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!)

So, I hate to do this, but it’s a DNF for me. (At almost 60% with <5 hours left…)
I am not a huge fan of the dystopian genre, but I AM usually able to follow along and enjoy them.
This one though…I am totally lost.
I have no idea, at this point, what they are even talking about.

We follow multiple MC’s (I can’t even tell you the names, as they are that out of whack for me…) I know there’s ‘Uncle’ and ‘Maya’ … who he pronounces as miiiiiiiahhhhh….and it is just totally weird…

She’s working on getting a degree (maybe a doctorate? Not sure)…but she’s also up for stealing stuff (valuable ancient artifacts) if the opportunity presents itself.

Other worldly.(OK)
Weird names and descriptions (as most are NOT human) Also…OK.

But, going off on tangents where the reader (listener) has a hard time following or understanding just what.the.heck.is.going.on….NOT OK.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review… (sorry, I’m sure this is not what they were looking for…)

2 1/2 ⭐️⭐️💫 for me, rounded up to 3. I really liked the premise, and the name of the book…
The release date is today, 6/11/24.

The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei.

Once again, being as this is not a great review, I’ll limit my posting to GR and NetGalley…

Quickly becoming a favorite author in the genre. Excellent narrator with enjoyable voice. This would be a great book club pick and I am happy to recommend. Whoever is doing the cover art for this author is on another level. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy.

Unfortunately, this audiobook is not for me. I had a difficult time following all the planets, beings, and peoples of the galaxies. The main character is a bit confusing. I don’t have a clear picture of her past or reason for her quest. I’m sure other readers and listeners will love this one. Best wishes to the author and publisher.
DNF 35%
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary audiobook to listen to and review.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for the early access to this audio arc!!

I was really excited to read this one, as I have heard great things about Kitasei’s first book. I’ve been sitting on reviewing this book for a while because unfortunately, I struggled with my thoughts and rating.

I enjoyed the core of the story, but I had slight issues along the way, starting with the plot. This is pitched as a heist story and the heist honestly takes up very little page time. A lot of the work, in the heist and otherwise, is done off page, which left everything feeling a bit too easy for our main characters. Additionally, I felt like the virus, and other various sci-fi elements of this book, felt a tad convenient, again making for an “easy” story.

I’m not sure why, but I also didn’t connect with any of the characters or their relationships. Which is odd because I feel like I should have liked a lot of what was on the table character wise with this book. I can’t quite place my finger on why, but I think part of it is because this book felt very dialogue heavy and a lot of it didn’t do enough character work..

Overall, I still think this is a strong sci-fi story that a lot of people will enjoy, I just don’t think it quite clicked with me!

Our protagonist is a reverse Indiana Jones -- Maya Hashimoto has retired from her career of "stealing" alien artifacts from museums to repatriate them and is now an academic. But now she has to take on one last job that might save an entire alien civilization from extinction. Maya's quest for the Stardust Grail will take her across galaxies with military fleets, hostile aliens, and rival academics in pursuit.

If you love Becky Chambers' Wayfarers novels, you will LOVE this book. Kitasei does an incredible job with world-building and populates space with interesting alien races that are very different from humans. There are also interspecies friendships, found family, non-binary characters, and space-faring action adventure.

Come for the heists and space battles, stay for the endings and beginnings.

The audiobook was incredibly well-narrated. Katherine Chin does any excellent job voicing the many characters and keeping the action moving but clear. And there's an amazing part near the climax that I can't articulate here without spoiling things. So you'll have to listen and then when you get to the part I'm referring to, you'll totally know.

Thanks, Macmillan Audio, for the audiobook. #macaudio2024 (Available 11 June)

Maya Hoshimoto is a space-faring art thief-turned-archeology grad student, content to live the quiet life (aside from her disturbing visions) until an old dear friend entices her to take one more job. Take the interspecies friendship of PROJECT HAIL MARY (Maya’s best friend is an alien resembling an octopus), mix in some space warfare and Indiana Jones-style capers, and bake until firm. Layer on a coating of contemplation of anti-colonialism and humanity’s quest for survival in a universe crowded with other cultures, and serve…as an audiobook.

Narrator Chin's performance is nothing short of exceptional. Her ability to voice different accents, genders, and species, giving each their own distinct personality, is a testament to her talent. Her narration not only helped me distinguish who was speaking but also painted a vivid picture of each character in my mind. She captured Maya’s scrappy, loyal academic-turned-space raider-worrywart and her best friend’s cerebral-whistful-dreamy thought-voice with amazing precision. In one particularly challenging scene near the end, she showcased her Olympic-level narration skills, using every character’s voice at once. If you're a fan of audiobooks, I strongly recommend experiencing this book in that format.

Fair warning: There is a LOT going on in world-building, including explanations of space travel, alien infections, etc. If you are still riding Sci-Fi with your training wheels on, you might need to eye-read, but at least please give the audio a sample.

This book was a fun ride through space that starts slow and ramps up to a fast-paced heist by the last 30 percent. Part of what I liked so much was that even with the action and going from place to place, the author managed to:

1. balance worldbuilding and introducing new species without that overwhelming feeling of sci-fi names/information being shoved in your face;
2. keep the characters engaging and relatable; and
3. include fascinating conversations about philosophical issues that could/would arise with interstellar/species travel (e.g., putting your species first, a species' right to someone else's tech, colonization, etc.).

While the first half of this book could be called slow considering it's mostly just set-up to the heist, it never felt slow to me. The author's writing style is strong, which certainly helps. There's also a summary of the species introduced at the end of the book that is quite helpful.

If you enjoy light sci-fi, found family, and the themes mentioned above, then you should certainly read this one. I highly recommend the audiobook version as the narrator did a fantastic job with all the voices. Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work, which will be published June 11, 2024. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Wow wow wow!!!!!

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.

The narrator did a great job at showcasing each character's personality. Can't recommend the audiobook enough.

Do you hear that? It's a distant cheering sound... it's me, chanting "ONE LAST JOB! ONE LAST JOB!" This is one of my favorite tropes as is the found family so often present in a heist crew. Set it in space, and you've basically set up the perfect little summoning circle for me. I got off to a bit of a rocky start with this novel but only because I made the critical mistake of starting it while driving and not focusing during the initial worldbuilding and character intros. Despite that, I quickly grew to love the characters and got really invested in the complicated choices our main character Maya faced. I loved the anti-colonial themes woven through the story and each MC's relationships with one another. The narrator was lovely throughout but really impressed me with some (spoilery) performance choices near the end! 10/10 would recommend grabbing your copy ASAP!

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting read. You have a space heist, themes of anti-colonialism, found family, realistic characters... there's a lot here and just sitting here trying to ogather my thoughts it feels like so much happened. But I have to say, the author does such an amazing job with pacing between the action scenes and not relying on info dumps to give you all the info you need that it's such an easy read to get lost in.

Maya was well written in that I feel like we start in the middle of her story and yet I was never confused as to what was happening or why. I really liked her relationship with Uncle, and he was definitely my favorite character.

Overall, an interesting read. Definitely recommend. And the audiobook narrator did a fantastic job with bringing this book to life.

Actual rating: 4.5

The Stardust Grail was such a fantastic story start to finish. You got space, you got heists, you get the consequences of intergalactic colonization and cross-species functions. We follow Maya Hoshimoto upon her return to graduate school at Princeton after retiring from thieving with her partner in crime, Uncle, a frenro alien. Everything changes when a rare volume appears in the Princeton library collection that reawakens the possibility of saving the frenro species and Maya dives headfirst into one last adventure.

I listened to this as an audiobook, and the narrator, Katharine Chin, characterized everyone so perfectly. I will always think of how her Uncle says Maya whenever I hear the name regardless of context. Katharine has a lot of characterizations and species to contend with and helps the story land.

My only quibble is with the story is I felt like we didn't get enough time with some of the characters introduced early on in the book and they sort of faded from the story, Pickle comes to mind particularly. I also had some trouble keeping up with the different alien species in audio format since I couldn't go back and reference them. At the end of the audiobook, there was a glossary of sorts, but that would have been more useful in the beginning/as a separate chapter so I could refresh my memory. However, I still heartily recommend the novel - it's a great time.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advanced copy.

3.5 close 4
This was a fascinating read... Throughout most of the book, I found myself quite confused. The storyline was unclear to me for the majority of the read. I believe this was influenced by the fact that I listened to it as an audiobook rather than reading it in print. My comprehension tends to differ when listening rather than reading.

The pace never felt slow, and at times, it seemed almost too fast. The multitude of characters, each from different species and backgrounds, made it challenging to keep track, but it added depth to the narrative and viewpoints. I had to rewind a few times to ensure I grasped it all. The creativity of the story captured my interest. I completed the audiobook in one day, engrossed in the tale of saving existence as they knew it.

Describing it as a mix of a space heist, interstellar adventure with aliens, magic, and sci-fi, the story is incredibly unique and well-crafted. I might revisit it to fully immerse myself in the narrative. I highly recommend this to any science fiction enthusiast!

The Stardust Grail is a captivating space adventure that explores topics such as diversity and culture, politics and history, and the ripple effect of our choices. Maya Hoshimoto is an art thief. She stole only to return the items to where they were taken. Alien civilizations. But she had put that life behind her until her friend came needing one last big job. This one could save a civilization. But at what cost? I enjoyed this space adventure where the stakes were high and the action kept me on my toes. The pacing ensured that there was a balance of discovery, exploration, and action which kept me invested. The characters were diverse but together created a cohesive unit that allowed the author to present some deep questions. I recommend this book to those who like space fantasy stories.

I was able to enjoy this one as an audiobook. The narrator, Katharine Chin, created many moments through the voice she gave each character.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listing copy.

Stardust Grail is a wildly creative yet jumbled novel. There were many nuances to the various races and species that clearer definition would have served to improve the stakes and impact of their interactions and conflicts. Several key plot points seemed overly convenient for not having proper setup.
That being said, there are very important explorations of how species with extremely different cultures, bodies, languages, etc. could ever hope to interact or attempt to understand and communicate.
Descriptions of different body and cultural constructs are very vivid and inventive.