Alla Zaykova’s debut novel Galaxy Grifter released on June 3rd, and the moment I saw the book’s tagline, I knew I had to add it to my TBR! This book has everything I adore in space opera–banter, action, snark and stakes.
But does it have romance, you ask?
You KNOW I was wondering the same thing. Luckily, Alla was kind enough to answer all my burning questions. And of course, I’m bringing the answers to you. I’m so excited for you guys to read this interview, so let’s dive in!
Amy: Alla, your novel’s tagline is “a snarky, high-stakes space opera” and I have to say, everything about that description thrills me. This isn’t a zoomed out, politics-heavy space opera though, is it? It sounds like GALAXY GRIFTER zooms right in to the action. Can you tell SCIENCE FICTION WITH HEART readers more about the heist element of the story?
Alla: That’s correct, it’s meant to be very accessible for anyone who likes pulpy adventure stories, not just sci-fi readers.
It begins with Levi stealing an alien tech blueprint, which he thinks he can sell for a fortune, and buy his ship back (which he’d lost earlier as loan collateral). But first, he needs to decode it.
So, he hires Vera, a talented programmer from a backwaters asteroid. She has her own agenda and plans to use the blueprint for her own gain. But both their plans go out of the window as they become targets for gangs, bounty hunters and mysterious warships.
Levi’s get rich scheme turns into a game of survival where each step requires a new con. Meanwhile, he and Vera discover the blueprint is connected to a sinister plan that could destroy humanity, so they’re faced with an impossible choice: save the day or save themselves?
Galaxy Grifter gets compared to Firefly a lot. But one recent review also compared it to Beth Revis, Constance Fay and Jesse Mihalik—all of whom I think you featured in this blog—which is such a great company to be in!
Amy: And what intrigues me most about this novel is the main character, Levi. He’s described as “all charm, no conscience.” I adore a smarmy shithead MMC. Tell us more about Levi.
Alla: With Levi I really played with the idea of just how bad an antihero can get without becoming a villain. He’s wired to have very little access to remorse or empathy, which makes it incredibly difficult for him to build genuine connections. He simply uses people for his own goals. I did a lot of research on what someone with these kinds of traits might think and act like in various situations.
Readers looking for a thief with a heart of gold or a tidy redemption arc will be disappointed. Levi isn’t miraculously fixed or healed at the end. But once the consequences of his actions fully catch up to him, he understands that something must change about the way he moves in the world.
Amy: And then there’s Vera, who sounds like such a good counterpoint to Levi. She joins the mission with her own motive, doesn’t she?
Alla: Vera is smart and ambitious, but she inherited a big debt from her deceased parents which keeps her trapped in a bad situation. She’s no criminal mastermind, but she’s desperate. And she thinks stealing from a grifter can’t be that bad. She believes she can use Levi and even sleep with him without getting attached. That’s not quite how things go.
Unlike Levi, she cares deeply about people, but thinks she must carry all her burdens on her own. So, under the surface, they’re both desperately lonely individuals, though neither of them would admit it.
Amy: Now, I know there’s an element of sexual tension between Levi and Vera. Is this a full-on romance, or is the relationship between Vera and Levi more of a side plot?
Alla: It’s more of a side plot, although Vera and Levi are key to each other’s growth. The sex happens off-page, and their relationship is high on conflict, low on sentimentality. They don’t trust each other and they try to date other people at some point in the story. My editor called it trauma-bonding, which feels spot on.
I wrote the kind of relationship I longed to see as a reader. Sometimes I’ll be deep into a great book when the characters start pining over each other, and I catch myself thinking, “I wish this wasn’t so saccharine.” Not that there’s anything wrong with sweetness; it’s just not my flavour. I’m not really about soft glances and yearning and I figured there’s bound to be someone else out there who’ll feel seen by these characters.
In short, Galaxy Grifter is about two people who think they don’t need anyone, are forced to rely on one another, and through that, learn to see and accept each other—flaws and all.
Amy: Now, you and I are both women who adore science fiction, and love seeing romance enter the mix. I’d love to see more women reading sci-fi. But so many women readers have told me they’re hesitant to cross over into science fiction because they fear they’ll be info-dumped with techy jargon. Do you think GALAXY GRIFTER breaks that jargon-heavy stereotype? And will it have crossover appeal for romantasy readers?
You definitely don’t need a rocket science degree to enjoy this book! The worldbuilding is light-touch, with the focus on plot and characters. I’d be cautious about pitching it directly to romantasy readers though (for the reasons we just talked about) but I think anyone who loves capers or morally grey fantasy (think Six of Crows) will feel right at home.
Some characters I’m drawn to outside of sci-fi are Locke Lamora, Kaz Brekker, the entire morally bankrupt cast of Black Sails, Neal Caffrey from White Collar, Villanelle and Eve from Killing Eve. So if we have that in common, you’ll probably enjoy it.
Amy: I feel confident that many of my SCIENCE FICTION WITH HEART readers would love your book. How can readers get their hands on a copy?
It’s available from most major retailers in paperback, e-ebook and audiobook formats. The ebook is currently on sale for $1.99!
This page has a bunch of links for those who don’t want to use Amazon.
Here it is direct from the ‘Zon as well, complete with a preview!
Amy: Thanks again for taking the time to tell SCIENCE FICTION WITH HEART readers about your snarky sci-fi debut! For readers who want to keep following your writing journey, what’s the best way to keep in touch?
Thank you so much for the opportunity! You’ve built a really cool blog!
I’m @azaykovawriter everywhere: IG, Threads, TikTok, Bluesky and Substack.
Substack is the best way to keep up with any important news without getting spammed, because it gets delivered to your inbox fortnightly (at most) and doesn’t rely on the algorithm gods.
Amy: I also want to shout out @ofpagesandprint whose insta page first helped me find Alla. From there, I watched a live interview on her insta page. If you like author interviews, be sure to give her page a follow! https://www.instagram.com/ofpagesandprint/
And be sure to check out her interview with Alla, which is recorded so you can still catch it here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DKqJ1uqyM_w/
Readers: Are you as excited to read Galaxy Grifter as I am? Don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comments!
