The premise is amazing. I love the whole moral complexity of the "what lengths would you go to to save the world", and this ups the ante by basically asking that question but adding multiple worlds and species! To save one, you may end up destroying another, and that is where things get extra dicey. So suffice it to say, the stakes were very high. I think the only things that kept me from fully loving this are twofold: One, it started off a little slow, and two, I think some of the worldbuilding confused me a bit. I got the general idea, but the more technical stuff went a bit over my head. Also, there is a fabulous guide to the other species in the back of the book, which I definitely think would have been handy during the reading, so keep that in mind!

I found the characters, especially main character Maya, to be a particularly strong aspect of the book. Maya was giving me some "badass women of The 100" vibes, which I am here for all day. She would have fit right in with her "no good choices" and her aptitude for intergalactic quests. Obviously, here for it. The second half of the book especially sucked me in, as not only was the action ramping up, but it was clear that decisions were going to need to be made.

Bottom Line: If you are into a bunch of cool species and worlds and morally complex decisions, this is one for you!

I really enjoyed Yume Kitasei’s The Deep Sky last year, and I found her sophomore novel even more delightful. The Stardust Grail had me at “anti-colonial space heist” and the book lived up to the blurb!

Kitasei really flexed her world-building muscles with this novel. The main character – “reformed” art thief Maya Hoshimoto – is human, but Earth is just one of many populated planets, and The Stardust Grail hosts a number of alien civilizations. The various life forms and characters that make up this book are fascinating and Kitasei does an excellent job of describing the world of the novel without ever info-dumping. Maya’s deep friendship with Auncle, a frenro alien described kind of like a giant space jellyfish, is heartwarming, and their entire spaceship crew is full of discerningly drawn characters.

Ultimately, The Stardust Grail combines interstellar adventure and interspecies friendships with reflection, compassion, and a quest for the unknown. The novel can stand alone; however, I would note that it’s ending raises new questions that likely will be answered in a sequel.

Huge thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy! I know a lot of my friends will enjoy this one as well.

The Stardust Grail was a great experience. It was fun and full of action, and even though it dealt with some serious subjects it never lost its cozy quality. I see why some people are comparing it to the Becky Chambers books because of that, though this has higher stakes. Altogether this is something I would definitely recommend as science fiction that has adventure and heart. It’s well worth picking up!

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

With a space mystery, a heist, many aliens and a touch of found family, The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei delivers so much in a science fiction stand alone novel. As the author creates a description of earth and its place in the universe in the future, we are wound into the complicated life of grad student Maya. She has a best friend with a problem, and an idea on how to fix it. It is with her that the reader learns the important alien relationships with Earth as she rides this adventure. In addition, the characters searching for the grail are great together. I especially love Maya’s friend old quiet Auncle, a giant jellyfish like creature who unknowingly is both squishy and strong at the same time. These team characters do all the required points for a bona fide space opera. I especially loved the time they spent flying in the big bubble like vehicle and its homey set up. I suggest it is a great read alike for A Long Way to A Small Angry Planet. I would definitely read another adventure with this group! Thank you to Netgalley for a chance to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

After I finished The Stardust Grail I had two thoughts. First, how the hell had I not heard of this author? Second, this deserves to be a Hugo finalist if not the winner. The last time I felt like this was with Emily Tesh's brilliant 2023 novel Some Desperate Glory, and look, it's on this year's Hugo shortlist!

This book was really fun. It involves intergalactic travel, space wars, and ancient lost artifacts. It really felt like an Indiana Jones adventure in space. There were some parts that I thought the pacing a bit off but overall I enjoyed the book.

The nitty-gritty: Heists, found family and deep space adventure come together in Yume Kitasei's thrilling space opera.

Yume Kitasei has done it again—her sophomore book, after last year’s wonderful The Deep Sky, is just as imaginative and well written, and I may have loved it even more. As the author herself says, this is a fun mix of Indiana Jones and Star Trek, a space opera that’s also an action packed mystery, with the found family trope thrown in for good measure. Readers who are looking for an adventure tale set in a futuristic world will want to take a look at this. And bonus if you love anthropology and museums, since alien artifacts are important to the story.

