An epic fantasy debut in which Leo, a twelve-year-old spaceship captain, reluctantly agrees to accept the help of a mysterious girl with magical abilities in his desperate quest that takes them across galaxies.

As the sole survivor and witness to the destruction of his home planet by the ruthless Nova Pirates, Leo can't stay in one place for long. Though his skill as a space captain is the only thing that has kept him out of their clutches, his only real hope of escaping them for good is to gather Dawn Star stardust—which legend promises will grant any wish but is nearly impossible to find.

Then he meets Ella, a Robin Hood–like fighter known as the Starfarer, revered (or hated, depending on who you ask) for her pursuit of justice. Ella has her own connection to the elusive Dawn Star, and strong reasons to stay far from it. But after seeing Leo's piloting skills, she agrees to help him find the stardust in exchange for taking her on a rescue mission so dangerous that most would say it's impossible. Together, they find themselves at the center of a conflict that holds the universe's fate in the balance.