# Recommend me some space opera **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 28, 2013, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581 "2013-01-28T02:49:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/21 "2013-01-28T14:05:31Z")
You might try James S. A. Corey’s “Expanse” trilogy. (_Leviathan Wakes_, _Caliban’s War_, _Abaddon’s Gate_). It’s limited to the solar system but has a good “space opera” feel. Then there’s H. Beam Piper. For pure Space Opera try _Space Viking_ or _The Cosmic Computer_. And I know I’m not supposed to like him, but I’ll add Alexei Panshin’s Anthony Villiers novels (_Star Well_, _Thurb Revolution_ and _Masque World_) ---
**Author:** ![Reepicheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Reepicheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reepicheep)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/22 "2013-01-28T14:24:48Z")
Lois McMasters Bujold has the Miles Vorkosigan series. Try [The Warrior’s Apprentice](http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-warriors-apprentice-lois-mcmaster-bujold/1110031471?ean=2940014121378) and [The Vor Games](http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-vor-game-lois-mcmaster-bujold/1110033896?ean=2940014121453http://) to see if you enjoy her style. ---
**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:** [January 28, 2013, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/23 "2013-01-28T14:25:44Z")
Definitely the Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold. eta: You know, like Reepicheep said. ---
**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:** [January 28, 2013, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/24 "2013-01-28T14:27:38Z")
Don’t forget Sybly Whyte! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/25 "2013-01-28T14:39:40Z")
Was all set to mention The Culture and Revelation Space, and then saw you’d included Banks and Reynolds… You have mentioned Niven/Pournelle; did you make it through all of the Man/Kzin Wars Series? Would Vernor Vinge’s, [A Fire Upon The Deep](http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Upon-Deep-Zones-Thought/dp/0812515285), count? Hugo Award winner, after all. I’ll recommend Charles Stross’s two contributions to the genre that I’ve read: [Singularity Sky](http://www.amazon.com/Singularity-Sky-Charles-Stross/dp/0441011799) and [Iron Sunrise](http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Sunrise-Singularity-Charles-Stross/dp/0441012965). Neat universe, that he unfortunately won’t be revisiting. [Accelerando](http://www.amazon.com/Accelerando-Singularity-Charles-Stross/dp/0441014151) and [Glasshouse](http://www.amazon.com/Glasshouse-Charles-Stross/dp/0441015085) from him are also supposed to be good. I tried getting into [The Quantum Thief](http://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Thief-Hannu-Rajaniemi/dp/0765367661), based on Stross’s blurb for it, and couldn’t get into it. Probably too smart for me, but the beginning of it is an interesting take on the Prisoner’s Dilemma. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/26 "2013-01-28T15:00:53Z")
I particularly enjoy [Poul Anderson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poul_Anderson)’s Flandry series. A Naval Intelligence officer striving to keep the Empire from falling into chaos and “the dark night”. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/27 "2013-01-28T15:02:39Z")
Don’t forget A. Bertram Chandler’s endless “Rimworld” and Grimes series > **[A. Bertram Chandler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._Bertram_Chandler)** > > Arthur Bertram Chandler (28 March 1912 in Aldershot, Hampshire, England – 6 June 1984 in Sydney, Australia) was an Anglo-Australian merchant marine officer, sailing the world in everything from tramp steamers to troop ships, but who later turned his hand to a second career as a prolific author of pulp science fiction. He also wrote under the pseudonyms of George Whitley, Andrew Dunstan and S.H.M. Many of his short stories draw on his extensive sailing background. In 1956, he emigrated to Austr... ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/28 "2013-01-28T15:07:51Z")
There’s also the swonderfully weird “Professor Jameson” series of Neil R. Jones (which was mentioned in the anime _Ghost in the Shell_). Anime loves some space opera. > **[Neil R. Jones](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_R._Jones)** > > Neil Ronald Jones (May 29, 1909 – February 15, 1988) was an American writer who worked for the state of New York. Not prolific, and little remembered today, Jones was ground-breaking in science fiction. His first story, "The Death's Head Meteor", was published in Air Wonder Stories in 1930, possibly recording the first use of "astronaut" in fiction. He also pioneered cyborg and robotic characters, and is credited with inspiring the modern idea of cryonics. Most of his stories fit into a "future... ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/29 "2013-01-28T15:10:03Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > And I’ll enthusiastically join in the EE “Doc” Smith love. True, his stuff hasn’t aged well - it REALLY hasn’t aged well - but that’s half the fun. This. Sometimes you don’t want modern sensibilities. You want colliding galaxies and planets used as weapons and massive ships thundering through the ether and… You get the idea. Kimball Kinnison rocks! ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/30 "2013-01-28T15:34:02Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > This. Sometimes you don’t want modern sensibilities. You want colliding galaxies and planets used as weapons and massive ships thundering through the ether and… > You get the idea. Kimball Kinnison rocks! Not enough things coruscate these days. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/31 "2013-01-28T15:34:15Z")
