Can you recommend some good space operas?

[Raggedyann]

Please let me know of any good space opera series. I'm having a difficult time finding them. Thanks for your help.

[Kevis]

Can't think of a better series of space opera books than the Dune books.

Dune
Dune Messiah
Children of Dune

The Foundation books are also a must read for space opera fans.

Foundation
Foundation and Empire
Second Foundation

The Thrawn Trilogy is some of the best space opera literature out there. Best part is you don't have to read the other SW books to get into them.

Heir to the Empire
Dark Force Rising
The Last Command

[Raggedyann]

Thanks! I read the Dune series, also The Human Chronicles and Spinward Drift, which I enjoyed. I like the space colonization books.

[Conal]

Their are several lists of space opera novels/series on listopia. Most of these are series and have many addiitonal books that go along with them.

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/11...

A couple of quick recommendations:

Uplift Series by David Brin
Sundiver
Startide Rising
The Uplift War

Child Cycle by Gordon Dickson
Dorsai!
Soldier, Ask Not
Tactics of Mistake
Necromancer
The Final Encyclopedia
The Chantry Guild
Other

[Charles]

I've always found "space opera" to be a rather fuzzy term that's largely in the mind of the beholder -- but that's probably true for most genre terms. That being said, most of Iain M. Banks' "Culture" series probably qualifies as the part of the definition from Wikipedia that says, "...set mainly or entirely in outer space, usually involving conflict between opponents possessing advanced technologies and abilities."

[Al "Tank"]

Raggedyann wrote: "Please let me know of any good space opera series. I'm having a difficult time finding them. Thanks for your help."

IMHO:
-Anything by John Bowers, except his Mid-grade Joseph Lexxus book (not a series). He has 3 series currently, all good.
-Gordon Dickson's Dorsai series.
-Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat series (humorous).
-"Doc" Smith's Lensman series if you like vintage SF (Might be in the public domain now).

[Al "Tank"]

Raggedyann wrote: "Please let me know of any good space opera series. I'm having a difficult time finding them. Thanks for your help."

IMHO:
-Anything by John Bowers, except his Mid-grade Joseph Lexxus book (not a series). He has 3 series currently, all good. I just heard that his Asteroid Outpost will be free on Amazon Friday - Sunday, so you can taste his stuff for free.
-Gordon Dickson's Dorsai series.
-Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat series (humorous).
-"Doc" Smith's Lensman series if you like vintage SF (Might be in the public domain now).

[Sabrina]

Kevis wrote: "Can't think of a better series of space opera books than the Dune books.

Dune
Dune Messiah
Children of Dune

The Foundation books are also a must read for space opera fans.

Foundation
Foundation ..."

Loved the Dune and Thrawn series!

I'll add Simon R Green's Deathstalker series into the mix. Where else are you going to find a brutal war between giant mechanical stuff animals.

[Mekki]

I'd recommend the Vorkosigan Saga.
http://www.goodreads.com/series/98250...

I read Barrayar and Shards of Honour. Both were pretty good.

[Dale]

E.E."Doc" Smith wrote a couple of series (back in the '30's) and they are still good reads. The Honor Harrington series by David Weber resonates

[Steph]

I really like what I've read of Alastair Reynolds. If you're looking for something more current, there's his Revelation Space series.

[Raggedyann]

By "space opera" I thought the term meant a continuous sci-fi space fiction series that included a light romance theme. Frankly, I don't care about the love interest part. Maybe I misused the term.

I know that Dune is a popular series, and I have read it, but it just didn't capture my interest very much. I prefer space voyages, colonization, even war. Artificial Intelligence themes are also interesting to me. Yes, I've read I, Robot, the Turing series, and everything Asimov.

The whole giant insect thing just doesn't do it for me. I prefer something more believable with more familiar intelligent life forms. No offense to anyone. If that's your thing, enjoy.

Thanks for the suggestions! If you have any more please post them.

[Cecily]

Steph wrote: "I really like what I've read of Alastair Reynolds. If you're looking for something more current, there's his Revelation Space series."

I'd second that. I've written quite detailed reviews of half a dozen of his books here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...

I was advised to start with the standalone "Chasm City". Having enjoyed that, I read the trilogy, "Revelation Space", "Redemption Arc" and "Absolution Gap" in order. That worked well, imo. "The Prefect" is a little different, having aspects of a detective story, as does "Century Rain" which is crazy but breathtakingly brilliant.

[Thomas]

Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0: Origins
This is rocking good space opera and the ebook is free.

