A New Take on Space Opera: Author Christian Hurst Earns Three Top Honors at The BookFest

Christian Hurst, a Pennsylvania-based author, recently won first place in three categories at The BookFest for the first book in his Lily Starling series, as the third installment prepares for release April 30.

Lily Starling and the Voyage of the Salamander received top honors in Sci-Fi Space Opera, Young Adult Sci-Fi, and LGBTQ+ Sci-Fi, marking a notable multi-category win for an independently published title. The BookFest, a national literary awards program recognizing both traditionally and independently published works, highlights emerging and established voices across genres.

Hurst, a Harrisburg native, recently returned to Northwestern Pennsylvania after a career in advertising and brand marketing across Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. That background in storytelling informs his Lily Starling series, a character-driven science fiction saga. While rooted in the scale of traditional space opera, the series centers on questions of identity and resilience, grounding its expansive world-building in the personal experiences of its characters.

“The goal has always been to tell a story that feels expansive but still grounded in the people at its center,” Hurst said. “To see it resonate at this level is something I’m very grateful for.”

The series has grown its audience gradually through word of mouth and online communities, reflecting a broader trend of independently published works finding readership outside traditional channels.

The next installment, Lily Starling and the Death Machine, is scheduled for release April 30. The third book expands the scope of the series while continuing to explore the personal and systemic forces shaping its characters and their world.