Space Opera Fans discussion

This thread is for nominations for READER category for December 2024.

READER books need to be
* currently in print in either hardback or paperback (or both). Requiring a special order from a store or website counts, but not if the book is only available used.
* currently available in multiple ebook formats, from multiple vendors
* Space Opera, which means a spaceship has to be involved in the story somewhere.
* If it is part of a series, it needs to be suitable to being read without having read other books in the series.
* Please no blatantly erotic books, as some of our members are not full adults yet.

RULES:
* you may nominate one book on this thread.
* you may second as many nominations as you like on this thread.
* it is okay to nominate the same book on more than one nomination thread, as long as it meets the criteria
* books we already have on our bookshelf will be disqualified if they were added less than two years ago
* If a book you nominate or second is selected, you are expected to post at least one comment about it on the thread about the book.
* On the 22nd I will draw a book randomly, with each second being one raffle ticket for the book. That is, a book with three seconds (so four of us want it) will get three chances in the pool.

It is likely helpful if you know something about a book that has been nominated if you mention it in this thread, whether it is for or against the book.

I'd like to nominate The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei please.

The Amazon blurb states -

"'An enjoyable, richly imagined, space-faring adventure populated with intriguing characters' Guardian

'Come to The Stardust Grail for Indiana Jones-style outer space heist adventure, stay for the sensitively drawn characters and thoughtful exploration of other forms of life far beyond our own'Veronica Roth

SAVE ONE WORLD. DOOM HER OWN.

Maya Hoshimoto was once the best art thief in the galaxy. For ten years, she returned stolen artifacts to alien civilizations – until a disastrous job forced her into hiding. Now she just wants to enjoy a quiet life as a graduate student of anthropology, but she's haunted by persistent and disturbing visions of the future.

Then an old friend comes to her with a job she can't refuse: find a powerful object that could save an alien species from extinction. Except no one has seen it in living memory, and they aren't the only ones hunting for it.

Maya sets out on a breakneck quest through a universe teeming with strange life and ancient ruins. But the farther she goes, the more her visions cast a dark shadow over her team of friends new and old. Someone will betray her along the way. Worse yet, in choosing to save one species, she may condemn humanity and Earth itself."

Summary so far:
The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei. Nominated by John. Awaiting seconds.

I nominate Farryn's War by Christie Meierz. It’s in the middle of the Tolari Space series however the vast majority of it is not on Tolar, and while it includes a few spoilers for the previous books it is a good entry point. It has more violence and less romance than the rest of the series but also has more spaceships.

The newest book of the series comes out on the 19th (unless the publisher changes the date again).

I will second Farryn's War.

About that newest book of the series. Title is Outcaste. It is available today from Apple and the author’s website, but Amazon has the ebook marked as the 19th and the paperback as out of stock.

Damn…. While Farryn's War was originally published in both ebook and paper, it is currently out of print in paper. So I have to disqualify it as a Reader Pick. Rats….

Teresa wrote: "Damn…. While Farryn's War was originally published in both ebook and paper, it is currently out of print in paper. So I have to disqualify it as a Reader Pick. Rats…."

Teresa, can't it be included under LIMITED nominations?

After due consideration, if the only book seconded ends up being Farryn’s War, I’ll just change this thread from Reader to Limited, so we can have two books next month.

You are still free to nominate a Reader Pick, to see if someone seconds it.

John wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Damn…. While Farryn's War was originally published in both ebook and paper, it is currently out of print in paper. So I have to disqualify it as a Reader Pick. Rats…...."

We don’t have a Limited Nomination thread this month, because we have a Theme one instead. But apparently we were typing similar ideas at the same time, from the time stamps.

I also now know what my January nomination is going to be - Orbital by Samantha Harvey, which has just won the Booker prize - "British author Samantha Harvey has won the 2024 Booker Prize award with her novel Orbital, the first book set in space to win the prize".

Nominations are now closed. Our LIMITED Pick is Farryn's War.