Good Space Opera?

[jrg]

Can any one recommend a good space opera?
A side from Foundation, Ender or Dune series.

 

[scooter13]

My suggestions would be Revelation Space and Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds. Both are excellent books! CS is a stand alone novel but based in the same universe as RS. RS will be followed by Redemption Ark which is going to be released in June in the States. It's already out in the UK.

Also any of the Culture novels by Iain M. Banks.

I, too, would like to hear other suggestions. Always looking for good space operas.

 

[Ouroboros]

Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn trilogy is rightly hailed as the greatest space opera of recent years.

Stand-alone books? Try Alfred Bester's The Stars my Destination (it just about manages to be space opera), James Blish's Cities in Flight novels and Samuel Delaney's Babel 17.

 

[fortytwo]

" Lensman" series by EE Doc Smith. this was one of the originator's of Space Opera.
" Dorsai " series by Gordon Dickson
"Seafort" saga by David Feintuch (military space opera)

...and I'm not going to mention all the Star Trek series.


42

 

[Rob B]

Let's see...

Of course The Lensmen by Doc Smith. They are the books that started it all.

C.S. Friedman's This Alien Shore and In Conquest Born are both fine novels.

Recently read Fallen Dragon by Hamilton and really, REALLY enjoyed it. READ MY OFFICIAL REVIEW FOR SFFWORLD and see if its something you'd be interested in.

Here's an older topic on Space Opera

The Star Wars: New Jedi Order saga is worthwhile, and not just for media fiction.

Here are some authors who I haven't yet read, whom I plan on reading and have received some good praise:
John C. Wright - The Golden Age
Walter H. Hunt - The Dark Wing
Scott Westerfeld - The Risen Empire

 

[jrg]

fortytwo
I’m a very big star trek fan, I’ve watched every episode of all the tv series (except Enterprise which in my opinion just SUCKS), but I don’t see me reading any Star trek, Star Wars, Babylon 5 or Battlestar Galactica novels.
Why?
Don’t really know, maybe because I consider them too commercial or exploited, however I would appreciate any recommendation, cause maybe I’m just being close-minded.

 

[fortytwo]

Originally posted by jrg
fortytwo
I’m a very big star trek fan, I’ve watched every episode of all the tv series (except Enterprise which in my opinion just SUCKS), but I don’t see me reading any Star trek, Star Wars, Babylon 5 or Battlestar Galactica novels.
Why?
Don’t really know, maybe because I consider them too commercial or exploited, however I would appreciate any recommendation, cause maybe I’m just being close-minded. [/QUOTE


I could have written your post. What you've said applies to me also. -although Mrs 42 says Enterprise is fantastic and she loves it.
My comment about Star Trek refers to the books only. Like you I have no interest in buying any of them.Sorry my post wasn't very clear.

42

 

[Ouroboros]

Forgot to mention

Lately I have been reading the Miles Vorkosigan novels by Lois McMaster Bujold. They're a lot of fun... a few hugo award winners in the series as well.

The initial novel deals with Miles' mother, Cordelia Naismith. The intent was to present her as a genuinely feminist heroine, a common goal for female leads in sci-fi, but Bujold actually achieves it very well.

 

[Matrim]

Yes,Bujold's series is just great.It is my favorite space opera.
Bujold's characters are really well crafted ones.

 

[Kamakhya]

Aw, Dag nab it! I was plowing through the thread thinking Miles Vorkosigan!!! and low and behold you beat me to it, Ouroboros! I love those books!

I'm not sure if Cyteen and Downbelow Station (by C.J. Cherryh) would really fit this category, though since there is not much direct interstellar travel, but they are close and good reads too.

Kamakhya

 

[Hobbit]

I'm not sure if Cyteen and Downbelow Station (by C.J. Cherryh) would really fit this category, though since there is not much direct interstellar travel, but they are close and good reads too.

If you've seen the earlier thread, Kamakhya, you'll see that they were...

Hobbit

 

[Kamakhya]

LOL Oh Pedantic One!

All I saw in the prior threads is that you considered them to be space opera!

Actually, that was a great thread. I kind of like rehashing old ground. I do not have a great memory and occasional reminders are wonderful things!

Kamakhya

 

[Rob B]

42, jrg RE: Media Fiction

I was thinking like both of you until I read the NEW JEDI ORDER saga. The storyline is huge, Lucas/DelRey has recruited some diverse, quality, authors to contribute to the saga:
Greg Keyes, Matthew Stover, Shane Dix/Sean Williams, Walter Jon Williams to name a few.