Maya Hoshimoto is a grad student at Princeton, working on her PhD in comparative culture studies. Although she’s expected to do research and write papers for publication, Maya’s true love is exploration and field work. She’s traveled extensively throughout the many worlds of the galaxy, planets connected to each other by nodes—like worm holes—that allow speedy travel to distant alien worlds. Her idol is an explorer named Dr. Wei Huang, a woman who disappeared a hundred years ago while searching for an alien artifact called the stardust grail. Maya herself has been obsessed with finding the grail, although there isn’t any proof that it actually exists.

One day, however, a new shipment of artifacts arrives in Maya’s department, including a long lost memoir written by Dr. Huang herself. Maya is convinced that clues to the grail’s location can be found in the book, and her chance to test that theory arrives with a message from an old friend, an alien named Auncle who needs her help. The nodes between planets are collapsing, and without the grail—a device that creates those nodes—the connections from one planet to the next will be lost forever. Maya jumps at the chance to leave Earth to search for the grail, but others are also looking for it. If the grail falls into the wrong hands, Auncle and his people would be wiped out. But if Maya finds the grail and gives it to Auncle, Earth could suffer the consequences.

The Stardust Grail is full of layers, much like a Russian nesting doll. I loved joining Maya, Auncle and their crew on Auncle’s ship the Wonder, as they follow the clues from Dr. Huang’s journals to find the grail. This is a grand adventure, full of both wonders and dangers, and Kitasei’s sparkling characters make the adventure all the more fun. Some of the stranger sights that Maya encounters gave me Jeff VanderMeer vibes, and later the story reminded me a bit of Ender’s Game, as there are some exciting, large scale fight scenes in space. The first part of the story has a lighthearted tone to it, as we get to know the characters and the world. But the last section turns very dark, as the crew end up in one of my very favorite locations in the story, a vast, hidden museum called the Encyclopedium. This section veered into horror territory a bit, and I loved every bit of it!

In addition to the fantastic world building (of which I’ve only scratched the surface), the author adds in thoughtful commentary about the meaning of “home” and finding your place in the world. Maya faces some negativity about basically being an immigrant (she was born on an outer planet called PeaceLove and came to Earth to go to college), but she’s not afraid to correct people who are insensitive about it. 

The world building is fantastic, but I loved the characters as well. Maya is such a complex, interesting woman. Her moral compass is quite strong, as she always tries to do the right thing and doesn’t want to hurt anyone. She loves everything about Earth, but she’s also full of curiosity and the desire to learn new things, hence her love of space exploration. But beneath this façade, Maya is also a thief, and her specialty is stealing artifacts from museums. She’s like a modern day Robin Hood, returning priceless objects to their original owners, and in this story, her goal is to find and steal the stardust grail and return it to the Frenro, the alien species it belongs to.

Maya has a unique relationship with Auncle, the Frenro she used to travel with. Auncle is a many tentacled, giant squid-like creature who lives in water, yet somehow the two manage to form a wonderful bond. A big part of the story takes place on Auncle’s ship, which has compartments for both humans and Frenro, giving them the chance to coexist during their travels. We also meet two other quirky characters who make up the crew: Wil, a retired soldier whose arms have been turned into weapons, and Medix, a robot assistant who acts as ship’s medic and reminded me a lot of Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Later in the story, they are joined by Maya’s college advisor Liam, who is also looking for the grail but has a completely different agenda. I loved these characters together, especially the way their relationships changed over the course of the story.

If I have any complaints, it’s that I wanted to know more about the past exploits of Maya and Auncle. Kitasei includes a few intriguing flashbacks of their time together in the past, and I suspect there’s a whole adventure that we don’t get to see in this book. Let’s just say I wouldn’t say “no” to a prequel story about these two!


