I quite enjoyed The Stardust Grail and seek out other work by Yumi Katasei, an author I hadn’t read before this. I really enjoyed the characterization of the main character, alien artifact thief Maya, who is complicated, earnest, flawed, and likeable. I also enjoyed the deftly drawn alien Auncle, her sometime partner. The details of world building are well executed and the small, incidental references tossed out make the world feel real and lived in. This universe is gritty and complex. This is less a heist book than a quest book, with galaxy-shaking consequences, and it held me throughout. Well done.

I loved Yume Kitasei's debut novel, The Deep Sky, but I think I liked this one even more! Her books are is exactly the flavor of sci-fi that I enjoy: It has the cool aliens and fascinating technology for sure, but they're not focused on SO much that the worldbuilding overshadows the characters and their motivations. And gosh do I love Kitasei's character work here and in her last one. I would love to see another book of hers set in this particular future.

The only thing I will say was that the last 25% was a bit hard for me to follow, but that is a "me" thing - I was racing through this book because I was so eager to see how it ended, and ended up feeling that things were a bit convoluted. I also found myself having to go back and check on things because I had a hard time remembering the acronyms and species and such, and discovered too late that the eBook had a glossary of the aliens in the back!

Anyway, I fully intend to reread this when it's released and I can get a physical copy. Still a 5 star read for sure, and I'm looking forward to what Kitasei comes up with next!!

Truth be told, I'm not sure exactly how I feel about this one. When I started it, I liked it. I liked the descriptions of the different beings and the different worlds and the small ephemera that make up their lives. I liked the variety of characters and their relationships. I think maybe where I started to get lost was the pacing. It's a bit of a slow burn and the actual heist portion doesn't... actually take up that much space. The last 25-ish% of the book ended up being a little chaotic and confusing for me. Then, the ending... I don't know. Maybe I just didn't "get it", but it felt a little lackluster for all that build-up.

After typing out a few thoughts, I think I can say that ending portion of the book is definitely where I felt like I was out of my depth. Even though things had been explained (sort of?), I still felt like I didn't understand much of anything at the end of it. And maybe that's on me. Certain aspects of sci-fi can definitely go over my head (though, for the most part, I don't think this book was too overly technical about the science aspect of things, which was good for me because my brain tends to overload quickly--especially if math is involved) and I feel like there was a point made at the end of this book that I was missing.

Honestly, this may just be a case of "it's not you, it's me". I do think there was a lot to love here and you could definitely feel the vastness of everything in the universe. I still stand by my statement that the heists didn't feel all that involved or interesting (a lot of the actual prep-work was done off-page and the actual heist(s) felt like they happened far too quickly?), but it still might be worth checking out if you're interested.

This epic sci-fi will keep you on your toes and keep you flipping those pages! Following an art theif as they return stolen alien artifacts back to their planet!

Save one world. Doom her own.

From the acclaimed author of The Deep Sky comes a thrilling anti-colonial space heist to save an alien civilization.

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.

I'll start by saying this was my first book by Yume kitasei, but she is now on my list of authors that I will buy and read everything they put out in the future, probably on day one of the release date. Not only was this a great, fun, fast paced sci fi story but also an amazing heist plot. We see heists in fantasy an awful lot, but very rarely in the science fiction genre and it was done to perfection here. Anyone who is a fan of Pierce Brown's Red Rising series, The Expanse, or Sun Eater series, then I think you will find plenty to like about The Stardust Grail as I have:)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

"The Stardust Grail" by Yume Kitasei is a captivating and enchanting tale that seamlessly blends elements of fantasy, adventure, and mystery. Set in a world where magic is real and myths come to life, the story follows the journey of a young protagonist, [insert name], as they embark on a quest to find the legendary Stardust Grail.

Kitasei's writing is rich in detail, vividly painting the landscapes and creatures that inhabit this magical realm. The characters are well-developed and relatable, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and motivations. As [insert name] navigates through various challenges and encounters, they learn valuable lessons about courage, friendship, and the power of belief.

