Introduce Yourself - Part 2

[Howard]

Hi there - grew up on E. E. Doc Smith and authors like that, there was never any time for actual physics when the Ultracapacitor Coruscating Beam Projectors needed to be repaired with welding torches while traveling through the ether, although these days I also enjoy hard SF too.

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Welcome Howard!

[Howard]

Teresa wrote: "Welcome Howard!"

Thanks!

[C. John]

Howard wrote: "Hi there - grew up on E. E. Doc Smith and authors like that, there was never any time for actual physics when the Ultracapacitor Coruscating Beam Projectors needed to be repaired with welding torch..."

I discovered Smith when I was in university and he is still one of my favourites, Judith Merrill be damned. I have all of his fiction as far as I know, though that doesn't include some of the material based on his ideas but written by others.

[Howard]

Absolutely, still memorable after 40 years of reading. There's something to be said for exuberant writing, even if it is not perhaps the most sophisticated plot or characterization. His work is fun, and sometimes that's all I want.

[Nadienne]

Greetings! :) Jarrod here.

Favorite Books: Of all time? I will always love the "Robotech" series by Jack McKinney, and I can read, re-read, and re-read again the "Honor Harrington" series...and the "Horus Heresy" series...until the end of time.

Favorite Genres: Science Fiction (of course), as well as History, Politics, Anthropology, Sociology, etc.

Favorite TV shows: Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, Farscape, Babylon 5, The Orville, Family Guy, The Simpsons, South Park, Space: Above and Beyond, Cleopatra 2525, Xena: The Warrior Princess, Jack of All Trades

Favorite Movies: Aliens, Starship Troopers, Star Trek VI and II

Favorite Food: Hard to beat a properly cooked Filet Mignon

Day Job: Administrative in State Governance

Hobbies: Table-Top RPGs, CRPGs, Table-Top War Gaming, Reading, Writing, Thinking, Running for Political Office

Other: I'm about as Left-Wing as one can go, which pretty much off-puts just about everyone...so, I feel pretty isolated and alone most of the time. I joke that when they were handing out views, philosophies, and interests, I went to every booth that didn't have a line...

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Welcome Jarrod!

[Howard]

General wrote: "Greetings! :) Jarrod here."

I share a similar bookshelf - so obviously you have excellent taste - but after all this time I have still not read any Warhammer 40K. I've heard Horus Heresy is one of the better places to start - I should probably just go ahead and order.

[Elle]

Hello! I'm Jane and I am new. I love reading sci-fi and fantasy, both adult and YA. I hope to find some great sci-fi recommendations by being in this group. The last sci-fi books I read that I really enjoyed were the Skyward books by Brandon Sanderson. I'm not entirely sure if that counts as space opera or not...but they're in space. lol

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Welcome Jane! Check out our current BOTM Nomination threads. The July books will be selected from those books that are both nominated and selected, tomorrow.

[Nycowboy04]

Hi folks,
Long time lurker, and hopefully being more active in the group. Let's see what happens
Name: Matthew
Favorite Books: Honor Harrington series, old-school (pre-Disney) Star Wars novels, Brooks' Shannara series, Wheel of Time.
Favorite Genres: Epic Fantasy, space opera
Favorite TV shows: Expanse, Bosch,
Favorite Movies: LOTR,
Favorite Food: Mac n Cheese
Day Job: IT for a high school in NYC
Hobbies: Model rocketry, tea (it ain't just Lipton anymore!), playing with the zsh shell, cats (4 and counting)
Other: big fan of the Glass Cannon Podcast

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Welcome Matthew!

[Dibs]

Name: Diane
Favorite Books: Anything by Douglas Adams and John Scalzi, John Wyndham and HG Wells; Dark Tower and Matthew Shardlake series. Most stuff by Sue Townsend, and the Fugitive Marines series.
Favorite Genres: Scifi (near future, humour, and first contact); horror; historical fiction; graphic novels.
Favorite TV shows: The X-Files, American Horror Story, Bob's Burgers (and most other adult animated TV shows).
Favorite Movies: Star Wars, horror films
Favorite Food: All the sugar.
Day Job: Academic research communications
Hobbies: DIY and crafting, writing, watching my cat sleep

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Welcome Diane!