I take **Brain Glutton’s** comment on the style - even reading them in the 70s, the social setting was very dated - barely into the 50s, if that. But, it really fits the OP’s specs. [QUOTE=JohnT] I prefer tales of interstellar civilizations - it’s the rare novel that’s set in a solar system that I like [/QUOTE] The Lensmen (note - always Lensmen, with one exception; the books make it clear that women just aren’t up to the challenge of wearing a Lens, poor little things. As I said, barely into the 50s…) are flying all over the two galaxies (yes, two galaxies; one wasn’t enough for Smith’s vision). In fact, in one of the books, Kinnison is in the asteroid belt around Sol and is leaving for Earth. He comments that it’s weird to be taking such a short trip that you can actually see your destination with the naked eye before you leave. That should give you an idea of the scale of the series. [QUOTE=] If you read them though, don’t read Triplanetary first – it gives away the game. [/QUOTE] I started with Triplanetary, and I didn’t think it gave away the game, any more than the opening scenes on Trantor did for Asimov’s Foundation series - both set the canvas for the whole series. Plus, in each of the succeeding books, Smith has a summary right at the start, so it’s pretty hard to avoid reading the outline. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/32 "2013-01-28T15:36:48Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Don’t forget Sybly Whyte! 😉 meh. He was just a hack writer. But, I see he does have a [profile on zoominfo](http://www.zoominfo.com/#!search/profile/person?personId=1642709086&targetid=profile), c/o Kinnison & Co. LLC. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/33 "2013-01-28T16:02:51Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Weber does a lot of military stuff, right? I’ve had the impression he’s a bit like Tom Clancy in space - a fair amount of words dedicated to weapons systems and military strategy. > > Is this a fair assessment of the Harrington books? More Patrick O’Brien or CS Forester than Tom Clancy. If you don’t like nautical fiction, then skip it. How about the “Old Man’s War” books by John Scalzi? The military angel is less of a focus than the alien civilizations encountered and the exploration of transferring one’s mind into enhanced bodies (I really want a “BrainPal”!) I’ll second the _Expanse_ trilogy recommendation. Lots of heroes rocketing from place to place to rescue heiresses and little children from strange threats to humanity and government cabals. Still waiting on the last book though. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/34 "2013-01-28T16:54:56Z")
C.J. Cherryh, for sure. The Chanur novels already mentioned are quick and very good. My favorite is the [Faded Sun trilogy](http://www.amazon.com/Faded-Sun-Trilogy-Kesrith-Shonjir/dp/0886778697), and some of her standalone books like _Cuckoo’s Egg_ or _Serpent’s Reach_. Also, Gene Wolfe. Particularly [The Book of the New Sun](http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Claw-First-Half-Book/dp/0312890176) and [The Book of the Long Sun](http://www.amazon.com/Nightside-The-Long-Sun-Book/dp/0812516257). Although both probably fall into the “action happens within the same system”, they’re both amazingly good. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/35 "2013-01-28T17:08:58Z")
You might like Zelazny’s “Amber” series. It isn’t exactly \*space \*opera, more of a “universe-opera” with characters gallivanting through the multi-verse in search of glory, power, and revenge. Jack Vance’s “Demon Princes” series includes lots of planet-hopping, criminals, foreign cultures, kidnapping, skullduggery, hand to hand combat, damsels in distress, and other fun stuff that might trip your trigger. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/36 "2013-01-28T17:22:12Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > Also, Gene Wolfe. Particularly [The Book of the New Sun](http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Claw-First-Half-Book/dp/0312890176) and [The Book of the Long Sun](http://www.amazon.com/Nightside-The-Long-Sun-Book/dp/0812516257). Although both probably fall into the “action happens within the same system”, they’re both amazingly good. Note that these ain’t easy readin’. They’re worth it, but they’re extremely dense and challenging. I tend to think of space opera is a bit fluffier, so that’s why I mention. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/37 "2013-01-28T17:29:17Z")
Um, the _John Carter Of Mars_ series by Edgar Rice Burroughs anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Ruby\_Slippers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/94ad74/32.png) [@Ruby\_Slippers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby_Slippers)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/38 "2013-01-28T17:34:07Z")
How about [Cordwainer Smith](http://www.cordwainer-smith.com/all-the-stories-and-all-the-books.htm)? His works are hard to categorize and I think of him as an acquired taste, but once you’ve acquired that taste, you’ll want more. I’m not sure if many of his stories would fit your definition of space opera, but give him a try. And I definitely agree with the recommendation to try Star Kings by Edmond Hamilton. I think that’s the first science fiction I ever read, more than 50 years ago, and it started me down a path I continue to enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/39 "2013-01-28T17:58:58Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > Um, the _John Carter Of Mars_ series by Edgar Rice Burroughs anyone? Hardly “interstellar.” 😛 Doesn’t make it any less good, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581/40 "2013-01-28T20:00:06Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I particularly enjoy [Poul Anderson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poul_Anderson)’s Flandry series. A Naval Intelligence officer striving to keep the Empire from falling into chaos and “the dark night”. For that matter when I was younger I was a big fan of Poul Anderson’s [Polesotechnic League/van Rijn](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poul_Anderson#Polesotechnic_League_period_of_Nicholas_van_Rijn) books. Lot of heroic derring-do and starship combat. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-space-opera/648581.md?page=3)