# Best modern "space opera" type science fiction titles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 17, 2017, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595 "2017-04-17T00:22:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/21 "2017-04-17T17:30:13Z")
Not mentioned yet are Neil Asher’s [Polity](http://www.torbooks.co.uk/blog/2015/01/22/introduction-neal-ashers-polity-universe), or the [Engines of Light](http://strangehorizons.com/non-fiction/reviews/engines-of-light-the-gnostic-potboilers-of-ken-macleod/) trilogy by Ken MacLeod (or also _Learning the World_ by MacLeood, complete with Alien Space Bats), or the [Virga series](http://www.kschroeder.com/my-books/sun-of-suns) by Karl Schroeder, or the [Marrow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marrow_%28novel%29) books by Robert Reed. Peter F Hamilton’s _Dreaming Void_ trilogy is mentioned, but not the fact that it is a sequel to two earlier books, _Pandora’s Star_ and _Judas Unchained_ , which you really should read first if you are going to jump into the series–even though the trilogy takes place a thousand years later, it contains many of the same characters. (There is also another pair of books that are sequels to the _Dreaming Void_ trilogy.) ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/22 "2017-04-17T17:58:19Z")
Another vote for Peter F Hamilton, especially the “Void Trilogy”. The Void Trilogy is not only my favorite science fiction book, ( I count the 3 incredibly thick novels as one book ), it’s my all time favorite book, period. And I read a lot. It’s probably better if you read the earlier 2 book series set in the same universe - Pandora’s Star and Judas Unchained - first – as there are some continuing characters and the Void books frequently play off the events of those books, but it’s not necessary. But those two books are possibly -collectively-my second favorite books of all time. I really have never been able to pin down why I love Hamilton’s books as much as I do. I’ve read most of the Iain M Banks Culture series and William’s Dread Empires Fall and I enjoyed them, but they don’t come close to Hamilton. Quite possibly it’s because he manages to heavily populate his books with characters that are ordinary people rather than the typical cast of military personnel, starship pilots and politicians. And he features interesting and complex female characters, one of the most primary characters in the book is a young female real estate entrepreneur who unwittingly gets sucked into the drama surrounding a local cult. And this epic trilogy includes a storyline set in another universe that reads more like a medieval low magic fantasy, which is nice for the pacing of the book. > **[Commonwealth - The Void Trilogy](https://www.amazon.com/Commonwealth-The-Void-Trilogy-3-book-series/dp/B08BWTJ5SX)** > > Visit Amazon's Commonwealth - The Void Trilogy Page and shop for all Commonwealth - The Void Trilogy books. Check out pictures, author information, and reviews of Commonwealth - The Void Trilogy And you might like Hamilton’s Nights Dawn Trilogy ( I believe it was initially published as 6 books but then repackaged). It’s pretty awesome if you also like horror novels because it’s really a horror space opera. I enjoyed it at first but then it got a little too gory and intense for my taste. But I’m not big on horror. Stevens Baxter’s Proxima and Ultima also deliver a good story, with the first book being a more traditional story about the settlement of a distant planet (with a few hints of the multi-verse angle to come) while the second book is more metaphysical. Baxter is all over the place with me but I also loved Exultant which qualifies as awesome space opera. I didn’t like the other two books in the trilogy but Exultant works fine as a stand-alone novel, frankly I never found the connecting factor that made these books a Trilogy. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/23 "2017-04-17T17:59:39Z")
What about the ‘Old Man’s War’ series by John Scalzi? I found those a fun, distracting read. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/24 "2017-04-17T18:06:37Z")
I also enjoy Marko Kloos’ **Frontlines** series. Space infantry, with the North American Alliance battling the Sino-Russian armies for control of colony worlds in our local galactic sector. Until aliens pose a common threat . . . ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/25 "2017-04-17T18:17:03Z")
The most recent of Vernor Vinge’s [Zone’s of Thought](https://www.amazon.com/Children-Sky-Zones-Thought-Book-ebook/dp/B004YD5JIW/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8) trilogy came out in 2011. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/26 "2017-04-17T19:28:09Z")
