Space Opera Fans discussion

This thread is for nominations for READER category for June 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 usually avoid nominating a book that I haven’t read, particularly when it won’t be published until after the first of the month. With that said, I really liked the free preview of Fenrir by Eric Flint and Ric Spoor, and that same pair of writers wrote other space opera books I’ve enjoyed such as Boundary. It’s due out June 3rd. I’ll be reading it in June.

So I hereby nominate Fenrir for June Reader pick, but I’ll be happy if some other book is chosen instead.

I was thinking about reading Finder by Suzanne Palmer soon. The group read it in June 2020, but for some reason I didn't. But for some reason now it sounds more intriguing. So I'd like to nominate it for a second read.

Summary so far:
Fenrir by Eric Flint and Ric Spoor. Nominated by Teresa. Awaiting seconds.
Finder by Suzanne Palmer. Nominated by Betsy. Awaiting seconds.

I'd like to nominate a new book please - Future's Edge by Gareth L. Powell.

Only released earlier this year, Amazon's blurb states -

"A gripping and heartfelt horror-tinged space adventure from the BSFA award-winning author of Stars and Bones and Embers of War. Readers of James S.A. Core and Becky Chambers will love this fast-paced story of space piracy, deadly alien artifacts and a race to save what is left of humanity.

When archaeologist Ursula Morrow accidentally infects herself with an alien parasite, she fears she may have jeopardised her career. However, her concerns become irrelevant when Earth is destroyed, billions die, and suddenly no one needs archaeologists anymore…

Two years later, she's plucked from a refugee camp on a backwater world and tasked with retrieving the artifact that infected her, as it just might hold the key to humanity's survival. With time running short, and the planet housing the weapon now situated in hostile territory, she realises she's going to have to commit an act of desperate piracy if she's going to achieve her objective before the enemy's final onslaught.

A thrilling, page-turning journey into deep space where the fights are brutal, the relationships are complicated and the world ended years ago."

Summary so far:
Fenrir by Eric Flint and Ric Spoor. Nominated by Teresa. Awaiting seconds.
Finder by Suzanne Palmer. Nominated by Betsy. Awaiting seconds.
Future's Edge by Gareth L. Powell. Nominated by John. Awaiting seconds.

Nominations officially close tomorrow but we have no second. If we still have no second tomorrow this thread will go into sudden death - which will likely be better for Fenrir anyway since it drops on June 3rd. The way sudden death works is that the first book that gets seconded is picked, and the end reading date is adjusted so that it’s at least four (often six) weeks before the book is removed from the group home page.

I will second Finder

Excellent - that gives us two books again next month.

Nominations are now closed (thanks Audrey!). Our June Reader Pick is Finder.