Space Opera Fans discussion

This is a continuation of a previous thread
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Which had gotten rather large. Please post below just as you would in that other thread to let us know what space opera book(s) you are currently reading, or just finished. And what did you think of it.

I put Backyard Starship by J.N. Chaney aside but haven’t given up on it entirely yet. I’m still in the far too slow first third of it but I hear that it does get better.

I’m now about halfway through rereading A Call to Vengeance by David Weber. It’s been a bit too soon since I’d read it before for full enjoyment but I had forgotten a lot of details. I skipped the chapters dealing with the celebration on the island since I still remembered far too much of it. This is the third in the series. I’m rereading in preparation for the fourth which is due out in February. Depending on how I feel at the end of it I might buy the eARC of the fourth, or I might be able to wait until February when it will cost half as much.

I am reading Absence of Blade by Caitlin Demaris McKenna right now. I have been reading a lot of middle-grade stuff lately, so it's been some time since I've dug into a good space opera. I'm 50 pages in and loving it - feels like I'm home again.

Ken wrote: "feels like I'm home again"

Space, the familiar frontier.
😁

Ken wrote: "I am reading Absence of Blade by Caitlin Demaris McKenna right now. I have been reading a lot of middle-grade stuff lately, so it's been some time since I've dug i..."

The sample was solid and all three books are on sale for $2.97, which is a bargain, so I’ve added them to my towering digital TBR file.

I finished rereading A Call to Vengeance by David Weber. Lots of action, and I had forgotten enough details to enjoy it - only had to skip the few chapters set on the island. I’m definitely going to buy the upcoming fourth book but not its eARC.

Guess I’ll read fantasy for a while, hoping that the author of Bob's Saucer Repair is okay, because I had expected #22 to drop before Christmas and it isn’t here yet.

I reread the first two books of a fantasy trilogy and had barely started the third when Gene's Regret by Jerry Boyd dropped. This is #22 in the series that starts with Bob's Saucer Repair. And from the dedication we can assume that it was later than expected because the author required eye surgery.

Well so now I switch books and hope I can stop reading at bedtime.

I am reading The Fractured Void right now. It's an entertaining space opera.

I finished Gene's Regret the day after I posted about it. Not exactly a cliffhanger but it’s extremely obvious that the next book will resume immediately after this one.

I’ve been reading fantasy since, plus some nonfiction for work. Accumulating free previews to try when I finish the trilogy I’m rereading.

I didn’t find any free previews of SF that held my attention. After getting tired of fantasy I started rereading Take the Star Road by Peter Grant. Not sure whether I’ll reread the full series or not.

I have two books preordered that are coming out Feb 1st and are space opera: Liaden Universe Constellation V by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller; A Call to Insurrection by David Weber, which is #4 in a series and I already reread number 3.

just finish Sunkiller Did enjoy this audiobook and can't wait far book 2

I'm reading Stay Warm, Don't Die by John Wilker. It's the 4th in the Space Rogues series I discovered about a year ago. Great stuff with lots of humor.

Finished rereading Take the Star Road by Peter Grant and am about 25% into the next book in the series, Ride the Rising Tide. Lots of action, including pirates and organized crime, but sadly no aliens in this series.

After finishing the prequel, Omega Directive, now started the main series Omega Taskforce: The Emissary by GJ Ogden. The prequel was pretty good with some interesting concepts. Looking forward to diving into it in depth.

recently finished the book Space Aces!: Comic Book Heroes Of The Forties And Fifties by Denis Gifford. Interesting read. My review is below

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Still plugging away at the Poul Anderson book. I think the problem is that Nicholas Van Rijn isn't in the earliest stories.

I’m rereading the final book of the series that starts with Take the Star Road by Peter Grant. This one is Stoke The Flames Higher. Not sure what I’ll read next. Have two preordered books that will be out on Tuesday. I’m trying to resist buying the eARC of the new Liaden Universe book that is now available for $15 on Baen. I don’t want to be stuck in the midst of another series when those two new books arrive on Tuesday. Guess I should reread a book that isn’t in a series next.