The last part is tense and exciting, and I loved the way the author wrapped up her story. I love a feel-good ending, and Kitasei delivers with some emotional themes about learning from your mistakes and moving forward, as well as the nature of “endings,” which don’t always mean the end. Yes, I shed a tear or two because I didn’t want to say goodbye to these characters.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

Yume Kitasei's "The Stardust Grail" invites readers on a thrilling journey through a galaxy teeming with strange life and ancient ruins. The story follows Maya Hoshimoto, once the best art thief in the galaxy, now a graduate student of anthropology haunted by persistent and disturbing visions of the future. After a disastrous job forced her into hiding, Maya craves a quiet life. However, an old friend presents her with a job she can’t refuse: find a powerful object that could save an alien species from extinction. This object, unseen in living memory, becomes the focal point of a breakneck quest filled with danger and intrigue.

The novel is filled with Kitasei’s signature elements: a space family solving intergalactic mysteries, intricate world-building, and adding to the story this time around, a diverse array of alien species. Fans of her previous work, "The Deep Sky," will appreciate the familiar thematic elements and the addition of alien characters traipsing around the galaxy with human explorers. The universe Kitasei creates is rich and immersive, drawing readers into a complex tapestry of interstellar politics and ancient secrets.

However, despite these strengths, "The Stardust Grail" didn't quite capture me in the same way as "The Deep Sky." The plot felt a bit more disjointed, and I struggled to empathize with the main character, Maya. Her journey, while compelling, lacked the emotional depth that made Kitasei’s previous work so impactful. The visions that haunt Maya cast a dark shadow over the narrative, adding a layer of tension but also contributing to a sense of disarray in the storyline.

The dynamic between the characters, old friends, and new allies, adds richness to the story, though the promise of betrayal looms large. This tension keeps readers engaged, even as the plot meanders at times. The exploration of moral dilemmas—saving one species at the potential cost of another—adds additional stakes to the narrative, though it sometimes feels like the weight of these choices is not fully explored.

Overall, "The Stardust Grail" is an engaging read with plenty to offer fans of Yume Kitasei’s work. While it may not have the same cohesive impact as "The Deep Sky," it remains a compelling addition to her body of work. The blend of science fiction, mystery, and moral quandaries will appeal to readers who enjoy richly imagined worlds and complex character dynamics. Despite its flaws, the novel’s strengths lie in its imaginative scope and the sense of adventure that propels the story forward.

Thank you to Flatiron books and Yumi Kitasei for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Maya Hoshimoto has retired from her life on the run as a thief, but then is propositioned by an old friend to do one last job — Steal a powerful object that will save an her friend’s alien race from extinction.

4/5

Fans of Doctor Who and Indiana Jones, I have your next read.

This is a story about what is right, what is wrong, and who do we choose which is which. As Maya and Auncle wrestle with the consequences of saving one species over another, these two friends find themselves among unlikely allies and high intensity intergalactic battles. It is an interesting commentary on colonization and how far people will go for the ones they care for.

I will say I found the pacing to be a bit slow at times. The world building was overall pretty great, the twists were surprising and the read was overall very engaging. Fan of sci-fi will love this one.

both can be true and I almost wish they discussed that. It would've been interesting to consider it a gift and a curse - like she had to endure the pain of a migraine in order to receive the gift of visions. But for all intents and purposes, Maya doesn't seem to like her migraines (even the vision parts) whereas her Frenro friend Auncle seems to think they're a good thing. There are also moments where the gift comes in dreams. They’re referred to as "dreams of another time". My understanding is that the dreams and migraines are both visions but the dreams happen when she's asleep and the migraines happen when she's awake. It didn't seem like Maya considered the dreams good either though so the ability doesn’t feel like a positive thing to anyone except Auncle. It doesn’t help that the power is unveiled slowly and the reader isn’t given much information about it. I wish there was a better way to incorporate and reveal it because it is both fascinating and crucial to the plot. The author even mentions in their note at the end of the book that she has migraines herself and she references a book that is about migraineurs who can experience hallucinations and distortions of space, time, and body image.

