The Deep Sky

Kitasei sets her action-packed near-future debut against the backdrop of impending human extinction. In the face of global warfare, terrorism, and ecological collapse, the ambitious EvenStar project offers humanity a chance to start fresh, sending the spaceship Phoenix to colonize a new world. Asuka is selected for the crew from the crème de la crème of Earth’s youth, but she grapples with imposter syndrome, convinced that her crewmates are all more competent and deserving than she is. When she fails to conceive a child en route, a critical component of the mission, it only compounds her feelings of failure and inadequacy. An explosion throws the Phoenix off course, prompting concerns there may be a terrorist aboard the ship. When suspicion lands on Asuka, she must—with the aid of a buggy and enigmatic AI—find a way to clear her name and keep all hell from breaking loose on the cramped ship. Frequent flashbacks to Asuka’s past on Earth interrupt this tense spacefaring mystery, and though some readers may find this distracting, they successfully add context for and complexity to the resilient heroine. The result is a remarkable story of endurance and hope. Agent: Mary C. Moore, Kimberley Cameron & Assoc. (July)