Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander - Paperback

by Christian Hurst (Author)

Triple Gold Winner - 2026 Spring BookFest Awards

First Place: Science Fiction Space Opera, YA Science Fiction, LGBTQ+ Science Fiction

New Edition - Book One in the Award-Winning YA Sci-Fi Series

Lily Starling is alone in a city she barely recognizes, with no memory of her past-only a metal tag bearing her name and an instinct for survival. When a Union starship crew claims she belongs with them, she's pulled centuries beyond her own time and into a desperate mission against the psionic Krythar.

Aboard the starship Salamander, Lily is drawn into a found family of misfit officers, warriors, and exiles. Together, they uncover mysteries hidden among the stars: an ancient memory seed carrying the voices of the dead-and a weapon capable of unraveling time itself.

But when Lily faces her greatest fear, she must choose-confront the truth of her past, or risk losing everything she's come to care about.

A lyrical, fast-paced space opera about identity, connection, and courage at the edge of the unknown.

Perfect for fans of Becky Chambers, with the cinematic scope of Mass Effect and the found-family heart of Firefly and Red Rising.