[Matt Schrader]

Jupiter by Ben Bova.

[Raggedyann]

I just finished that series. It was great!

Thomas wrote: "Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0: Origins
This is rocking good space opera and the ebook is free."

[Chad]

I usually think of Space Opera as the Not So Hard Sci-fi Adventure category

Some good ones:
Mutineer
The Helmsman
The Chanur Saga (Compact Space, #1-3)
Dauntless
The Dragon Variation
Quarter Share
A Just Determination

[Steph]

Chad wrote: "I usually think of Space Opera as the Not So Hard Sci-fi Adventure category..."

Alastair Reynolds writes hard sci-fi, yet they're still space opera. I think the term comes from early descriptions of Star Trek, as in a 'soap opera' in space. It tends to feature epic-scale adventures, human conflict, long-running storylines, etc.

[Chad]

Yea, I probably think of it wrong. If its hard Sci-fi and long and complex, I think of it as regular sci-fi.

Soap Operas are not complex and don't require serious thought, in fact they suffer if you give it too much thought. I always thought of Space Opera as the same.

Sometimes I'm in the mood for light, fun Star Wars action with a high suspension of disbelief requirement.

I might be off on the definition, but it works for me :)

[Jean-Michel]

You might also enjoy "A Fire Upon the Deep" by Vernor Vinge...space opera with an unusual twist. I also found "House of Suns" by Alistair Reynolds to be very good, and very much enjoyed "Hidden Empire" (book one of the Saga of Seven Suns) by Kevin J. Anderson.

[Philip]

Overdraft: The Orion Offensive I am reading it now. It is pretty good. Humor and action in space. It's a kindle serial so for one price a new part is delivered automatically every two weeks. I think there are eight parts planned.

[Empress]

Wes'har series City of Pearl
Pandora's star.Pandora's Star
House of suns. House of Suns

[Andreas]

I would recommend Peter F. Hamilton's Nights Dawn trilogy. It is a great epic sci-fi and one of my favourites.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...

Just make sure you keep going, it takes a few hundred pages to get into it but I promise you will not regret it!

[Jean-Michel]

Andreas, I like Peter F. Hamilton, thanks for the recommendation. Also, thumbs up for Pandora's Star. Another I forgot to mention is the Polity Series, by Neal Asher, in particular:

Gridlinked
Prador Moon
Orbus
Hilldiggers

[Tom]

I thought The Hyperion Cantos by Simmons was fantastic. I would consider that space opera.

[Misty]

Im not sure about the "opera" genre but the absolute best I think would fall within the genre of the other books recommended is Vernor Vinge's Fire Upon the Deep. There is at least 2 books in series (that I know of; havent looked into it in awhile) You will NOT be disappointed!!!!

[L.]

I liked Cowboy Feng's Space Bar and Grille by Steven Brust. It's been a long time since I read it, but the sense of enjoyment I felt has stuck with me. It's more time travel than space travel, but it's got that rollicking adventure feel to it that's a hallmark of space opera.

[Jean-Michel]

Misty wrote: "Im not sure about the "opera" genre but the absolute best I think would fall within the genre of the other books recommended is Vernor Vinge's Fire Upon the Deep. There is at least 2 books in serie..."

I agree, Verner Vinge is great! The books I know of set in that unique universe are:

A Deepness in the Sky
A Fire Upon the Deep
The Children of the Sky
as well as two or three short stories in "The Collected Stories of Verner Vingie" (which I can't find on GoodReads, but found just fine on my bookshelf).

I've listed these in chronological order, although A Deepness in the Sky is set so far back in the past relative to the other novels (and in the Slow Zone), that reading it out of order won't affect your enjoyment of any of the books, or give anything away. It is important to read A Fire Upon the Deep before The Children of the Sky (and arguably before the short stories later), as The Children of the Sky is a direct sequel to A Fire Upon the Deep.

[Misty]

Awesome thank you so much. There are few sci fi's that had the effect on me that that book did (I never finished Children of the Sky) but I LOVED the 1st and am always surprised when so few have heard of it. It was one of those "Lets try one of these 15 cent books in this overstocked sci fi section" @ the used book store finds that I still cant believe my luck. Its been a number of years since Ive read it but being I havent read a good sci fi in awhile, I think I'll open her back up. Thanks for the other two titles.

Jean-Michel wrote: "Misty wrote: "Im not sure about the "opera" genre but the absolute best I think would fall within the genre of the other books recommended is Vernor Vinge's Fire Upon the Deep. There is at least 2 ..."