Rereading The Peacemaker's Code by Deepak Malhotra. Probably too soon to reread, but I wanted something with aliens that wasn’t a series.

Peacemaker’s Code was worth rereading. Good one. Not exactly space opera. Almost all the action takes place on Earth.

Now I’m reading one the two new books I had preordered that came out today. This one is Liaden Universe Constellation V by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller.

Finished Liaden Universe Constellation V yesterday. I had read most if not all the stories before. Some very good stories.

Now I’m reading A Call to Insurrection by David Weber. It’s not grabbing me yet, because the point of view characters so far have been bad guys. I’m sure it will switch to a Manticore good guy in a chapter or two though.

I just finished Artifact Space and really liked it. I've liked all the other Miles Cameron books I've read, so was excited to see what he'd do with the setting.

Now that I'm done writing and editing my newest book, I have some time to actually do some reading! I just finished Assassin's Orbit by John Appel. A bit confusing at first with all the characters and activity going on, but worth the effort. Most of the protagonists are older females and several are non-binary gender. I applaud this choice as it challenges our standard notion of action heroes.

A Call to Insurrection by David Weber was really slogging, so I put it aside and reread a couple of fantasy novels. I picked it up again, and finally about 15% in the point of view finally shifted to the good guys.

I got about 65% through A Call to Insurrection a few days ago and put it aside for comfort reading. I reread the first two books of Bob's Saucer Repair by Jerry Boyd and now I’m rereading the third one.

I am reading A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine. It’s the second in the duology that begins with A Memory Called Empire. Richly textured space opera with a galactic empire inspired by Aztec/Nahua culture.

I reread several more books in the Bob’s Saucer Repair series. Today the newest one dropped, and I’m about to start reading it (and hope I can get enough sleep tonight). Book is Can You Take a Juke? by Jerry Boyd

I wanted to get into the Sharon Lee space opera but I started reading Agent of Change and could really get into it. Is this the best book to start the series?

Leticia wrote: "I wanted to get into the Sharon Lee space opera but I started reading Agent of Change and could really get into it. Is this the best book to start the series?"
There are a lot of good entry points. The best place to start depends on the type of book you like to read. YA entry points are Fledgling and Balance of Trade. If you like more romance than Agent of Change, try Conflict of Honors or Scout's Progress.

I like always to start where you get the background information to understand the sequels better. Which would be that?

According to the authors here
https://korval.com/publication-list/c...
Any of these books give enough background to be entry points:
Agent of Change, Conflict of Honors, Local Custom, Scout’s Progress, Balance of Trade, Fledgling, Crystal Soldier, Necessity’s Child, Dragon in Exile, Alliance of Equals

Chronologically the first is Crystal Soldier. Agent of Change was published first, but Conflict of Honors is set a few years earlier and has different main characters. Local Custom and Scout’s Progress are set a generation before Agent of Change and each have a love story mixed in with the action. Crystal Soldier is set a very long time ago in the midst of a war. Balance of Trade is set quite a while before Local Custom and Scout’s Progress.

The other books in that list are set after Agent of Change.

Thanks a lot for the tips!

I finished Can You Take a Juke? by Jerry Boyd several days ago. Tried several other books but ended up resuming my reread of the Bob’s Saucer Repair series. Currently rereading Captain Caveman.

Found a good stopping place in my binge reread of Jerry Boyd’s books, and started catching up on the free previews that have been piling up. Currently reading a newish fantasy.

finishing American Tabloid

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Read a lot of free previews that didn’t catch my attention, two new fantasy books, one or two more of Jerry Boyd’s space opera series, and finally found a space opera free preview that was interesting enough to purchase: Life as an Independent Space Hauler by Jason Hill. I’m about 10% in so too soon to tell just how good it will be. It’s clear that the author has read Nathan Lowell’s books but this is definitely not a remake of one of the Ish books, nor is it set in the same universe, just a similar one.

I just ran across a real gem of a novella. Flight Unknown. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B...

Finished Life as an Independent Space Hauler by Jason Hill. Three stars. My review is here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now to pick another book, or return to rereading Jerry Boyd’s series. There’s a new Scalzi book out on Tuesday that might be fun : The Kaiju Preservation Society.

