Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this audiobook for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book was wonderful! I absolutely adored the found family vibes and the way the characters all interacted with each other without it being romance-y. I also loved the world building and lore present throughout the story. It was all very cohesive and engaging. Apart from the characters, the heists were probably my favorite element of the story. I LOVE a good heist story, and to have multiple fun museum heists in one story was so fun.

The messages about culture, humanity, diversity, and family were also incredible. Overall the story was very touching and the audiobook told it very well.

Publication date: June 11, 2024

The Stardust Grail is a captivating space opera with themes pertaining to anti-colonialism, how the depth of connections made with others can transcend species and experiences and the ethics of stealing artifacts to return them to their original cultures.

The worldbuilding in The Stardust Grail is intriguing and the alien species depicted have distinctly unique cultures, appearance and histories, but are not so unusual as to be unsympathetic. No one perspective is presented as morally “right,” as the biases of each species-including discrimination of humans towards one another-infuences their perspectives and behaviors.

The characters are engaging: possessing flaws and motivations that make them relatable. Although some felt slightly more developed than others, their interactions with one another and in relation to the ethical quandaries presented in their overall mission are compelling. The friendship between former art thief turned graduate student Maya Hashimoto and the Frenro known as Auncle is particularly endearing.

While mostly a heist novel, as Maya and her crew travel to different locations in their search for the Stardust Grail in an effort to save an alien species, political influences, questions of morality and even moments of utter horror are also present. Although there are some truly dark moments within the novel, there is also an optimism and a genuine sense of wonder that prevent the story from becoming overly depressing.

The narration by Katharine Chin is also superb. She does a wonderful job of infusing the characters with distinct voices and personalities and her narration contributes to the gripping nature of the novel.

Thank you very much to Macmillan Audio, Flatiron Books, NetGalley and Yume Kitasei for providing access to this audiobook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Intergalactic art heist, but it’s to save Earth. So.

Lots of different creatures, full of intrigue, action, and danger as the ship (the Wonder) is piloted by a veteran of the space force (?) to take the art thief to get the most famously sought after artifact in the universe. No big deal.

Maya has made some mistakes in her life (see: heist gone wrong) but it’s all what has led her to this point. She is gritty and does whatever she has to do to stay alive and get what she wants. The ragtag group she’s assembled (the pilot, her best friend Auncle, and a robot who has feelings) manages to stay alive but their relationships and discussions over the pecking order are just so fun. I love a fun group instead of just a single main character!

I’ll definitely be reading more by this author - a creative look at a possible future combined with morally grey characters to love? A plus!

This was such a fun sci-fi adventure! We need more of them specially of the heist variety. I loved many things about this story, but one of the main things I loved was the emphasis on friendship and empathy. The grand love story throughout is friendship and connecting with people—no matter who or what they are. This is a message I whole heartedly agree with and I feel like it’s a story that needs to be read by everyone.

Other things I loved about this one:
Found family
Academia vibes
Queer rep
Disability rep
Prophecy
Heist plot
Anti-colonist rhetoric—seriously, it was so good! I even saved a few and had to sit and think about them.
And hilarious quotes like these (non-spoiler):
“Hello, my sweet squishable friend!”
“Call me Elephant, haha, yes! A human name!”

I would love to go on another adventure with this crew!

Do you like heist novels with cleverness and amazing audio voices?? This is for you! I didn't realize I was reading an Indiana Jones style heist until I was pretty far into it and then I was like, oh, fun!

Our main character is a student trying to reinvent herself. She's on the straight and narrow, until something huge comes along that she can't pass up.

Uncle, a friend and dear confidant of our MC has the best voice in the entire audiobook. I loved it and I know I would have just skimmed over those parts without giving it a voice! Highly recommend.

It's very sci-fi, futuristic, aliens, space travel, and ethical decisions about saving a friend or the whole species. What would you do?

Give this a listen if you are looking for an unusual summer read.

Thank you to MacMillan audio for the ALC to enjoy.

This is such a weird (said fondly) book. I got lost a bit in the world-building and hopping around at times, but the interesting mix of academia, heist and artifact repatriation kept me engaged. Maya’s character wasn’t as developed as I would have liked and I didn’t have a good sense of Liam, but I loved Wil and Medix. The relationships are my second favorite part of this. The author uses the characters of Medix and Auncle–plus discussion of different species through an anthropology lens–to examine what makes a person a person. Sometimes it’s really overt, but most of the time it was subtle. I think that’s what will stay with me about the book and how I would recommend it to people.
Audio narration was great! Katharine Chin did a great job distinguishing between the characters and really nailed the humor and sadness. Plus, Chin's narration helped me through the bits that dragged. My only issue is that I personally had to go back to my paper copy to check a couple of things (Who are the Lithians and why do they want to destroy the Frenro?). Not the narrator's fault, but a combination of thin explanation and imperfect attention on my part.

A very good space opera! I absolutely loved the narrator. They did an amazing job. I also loved the premise of anti-colonialism and heists. Overall, I enjoyed our MC and her friends and I will definitely be recommending this to my colleagues.

A space heist to save an alien civilization that really turned out to be so much more.

An absolute thrill! Katherine Chin delivered a superb performance. Her accents and voices brought the cast of characters to life.

This ambitious and cinematic sci-fi novel explores themes of loyalty, love, understanding, and survival. I was hooked in the early chapters, and the excellent pacing kept me tethered to the story until the very end.

Read if you like:
💫 High-stakes plot
💫 Far-future space adventures
💫 Moral quandaries
💫 Complex characters
💫 anti-colonialism messaging

This book was brilliant and stunning. I will be thinking about this story for some time. I highly recommend listening on audio!
My rating: 5⭐️

Thank you @macmillanaudio for the gifted ALC.

Nice and exciting heist book! I loved the narrator and the writing, as well as how the book makes you reflect on our own impact of the world around us, and how our choices can effect so many in positive and negative ways

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!
I was looking for something a bit different to listen to for an audio and this one hit the spot! I really enjoyed the cast of characters and the narrator did a wonderful job giving each one an individual voice that was easily recognizable. I love sci fi and this was a great book and I plan on recommending not only to my patrons but also I plan on purchasing a copy for my boyfriend as well because I know he's going to love it too! I liked that is was just about space travel but the elements of the heist elevated the story.

Save one world. Doom her own.


Maya Hoshimoto was once the best art thief in the galaxy. For ten years, she returned stolen artifacts to alien civilizations—until a disastrous job forced her into hiding. Now she just wants to enjoy a quiet life as a graduate student of anthropology, but she’s haunted by persistent and disturbing visions of the future.

Then an old friend comes to her with a job she can’t refuse: find a powerful object that could save an alien species from extinction. Except no one has seen it in living memory, and they aren’t the only ones hunting for it.

Maya sets out on a breakneck quest through a universe teeming with strange life and ancient ruins. But the farther she goes, the more her visions cast a dark shadow over her team of friends new and old. Someone will betray her along the way. Worse yet, in choosing to save one species, she may condemn humanity and Earth itself.

The Stardust Grail was a Macmillan Audio pick. I wanted something a little different, as I’ve been rediscovering my love for space sci-fi, and this book did not disappoint!

While on the surface, this story is about a quest to find a near-mythic device, it deals heavily in colonization, acculturation, cultural assimilation, friendship, and the theory that connects all life. This book represents historical context from varying angles that show context in and of itself can be subjective depending on where in a timeline the lens is placed and how deeply in or out it’s zoomed. In the end, this book accepts that history can’t be changed, but a civilization’s actions moving forward can be, and that’s what matters.

Maya faces a kind of trolley problem with the discovery at the end of her journey, and in the end, there really is no choice to be made. I loved her friendship with the alien Auncle; it shows how two individuals with different backgrounds and from different species can share commonalities, empathy, and goals. I also loved the side character Medix who brought to light questions of humanity and free will of an AI robot. Wil was an important character in showing that people of different ideologies and opinions can work and coexist, as well as become friends. It’s also worth mentioning the use of various pronouns across different species and civilizations; I loved that!

I think Katharine Chin did an excellent job as narrator, and while I haven’t heard her before, I’ll definitely look out for her now!

This book is five stars, and I recommend it to any sci-fi lover, whether you enjoy cozy reads or space-operas; I think this book would be loved by all.

3.5

The world was very interesting and had a lot of layer. I enjoyed the characters and the found family elements. I do think the pacing was a little slow for me and at times, I felt confused by the story. The overall writing was good.

The narration was well done, the narrator brought the characters to life well. I would recommend the audio if you decide to pick this one up.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

Solid 4.5 stars.

Audiobook is super well read.

In the midst of all of the novellas being released by my favourite authors, THIS is truly what I am yearning for!! Multi-species crew with independent crisis of faith, ultimately only solvable through community. Character development amidst a string of intermingled universe-wide, nail-biting adventures. A race for the one artifact that is a lives-altering remedy for more than one species.

Yume Kitasei is a master of her craft: the incredible galaxy-building, fundamentally flawed yet hopeful peoples of all kinds, embedded commentary on the current trajectory of humankind, and stories so intertwined and magical that they have me believing in solitary sci.fi. books again!

Every second reading both this and the author's first novel, *The Big Sky*, are moments well spent, indeed.

Huge gratitude to both Net Galley and the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for a copy of this AudioARC, in exchange for my honest review.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
The Stardust Grail by Yumi Kitasei
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 313 / Genre: Sci-Fi
Audiobook Narrator: Katharine Chin
Duration: 11 hours, 40 minutes

For the last ten years, Maya Hashimoto has worked to redeem her past as the best art thief in the galaxy. She’s been quietly returning stolen artifacts to their respective alien civilizations while working toward her graduate degree in anthropology. But when Auncle, her dearest friend, asks for her help stealing an artifact that will help repopulate an entire alien civilization, there’s no way she can refuse.

This was a thrilling space adventure with interesting characters and lots of action. I’d love a prequel where we get to see Maya in action as a young art thief!

I listened to the audiobook on this and Katharine Chin did a great job narrating.

Thank you @NetGalley and @Macmillan.Audio for my gifted copy.

The Galaxy's greatest art thief turned grad student holds the fate of two worlds in her hands......

Book Information

The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei is a 320-page sci-fi novel with a publication date of June 11, 2024. The audio version of the book is narrated by Katharine Chin and spans 13 hours. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an Advance Readers Copy for review.

Summary

Maya Hoshimoto, once the galaxy's top art thief, spent a decade returning stolen artifacts to alien civilizations until a disastrous job forced her into hiding. Now a graduate anthropology student, she seeks a quiet life but is plagued by disturbing visions of the future. When an old friend offers a mission to find a powerful object that could save an alien species from extinction, Maya reluctantly accepts, despite knowing no one has seen it in living memory and they aren't the only ones searching. Her quest through a universe of strange life and ancient ruins reveals betrayals and forces her to choose between saving an alien species and potentially dooming humanity and Earth.

My Thoughts

I became a fan of Yume Kitasei's writing after reading her debut, “The Deep Sky”, last year. Her latest work, “The Stardust Grail”, only deepened my appreciation. Though it's been called Indiana Jones in space, I found it more fitting to describe it as a relentless sci-fi adventure with a heist at its core.

The cast of characters is delightfully quirky and varied, each one feeling authentic and well-rounded. The pacing of the book is impeccable, driving the narrative forward without ever feeling rushed. Kitasei has a knack for creating immersive worlds; the cultural and historical details of her universe are meticulously crafted. Kitasei crafts a universe so rich in detail, that you’ll forget you’re reading fiction and feel like you’re part of the adventure. Human beings play a minor role in the grand tapestry of this universe, a perspective that she skillfully maintains throughout the story.

The political and historical intricacies of different planets and species were fascinating, with no clear villains but rather complex characters with understandable motivations. The blend of humor, grief, loss, and love adds depth to the story, making it not just a sci-fi adventure but also a poignant exploration of relationships and emotions. The sci-fi aspects paired with the theme of found family makes it especially engaging.

A central theme in the book is the friendship between two characters from vastly different species. Their relationship is both mysterious and profoundly touching, offering moments of both amusement and heartbreak. This dynamic is a highlight of the novel, adding layers of emotional resonance.

Katharine Chin's narration is nothing short of outstanding. Her ability to bring different accents, genders, and species to life, each with a distinct personality, is truly impressive. Her narration clarified the story’s many layers, keeping the listener engaged and immersed in the vivid world Kitasei created. Despite the complexity of the plot and characters, Chin's performance made it all accessible and gripping.

One of the standout aspects of “The Stardust Grail” is its commentary on anti-colonization, environmental issues, and the importance of interpersonal connections. These are high-stakes issues and the action is intense, but at its heart, the book is a meditation on understanding, forgiveness, and authenticity.

If I had any criticism, and it’s a minor one, it would be the unique pronouns used for different alien species. While this added an interesting layer to the world-building, it occasionally disrupted the flow of the story for me, particularly in the audio version where each pronoun momentarily pulled me from the immersion of the story while I made the required mental adjustment.

All in all, “The Stardust Grail” is a stellar read. Kitasei's ability to blend thrilling adventure with deep, meaningful themes makes this book a must-read for sci-fi enthusiasts. It's an exhilarating journey that leaves you with much to ponder.

Recommendation

If you're looking for a thrilling sci-fi adventure with a heart, “The Stardust Grail” by Yume Kitasei is a must-read. With its quirky characters, impeccable world-building, and deep themes of friendship and understanding, it offers a compelling narrative that will keep you hooked from start to finish.

Rating

4 Alien Stars

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.

I listened to the audiobook version of this one, and the narrator did a great job with the sci-fi terms and prose.

This was fun.

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

Narrated by Katharine Chin

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.

4.25 Out of 5 Stars

A delightful sci-fi novel with a fun and intriguing heist.

Thank You Netgalley for this Audio Arc.

What a delightful space opera/sci-fi story this was. This is very much a story about belonging, found family and anti-colonialism, but at the heart it is a heist story that has a very interesting cast of characters including a former medical robot that is wanted for killing a patient (per that patient’s request), a former soldier, who fled with said robot, an alien that identifies with ze/zem pronouns and a human of Japanese descent, but who was born in a space colony.

The cultures and worlds of the different species present in the universe all feel so lively and real, which I love to see when building up a universe in a sci-fi story. The pacing of this was brilliant as I was never bored with the slower points and world-building of the book and when things started happening, I was just sucked into the story so much.

Thank you to @MacMillanAudio for the #gifted ALC of this book! The audiobook was so well done by Katharine Chin. All of the character voices felt distinct so I never had problems figuring out who was talking while listening to this story. At times I felt transported to space and that is all I ever really want in my sci-fi stories.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

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.

(I also have to add the audiobook narration allowed me to see some side characters differently. To hear their personality in Katharine Chin's narration. I was switching between the book and audio book and it actually changed my mind on a few - no spoilers!)