Try C.J. Cherryh’s _Chanur_ series, starting with _Pride of Chanur_. Several different alien races live in uneasy harmony. This is disrupted when a new intelligent species is found - humans! Unusually, the story is told entirely from the point of view of one of the alien races, the lion-like Hani. Very fast paced, lots of action, some very interesting ideas. > [@](#): > > There had been something loose about the station dock all morning, skulking in amongst the gantries and the lines and the canisters which were waiting to be moved, lurking wherever shadows fell among the rampway accesses of the many ships at dock at Meetpoint. It was pale, naked, starved-looking in what fleeting glimpse anyone on The Pride of Chanur had had of it. Evidently no one had reported it to station authorities, nor did The Pride. Involving oneself in others’ concerns at Meetpoint Station, where several species came to trade and provision, was ill-advised—at least until one was personally bothered. Whatever it was, it was bipedal, brachiate, and quick at making itself unseen. It had surely gotten away from someone, and likeliest were the kif, who had a thieving finger in everything, and who were not above kidnapping. Or it might be some large, bizarre animal: the mahendo’sat were inclined to the keeping and trade of strange pets, and Station had been displeased with them in that respect on more than one occasion. So far it had done nothing. Stolen nothing. No one wanted to get involved in question and answer between original owners and station authorities; and so far no official statement had come down from those station authorities and no notice of its loss had been posted by any ship, which itself argued that a wise person should not ask questions. The crew reported it only to the captain and chased it, twice, from The Pride’s loading area. Then the crew got to work on necessary duties, having settled the annoyance to their satisfaction. > [@](#): > > “Who are you?” Pyanfar asked slowly, in several languages one after the other, including kif. The intruder gave no sign of understanding any of them. “Who?” she repeated. > It crouched slowly, with a sullen scowl, all the way to the deck, and extended a blunt-nailed finger and wrote in its own blood which was liberally puddled about its bare feet. It made a precise row of symbols, ten of them, and a second row which began with the first symbol prefaced by the second, second with second, second with third . . . patiently, with increasing concentration despite the growing tremors of its hand, dipping its finger and writing, mad fixation on its task. > “What’s it doing?” asked Hilfy, who could not see from her side. > “A writing system, probably numerical notation. It’s no animal, niece.” > [@](#): > > “Anyone hurt?” > “No,” said Haral. “Everything’s secure.” > “They’re thinking it over up there,” Pyanfar said. > “Aunt! 4/2!” > Turret was swiveling. Eye tracked to the number four screen. Energy washed over station’s rim: more chaff followed, larger debris. > “Captain, they hit station.” Haral’s voice was incredulous. “They fired.” > “Handur’s Voyager.” Pyanfar had the origin mapped on the station torus and made the connection. “O gods.” She hit repulse and sent them hurtling to station core shadow, tilted their nose with a second burst and cut in main thrust, shooting them nadir of station, nose for infinity. Pyanfar reached and uncapped a red switch, hit it, and The Pride rocked with explosion. > “What was that?” Hilfy’s voice. “Are we hit?” > “I just dumped our holds.” Pyanfar sucked air, an expansion of her nostrils. Her claws flexed out and in on the togglegrip. G was hauling at them badly. The Pride of Chanur was in full rout, having just altered their mass/drive ratio, stripped for running. > “Haral, get us a course.” “Working,” Haral said. Numbers started coming up on the comp screen at Pyanfar’s left. > … > > “Mark fifteen to jump point,” Haral said. “Captain, they’ll trace us, no question.” > “No question,” she said. Beyond Haral’s scarred face she caught sight of Hilfy’s, unmarred and scant-bearded—frightened and trying not to show it. Pyanfar opened allship: “Rig for jump.” > The alarm started, a slow wailing through the ship. The Pride leapt forward by her generation pulses, borrowed velocity at the interface, several wrenching flickers, whipped into the between. Pyanfar dug her claws in, decades accustomed to this, did that mental wrench which told lies to the inner ears, and kept her balance. Come on, she willed the ship, as if intent alone could take it that critical distance farther. > **[Amazon.com: The Pride of Chanur eBook : Cherryh, C. J.: Kindle Store](https://www.amazon.com/Pride-Chanur-C-J-Cherryh-ebook/dp/B00F3KXN1U)** > > The Pride of Chanur - Kindle edition by Cherryh, C. J.. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Pride of Chanur. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/27 "2017-04-17T21:00:33Z")