Between the characters, the story, and the world, there is a lot to love about Yume Kitasei’s The Stardust Grail. Overall I really enjoyed the book and I would definitely recommend it to those interested in space, heists, and social commentary.

4.5 stars

3.5 rounded to 4 stars

Buckle up, folks, because ' The Stardust Grail' will take you on one heck of a ride through the cosmos. It is an equal parts exploration of life beyond our own, found family narrative and space heist adventure with the survival of an entire species hanging in the balance.

I personally used to find books labeled as science-fiction intimidating. If you've ever felt that way ' The Stardust Grail' is an excellent introduction into the sci-fi genre. It's a space opera with good world building that is easy to digest and a fun fast paced story. Personally I think it would make a great summer rear. "The Stardust Grail" never takes itself too seriously. Even when grappling with big questions about life and survival, there's this infectious sense of adventure that keeps you hooked.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for letting me take this cosmic journey ahead of time.

A real adventure of a space opera! Maya (a human) and Auncle (a frenro alien described as a potato with tentacles and that I imagined as a jellyfish) are professional thieves. When the book opens, Maya's gone legit and is a grad student on Earth. Then Auncle shows up to offer her one last job on the same day that she's approached by the Earth authorities to steal the same object. So yeah, this is an interstellar heist novel complete with double crosses, unlikely allies, hearbreaking tragedy, and resilient heroes. The action never lets up, even as the worldbuilding deepens.

This was fun.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Genre: science fiction

Maya is a *reformed* art thief. She’s trying really hard at the reformed bit, now that she’s a graduate student studying comparative culture (rare artifacts, er, space archaeology) at Princeton. A settler from the Outer Worlds, relocated to New Jersey to connect with her ancestral roots, Maya is struggling to remain focused on her studies, so when her erstwhile co-conspirator, the Frenro alien called Auncle, reaches out in need, she jumps at the opportunity. Joining their crew are Wil Jenkins, a former soldier, and her companion Medix (Med-IX), medical robot with Class III sentience. Their mission: locate and retrieve the potentially mythical artifact The Stardust Grail, which may unlock the secret to the Frenro’s ability to procreate, but may also contain a much darker secret.

Kitasei leans into her worldbuilding with her sophomore novel. The interstellar web - actually connected through a node network - has components of well thought-out believability. She never info-dumps, only builds the details out as you need to understand them, particularly as you learn about the diseases that affected so many civilizations and the wars ravaged between interstellar races, leaving the lingering after-affects of socio-political devastation (with a bigger impact for some of the characters than others).

I love a good space crime, especially one that forces the main characters to evaluate their morals and sense of identity. Similar to Kitasei's first novel, the tone of Stardust Grail is more serious than whimsical (though it has its moments, considering Auncle is a potato-shaped aquatic ancient alien). Unlike in The Deep Sky, Kitasei keeps The Stardust Grail primarily in one narrative timeline, which improved the reading enjoyment and cohesion of the book overall. Interstellar politics and high stakes death of a civilization are always a good listen.

The Stardust Grail is for anyone who loves the idea of heists, archaeology and exploring, and taking on a colonial Empire. One who thinks their survival is worth whatever the cost. Who gets stuck in these cycles of fear, aggression, defense, and offense. It's about a researcher, student, and 'former' thief who knows what it is like to be seen for what we can do for the "good" the "empire". With subtle digs at academia and the politics of it, The Stardust Grail had me fully invested.

What I love about Kitasei's books is that she writes openly about how she envisions a future of our population and it's interactions with the wider universe. She brings a perspective to the science fiction genre that really opens the mind in terms of how things could be.

At its core, this book is a space heist, but its so much more that that. Filled with impressionable characters that are all different life forms from around the universe trying to find themselves and navigate a world that will always be complicated. No matter how advanced any species is. A fantastic ride along the galaxy that left me appreciative of the struggles of all and I enjoyed every minute of this book.

3.75 This one didn’t quite work for me.

I did like the main character. There were some really cool aspects to the world building. The space heist was a fun concept (though it wasn’t as big of a plot point as I expected).

But overall, the pacing was a little slow. The found-family characters lacked chemistry. The plot was a bit disorganized.

It was almost there and may still be worth checking out — just didn’t quite live up to The Deep Sky for me.

Thanks to Flatiron for providing me with an advanced copy to review!

Described as a sci-fi heist adventure, but ended up being so so much more than that. I am absolutely in love with these characters (one of whom is a sentient robot, if you know me you know I LOVE a sentient robot), and I'm sad that I'm done with them. Amazing world building & character development. The pacing of this was perfect, not so fast paced that it becomes overwhelming but fast enough that it didn't drag at all. This felt like a masterpiece, and may end up being a favorite of the year!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I really loved this book. It was my first book from Ms. Kitasei and I immediately purchased The Deep Sky after finishing this one. I loved how authentic the characters felt to me, and I loved the pacing. It has just the right dash of speculation, action and I would easily reread this one.

This was really ambitious. I enjoyed the world building a lot, and the way that everyone is constantly just a little selfish, a little flawed, a little awful. The characters felt more real that way. I loved Maya and her random flashes of the future, but I also really loved that despite her deep loyalty to Auncle, she could still recognize & process that the Frenro may have been wrong, that Auncle may have lied to her, and that morality is not black and white. I was hoping for a bit of romance between Wil & Maya but by the end I understood why that didn’t make a ton of sense.

Having said that, I do think this really struggles with pacing, particularly in the middle. Some parts dragged and others were swallowed by a time jump, which lessened the emotional impact & relationship building.

It is fantasy with no romance, and just a smidge of horror in the last 15% or so. For readers of Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty & The Blighted Stars by Megan O’Keefe.

3.5 rounded up to 4

I absolutely adored Kitasei's debut, The Deep Sky. It was the perfect mix of mystery and not-too-distant future sci-fi for me. So I was really anticipating the release this book, but I don't think The Stardust Grail hit quite as hard for me.

I loved the themes that Kitasei explored in this story. Stealing artifacts in order to return them to their home civilizations is the kind of anti-colonial form of protest that I love to see, and then you add space and aliens into the mix?? That concept sold me on this book in a heartbeat. But I think I ended up feeling a little too dumb for this book. I love sci-fi, but I have a hard time with vague world/universe building, and unfortunately I ended up feeling a bit lost while reading this. There are some really interesting alien races that exist in this story, but I never had a super clear idea of what any of them even physically looked like, much less what their cultures looked like. There's a short little glossary at the end that expands on each of the species that was helpful, but as I didn't know that existed until I was finished with the book, I wish Kitasei had found a way to weave those descriptions into the actual narrative.

I also see some people describing the crew in this book as found family, but I didn't really feel that dynamic. Maya and Auncle have a very strong bond, but the other members join in later and somewhat reluctantly, and I never really warmed up to them the way I think I was supposed to. A couple of them had their charming moments, but I don't think enough time was given to develop their friendship with one another.

Which leads me to the pacing of the story. I don't know if I just picked it up at the wrong time or what, but I really struggled with the beginning half of this book. I thought an art thief/heist story would feel a bit more exciting and tension-filled, but even during the action sequences, I didn't feel as engaged as I had hoped to. There are some really huge, universe-altering moments that occur in this book, but I never quite felt the impact of those revelations. The last half definitely picked up the pace, but I almost wish it had been a little longer in order to flesh certain elements out a bit better.

I feel like I'm being harsher than I mean to be, especially considering that I think this is an objectively good book. I just don't think this was particularly my brand of sci-fi. Like I said earlier, I absolutely LOVED The Deep Sky, and this was just so different from that. Which is actually great! I love an author with versatility! I just think that as a result, not all of her works will land as strongly for me. But I know tons of people will love this one and I very much look forward to Yume Kitasei's next release.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the ARC!