diff --git a/server/src/engine/ql/ast.rs b/server/src/engine/ql/ast.rs
index 8f9f96c0..36f07920 100644
--- a/server/src/engine/ql/ast.rs
+++ b/server/src/engine/ql/ast.rs
@@ -61,16 +61,16 @@ impl Entity {
         Entity::Partial(extract!(&sl[1], Token::Ident(sl) => sl.clone()))
     }
     #[inline(always)]
-    pub(super) fn tokens_with_partial(sl: &[Token]) -> bool {
-        sl.len() > 1 && sl[0] == Token![:] && sl[1].is_ident()
+    pub(super) fn tokens_with_partial(tok: &[Token]) -> bool {
+        tok.len() > 1 && tok[0] == Token![:] && tok[1].is_ident()
     }
     #[inline(always)]
-    pub(super) fn tokens_with_single(sl: &[Token]) -> bool {
-        !sl.is_empty() && sl[0].is_ident()
+    pub(super) fn tokens_with_single(tok: &[Token]) -> bool {
+        !tok.is_empty() && tok[0].is_ident()
     }
     #[inline(always)]
-    pub(super) fn tokens_with_full(sl: &[Token]) -> bool {
-        sl.len() > 2 && sl[0].is_ident() && sl[1] == Token![.] && sl[2].is_ident()
+    pub(super) fn tokens_with_full(tok: &[Token]) -> bool {
+        tok.len() > 2 && tok[0].is_ident() && tok[1] == Token![.] && tok[2].is_ident()
     }
     pub(super) fn parse(cm: &mut Compiler) -> LangResult<Self> {
         let sl = cm.remslice();
diff --git a/server/src/engine/ql/dml.rs b/server/src/engine/ql/dml.rs
index bce853fd..9ed22f72 100644
--- a/server/src/engine/ql/dml.rs
+++ b/server/src/engine/ql/dml.rs
@@ -24,21 +24,42 @@
  *
 */
 
-use crate::util::MaybeInit;
+/*
+    TODO(@ohsayan): For now we've settled for an imprecise error site reporting for simplicity, which we
+    should augment in future revisions of the QL engine
+*/
 
 use {
     super::{
         ast::Entity,
         lexer::{Lit, Symbol, Token},
-        LangError, LangResult,
+        LangError, LangResult, RawSlice,
     },
-    crate::engine::memory::DataType,
+    crate::{engine::memory::DataType, util::MaybeInit},
     std::{
         collections::HashMap,
         mem::{discriminant, Discriminant},
     },
 };
 
+/*
+    Misc
+*/
+
+#[inline(always)]
+fn process_entity(tok: &[Token], d: &mut MaybeInit<Entity>, i: &mut usize) -> bool {
+    let is_full = Entity::tokens_with_full(tok);
+    let is_single = Entity::tokens_with_single(tok);
+    if is_full {
+        *i += 3;
+        *d = MaybeInit::new(unsafe { Entity::full_entity_from_slice(tok) })
+    } else if is_single {
+        *i += 1;
+        *d = MaybeInit::new(unsafe { Entity::single_entity_from_slice(tok) });
+    }
+    is_full | is_single
+}
+
 /*
     Impls for insert
 */
@@ -155,7 +176,8 @@ pub(super) fn parse_data_tuple_syntax(tok: &[Token]) -> (Vec<Option<DataType>>,
 #[cfg(test)]
 pub(super) fn parse_data_tuple_syntax_full(tok: &[Token]) -> Option<Vec<Option<DataType>>> {
     let (ret, cnt, okay) = parse_data_tuple_syntax(tok);
-    if cnt == tok.len() && okay {
+    assert!(cnt == tok.len(), "didn't use full length");
+    if okay {
         Some(ret)
     } else {
         None
@@ -222,7 +244,8 @@ pub(super) fn parse_data_map_syntax_full(
     tok: &[Token],
 ) -> Option<HashMap<Box<str>, Option<DataType>>> {
     let (dat, i, ok) = parse_data_map_syntax(tok);
-    if i == tok.len() && ok {
+    assert!(i == tok.len(), "didn't use full length");
+    if ok {
         Some(
             dat.into_iter()
                 .map(|(ident, val)| {
@@ -280,13 +303,7 @@ pub(super) fn parse_insert<'a>(
     let mut i = 0;
     let mut entity = MaybeInit::uninit();
 
-    if is_full {
-        i += 3;
-        entity = MaybeInit::new(unsafe { Entity::full_entity_from_slice(src) });
-    } else if is_half {
-        i += 1;
-        entity = MaybeInit::new(unsafe { Entity::single_entity_from_slice(src) });
-    }
+    okay &= process_entity(&src[i..], &mut entity, &mut i);
 
