10 fantasy and science fiction books to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month

Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

Ryka Aoki’s novel Light From Uncommon Stars is a powerful, genre-defying work. The book follows a transgender violin student named Katrina, who gets an offer from the Queen of Hell to make her a master violinist, with the hidden catch that Katrina’s soul may be on the line.

Meanwhile, the Queen of Hell may be falling for an alien donut shop owner, and the question of whether it’s worth it to sacrifice people’s souls for her own gain becomes a whole lot harder to answer.

"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."

Find Light From Uncommon Stars on Amazon.

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang (The Poppy War #1)

R.F. Kuang’s breakout trilogy that began with The Poppy War is a grimdark coming-of-age fantasy. It tells the story of Rin, an orphan who discovers she possesses a particular magic that could save her people…if she can survive the ways her newfound powers will change her, and her rise through an elite military school.

The Poppy War has gained no shortage of acclaim since it first released in 2018, and with the final volume, The Burning God, out as of last year, now’s a great time to discover why so many people have fallen in love with this brutally dark fantasy series.

"When war orphan Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the academies—she surprised everyone: test officials, the guardians who wanted to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise, and even herself. But being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not easy at Sinegard, the most elite military school in Nikan. Targeted by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers that gods long thought dead are very much alive, and that she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly mythical art of shamanism that could be the weapon the empire desperately needs. While Nikara is at peace, its enemy and former occupiers, the Federation of Mugen, bides its time . . . and a Third Poppy War is just a spark away. Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. Yet as she discovers more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity. And it may already be too late."

Find The Poppy War on Amazon.

Thus concludes our round-up of 10 science fiction and fantasy books to check out for AAPI Heritage Month. It’s but the tiniest sampling of the many amazing books out there by Asian American and Pacific Islander authors, and really, any month is a great month to read these books. We hope you found a few new stories to add to your to-read list!

Which of these books are you most excited for? Did we miss one of your favorites? Let us know in the comments!

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