novel 1 of the "stars" series: Lost among the stars
13 parts Ongoing a gripping young adult science fiction novel that follows Juan Estrella, a technically gifted teenager with an almost supernatural ability to understand machinery. En route to a new colony world aboard the massive starship *New Eden*, Juan's life is shattered when a mysterious and powerful alien force attacks, obliterating the vessel and scattering the survivors.
Juan escapes the devastation with a small group of fellow teens, only to be captured by the ruthless pirates of the *Scavenger's Blessing*. Thrust into a brutal world of slavery and survival, Juan must use his unique talent not just to fix the pirates' broken ship, but to master it from within. His plan for a quiet rebellion becomes infinitely more complex with the discovery of Lyra, a mysterious alien princess held in stasis-a priceless cargo that a terrifying galactic warlord is hunting to reclaim.
As Juan evolves from a quiet mechanic into a reluctant leader, he and his friends must navigate a galaxy of dangers: from the brutal pirates who own them, to the genocidal warlord on their tail, and a nightmarish biomechanical plague known as the Scourge that consumes all in its path. Forced to make impossible, soul-scarring choices, Juan learns that survival in the cold void of space requires more than just fixing machines-it demands becoming a commander, an ally to strange new life, and a warrior in a hidden war that could determine the fate of the galaxy.