     // primary key is a lit; atleast lit + (<oparen><cparen>) | (<obrace><cbrace>)
     okay &= l >= (i + 4);
@@ -334,9 +351,84 @@ pub(super) fn parse_insert<'a>(
 pub(super) fn parse_insert_full<'a>(tok: &'a [Token]) -> Option<InsertStatement<'a>> {
     let mut z = 0;
     let s = self::parse_insert(tok, &mut z);
-    if z == tok.len() {
-        s.ok()
+    assert!(z == tok.len(), "didn't use full length");
+    s.ok()
+}
+
+/*
+    Impls for select
+*/
+
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
+pub(super) struct SelectStatement<'a> {
+    /// the primary key
+    pub(super) primary_key: &'a Lit,
+    /// the entity
+    pub(super) entity: Entity,
+    /// fields in order of querying. will be zero when wildcard is set
+    pub(super) fields: Vec<RawSlice>,
+    /// whether a wildcard was passed
+    pub(super) wildcard: bool,
+}
+
+/// Parse a `select` query. The cursor should have already passed the `select` token when this
+/// function is called.
+pub(super) fn parse_select<'a>(
+    tok: &'a [Token],
+    counter: &mut usize,
+) -> LangResult<SelectStatement<'a>> {
+    let l = tok.len();
+
+    let mut i = 0_usize;
+    let mut okay = l > 4;
+    let mut fields = Vec::new();
+    let is_wildcard = i < l && tok[i] == Token![*];
+    i += is_wildcard as usize;
+
+    while okay && i < l && tok[i].is_ident() && !is_wildcard {
+        unsafe {
+            fields.push(extract!(&tok[i], Token::Ident(id) => id.clone()));
+        }
+        i += 1;
+        // skip comma
+        let nx_comma = i < l && tok[i] == Token![,];
+        let nx_from = i < l && tok[i] == Token![from];
+        okay &= nx_comma | nx_from;
+        i += nx_comma as usize;
+    }
+
+    okay &= i < l && tok[i] == Token![from];
+    i += okay as usize;
+
+    // parsed upto select a, b, c from ...; now parse entity and select
+    let mut entity = MaybeInit::uninit();
+    okay &= process_entity(&tok[i..], &mut entity, &mut i);
+
+    // now primary key
+    okay &= i < l && tok[i] == Token![:];
+    i += okay as usize;
+    okay &= i < l && tok[i].is_lit();
+
+    *counter += i + okay as usize;
+
+    if okay {
+        let primary_key = unsafe { extract!(tok[i], Token::Lit(ref l) => l) };
+        Ok(SelectStatement {
+            primary_key,
+            entity: unsafe { entity.assume_init() },
+            fields,
+            wildcard: is_wildcard,
+        })
     } else {
-        None
+        Err(LangError::UnexpectedToken)
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+/// **test-mode only** parse for a `select` where the full token stream is exhausted
+pub(super) fn parse_select_full<'a>(tok: &'a [Token]) -> Option<SelectStatement<'a>> {
+    let mut i = 0;
+    let r = self::parse_select(tok, &mut i);
+    assert!(i == tok.len(), "didn't use full length");
+    r.ok()
+}
diff --git a/server/src/engine/ql/tests.rs b/server/src/engine/ql/tests.rs
index fe93f994..5348591a 100644
--- a/server/src/engine/ql/tests.rs
+++ b/server/src/engine/ql/tests.rs
@@ -1954,4 +1954,75 @@ mod dml_tests {
             assert_eq!(r, e);
         }
     }
+
+    mod stmt_select {
+        use {
+            super::*,
+            crate::engine::ql::{
+                ast::Entity,
+                dml::{self, SelectStatement},
+                lexer::Lit,
+            },
+        };
+        #[test]
+        fn select_mini() {
+            let tok = lex(br#"
+                select * from user:"sayan"
+            "#)
+            .unwrap();
+            let r = dml::parse_select_full(&tok[1..]).unwrap();
+            let e = SelectStatement {
+                primary_key: &Lit::Str("sayan".into()),
+                entity: Entity::Single("user".into()),
+                fields: [].to_vec(),
+                wildcard: true,
+            };
+            assert_eq!(r, e);
+        }
+        #[test]
+        fn select() {
+            let tok = lex(br#"
+                select field1 from user:"sayan"
+            "#)
+            .unwrap();
+            let r = dml::parse_select_full(&tok[1..]).unwrap();
+            let e = SelectStatement {
+                primary_key: &Lit::Str("sayan".into()),
+                entity: Entity::Single("user".into()),
+                fields: ["field1".into()].to_vec(),
+                wildcard: false,
+            };
+            assert_eq!(r, e);
+        }
+        #[test]
+        fn select_pro() {
+            let tok = lex(br#"
+                select field1 from twitter.user:"sayan"
+            "#)
+            .unwrap();
+            let r = dml::parse_select_full(&tok[1..]).unwrap();
+            let e = SelectStatement {
+                primary_key: &Lit::Str("sayan".into()),
+                entity: Entity::Full("twitter".into(), "user".into()),
+                fields: ["field1".into()].to_vec(),
+                wildcard: false,
+            };
+            assert_eq!(r, e);
+        }
+        #[test]
+        fn select_pro_max() {
+            let tok = lex(br#"
+                select field1, field2 from twitter.user:"sayan"
+            "#)
+            .unwrap();
+            let r = dml::parse_select_full(&tok[1..]).unwrap();
+            let e = SelectStatement {
+                primary_key: &Lit::Str("sayan".into()),
+                entity: Entity::Full("twitter".into(), "user".into()),
+                fields: ["field1".into(), "field2".into()].to_vec(),
+                wildcard: false,
+            };
+            assert_eq!(r, e);
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/server/src/util/macros.rs b/server/src/util/macros.rs
index c82f80d9..3c37cc8c 100644
--- a/server/src/util/macros.rs
+++ b/server/src/util/macros.rs
@@ -28,9 +28,13 @@
 macro_rules! impossible {
     () => {{
         if cfg!(debug_assertions) {
-            panic!("called unreachable code at: {}:{}", ::core::file!(), ::core::line!());
+            panic!(
+                "reached unreachable case at: {}:{}",
+                ::core::file!(),
+                ::core::line!()
+            );
         } else {
-            core::hint::unreachable_unchecked()
+            ::core::hint::unreachable_unchecked()
         }
     }};
 }
diff --git a/server/src/util/mod.rs b/server/src/util/mod.rs
index c76d30c3..95f6a5d1 100644
--- a/server/src/util/mod.rs
+++ b/server/src/util/mod.rs
@@ -219,6 +219,9 @@ impl<'a, T: PartialEq> PartialEq<T> for Life<'a, T> {
 unsafe impl<'a, T: Send> Send for Life<'a, T> {}
 unsafe impl<'a, T: Sync> Sync for Life<'a, T> {}
 
