Space Opera Fans discussion

Greetings Space Opera Fans!

One of the things that appeals to space opera genre-fans is the ability to sink into an entire 'universe' and really get to know the characters and their struggles (which is why so many Space Opera books are 'doorstoppers'). Since Goodreads doesn't have an easy way to create a Listopia for a series (versus individual books) I'll just list all the ones I can think of below and leave it up to you guys to hunt them down. I will probably divvy these up by sub-genre at some point (military, classic, romantic, young adult, etc...) and post links to discussions you guys have, but for now, this is a work in progress.


SPACE OPERA BOOK SERIES

Agent Cormac (and others) - Neal Asher
Agents of Isis series (Tsar Wars)(2010-present) by Stephen Goldin Military
Alliance-Union universe (1976–present) and Foreigner universe (1994–present) by C. J. Cherryh
Arcot, Wade and Morey (1930–32) by John W. Campbell
Bio of a Space Tyrant - Piers Anthony
Childe Cycle - Gordon R. Dickson
Chronicles of Isambard Smith by Toby Frost
Cobra (and others) - Timothy Zahn
Commonwealth Saga (2004–2005) - Peter F. Hamilton
Commonwealth: The Void Trilogy (2008-present) - Peter F. Hamilton
Crest of the Stars (1996–present) by Hiroyuki Morioka
Culture series (1987–2012) and The Algebraist (2004) by Iain M. Banks
Dread Empire's Fall (2002–2005) by Walter Jon Williams
Dune series (1964 - ?) by Frank Herbert, later Kevin J. Anderson
Endurance serial - Amy Spahn
Forbidden Borders - W. Michael Gear
Foundation - Isaac Asimov
Four Lords of the Diamond (and others) - Jack L. Chalker
Galactic Milieu - Julian May
Heechee Saga - Frederik Pohl
Hellhole - Brian Herbert Kevin J. Anderson
Honorverse series (1992–present) by David Weber
In Her Name: The Last War by Michael R. Hicks
Jason Wander series by Robert Buettner
Kris Longknife - Mike Shepherd
Legend of the Galactic Heroes (1982–1989) by Yoshiki Tanaka
Liaden Universe - Sharon Lee
Matador - Steve Perry
Old Man's War series by John Scalzi
Pliocene Saga - Julian May
Revelation Space series (2001–2009) by Alastair Reynolds
Ringworld by Larry Niven
Rissa and Tregare - F.M. Busby
Rogue Clone - Steven L. Kent
Saga of Seven Suns (2002–2008) and The Saga of Shadows (2014–present) by Kevin J. Anderson
Seafort Saga by David Feintuch
Sector General - James White
Sequoyah series - Sabrina Chase
Spiral Arm series (2007–) by Michael F. Flynn
Star Carrier by Ian Douglas
Starfire series by David Weber
Starship series by Mike Resnik
Sten - Allan Cole
The Ender's Game series (1985–present) by Orson Scott Card
The Expanse (2011–present) by James S. A. Corey
The Forever War by Joe Halderman
The Foundation series (1942–1999) by Isaac Asimov et al.
The Gap Cycle (1990–1996) by Stephen R. Donaldson
The Hyperion Cantos (1989–1996) by Dan Simmons
The Lensman series (1934–1948) by E. E. "Doc" Smith
The Lost Fleet (2006–present) by Jack Campbell
The Night's Dawn Trilogy (1996–1999) by Peter F. Hamilton
The Skylark series (1928–1965) by E. E. "Doc" Smith
The Tower and the Hive (and others) - Anne McCaffrey
The U.S.S. Merrimack Series by R.M. Meluch
The Uplift Universe novels (1980–98) by David Brin
The Vorkosigan Saga (1987–present) by Lois McMaster Bujold
The Xeelee Sequence (1991–present) by Stephen Baxter
Trade Pact Universe (and others) - Julie E. Czerneda
Vatta's War by Elizabeth Moon
Zones of Thought series (1992–present) by Vernor Vinge




If I missed anything, feel free to drop it into the comment box below and I'll add it. It will help immensely if you say what sub-genre(s) of space opera you think it is as my goal is to eventually create a series of Master Lists (i.e, Military, Classic, etc...) to help people easily find a series they can fall in love with and then add links to ongoing discussions so y'all can find like-minded people. Book series will likely appear on more than one list as most space opera tends to encompass more than a single plot.