I just read Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki.

I read it in three days while on the Jonathon Coulton Cruise. The book is an absolute delight.

It's arguable that it belongs in Space Opera; certainly one of the three principle characters is from space. Now, she runs a donut shop.

Highly recommended. Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

I have been reading Cyber Strike: An Intergalactic Space Opera Adventure (CERBERUS Book 3) and this entire series.The author Andy Peloquin has done a great job with the character a wheel chair hero that turns into a walker assassins who takes out all the bad guys and some that know one notices. Great casual reads that you can relax and know the good guy will win. Hooray!

The free preview for the new Scalzi book didn’t grab me, nor did a lot of other free previews. I did buy and read Cosmic Delivery Boy by L.G. Estrella which falls in between SF and fantasy, with a taste of LitRPG. It held my interest enough that I finished it and I’ll try the sequel when it comes out but it’s not a book I’d really recommend.

So I’ve been rereading more in the Bob's Saucer Repair series. Currently on Admiral Bob which is # 15.

I am having the same problem. Nothing is holding my interest as far as books go. May go with a John Creasey procedural. I have been re-reading the Gideon of the Yard series. Also have the last Skylark novel to read and that is definitely Space Opera. Then I shall return to my currently reading list.

Just finished Goliath and it didn’t grab me.

I was reading Jay Toney's Space Rogue series. Jay ToneyA fter the first 3 or 4 books, I felt they weren't as interesting. I am disappointed as by book 7 or so there is just too much of "the gods" mixed into the sci fi for my tastes. I bought the collection so I will go back to it eventually.

I also read Renalle Kerguelen by F.M. Busby. Renalle Kerguelen I always liked the concept of his Rissa series and had not come across this one before. It was ok but too similar in the younger generation revisting the places her parents had been.

Reading Tim Lebbon’s Alien:Invasion (The Rage War #2) at the moment Predator:Incursion (The Rage War #1) was very well done.
Really wish there was more Predator material out there.

Not seeing anything tempting in new space opera, so I’ve been continuing my reread of the series that starts with Bob's Saucer Repair by Jerry Boyd. Currently on Wreckers which is #19.

Upcoming space opera books that do look good:
April 10 Hegemony at Dalou by Blaze Ward. #3 in a series.

May 3 Fair Trade by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Liaden Universe, #3 in the story arc about Jethri.

June 7 A New Clan by David Weber. I think this is #4 in the treecats series.

I just finished Cetaganda
I really like this series.

Blanchland Blues
I am almost done with Blanchland Blues by Tom Dell'Arlinga and I want to tell you, it is a complete laugh. If you need a break from the news and all yours problems, this hilarious Space Opera is just the thing to let you get away for a few hours. The author has added enough intrigue to keep the reader into the story, but the laughs come on almost each page as I smile at the snide comments between the unusual flop of a hero and his too smart robot. Please do find it and relax from all your troubles and find a guy who makes his own in a funny way.

Lately I’ve been rereading fantasy books, but today my preordered ebook of Hegemony at Dalou by Blaze Ward arrived so that’s what I’m currently reading. It’s third in a story arc that takes place after Jessica Keller retired. Space opera. Too soon to tell how good it will be.

Hegemony at Dalou was readable enough that I preordered the 4th in the series. Not as much fun as Auberon or Queen Anne's Revenge. More politics than space battles but there was a nice battle.

When I finish rereading the fantasy I’m in the midst of (if not sooner) I’ll read the latest in the Bob’s Saucer Repair series: Don't Give Up the Shop by Jerry Boyd. This is #24 and I always enjoy these - light, humorous, most of them fit our definition of space opera, most have aliens and all but the first have machine characters.

I just finished Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. Not space opera but definitely sci-fi: aliens visit Earth and leave behind Zones where ordinary physics are warped and alien artifacts litter the landscape. Enterprising “stalkers” brave these Zones to retrieve artifacts to sell on the black market. Pretty good! It inspired the movie Stalker and the video game of the same name.