The author for the sci-fi fantasy novel "Light from Uncommon Stars" by Ryka Aoki, shares several things in common with her protagonist, Katrina. Both are of Japanese heritage and transgender women. In this surprisingly tender and other worldly novel, Aoki has combined several far-flung genres and styles that expand the conceptions of what constitutes some preconceived ideas of elements of science fiction. Aoki is an award winning poet. This is apparent in her elegiac descriptions and confluence of the arts and theology. The plot circumnavigates the intergalactic space travel of a family fleeing the demise of their planet. The crew is captained by Lan. Lan shepherds them safely across the galaxy to inhabit Earth in California's San Gabriel Valley. Lan's natural plum colored skin and double-elbowed joints are camouflaged to blend in with Earth's species. Specifically, the Asian communication in CA in which Lan and her clan set up shop in a donut cafe where they create crawlers, muffins, and baked goods in order to have enough dough to pay their bills. Lan escaped with her three children, eldest Sylvia, her devoted and brilliant daughter, Marcus, an assimilated, disgruntled teen, and twins, Eddie and Wendy. Also in the mix is the doting aunt learning to bake delectable, edible sweets. The story delightfully describes mouth watering meals and provides a sounding board for musical riffs, compositions and joys inherent with the gifts music sustains. The plot and its many twists flow from Katrina. Katrina is brutalized and scorned by her parents, tormented, sexually abused and struggling to survive. Despite these dehumanizing conditions, Katrina maintains a perseverance, grace and manifests a preternatural talent for playing the violin. This is where the demon comes in, in the form of Satomi, a.k.a. Hell Queen, a pseudonym earned for the six aspiring violinists she consigned to sell their souls for the taste of fame and fortune. Satomi needs to obtain one more willing to sell their soul within the year to fulfill her pact with the devil. The devil will retract his claim on her soul and bestow Satomi back her prodigious musical talents. There's several love stories sifted into this caldron; Lan and Satomi have a fiery attraction, Katrina and Sylvia a strong sisterly connection and there's familial love that arises within households. This charming, clever and oftentimes humorous novel, "Light" is stuffed with delights. It's a tale as old as time about mortality, vanity and a clarion wake up call to smell the coffee. For sci-fi lovers this is a sure fire winner. For those who claim not to care for the science fiction genre, all I can say is, you don't know what you're missing till you try it. "Light from Uncommon Stars" is an uncommonly spectacular read that is sure to lead to future series.
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