I was going to say the "Orphanage" series by Robert Buettner, but it falls more in the Alien Invasion genre.

Ronnie wrote: "I was going to say the "Orphanage" series by Robert Buettner, but it falls more in the Alien Invasion genre."

I just added it to the list. People on Earth launch an impossible mission to a different planet (Ganymede) to save the world. I take an expansive interpretation of Space Opera to mean people + impossible mission + space. After reading the write-up, I would probably classify this as 'military space opera.'

Fair enough. :)

Just wait until the space opera erotica writers arrive 3:-) Yeah ... I'm definitely making some LISTS so we can keep it all sorted out. At some point the 'Zon will take notice and start adding some sub-sub categories to their Science Fiction offerings like they do with the Fantasy offerings (the kind of data which is the whole reason the 'Zon bought Goodreads), but for now, I'm not going to wait.

"We are all one. We are all Buddha. Use high-octane and put a little tiger in your tank..."

[*Scene from musical Hair where Buddhist monk pours gasoline all over himself and then lights himself on fire to gain the medias notice...*]

Thanks for this! Space Opera is still murky and confusing for me.

Sarah wrote: "Thanks for this! Space Opera is still murky and confusing for me."

Space Opera started out in the 1920's as pulp-fiction rewrites of the old Spaghetti Westerns. Just remember THAT any time anybody gets hoity-toity about what constitutes 'real' space opera. And, oh boy, did the old ones (in the 1950s/1960s/1970s) have tons of sex! Every 50 pages, save the universe, get the buxom babe (Starship Troopers, anyone? Or Requiem for the Conquerer?)

I'm just trying to gather all the books in this neglected sub-genre, and then maybe we can, as a group, start ferreting out the sub-sub-genres so everybody can find what they enjoy, easily, the way the paranormal romance and mystery readers can. It's ridiculous that we can find our space opera 'fandoms' more easily on FanFiction.net than we can on Amazon and Goodreads.

I kinda of think of the genres less in sub-sub-sub genre's and more of a modifier. Such as a if you told me you had a Medieval Romantic Space Opera compared to say Regency Romantic Space Opera. I'm expecting totally different things yes both have Romance + Space Opera but Regency and Medieval I'm expecting a different kind of relationship and society expectations around it. But those kind of romance stories could easily be in a fantasy or just off in their own world or heck I'm sure you could make them fit in a western. Space Opera to me is more the general setting/grand scale of events so it's something that can be modified in tons of interesting ways. Such as Space Opera/Urban Fantasy I would probably be a little bit confused on how that mix could occur Space Opera + Horror ohh yeah totally but Urban Fantasy hmmmm don't really see it, because Urban fantasy is normally more secret society/individual level rather then galactic level war. Now if you said Space Opera+Epic Fantasy then you just get something like Starwars.

At least books havn't gone the way of music where you would honestly just think they are making things at this point. When someone asks what kind of music I like and I respond with well I listen to a variety of weird genres;a few minutes later I'm trying to explain to them that yes Broken Samba Break is a real genre of music.

Aaron wrote: "...but Urban Fantasy hmmmm don't really see it, because Urban fantasy is normally more secret society/individual level rather then galactic level war..."

Most good space opera always focuses on a central protagonist or protagonists (in their heads), so while it's galactic in scale, it's also very personal. Case in point, Luke Skywalker. Luke had his own internal journey, to master the force and learn to control his own dark side, and an external factor, save the galaxy from the evil empire. As the saga unfolds, we learn Princess Leia and Han Solo have their own internal battles to wage as well.

L.E. Modesitt has some 'secret society' stuff that's got a bit of an Urban Fantasy/Science Fiction vibe, and he's got some straight Urban Fantasy that has almost a space-operish feel.