+/// [`MaybeInit`] is a structure that is like an [`Option`] in debug mode and like
+/// [`MaybeUninit`] in release mode. This means that provided there are good enough test cases, most
+/// incorrect `assume_init` calls should be detected in the test phase.
 pub struct MaybeInit<T> {
     #[cfg(test)]
     is_init: bool,
@@ -226,9 +229,7 @@ pub struct MaybeInit<T> {
 }
 
 impl<T> MaybeInit<T> {
-    #[cfg(not(test))]
-    const _SZ_REL: () =
-        assert!(core::mem::size_of::<Self>() == core::mem::size_of::<MaybeUninit<T>>());
+    /// Initialize a new uninitialized variant
     pub const fn uninit() -> Self {
         Self {
             #[cfg(test)]
@@ -236,6 +237,7 @@ impl<T> MaybeInit<T> {
             base: MaybeUninit::uninit(),
         }
     }
+    /// Initialize with a value
     pub const fn new(val: T) -> Self {
         Self {
             #[cfg(test)]
@@ -243,6 +245,11 @@ impl<T> MaybeInit<T> {
             base: MaybeUninit::new(val),
         }
     }
+    /// Assume that `self` is initialized and return the inner value
+    ///
+    /// ## Safety
+    ///
+    /// Caller needs to ensure that the data is actually initialized
     pub const unsafe fn assume_init(self) -> T {
         #[cfg(test)]
         {
@@ -252,6 +259,11 @@ impl<T> MaybeInit<T> {
         }
         self.base.assume_init()
     }
+    /// Assume that `self` is initialized and return a reference
+    ///
+    /// ## Safety
+    ///
+    /// Caller needs to ensure that the data is actually initialized
     pub const unsafe fn assume_init_ref(&self) -> &T {
         #[cfg(test)]
         {
@@ -277,6 +289,7 @@ impl<T: fmt::Debug> fmt::Debug for MaybeInit<T> {
             .finish()
     }
 }
+
 #[cfg(not(test))]
 impl<T: fmt::Debug> fmt::Debug for MaybeInit<T> {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {