Look to the Stars: Epic Genre-Bending Series Coming from J. Scott Howes & M.J. Kolsky

When the tolerant, idealistic Empire that long guaranteed the peace of Mana is on the verge of defeat by dark forces obsessed with purity and segregation, a sister and brother set out on a quest across three continents to rescue their diverse world. Sora, a famous warrior mage, seeks to rally uncommitted nations of humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, and mixed forms to fight together before all perish divided; her brother Mars, a bumbling scholar, has an even more audacious goal: to find an ancient relic that will call down the legendary dragons said to live on the three moons. Between bickering and saving each other’s lives, the siblings accumulate a party of unlikely heroes, from a gigantic foul-mouthed pirate to a cynical halfling thief, a knife-spinning sandfolk nomad to an out-of-her-depth princess-diplomat, a magic-wielding feral child to a gentle priest with a brutal past. But what they find at the end of the world is not allies or dragons—it is contact with a high-tech, spacefaring civilization hiding in orbit around their planet, fleeing an even greater interstellar danger and seeking refuge on their world …

Look to the Stars is Game of Thrones meets Battlestar Galactica, an unprecedented mix of epic high fantasy and adventurous, idea-driven sci-fi.

Ground-breaking Genre Mix

This three-book series is a unique, never-before-seen meeting of two beloved genres with overlapping fanbases that have long remained frustratingly separate: 1) character-driven epic fantasy a la Ursula K. Le Guin or George R.R. Martin, with magic, sword-battles, romance, dragons, and political intrigue; 2) thoughtful space opera, like Foundation or Dune or (the original, good) Star Wars, built on interstellar travel, future societies, advanced tech, and the clash of ideas. Think: fire-breathing dragons vs laser-blasting X-wings, but packed with character depth, nuance, and emotional realism.

Characters and Emotions That Resonate

The series features the most important element of all truly memorable stories: character that readers will fall in love with and root for—the heart of every great franchise. Beyond saving the world, Sora and Mars must learn to trust and save each other, while other characters fight to rescue their families, free their homes, recover lost honor, or atone for secret sins. The stakes are real, and characters face harrowing choices and undergo painful growth.

An Immersive Universe

Howes & Kolsky have a unique ability to create an immersive universe that feels alive. In this novel, readers will find themselves in Mana, a mist-shrouded fantasy landscape filled with breathtaking vistas, mysterious ruins, and vibrant cultures, each with its own complex history, cultures, religions, magic, and more for fans to obsess over. Every location is meticulously described, allowing readers to visualize the world as they turn the pages.

From Fantasy World to High-Tech Galaxy

Nothing quite like Look to the Stars has been done yet—a convincing mix of high fantasy and hard sci-fi, with a deep and surprising back-story that cleverly ties the isolated magical fantasy planet, filled with elves and trolls and knights, princesses and centaurs and wyverns, to the larger interstellar civilization, where gravity-curvature ships sent to colonize new planets equipped with multigenerational eco-habitats and planet-busting drone-bombs roam the stars.

Adventure & Humor

Howes & Kolsky excel at fast-paced plotting and pack their story with reversals, counter-reversals, and devastating surprises, as well as comedy, wit, and lovable fools.

Courage & Friendship

The protagonists' journeys are fraught with danger, forcing them to confront their fears head-on. This theme resonates with readers who may find themselves facing their own challenges; Howes & Kolsky illustrate that true courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to act despite it. As the characters navigate their adventures, they form bonds that strengthen their resolve. The series highlights the importance of love and loyalty, even the most daunting situations.

Meaning & Complexity

While young adults and genre fans will be drawn to the adventure, a wider audience craves deeper, grittier characters and moral ambiguity. This story is with nuance and pain and realism, alongside action and humor. The heroes are flawed, imbued with all the hopes, fears, loves, and hatreds of real relationships.

A Celebration of Difference

The ultimate goal of the heroes of Look to the Stars is that everyone in their world should be free to live their truth—elf or human or dwarf, “mixed” or “pure,” queer or straight, native or migrant, magical or magicless, any gender, any form, from this planet or from the stars. The diversity of the characters and moral architecture of our story are inspired by the authors' personal experiences—a queer man with an immigrant spouse and a fellow progressive who are both committed antiracists from multiethnic, interfaith families.

Just the Beginning ...

Look to the Stars is the first in a trilogy of big books; we are already writing the second. It provides the ideal IP for future films, TV shows, video games, web content, additional book series, an expanded universe, and a worldwide fan community.

A Glimpse into the Writing Process

Howes is known for his meticulous writing process, often spending months or years researching and refining his stories. He draws inspiration and infrmation from many sources, including history, mythology, and personal experiences. He then brainstorms extensively with Kolsky and they write every chapter outline together, talking it all out verbally, before alternating writing individual chapters and editing each other's work.

Anticipating the Release

Howes & Kolsky are currently seeking representation for their novel and intend to bring it to publishers as soon as possible. They are also in discussions with the creators of Vescrutia.net, a play-by-post forum-based online role-playing-game, to incorporate the world of Mana into their platform; and they are reaching out to streamers (Netflix, etc), booktubers, booktokkers, bookstagrammers, and other SFF-focused influencers to platform and promote this series.

Pre-Order and Special Editions

For those who can’t wait to dive into the adventure, pre-order options will be available. Fans may also look forward to online release of exclusive content, such as behind-the-scenes insights and author commentary.

Engaging with the Community

Howes values his readers and seeks to engage with them through social media, book signings, and appearances. He loves to talk to book clubs and participate in group panels and discussions.

Look to the Stars ...

J. Scott Howes and M.J. Kolsky's upcoming novel series promises to be a thrilling fantasy/science fiction adventure filled with complex, memorable characters, pulsating adventure, luscious prose, literary invention, emotional impact, and stimluating ideas. It is truly ground-breaking, and we are excited to see it connect with audiences worldwide. Keep an eye out for its release, and be ready to join the adventure!