I've got a 3-book series in the rough draft that the first book is a space opera/urban fantasy blend. And yes ... secret society ... a human girl is inducted to train with an elite group of ninja/samurai type aliens and then has to go out and defeat a galactic foe. Ender's Game probably could quite easily be called Urban Fantasy if the computer game he learned to manipulate used magic crystals and the alien enemy was also called demons. As a matter of fact, in Xenocide, an aspect of what could be called 'magic' came into play.

*Kicks self* How could I forget Toby Frost and his wonderfully daft "Space Captain Smith" series!

Added!

Anna wrote: "Aaron wrote: "Ender's Game probably could quite easily be called Urban Fantasy if the computer game he learned to manipulate used magic crystals and the alien enemy was also called demons. As a matter of fact, in Xenocide, an aspect of what could be called 'magic' came into play.
"

It has been a while since I read the other Ender's games books, but the first book is not Space Opera. It's a good book for sure and it does what it does quite well. But it's single POV, and had zero characters on the opposing side.

I wasn't saying that Urban Fantasy/Space Opera was impossible you can clearly use elements of both but they have some contradictory overlap in standards. As far as the individual vs galactic level, I was thinking in terms more on scale also open/hidden war.

I mean if you were doing Urban Fantasy in the future, it would certainly be a secret society probably with SUPER TECHNOLOGY that operates in a shadowy underworld that the average person doesn't know about. That doesn't really mesh exactly well Space Opera's grand scale war thing, people generally tend to know about a grand war; I guess that would be a cool setting if we spread about the galaxy and Aliens/Magical thing existed but on a different plane/some sorta magic thing and they are having an intergalatic war themselves that is related to things going weird in the real world and the main character somehow gets pulled into it, or maybe science figured out finally how to bridge the urban fantasy underground to the futurey world and galactic war breaks out. I have no idea but you see how it's not a clear simple combine the two you gotta get creative. If you go another way and say that the secret society is like Black Ops people or maybe a neutral merc group that goes in to stop war crimes or w/e. Yeah now your treading more into Military/special operationsish Space Opera stuff maybe with some magic which isn't really Urban Fantasyish.

Now the Grimspace series feels kind of Urban fantasyish in a sci-fi world and people told me it's Space Opera, I'm two books in and it reads way more like a Space Adventure book then a Space Opera.

The Vorksogian series is weird I would certainly label some of the books Space Opera but others are quite clearly not so, but that's mostly because it genre hops from book to book quite a bit to the utter frusteration of some of my friends.

Aaron wrote: "It has been a while since I read the other Ender's games books, but the first book is not Space Opera. It's a good book for sure and it does what it does quite well. But it's single POV, and had zero characters on the opposing side."

Afaik there is a POV of his sister Valentine in Ender's Game.

It’s hard to define book. It has military scifi, alien invasion/first contact, and a bit of space opera, but focuses heavily on the character development of Ender. That it cannot be easily classified makes it such a great book.

I don't care what it is ... if it's larger than life and AWESOME in a galactic-spanning kick-butt way ... your Borg Queen wants to ASSIMILATE it so this community can be the coolest place on Goodreads 3:-)

[*evil mad scientist cackle*]

We can be like the Avengers ... let's assemble?

I've got my own screwdriver, if that's any help? ;)

Ronnie wrote: "I've got my own screwdriver, if that's any help? ;)"

Might that be a sonic screwdriver, Ronnie?

Possibly, possibly... ;)

Maybe also add the Void trilogy of Hamilton. Some argue it is Commonwealth, but I tend to disagree, and regard them as separate stories (especially because of the inside void subplot)

Michel wrote: "Maybe also add the Void trilogy of Hamilton. Some argue it is Commonwealth, but I tend to disagree, and regard them as separate stories (especially because of the inside void subplot)"

Just added it ... Amazon has it classified as 'Commonwealth: The Void Trilogy' and separate from 'The Commonwealth Saga.'

