Space Opera Fans discussion

Greetings Space Opera Fans!

We shall be trying something new to encourage Space Opera as a genre by each month nominating and then choosing which great Sci-Fi/Space Opera books we wish to read together as a group.

For the month of April, group members can nominate one book each in the following categories:

READER PICK: This category is for a mass market Space Opera book which readers can find in most bookstores and libraries. The goal of READER PICK is to be easily accessible to readers who might not own an e-reader or have a lot of money to purchase lots of books to feed their reading habit.

INDIE PICK: This category is for an independent or small-press Space Opera book which might only be available electronically and/or not widely distributed through major bookstores or libraries.

Space Opera Fans may nominate ONE book in EACH of the two categories (i.e., one READER PICK and one INDIE PICK) between now and March 31st. On April 1st, a winner in each category will be selected using Random.org and the Group Read posted at the top of this community. Because the winner will be randomly selected, authors may nominate their own books if it qualifies for either category, but please don't just link-dump to self-promote!!! It's rude! And it doesn't help the genre!

Once the books have been selected on the first of the month, a discussion thread will be opened for each book where people can share their frustrations hunting down the book, how they liked it, leave links to their reviews, and anything else they wish to discuss.

Please leave your nominations in the thread below! And if you have questions, please feel free to drop them in the thread. If you have a question, chances are somebody else does.

Be epic!
MOD-Anna

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April nominations are now closed! Watch for the May nomination announcement sometime around the 20th of the month.

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I nominate The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F. Hamilton for a Reader Pick. I have read in Hamilton's Commonwealth Saga and am interested to see what the Night's Dawn universe is about. A fair warning though; this is a very long book and I think it just continues into the next book like a continuous novel(probably not without something climactic happening towards the end at least).

I hope we get more nominations, I would love to read a space opera as a part of a book club.

And ... here are my nominations:

Reader Pick: Grimspace by Ann Aguirre


Grimspace

Indie Pick: Sky Hunter by Chris Reher


Sky Hunter

Jackson wrote: "I nominate The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F. Hamilton ... this is a very long book..."


The Reality Dysfunction

Hah-ha, Jackson! Isn't that the whole point of Space Opera? To sink into a galactic empire and settle in for a worldship-sized journey through adventure and the stars? Got it listed on my spreadsheet and added the book cover/link above so other people can check out your nomination. Don't forget to add an Indie Pick if you can think of one (you can often pick up a first-in-series free on Amazon if you look for them).

I'll vote for The Reality Dysfunction! Though it might take more than one month to finish :P

I suggest Lunar Contact by JD Clarke.

The Risen Empire (book 1 succession) by Scott Westerfeld. Great book!

for Reader Pick I suggest: Dan Simmons Hyperion
for Idie Pick I suggest: Nathan Lowell Quarter Share

Thanks Aqiul!
Thanks Chuck!
Thanks Andrew!
Thanks Stinus!

I've got a spreadsheet I use to keep track of who nominated what (makes it easier to Randomize). Remember ... each nomination counts as a 'chance' in its category (like a lottery ticket).



And if you haven't already, don't forget to nominate in BOTH categories! One of the ways we can support Space Opera as a genre is by re-introducing new eyes to classics while simultaneously giving new voices a test drive.

HYPERION by Dan Simmons. Let's do it!

This sounds great! I don't feel comfortable adding yet. I don't know that many and I'm always confused as to what qualifies as Space Opera. Some of my favorites:


Right now, I'm reading a book by Alistair Reynolds. I've heard of Peter F Hamilton, but never tried him.

Thanks John!
Thanks Kirsten! I added the first book on your list (The Engines of God) as your READER PICK nomination.

If you want to find great Space Opera reads, including some from newer authors or space opera sub-genres you might not have heard from yet, here are some Listopias:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

https://www.goodreads.com/genres/spac...

