Hoshi no Sabaku (Desert of Stars) is the first of Funato Akari's two collaborations with novelist Yuuya Aoi. It stands complete at one compiled volume. By far the more serious of the two stories, Hoshi no Sabaku is a story about loneliness and finding a place for oneself, couched in a tale of interstellar intrigue. In that order, more or less. What sets Hoshi no Sabaku apart is its emotional richness - Funato's ability to pack personality and significance into her characters' expressions is amazing.
Mana and Kenji, twin sister and brother, found a star as little children. On a far off world, their star is called the Talshas, meaning 'Stone of Wind and Gods', and will grant the wishes of one person for as long as they live. And though it has lain quiet for 10 years, that is swiftly changing. The twins' lives are rocked by tragedies and miracles, chance meetings that are not as innocent as they seem, and trust forged and broken as a war between two distant planets descends around them. And ultimately, the only real wishes are the ones made for the sake of another.
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