16 blockbuster September science fiction and fantasy releases to kick off Fall
By Lacy Baugher
September 2021 release: Light From Uncommon Stars
Described as Good Omens meets The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet , Ryka Aoki’s Light From Uncommon Stars is a joyful embrace of what makes science fiction so much fun, a defiant mash-up of multiple genres that explores the sort of big pictures philosophical questions these sorts of stories were made to tackle.
Light From Uncommon Stars follows the story of three women in California’s San Gabriel Valley, : Shizuka Satomi, a musician who made a deal with a demon, Katrina Nguyen, a runaway trans violinist, and Lan Tran, a retired starship captain who is now a donut shop owner. A simple twist of fate sets these three on an emotional collision course with each other, and leads to them risking their safety, their souls, and their hearts for the promise of a found family worth crossing the universe and challenging a curse for.
The official synopsis describes the story as follows.
"Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six. When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, catches Shizuka’s ear with her wild talent, Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She’s found her final candidate. But in a donut shop off a bustling highway in the San Gabriel Valley, Shizuka meets Lan Tran, retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four. Shizuka doesn’t have time for crushes or coffee dates, what with her very soul on the line, but Lan’s kind smile and eyes like stars might just redefine a soul’s worth. And maybe something as small as a warm donut is powerful enough to break a curse as vast as the California coastline. As the lives of these three women become entangled by chance and fate, a story of magic, identity, curses, and hope begins, and a family worth crossing the universe for is found."
Light from Uncommon Stars is available on September 28.