STEAL THE STARS
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A novelization, based on the hit podcast

​Adapted and expanded from Mac Rogers’ podcast script by author Nat Cassidy, the Steal the Stars novelization—available November 7th—offers new insight into the world you’ve come to know and love.

FORBIDDEN LOVE.
A CRASHED UFO.
AN ALIEN BODY.
AN IMPOSSIBLE HEIST.

Dakota “Dak” Prentiss guards the biggest secret in the world.

“Moss” is your standard gray alien from innumerable abduction stories. ​It still sits at the controls of the spaceship it crash-landed eleven years ago. A secret military base was built ​to study ​both Moss and the dangerous technology it brought to Earth.
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The day Matt Salem joins her security team, Dak’s whole world changes.

It’s love at first sight—which is a problem, since they both signed ironclad contracts forbidding fraternization with other military personnel. If they run, they’ll be hunted for what they know. Dak and Matt have only one way to be together: do the impossible. Steal Moss and sell the secret of its existence.
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And they can’t afford a single mistake.
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A novelization by Nat Cassidy, based on the podcast by Mac Rogers
Published by Tor/Macmillan, November 2017

Named one of the Best New Books of November 2017 by the Chicago Review of Books!
Named one of NPR Books' Great Reads of 2017!
Named one of Kirkus Reviews' New and Notable Books in Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror!
Named one of The Verge's 16 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books to Read this November!
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  • "Cassidy does a brilliant job of adapting the podcast's scalpel-sharp pacing, heartbreaking characters and flawless execution of a fascinating premise into a new format."
    - Amal El-Mohtar, NPR's Best Books of 2017
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  • "Steal the Stars is a heady brew of science fiction, forbidden love, and a suicidal heist, set in a dystopian world all too like our own. As the suspense builds to a fever pitch, it is impossible to stop listening—and now, to stop turning pages. ... [T]his collaborative artform is pushing the boundaries of storytelling."
    ​- Ilana Teitelbaum, Huffington Post

  • "Recommended for sf fans who enjoy stories in which the protagonists fight against seemingly impossible odds and/or readers who appreciate upside-down plot twists."
    ​- LibraryJournal

  • "Debut novelist Nat Cassidy has adapted this exceptional noir science fiction thriller and expanded upon it to create this novelization. It's about a government agency tasked with hiding the existence of a crashed UFO, its gray alien pilot, and the advanced technology which is now being studied. Keeping such a big secret is hard enough, but when Matt Salem joins Dakota Prentiss' security team, it's love at first sight. Unfortunately, their contracts forbid employee fraternization of any kind. They are thus faced with a choice: ignore their love or cut loose and run. Luckily for the reader, they choose the latter. But being on the run means they will be hunted because of what they know, so they devise a heist to steal the alien and sell off the secret. That's when the fun really begins."
    - John DeNardo, Kirkus Reviews' New and Notable Books in Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror

  • "This book isn’t a script that’s been polished up as a cash-grab to get reluctant audio listeners to buy the story; it’s a full-on novelization that stands on its own."
    - Andrew Liptak, The Verge, "16 science fiction and fantasy books to read this November"

  • "Steal the Stars is primarily a science fiction love story between two characters, Dakota and Matthew, but it feels like an epic novel as the story takes on some crazy plot turns."
    - Black Girl Nerds

  • "[A] curious mix of romance, science fiction, and political thriller, set in the context of a heist story. It deftly manages most of these elements but also delights in defying the reader’s expectations. ... [A] great read  ... The book’s main character is its greatest triumph. ... [Dak] is a flawed but thoroughly relatable woman who we cannot help but root for, even when she makes entirely terrible decisions. ... The alien-related parts feel like honest-to-goodness old school science fiction-speculative, weird and wonderful. The dystopian elements of the story feel at once foreign yet eerily familiar to anyone who just finished the joyride that was 2017. But the best element of the book is unquestionably the tragically doomed quest of Dak and Matt to avoid discovery of their trysts. This fool’s errand sees the star-crossed (pun fully intended) lovers betraying friends and colleagues, flirting with mortal danger, and in the end, trying to drive a van full of space artifacts across international borders. And yes, reading the details of this madness is every bit as fun as it sounds. And as for the book’s conclusion, there isn’t much to say without spoiling. I thought it was crazy as hell and I loved it. Some people will undoubtedly feel the opposite. The buzz phrase of the day regarding TV and film seems to be 'it subverts your expectations.' Steal the Stars doesn’t just subvert your expectations. It throws them in a dumpster, sets them on fire, and then does a touchdown celebration dance on their ashes. Whether this ending works for you or not, I’d suggest that the journey to get there is well worth it. ... Regardless, it is a unique story told with humour and excitement. It is a page-turner in the truest sense. And Cassidy has done some wonderful work building a believable but nonetheless terrifying near-future world for the characters to inhabit."
    - Matthew McCarthy, Geekly Inc.

  • "Nat Cassidy has done a fantastic job adapting Steal the Stars into a novel that can stand alone on its own merits, apart from the need to have any prior knowledge of or experience with the original podcast. ... One instantly noticeable difference from the podcast is the novel’s change to full first-person narration. ... From the beginning, Dak’s narration to Matt does a better job of building tension and suspense while foreshadowing the inevitability of an M. Night Shyamalan twist. It’s an interesting choice that I really enjoyed. ... Steal the Stars is a gripping page-turner that builds around the basic elements of a great work of science fiction but ... tell[s] a more intimate and grounded story with tones and themes that are quite unique for the genre."
    - Matt Litten, VGBlogger

  • "Wow. I think my heart rate has come down enough to review this now. This was fantastic. The premise and key story elements alone are great. A Bonnie and Clyde love story. A secret military facility. A 20-minutes-into the future overly-corporatized America. A real Area 51 complete with alien. But it’s the intrigue and pacing layered over the top of these that really lifts this story into five-star range. Steal the Stars is a story in two parts. Where the first part is interesting, with lots of questions and world building, the second half hares off into the desert and over a cliff.  ... I loved both parts equally and I was surprised at how nicely both story elements synced up in the one narrative. ... Cassidy has done an excellent job with the novelisation. The prose style retains the feel of Dak’s narrative voice in the podcast, while providing the description and background information required for transitioning the work to text. I found in some ways the text was more comprehensive, and more clearly conveyed some actions and world building elements which were less clear in audio cues or weren’t able to be included in the podcast due to space. It would have been easy to go bare-bones on the additional information and fleshing out in the novel and stick to just what was required to convert the story to a text version of the podcast. But I was pleasantly surprised at how much additional material Cassidy slipped in without losing the tone, pacing and sequence of the podcast. Special shout out specifically to how well Cassidy worked in ‘Dak-style’ metaphors and similes. Dak herself is a different strong, female protagonist which I appreciated. Middle aged. Stocky. Physically competent. Practical. Her trajectory and character arc over the course of the story is fascinating to watch. It’s internally consistent and yet quite extreme. Each step of the way felt inevitable, but in a way that felt driven by Dak’s choices and as if it could never have gone any other way. Particularly the second half had this increasing tension and pace to it that felt like it was hurtling headlong into a doom with only a slim chance of survival and the window just kept getting narrower the further you went. The romance and chemistry between Dak and Matt was intense and well-depicted. This wasn’t a slow burn or a coy young love. This is two consenting adults in one of those once-in-a-lifetime crazy chemistry encounters. ... Whatever format you check this out in, Steal the Stars is a worth experiencing. It’s different to a lot of other scifi out at the moment. It’s punchy and fast. The style and tone are unique and vibrant, and it’ll leave you wanting to rant and debrief with your friends."
    - Chaptersinflux.com

  • "[B]ased on the podcast everyone is currently talking about ... What strikes me immediately about this is the sense of self of Dak (Dakota) – the novel is written in a very personal view which helps, but her attitude and thought patterns shine through. It’s written with stark honesty, which, in a place of secrecy is a weird justification that makes for writing you simply can’t put down. ... Excellent. I’m hooked. ... [I]t gets real pretty quickly. I won’t say much more because 1. Spoilers, and 2. I’m still reading and don’t want to waste any more time here. Let’s just say this book gets the full five stars, and I’ll be listening to the podcast tonight. Coz I’ll certainly be done with the book by then."
    - VENTUREADLAXRE.com

  • "Steal the Stars pulls bits and pieces of sci-fi from all angles to create a compelling read that will keep you onboard for all of its 416 pages. ... [T]he punchy dialogue and believable blend of military and corporate setting make it easy to understand why the podcast the novel is based on was a success. Nice twists, an interesting setting, and its ability to draw from several genre tropes will make Steal the Stars a fun read for sci-fi readers.
    ​- C.J. Bunce, Borg.com

  • "Steal the Stars functions perfectly well on its own, telling a gripping, standalone story that will keep you interested right up until the end. The story’s ending is going to disappoint some people, while thrilling others with its willingness to upend readers’ expectations. ... We spend a lot of time with these ... characters, which means that it matters when one of them betrays a coworker or basically has their mind wiped by the strange alien artifact no one really knows how to control. The actual sci-fi stuff is equally engrossing."
    - Lacy Baugher, FanSided

  • "Steal the Stars is changing the game with this full podcast novelization. ... Honestly, if you ask me, this story works a lot better as a novel that it did as an audio drama. The extra descriptions are helpful when dealing with a sometimes technical and literally alien story. ... The book has Dak telling the entire story to 'you' — who happens to be the other main character, Matt Salem, who she falls madly in love with at first sight. It’s a little disorienting, though I will admit that it really pays off at the very end when realize why she’s telling the story in this manner. ... [A]mazing ... Dak’s whole desperate attempt to steal the body and secure a future for her and Matt was compelling. ... [T]he end is great. There’s a twist that you won’t see coming and it helps redeem the whole story. It even gives some justification for Dak’s short-sighted obsession with Matt Salem. It’s such a good ending that I almost wish it wasn’t actually the ending and that the story continued on at least a little bit afterward. But, I’ll concede it’s probably more a meaningful ending. ...  Mac Rogers created a really great world in his original podcast and Cassidy does a really good job of putting it all down on page."
    - Sam Wildman, Nerdophiles

  • "[FOUR STARS] At times [the novelization] is pretty identical to the podcast itself, but there are also these really great similes that I don't remember being in the podcast. I think Cassidy did a really good job of giving us more insight into the characters. ... [T]he novel also give us a little more background on the Sierra Corporation ... It really hammers in why Sierra is the worst! ... I enjoyed [this book] a lot, and if you like subtle dystopia and military sci-fi I highly recommend it!"
    - Deanna Reads Books

  • "[W]hen I was offered the chance to read Steal the Stars I didn’t hesitate ... Fantastic storyline and remarkable world-building with just the right amount of romance tucked into a thrilling adventure. The characters are well fleshed out ... [I] will certainly recommend the book to all fans of Science Fiction. Just be ready for the ending because… WOW! I can’t get into details, of course. You’ll have to read the book to learn what I’m referring to… and trust me, you want to find out!"
    - My Book Addiction

  • "I am not a huge sci fi fan in reading but sometimes a book comes along and makes me change my mind and this book did just that. So now I want to read more books on aliens. However this one is done a little different as it's based off a podcast which I want to listen to since reading this book. While I was reading this book all I kept thinking about is Area 51 and X-files. This book has a lot of things going for it and it definitely drew me in from the start. 4/5 Bloody Fangs"
    - Sabrina's Paranormal Palace

  • "[A] nonstop careening mess of action, dialogue and suspense. ... [An] excellent novel ... Sci-Fi and Thriller lovers will want to read this book. ... Steal the Stars Steals Hearts."
    - Michael Blaker, Game Industry News

  • "Steal the Stars is a fast-paced, thrilling read that doesn’t slow down. The characters are fun and the story is very exciting and dramatic. With the suspense building to a surprising finale – this is an unforgettable novel."
    - SciFiChick.com

  • "Dak won me over right away ... Very suspenseful reading. And the ending isn’t anything I was prepared for ... Great science fiction and now I must listen to the podcasts. 4 Stars."
    - Laura Thomas, FUONLYKNEW.com

  • "Steal the Stars is a real adventure ride right from the very beginning ... I loved the characters ... [S]uperb... The pacing in this book was absolutely perfect. ... [T]he book and the podcast compliment each other so nicely."
    - Here's to Happy Endings

  • "First of all, the concept of this book is more than fascinating and I feel like it's worth reading just because of its uniqueness and authenticity.  ... Based on how he's portrayed through Dak's eyes, [Matt] appears to be the perfect man but, he has a lot of demons to deal with on his own. Which makes their relationship very interesting to read about. Their romance was very intense and well written, as was their chemistry. It definitely felt like one of those once in a lifetime experiences that you don't come across that often in life! And they definitely delivered! ... I feel like [the narrative voice is] one of the most important parts of the story and something that readers will definitely appreciate! It's the combination of the first and second POV, which I personally haven't encountered in a while. Dak is the narrator of the story and actually addresses Matt as 'you' ...  It is an intimate way of telling a story, which not a lot of authors can see through successfully. ... [T]he ending blew me away in the best and worst way possible. It really messed with my mind and my entire being which means that, it was perfect! I'm still not sure what happened and how it happened, which is something I've never encountered before.  ... [I]t really surprised me, both in a good and a bad way, that I still need a couple of days to process everything that happened. Overall, Steal the Stars is definitely a book worth reading because of its very different way of narration and development!"
    - Book Lady's Reviews

  • "While the Podcast by Mac Rogers explored the ideas of obsession, lust, of jealousy and the secrets humans are expected to keep, Nat Cassidy’s adaptation travels deeper into the landscape of human emotion. ... [O]n the page, with Nat Cassidy’s adaptation, I could actually feel the love.  She falls in love with Matt, every word that Nat writes, is a word that takes a step towards her damnation. ​There are moments that work as reflections of one another, there are moments in the novel that are better than the podcast and vice versa, but they both stand alone as unique pieces of work and of genius, living in the same universe but feeling, reading, and claiming ownership of their mediums in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. ... Nat Cassidy has matched [the podcast's] performances by including details, taking risks, and truly thinking about how to honor Mac’s universe while building a home for himself in it that you’d want to visit again and again. There is a haunting interlude that may just be the best two pages I have read in a novel in a very long time. While I was at the edge of my seat, waiting week to week for the podcast with the expressed need of an addict, I had a completely different reaction to Mr. Cassidy’s achievement, every page I turned made gave me anxiety, because there came a point where there were less pages in front of me than behind me, and I just didn’t want the story to come to an end. ... [T]here are real consequences to love and to lust, and both Steal the Stars the novel and the podcast lean into those consequences with a certain abandon that leaves you breathless."
    ​- Monsterrat Mendez, Mozzie Confidential