Space Opera Fans discussion

This thread is for nominations for READER category for May 2025.

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 nominate Queen Anne’s Revenge by Blaze Ward. We discussed this book in 2019, and I gave it five stars. It has action and humor both. This book is set in the same universe as Auberon, but it starts a new story arc and the review I wrote back in 2019 says there’s no need to have read any of this author’s other books first.

Note: this nomination might belong in Limited instead of Reader. I found the ebook on both Amazon and Kobo, and Amazon lists the paperback as available so I put it here.

This one doesn't seem to be available from my library, or from UK bookstores. It's available from Amazon - but I'm boycotting them at the moment, so I'm going to have to pass on this one if its chosen.

Any nominations or seconds?

I want to nominate The State of the Art by Iain M. Banks. It's a short fiction collection containing some stories set in the Culture universe (so spaceships should be involved), and is probably the only Iain M. Banks book I haven't read.

It would also fit with the Culture re-read thread started by John if it doesn't get picked here.

I second The State of the Art. I was hoping to read it in May anyway.

Summary so far:
Queen Anne’s Revenge by Blaze Ward. Nominated by Teresa. Awaiting seconds.
The State of the Art by Iain M. Banks. Nominated by Caitlin. Seconded by John.

Nominations are now closed. Our May pick is The State of the Art