Space Opera Fans discussion

It's that time of the month to nominate what space opera books we'd like to read as a group in October. Here's how it works: You can make one nomination in each of the three categories. You may nominate a book that someone else has already nominated and this will increase the chance of that book winning. You may nominate a book that has been nominated before but didn't win. Around the first of the month we will dump all the nominations into random.org and the selection in each category will be made randomly ... by the computer.

If you are an author, you may nominate your own book in any category, provided it meets the criteria for that category. But only if you're an otherwise active member of the group. Drive by spam will not be tolerated.

We have the following categories:

READER PICK: The Reader Pick is for books by fairly well established authors, which should be widely available in both paperback and ebook and at most chain bookstores and public libraries. Books can't be exclusive to Kindle Unlimited since we're a global community.

INDIE PICK: This is for those newer, edgier books where the author has to do it all. Books that have been published by a micropress that helps you upload the thing, but YOU otherwise do the work and marketing are okay, or if you got your backlist back, still qualify.

YOUNG ADULT: This is for books targeted at young adults, age 13-18. They should be newer books, published since 2000, starring a person in the YA age range.

Drop your nomination into the thread below.

Reader Pick: Marque and Reprisal by Elizabeth Moon

Indie Pick: Torchship by Karl Gallagher

YA Pick: Star Wars: Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston

Reader pick: A Read Peace by Spencer Ellsworth

YA pick: Star Wars Leia by Claudia Gray

I'd need to think on the indie pick!

YA pick: Star Wars Leia by Claudia Gray

Indie Pick: The Secret King: Lethao by Dawn Chapman

PLEASE. It would help a lot if when posting your nomination you use the "add book/author" link to insert either the name of the book (link) or the cover. It makes it much easier to get to the book detail.

Jon wrote: "Reader Pick: Marque and Reprisal by Elizabeth Moon

Indie Pick: Torchship by Karl Gallagher

YA Pick: Star Wars: Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston"

You may not nominate the second in a series unless we've read the first book in the series, so Marque and Reprisal is out.

We already read Torchship, in June last year.

READER: if it qualifies, Pandora's Legions by Christopher Anvil. Originally published (much shorter) as Pandora's Planet.

If that isn't suitable, then Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon, which is the first Vatta's War book.

INDY: Milk Run by Nathan Lowell which is the first of a series but set in same universe as his Quarter Share.

YA: hmmm.. how about Balance of Trade by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller?

Reader: Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny

YA: Leia, Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray

Teresa wrote: "READER: if it qualifies, Pandora's Legions by Christopher Anvil. Originally published (much shorter) as Pandora's Planet.

If that isn't suitable, then ..."

Looks like Pandora's Legions is not widely available. Only in kindle.

So, I'll go with Trading in Danger

Brandon wrote: "Reader: Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny"

Looks like this book is not widely available. No kindle, no nook, no audio. Probably not in stores.

Just for the record, Pandora's Legions is available in all the various types of ebook. I was concerned because the dead tree copies available were only used ones. I'll mark it down as another book like Hellspark that doesn't fit any of our categories.

Indie Pick: Last Train from Earth

Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds Is An Absolutely must.

YA Pick: Ahsoka

Indie: Torchship Pilot by Karl K. Gallagher

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...

Indie: Perilous Waif by E. William Brown

YA: I'll add to the votes for Ahsoka

YA: Into the Dark

Second: Trading in Danger

Second: Milk Run

Didn't we already do Into the Dark?

Teresa wrote: "Didn't we already do Into the Dark?"

Maybe. I keep forgetting to check that list.

Teresa wrote: "Didn't we already do Into the Dark?"

Yes, we did.

The Helmsman series by Bill Baldwin The Helmsman

For Reader Pick does The Weapon Makers qualify ?

L.E. wrote: "The Helmsman series by Bill Baldwin The Helmsman"

This book does not seem to be widely available. Amazon has it on kindle, but hardback only from third parties, and paperback takes 2 months to ship. My library doesn't have it.

Adrian wrote: "For Reader Pick does The Weapon Makers qualify ?"

This does not seem to be widely available. Amazon has a kindle version, but others are very limited and only available from third parties.

Here's what we've got so far:


READER PICK:
A Red Peace by Spencer Ellsworth
Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon - 2 nominations
Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds
Operation: Outer Space by Murray Leinster


INDIE PICK:
The Secret King: Lethao by Dawn Chapman
Milk Run by Nathan Lowell - 2 nominations
Last Train from Earth by Al Philipson
Torchship Pilot by Karl K. Gallagher
Perilous Waif by E. William Brown


YA PICK:
Leia, Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray - 3 nominations
Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston - 3 nominations
Balance of Trade by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

Betsy wrote: "Adrian wrote: "For Reader Pick does The Weapon Makers qualify ?"

This does not seem to be widely available. Amazon has a kindle version, but others are very limited and only availabl..."

What? Van Vogt? I thought I was the only one to read his books.

Brad wrote "What? Van Vogt? I thought I was the only one to read his books."

I still do, which is why I tried to nominate , oh well, difficult to believe that one of the all time masters of sf space opera is now no longer widely available

I had a friend who was into Scifi when we were in 3rd grade. He traded me 3 Van Vogt books. I read them then (1965) and a few years later bought 1 or 2 Wizard of Linn? maybe. A few years ago I read those first 3 again. (I am a horder). Then I bought some more. I Don't seem to throw stuff away.

I'd like to add my book Timberwolf to the Indie pick. Timberwolf

Nominations are closed. Our randomized selections have been made. They are:

Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon

The Secret King: Lethao by Dawn Chapman

Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston