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Science fiction and mystery make excellent bedfellows, and setting a “whodunit” in space is many a sci-fi reader’s kryptonite. If that’s you, do yourself a favor and wade through the backlists for Yume Kitasei’s debut novel, The Deep Sky . It’s hard to believe Kitasei wrote this page-turner a mere three years ago considering she’s published two more books since its release. But this was the novel that hooked me and more fans on her futuristic, high-stakes adventures. Content warnings include miscarriage, fertility issues, and death of a child.

The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei

It’s bad enough when an unidentified murderer is on the loose but when you’re trapped with said murderer in a metal box hurtling through space? No thanks!

This is the predicament Asuka and her fellow crew members find themselves in. Oh, also, their ship has gone off track and they have limited time to correct the error. The Deep Sky is a ticking time bomb that puts a space team responsible for populating the new planet they’re bound for in dire straits. Asuka, whose Alt role identifies her as a jack of all trades master of none type, is cornered into playing amateur detective while her team, many of them pregnant, focuses on the big ship problem.

From the explosion that occurs when Asuka and a teammate go on a space walk, alerting the members to strategic acts of terrorism, to the a-ha! reveal at the end, Kitasei makes it difficult to put this book down. Driving the thriller is protagonist Asuka who’s burdened by the sense that she’s always and forever the odd one out among her peers. She’s biracial, has a complicated family life, straddles two countries, and struggles with insecurities about not being enough of anything. On top of it all, Asuka has old beef with the crew, but everyone either has old resentments, skeletons in their closet, or murky backstories thanks to growing up competing against one another for a spot on the spaceship Phoenix. Nobody is above suspicion, anyone might be the traitor in their midst.

This is a messy, emotionally-charged thrill ride filled with danger, deception, and flawed characters. One of my favorite aspects of Kitasei’s books is that they’re inclusive. The crew of this ship full of potential child bearers includes trans and nonbinary people, and Kitasei explores biracial identity with the intimacy you only get from lived experience.

What are you reading? Let us know in the comments !

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A Ghost in the Shell tabletop RPG is inbound, and it plunges players straight into the beloved story by letting them create their own Section 9 agent.

Developed by Mantic Games (the studio behind wargames like Halo: Flashpoint) and due to launch on Backerit later in July, this Ghost in the Shell tabletop RPG is based on the manga by Shirow Masamune rather than the anime. It promises to be "the most authentic tabletop roleplaying experience ever created" for the franchise, and features a custom system put together by the legendary designer Alessio Cavatore (co-creator of Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game, Mordheim, Kings of War, and more) alongside Zak Barouh, an award-winning tabletop RPG writer.

It's still early days so we can't tell for sure how this system will compare to the best tabletop RPGs , but Mantic promises that it "combines fast-paced, narrative-driven mechanics with the philosophical depth and visual flair that define The Ghost in the Shell." Judging by the sneak-peek via DrivethruRPG , it appears to use different dice to represent your character's skill rather than static numbers that provide a bonus. They might use a d8 for reflexes but have a d12 for hacking, say.

(Image credit: Mantic Games) A lot also seems to hinge on your character's "Synthesis Conflict" that represents an inner conflict they're fighting. This provides "a way to reflect character development through a personal story tied to each Player Character," and uses aspects like duty vs. family, humanity vs. technology, or tradition vs. progress.

Not that the Ghost in the Shell tabletop RPG is purely philosophical, of course; you'll need to arm up with cybernetic enhancements along with a host of weapons to battle corruption in this dystopian future, and it seems as though you'll be able to use miniatures for fights if you'd like.

We'll be able to find out soon enough. The Ghost in the Shell: Tabletop Roleplaying Game will launch on Backerit this July 28, and backers will immediately receive the full digital rulebook as a PDF after the campaign ends.

For more tabletop recommendations, why not drop in on the best board games ? If you're planning a vacation this summer, it's also worth visiting our guide to the best travel board games in case there's something you can add to your suitcase.

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DAMASCUS — Two blasts rocked the Syrian capital near the hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron is staying during a visit for talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

In a statement shared on X after the incident, Macron confirmed his visit would continue and praised the “aspiration” of the Syrian people. “This morning I met Syria in all its diversity. I saw dignity, courage and determination,” read the post. “My visit continues.”

Macron’s convoy had just left the hotel when the first explosion hit. “`The Elysée Palace has confirmed the French president is safe.

“We are currently at the presidential palace where the expanded meeting between the presidents and their delegation is taking place,” an Elysée official told POLITICO.

The blasts occurred just outside Syria’s Ministry of Tourism, near the Four Seasons hotel where Macron held meetings Tuesday morning.

Syria’s Ministry of the Interior reported 18 people injured, including four police officers. Both devices were improvised, said the ministry. The first blast came from inside a trash container and the second from a parked car, which detonated near an ambulance a few meters away.

This visit marks the first time a European head of state has visited Damascus since 2024, when groups led by al-Sharaa brought an end to the administration of Bashar al-Assad. It was meant to showcase the transformation of Syrian politics under the new president, who has worked to establish positive relations with Western powers.