Reader Pick: Beggars in Spain, the first of Nancy Kress's Sleepless series

Indie: Floating Worlds, by Cecilia Holland

Reader's Pick: The Reality Dysfunction

Hey Anne, great idea.

My mainstream (I think) pick is:

Zero Recall by Sara King

and Indie is

The Frontiers Saga by Ryk Brown - a solid series of us vs the unknown.

Zero in particular is a great read with personable characters.

Thanks Robin!
Thanks Marcus!
Thanks Chairman!

Got 'em on my spreadsheet!

Kirsten wrote: "This sounds great! I don't feel comfortable adding yet. I don't know that many and I'm always confused as to what qualifies as Space Opera. Some of my favorites:
[bookcover:The Engines of God|33704..."


Kirsten,

Alastair is a good friend of mine! Which book of his are you reading?

John

Blue Remembered Earth

Kirsten wrote: "Blue Remembered Earth..."

Thanks Kirsten! Replaced your Reader Pick with Alastair Reynolds.

Kirsten wrote: "Blue Remembered Earth"

Nice! Have you read "House of Suns" yet? Amazing! Takes Space Opera to a whole new level.

Oh, Anna, I was just answering John. Why don't you put me down for a different Alistair Reynolds for me.

John, this is my first. My dad had read Revelation Space, though he said he preferred Jack McDevitt.

Kirsten wrote: "Oh, Anna, I was just answering John. Why don't you put me down for a different Alistair Reynolds for me..."

How about On the Steel Breeze by Alastair Reynolds for your nomination, Kirsten? It's the next book in the Poseidon's Children series that you're reading?

(And I'm with your dad on Jack McDevitt!)

On the Steel Breeze

John wrote: "Kirsten,

Alastair is a good friend of mine! Which book of his are you reading?..."

John ... one of the things I will be doing once I get the BOTM club up and running is an AOTM author of the month interview, inviting the authors of the 'winning' books to answer a few stock questions so readers can enjoy getting to know the author along with the book. Usually (in my Paranormal community I also help moderate) the Indie Pick winner responds, but the Reader Pick author blows such requests off. Alastair is such a 'big' name in the space opera genre that honestly I'd love to conduct an interview with him at any time. The interview then goes into an interview folder where it will also show up on the authors GR page for other readers to find (I've got the folder set up, but it's not showing yet because I haven't conducted my first interview here yet). Since you are friends with him, might you put a bee into his ear to not blow me off when I PM him with my interview request and questions? Thanks ... Anna

I'm a late-comer to the group, but I'll throw in my nominations. (I worry they might be repeats from the past.)

Reader Pick: Deepsix, by Jack McDevitt. Technically, it's part of his larger "Omega Clouds" series, but it makes a nice standalone.

Indie Pick: Quarter Share, by Nathan Lowell. It's not about battles or aliens. It's just about the humdrum world of living on an interstellar freighter. It's also book 1 of a 6-book series.

-Dan

Dan wrote: "I'm a late-comer to the group, but I'll throw in my nominations..."

Welcome, Dan! Be sure to hop over onto the 'Introductions' thread when you get a chance to tell us a little about yourself.

In the meantime ... on ... my ... list ... Deepsix and Quarter Share ... got them! :-)

For Reader's Pick, I choose Galactic Derelict

For Indie Pick, I suggest The Eternity Brigade: Final Edition

Stephen wrote: "For Reader's Pick, I choose Galactic Derelict, for Indie Pick, I suggest The Eternity Brigade..."

Thanks Stephen! Got them on my spreadsheet!

Indie pick-up The Cagliostro Chronicles

Ralph wrote: "Indie pick-up The Cagliostro Chronicles"

Thanks Ralph! Got it!

Anna,

Forgot my Indie pick.

"The Martian" by Andy Weir.

John

John wrote: "Forgot my Indie pick. "The Martian" by Andy Weir..."

Thanks John! Got it on my spreadsheet!