Wow, **GreenWyvern** , that sounds fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![Textual\_Innuendo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@Textual\_Innuendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Textual_Innuendo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/28 "2017-04-17T22:00:27Z")
I’d fourth Peter Hamilton’s Commonwealth series (first one in the series was Pandora’s Star, then Judas Unchained, then others), as an absolutely phenomenal cosmos-spanning space opera. If you like really hard sci-fi, the tech gets pretty handwavey, but a lot of it (neural and cellular augmentation, god-like AI, re-lifing and immortality) are plausible enough future tech they appear in a lot of other works. I’d second Iain Banks’ Culture books and anything by Verner Vinge too. I haven’t seen Charlie Stross’ Accelerando mentioned yet, so thought I’d throw it in - it’s only the one book, but well worth it, as it’s one of the few to look at the actual time of great-and-accelerating technological change instead of just taking it as given that we have god-and-magic level technology already. I’d also recommend Alaistair Reynold’s Revelation Space as another single-book space opera well worth a read. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/29 "2017-04-17T22:13:58Z")
I was going to mention Cherryh and Weber, but Weber wrote the Honor Harrington stories mostly in the 90s, and Cherryh’s main universe, Alliance-Union Space, she began writing about in the 70s and 80s. So I assume the OP has already read all that both authors have available to offer. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/30 "2017-04-17T22:28:37Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Whoa, Brin has been around for that long? > > I guess my standard of “modern” is calibrated against Asimov and Heinlein. Mine as well. I still think of Brin as a “new” author. Like John Varley (and shut up about _The Ophiuchi Hotline_ being forty years old). But I need to concede science fiction has kept moving on since I was young. Somebody posted a list of this year’s Hugo nominations and I didn’t even recognize the authors. Don’t get me started about hearing Nirvana played on classic rock stations. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/31 "2017-04-17T22:32:48Z")
> [@Textual\_Innuendo](#): > > I haven’t seen Charlie Stross’ Accelerando mentioned yet, so thought I’d throw it in - it’s only the one book, but well worth it, as it’s one of the few to look at the actual time of great-and-accelerating technological change instead of just taking it as given that we have god-and-magic level technology already. _Singularity Sky_ and _Iron Sunrise_ are also excellent space opera. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/32 "2017-04-18T00:42:06Z")
> [@Textual\_Innuendo](#): > > I’d fourth Peter Hamilton’s Commonwealth series (first one in the series was Pandora’s Star, then Judas Unchained, then others), as an absolutely phenomenal cosmos-spanning space opera. If you like really hard sci-fi, the tech gets pretty handwavey, but a lot of it (neural and cellular augmentation, god-like AI, re-lifing and immortality) are plausible enough future tech they appear in a lot of other works. Oh yeah, I know what you mean about the tech in Hamilton novels. Personally, I don’t like it when the storyline gets bogged down with too many technical details. And one of the things that I really like about the Commonwealth Universe novels is that space flight isn’t the primary form of transportation. Yes, there’s a fair amount of space flight in the books and space flight has a place in that universe but the characters don’t need spaceships to travel between planets. It’s a small detail that improves the pacing of the books. One of the things I love about Hamilton is he’s really good with character development and he’ll spend a lot of ink on scenes that don’t have any purpose other than the development of a minor character, and his books have a lot of minor characters. This is one of the reasons that these are my favorite books ever but I’m also aware that some people see this as a bug and not a feature. I haven’t seen this tendency in his latest books and I worried that he might have anew editor. It’s happened to authors I love before. And I’m totally bookmarking this thread. . ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/33 "2017-04-18T00:43:19Z")
slight hijack: **Textual Innuendo** is my new favorite username. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/34 "2017-04-18T00:48:15Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Does it get better? I’m about 30 pages in and finding it to be a pretty dull slog thus far. Wow. Well, no, what you see is what you get. If you don’t care for it by now, give up and go look for someone else. Far’s I’m concerned, McDevitt is GREAT. One of the best writers of modern SF. Your comment is literally the first negative thing I’ve EVER read about his work. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/35 "2017-04-18T03:09:34Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Wow. Well, no, what you see is what you get. If you don’t care for it by now, give up and go look for someone else. > > Far’s I’m concerned, McDevitt is GREAT. One of the best writers of modern SF. Your comment is literally the first negative thing I’ve EVER read about his work. I don’t know… it just hasn’t grabbed me yet. Nothing particularly wrong with it, but it’s just starting kind of slow… at least compared to Scalzi’s “Old Man’s War” or Corey’s “Leviathan Awakes”. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/36 "2017-04-18T11:24:27Z")
> [@Corporal\_Nobbs](#): > > The Expanse series by James SA Corey. Is excellent. It’s a pen name for two of JRR Martens researchers. Good characters and action but thoughtful. Went to go check for this at my library yesterday, they only had books 4 and 5. Was kinda bummed… ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/37 "2017-04-18T12:51:47Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > Baxter is all over the place with me but I also loved Exultant which qualifies as awesome space opera. I didn’t like the other two books in the trilogy but Exultant works fine as a stand-alone novel, frankly I never found the connecting factor that made these books a Trilogy. The Exultant (Destiny’s Children) trilogy is part of the vast Xeelee Sequence universe, which starts at the Big Bang and finishes in another universe altogether. Most of the Xeelee stories are written from a restricted point of view, so you don’t get to see the bigger picture - but it is possible to fit them all together, like a jigsaw. > **[Xeelee Sequence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeelee_Sequence)** > > The Xeelee Sequence (/ˈziːliː/; ZEE-lee).mw-parser-output .citation{word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}\[a\] is a series of hard science fiction novels, novellas, and short stories written by British science fiction author Stephen Baxter. The series spans billions of years of fictional history, centering on humanity's future expansion into the universe, its intergalactic war with an enigmatic and supremely powerful Kardashev Type V a The... ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/38 "2017-04-18T13:37:18Z")
I too will be redundant with my suggestions. I enthusiastically put Corey’s Expanse series at the top of my list. And Hamilton’s Commonwealth series right behind. I should comment that I’m normally a “plot first and characters second” type of reader, but both Corey and Hamilton deliver such fascinating characters that if you’re a “character first” type of reader you’ll also love these series. Becky Chamber’s books were mentioned above. I only have read the first one ("… Angry Planet") so I can’t comment on both. I’m saving the second on my Kindle for an overseas flight coming up. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/39 "2017-04-18T13:42:12Z")
I think the Liaden series qualifies as well (well, I liked it, and you’ll get my Vor off my cold, dead hands). You can get some for free from Baen, then if you like it get the rest. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2017, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595/40 "2017-04-19T10:43:35Z")
> [@Textual\_Innuendo](#): > > I’d fourth Peter Hamilton’s Commonwealth series (first one in the series was Pandora’s Star, then Judas Unchained, then others), as an absolutely phenomenal cosmos-spanning space opera. I agree–the first two especially rank among my favorite sf books or series (and remind me somewhat of another of my favorites, Dan Simmons’ Hyperion Cantos (which, though not less than 10 years old, deserves an honorable mention.)) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-modern-space-opera-type-science-fiction-titles/784595.md?page=3)