The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei

THE STARDUST GRAIL by Yume Kitasei (Deep Sky) is a very well-written stand-alone space adventure. The main character is named Maya Hoshimoto; she is a reformed thief (of sorts!) and a graduate researcher about other life forms. Her best friend is named Auncle, a multi-tentacled creature whose Freno species is at grave risk. They come across new information in the search for a stardust grail which could help the species repopulate or save Earth from being isolated from the rest of space as connecting nodes are increasingly disappearing. With more than one group seeking the grail, Maya and her team (includes Wil, a former CNE government guard, and Medix, a fairly sentient robot) are often in great danger as Maya decides to attempt another heist. They face numerous ethical questions and continue learning about each other, especially cross-cultural emotional differences, as when Auncle says, “I didn't realize the joy could feel so … sad at the same time.” THE STARDUST GRAIL received a starred review from Kirkus (“… covering everything from the rise and fall of alien civilizations to what it means to be a person, this is a luminous work…. Wondrous, new, and altogether alien.”) and Publishers Weekly (“Readers will be riveted.”). Enjoy the quest!