Shane Dix/Sean Williams
Has anybody read these guys? I posed this question a loong time ago and I think only Hobbit responed but I'm still curious. The descriptions of their books look interesting, I saw a few favoriable reviews of their work on some e-zines, the sales of their books seem to allow them to keep writing and they definitely fit in Space Opera.

 

[Llama]

Alastair Reynolds and Iain Banks write some of the most compelling space opera around. Very intelligent stuff -- Banks's work is deeper and he's the better writer, but there's something very aesthetically seductive about the gothic elements of Reynolds's novels.

 

[Hobbit]

Agree Llama....and Reynolds is improving with every book, I find.

Kamakhya -

I kind of like rehashing old ground. I do not have a great memory and occasional reminders are wonderful things!

.

Agree - which is why we bring up old threads (when we remember to do so! ). Often people've said 'good stuff' before....

Hobbit

 

[Hungry Jo]

I would also strongly recommend Banks and Reynolds. Banks' books are undeniably deeper and tend to be a little more enjoyable as well but Reynolds is also excelent I don't care too much for the gothic or "cyber-punk" aspects, I just think they are great stories!

I have Redemption Ark (In the big paperback format) but I havn't read it yet, I think it just jumped ahead of Stapleton's Star Maker in my too read pile as as soon as I finish Red Mars...

Oh has anyone also here read "Diamond Dogs, Turqoise Days"? They are two Novellas by Reynolds released in a single volume. Both stories are quite good but I have to say I was a little dissapointed as they weren't quite up the usual Reynolds level.

 

[fortytwo]

Yes, I've read Diamond Dogs and Turquoise Days- and also liked them.
I get the feeling though that the publishers knowing how popular Reynolds is becoming must have said to him- "Have you got anything else set in this universe lying about in your cupboard ?
something we can cash in on while you're so famous

42

 

[Hobbit]

Well, Redemption Ark and Chasm City are hefty books and his output is pretty impressive over a short time. (2 1/2 years between Revelation Space and Redemption Ark!) Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days are actually a little older (which may suggest why they're not quite as impressive?), so 42's comments may be right!

Hobbit

 

[scooter13]

I SO can't wait to read Redeption Ark. And also coming soon ........... Absolution Gap. From what I have heard/read Absolution Gap will be the last from the RS universe. Then Mr. Reynolds will start concentrating on a new universe/storyline.

Either way I am psyched!!

I have Diamond Dogs / Turquoise Days but have yet to read them. I was going to wait until after reading his next two. But given the comments here, I might just pull them out next. Though I am thinking about diving into Robinson's Mars Trilogy.

Any words on a new book from Banks? I thought I saw that he recently released a mainstream novel, but was wondering when we can expect another Sci-Fi adventure.

I also wanted to add to the list The Mote in God's Eye. I read this last month. Great adventure tying in a first contact storyline, too. And I love the society and technology that the "Moties" employ.

 

[Soon Lee]

I've read somewhere that Iain Banks has decided to write a book every two years (alternating SF with mainstream) so it might be a while till the next SF from him. Pity.

It also seems a pity that Alastair Reynolds will no longer write stories in his Revelation Space universe as I enjoy those stories. FYI, he has written short stories based in the same universe some of which are in Gardner Dozois' (editor) Best Science Fiction of the Year Anthologies. A plug here for Dozois' books as they are usually hefty and contain much in the way of excellent short stories, space opera and otherwise. Short stories is where writers tend to take more risks, with stunning results. A must have if you have any interest in the current state of the genre.

As for the Peter F. Hamilton books, I really liked the Night's Dawn except for the ending which was too deus ex machina for my tastes; the same problem I have with Fallen Dragon. I preferred his Greg Mandel books beginning with Mindstar Rising.

As for other Space Opera, though the following may/not be Space Opera depending on your definition, read and liked:

David Weber's Honor Harrington series
- a Hornblower in space featuring a woman as the hero(ine)
- military SF
- begins with 'On Basilisk Station'.

Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan series
- begins with 'Warrior's Apprentice' although there are novels from earlier in the timeline that feature his parents.
- not sure if it's really Space opera but highly recommended.

A warning about John C. Wright's 'The Golden Age' and Tony Daniel's 'Metaplanetary' both of which are excellent and are space opera, both are part one of a two-parter. So if you start reading them now, you may have to wait for the conclusion.

You can get a taste for Tony Daniel's writing http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/stories/quietwar.htm

You may also want to check out Vernor Vinge's Across Realtime and A Deepness in the Sky