherwise stated, my NetGalley feedback is not a blurb or endorsement. If a publisher wishes to use any part of my comments for promotional purposes, please contact me or my agent via email. I would prefer not to include star ratings but NetGalley won't let me post without one, so all will be 5 stars.]

There was something about the writing style of this book that kept me at arm's length from truly engaging with the story at hand.

Yume Kitasei’s debut is a perfect blend of sci-fi (featuring lots of great future tech—in space!), thriller, coming of age, and character study. Against the backdrop of a world in environmental crisis, Asuka is a half American, half Japanese young woman who has struggled to fit neatly into her life and family. Her main goal has been to leave earth with an elite group of graduates from a competitive program to establish humanity on a more habitable planet.

She finally makes it, and then a bomb strikes her ship.

The Deep Sky is told in alternating scenes from Asuka’s present life on the ship and her past, growing up and going through the program that earned her a spot in the mission. Kitasei expertly enfolds the reader ever deeper into Asuka’s mind and heart as she navigates the dangers lurking everywhere on the ship and must figure out not only how to save herself and her crewmates but all of humanity.

Highly recommend for readers who like to geek out over future tech and the workings of a spaceship while delving into a satisfying mystery and following characters with big heart!

ARC by NetGalley and the publisher.
Let me start by saying I am not usually a fan of science fiction but once I read this synopsis I was intrigued to read this debut novel.
Asuka, our MC is chosen to go on a space mission to help colonize a new planet after the demise of Earth. An explosive on the ship occurs killing crew members, the acting captain being one of which. Asuka is then given the task to investigate and find the culprit. Who could be sabotaging the mission and can Asuka solve the crime before they run out of time? I’ll be honest the idea of deep space terrifies me as does the thought of Earth’s end and to top it all off being stuck out there when people are dying, yep sounds like my worst nightmare but reading this book was anything but that! The detailed setting I ended up finding to be interesting and well detailed despite my initial fears of space. The character development was very thorough and at the heart I feel this novel is really about humanity which is showcased greatly in the character building. The book also had shocking twists and even humor which I was pleasantly surprised to find while reading. There are flashbacks however I did not feel that it negatively effected the pacing of this novel but rather enhanced it.
This science fiction thriller will easily be enjoyed by seasoned readers of the genre and also newcomers like myself. Overall a great debut novel and I may even have a new less scary view on space then I did before reading this book.

The Deep Sky comes out July 18, 2023.

Thank you again NetGalley and Flatiron Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this eARC.

Yuma Kitasei is an author to watch. I enjoyed this book and it felt more relatable than other Sci-Fi books have been in recent years. While there isn't much talk about the physics and mechanics of being in space, I think the reader gets a fair sense of some of the issues that occur by virtue of being in space without it being overwhelming or overly scientific. I think the plot was unique and raised a lot of good questions for the reader to think about. Overall, there were some things I wish I had a better closure for- like the things happening back on earth (not trying to give any spoilers here), but I would recommend this to any sci-fi reader!

I am truly of two minds about this book. I was entranced by the opening--murder mysteries in space are some of my favorite stories! This one had a twist with the crew being all female and many of them being pregnant. The diversity of the crew was refreshing and handled in such a casual way that it felt natural. Sometimes, when you have an author consciously including diverse characters, they make such a point of it that it feels awkward. Here, we have staff using "they," but the narrative never feels the need to specifically label them as "nonbinary" or "genderfluid."

And yet, it is this very diversity that leads to this book's largest fault: I don't understand the WHY of the crew composition. We got a whole backstory of the crew candidates going through their training, but no one ever explains why someone decided that the crew could only be people who could give birth. What was the worldwide reaction to this decision? There are a few mentions of men's rights groups protesting or attacking the school, but the full reasoning behind selecting only people who can give birth is never explained. I felt unmoored, like I was missing a piece of the puzzle.

For that matter, why do they need to have babies in space? Couldn't they have babies once they arrive at the planet? Babies in space just means more necessary resources and more people who could die if the mission fails. I also felt very uncomfortable with the fact that everyone was expected to give birth. I assume that this was something that the crew agreed to when they enrolled in the academy; yet were the trans and nonbinary crew members all ACTUALLY comfortable being inseminated and giving birth?

I enjoyed the flashback scenes and Asuka's complicated relationship with her mother. I know other readers complain that Asuka wasn't very likeable, but I always enjoy a non-likeable heroine. Her self-doubt resonated with me as a perfectionist who always worries about what other people think. I also liked the inter-chapter selections about birds and how at the dénouement, the reader discovers that yes, they did have a function in the story.

Basically, I think I would have given this five stars had the backstory been more complete and more discussion had about the implications of the forced pregnancies. As it is, I'm going with three.

If Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity was about keeping the mission to a new planet on course instead of coming back to Earth, and had a cast of brilliant women, femmes, and they/thems in a fascinating speculative fiction story that also analyzed race, nationality and identity, you’d get “The Deep Sky” by Yume Kitasei.

Our protagonist, Asuka, is an alternate on a space mission to colonize a new planet after having spent most of her life training for it. Those chosen to board the Phoenix are the best of the best representative of their countries in an act of international cooperation. Tragedy strikes the ship when early on an explosion kills their acting captain, and Asuka is tasked with finding out who the saboteur was, all while trying to desperately get the ship back on track with the limited time and resources they have aboard their ship.

The book is at its best when Kitasei uses the nationality considerations of candidates to discuss the nuances of identity. I also cried a few times on the subway whenever the subject of Asuka’s mom came up, a testament to Kitasei’s effusive and thought prose and felt for so many of the characters in the book when they were dealing with impossible conditions.