Also ... were you aware Peter F. Hamilton granted us an interview some months back for The Reality Dysfunction? It's an awesome interview into a great mind. Here's the link to the interview: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

That interview was great! I loved it when his agent almost got a heart attack when he delivered a 1000+ pages manuscript. :)

The Deathstalkerseries, bySimon R. Green.

Great interview! Peter Hamilton always seems easy going and approachabke, and I guess him replying just proves the point. But seriously, I need him starting to work on a new hard sf trilogy space opera of about 4k pages :)

Nice list... here are a few that you seem to have missed (no dates).

Galactic Milieu and the Pliocene Saga - Julian May
Heechee Saga - Frederik Pohl
Cobra (and others) - Timothy Zahn
Kris Longknife - Mike Shepherd
Sten - Allan Cole
Known Space (Ringworld) - Larry Niven
Rissa and Tregare - F.M. Busby
The Tower and the Hive (and others) - Anne McCaffrey
Hellhole - Brian Herbert Kevin J. Anderson
Four Lords of the Diamond (and others) - Jack L. Chalker
Liaden Universe - Sharon Lee
Trade Pact Universe (and others) - Julie E. Czerneda
Agent Cormac (and others) - Neal Asher
Matador - Steve Perry
Childe Cycle - Gordon R. Dickson

@Ronnie and @Conal - checked out and added your suggestions to the list.

@Packi - yes ... that was hilarious. He describes his agent's reaction so vividly in the interview that I almost felt I was there :-)

@Michel - Peter F. Hamilton is very approachable. If you contact him via his website, sometimes if he has time he'll reply. Your implorement for him to write the next doorstopper might be just the motivation he needs :-) Here's the contact page on his website where he invites you to email him questions: http://www.peterfhamilton.co.uk/index...

How about these:
Across the Universe series by Beth Revis (YA space opera)
Endurance serial by Amy SpahnAmy Spahn
Sequoyah series by Sabrina Chase (military)
Sci-Regency series by J.L. Langley (regency erotica space opera)
Rogue Clone series by Steven L. Kent (military)

And, if it's not too self-promote-y, I have one as well:
The Hive Queen Saga by Janine A. Southard (YA)

Janine wrote: "How about these..."

Okay ... I added Endurance, Sequoyah, and Rogue Clone to THIS list.

I added Across the Universe and The Hive Queen Saga to our general Young Adult Listopia HERE: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...

(feel free to go upvote your own book)

Just added Rogue Clone -also- to the Military Space Opera masterlist HERE: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

And two of these 'Gatekeeper Lists' I'm gathering recommendations from to eventually make some kid-age related Listopias. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

And ... as for the Sci-Regency ... I'm going to have to start a new MasterList down in the Girl Cooties section. I'm using a 'no more bare jigglies than George R.R. Martin' rule for the dividing line between Space Opera Romance and Romantic Space Opera, which will likely end up being two separate lists. :-)

Another one I've just remembered (I'm old, I have a bad memory, and it's first thing in the morning where I am), is the "Sector General" series by James White.

Which is sort of "ER" in space with weird aliens.

Ronnie wrote: "Another one I've just remembered (I'm old, I have a bad memory, and it's first thing in the morning where I am), is the "Sector General" series by James White. Which is sort of "ER"..."

Oooh! I loved ER! At least I did while it still starred George Clooney. In space? Yup ... added that bad-boy to the list :-)

Heirs of Empire The "Imperium" series by David Weber. How can you leave out Dahak :)

March Upcountry The "Prince Roger" series by David Weber.

Hammer's Slammers series by David Drake.

The Vang: The Military Form

First to Fight by David Sherman & Dan Cragg

Thinks:

Theirs Not to Reason Why series by Jean Johnson
Starport series by John Bowers

Hmmm...maybe both belong more in the Military Sp. Opera section.

A few more to add

Imperial Radch series...Ann Leckie
The Long Earth series..Stephen Baxter/Terry Pratchett
Mars trilogy...Kim Stanley Robinson
Spin series..Robert Charles Wilson
Eon/Eternity/Legacy....Greg Bear