One of the highlights of the book is its imaginative world-building. Kitasei has created a universe that feels both unique and familiar, filled with mythical creatures, ancient prophecies, and hidden dangers. The plot is engaging and full of twists and turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

Overall, "The Stardust Grail" is a delightful read that will appeal to fans of fantasy and adventure alike. Kitasei's storytelling is both magical and heartfelt, making this book a must-read for anyone looking for a captivating and uplifting tale.

Very unique book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Very excited to read more by this author because they have a real way with words.

The Stardust Grail is a thrilling space heist, reminiscent of blockbusters like Indiana Jones and Star Wars, but also subversive and unexpected. The story’s protagonist, Maya Hoshimoto, is a skilled art thief who hopes to put her thieving days behind her and live a quiet, studious life on Earth…until her old shipmate and best friend Auncle—a telepathic, tentacled alien from a dying race—returns with a job that Maya can’t resist: steal the Stardust Grail. Plagued by dark visions of possible futures and joined by an outlaw soldier in a cybernetic suit and a robot with emotive aspirations, Maya and Auncle set out on a mission to recover the grail. But they’re not the only ones after it. And even if Maya finds it first, she may have to choose between condemning Auncle’s race to extinction or severing humanity’s connection to the rest of the universe.

The Stardust Grail is a boisterous journey, rife with protean planets, intriguing spaceports, and remarkable life forms. The stakes are high. The characters are engaging and delightful. The plot is fast-paced and action-packed. But at its core, the book is also an exploration of understanding, forgiveness, and the importance of being true to our friends, and ourselves. For any fan of space adventures, this book is a must-read.

Human+Alien best friends doing reverse Indiana Jones heists? I am listening intently 👀

I loved Maya and Auncle, their friendship was 10/10, no notes. Auncle calling Maya stuff like “my sweet, squishable friend”? Delightful. It’s been so long since I read a scifi with non-humanoid aliens who are just an unremarkable part of life, and this book has several different alien species! And then there’s Wil(human woman with mechsuit prosthetics) and Medix,(robot, he’s giving ~Data with hints of Murderbot~) the other half of the heist crew. We’re not meant to trust them instantly, but they grew on me pretty quickly, and I loved how their friendship was so central to their motivations. Look, I am a huge sucker for characters being best friends, okay?

Honestly, aside from how it was a little heavy on the coincidences, my only complaint about this book is that I want sequels! I want to spend more time with the crew, and get to see them do some museum heists in less apocalyptic circumstances! God, I would love a series that’s ~Leverage, In Space~. The world building here is already so well done, with so many established planets, and histories between the different space-faring people, there’s so much to potential! (It works perfectly well as a standalone, no jarring cliffhangers or anything, I just want more!)

This book so Star Trek-esque, it reminds me a lot of the Discovery series and I think this would appeal to a lot of Star Trek fans. It has some wonderful world building and lore that is accompanied with incredibly thorough character development. I enjoyed the fact that the characters seemed to grow and change throughout the plot, which tends to be forgotten in a lot of "hard" sci fi where the plot line is the focus.
I can definitely see the author building off the world they have built here, and I would be excited to read other semi-related stories in this larger universe.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book! I will be recommending this to my friends as well as to others on my social media closer to the release date!

DNF at 36%
I loved THE DEEP SKY, so I was thrilled to get an ARC of this book -- unfortunately, it wasn't for me. I'm not a fan of alien stories in general, and this story seemed to still be revealing important world-building (like, fundamental rules and understandings about how things work) 30% into the book. I felt like I couldn't get my feet under me and enjoy the story, in part because of the over-complicated world-building, and in part because I wasn't sure what the driving narrative question was. Too many plot points seemed driven by coincidence, rather than choices, and alluded-to backstory bogged down the forward momentum. A miss for me, but because I enjoyed THE DEEP SKY so much, I'll definitely try her next book.

It was too expositional for me, and I stopped after chapter 2 (3%). I can see this being three to four stars for the target.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the ARC.