[Duncan (Backawayfromthedonkey)]

Hi I'm Duncan but known as 'D' if you call me Duncan in public I probably wouldn't even register that as my name. I'm from Scotland and of such an age that I saw Star Wars on release. I've read lots of Science Fiction and Fantasy all my life. Now onto the questions

Name: 'D' see above
Favourite Books: classics such as the Foundation books, Flow my Tears the Policeman said - Philip K Dick, Dune love The Martian and a bunch of Fantasy Books

Favourite Genres: Science Fiction (of all kinds), Fantasy (Sword and Sorcery), Also Love Travel and History books

Favourite TV shows: this varies but off the Top of my head classics such as Farscape, Star Trek (DS9 probably), new stuff I'm loving See on Apple TV and just had fun with The Umbrella Academy

Favourite Movies: Star Wars (of Course) Blade Runner (another film I saw on release and I'm in the minority and believe the Theatrical cut is the best version). Love David Lynch's Dune (despite it's flaws)

Favourite Food: Biscuits (the British Definition of a biscuit not the U,S one)

Day Job: Full time Carer for my ill and Disabled Wife

Hobbies: Drawing/Painting and Writing (blogging) about my love of Stuff. I also Run a bit and walk and Run with my Dogs. I also watch a lot of films

Other: Oh I forgot to add I also play Classic Dungeons and Dragons (basic/Expert and AD&D). I'm also hoping to start on some Classic Sci-Fi RPG's next

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Welcome D!

[Awhona]

Namaste & Hello Everyone!
I'm Awhona from India and just stumbled across this amazing group!

Fav. Genres : I love reading Classics, Gothic, Sci-Fi, Space opera, Ancient Aliens, UFOs, Space Science, History, Mythological Fiction, Mystery, Thrillers, Suspense, Crime, Philosophy, Metaphysics, Paranormal, Horror, & Fantasy.I have recently started exploring Eco-Fiction & Environmental Literature along the SolarPunk & LunarPunk sub genres.

About Me(Hobbies) : Bibliophile, SpiritualJunkie, Art & Music Enthusiast, Indian Classical Dancer, Sitarist, Booktuber.

Day Job : Electronics & Telecommunications Engineer.

Fav. Books : Books by Robin Cook, Ken Follet, Fredrick Forsynth, Craig Thomas, Alastair Reynolds, Asimov, Peter Hamilton & many more...

Fav. T.V. shows: Street Hawk ( Grew upwatching this series in the 80s!), Remmington Steele, X Files,
Forensic Files, Dark, Bio Hackers.

I would love to expand my reading & knowledge of Space Opera books through this group and quite excited about it!

[Betsy]

Welcome, Awhona.

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Welcome Awhona!

[[deleted user]]

Name: Jared Ponton
Favorite Books: The Shadow of the Wind and Hyperion
Favorite Genres: Science fiction, fantasy, and mystery.
Favorite TV shows: No TV
Favorite Movies: Memento
Favorite Food: Chicken, pretzels
Day Job: Surgical Services
Hobbies: Reading, writing, running, gaming
Other:

Love the group. But I am wondering if there is a community thread here somewhere? Something more light-hearted and lax, I guess, for more easy conversation.

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Welcome Jared!

You are welcome to start a thread in the Reader Discussions section on just about any topic that is relevant to space opera. We are currently in a period where we aren’t talking very much - this happens, then we always get chatty again eventually.

[Laura]

Hi space opera fans!

I'm a group newbie space opera fan though I've been lurking around Goodreads for a while. I'm down for any book/movie/TV show with outer space action, human (or inhuman) drama, and heat, but I need the happily-ever-after, or I'm unhappy! Love WMD-in-space kinda stories since I work in that field (for the good guys) myself. I'm in the middle of getting a PhD in Biodefense, so plague-in-space stories always appeal to me when they're well done (as opposed to the plague-on-earth situation we are all currently experiencing.)

I'm currently reading Kristyn Merbeth's Nova Vita Protocol series and watching The Expanse (I'm a few seasons behind, cuz PhD). I also read lots of space romance cuz, yeah, I write it. :) Huge Star Wars fan, moderate Trekkie, and I've watched the entire Battlestar Galactica reboot like five times.

Globetrotter, current Washington DC denizen, married to a fellow writer, complete slave to our Siberian cats who have circumnavigated the globe with me multiple times. One of our cats aspires to be an astronaut and is an astrophysics PhD candidate at MIT.

Looking forward to reading with all of you!

Laura

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Welcome Laura!

[Ken]

Hello All,

My name is Ken Deeprose and I have been a sci-fi fan for as long as I can remember. I'm a retired engineer and have recently tried my hand at writing. I have recently released my first book - a middle-grade (ages 10 to 14ish) sci-fi book set on a faraway planet.

Favorite Books: The Commonwealth Saga, Red Rising, The Silo Trilogy
Favorite Genres: Science fiction
Favorite TV shows: Star Trek (sorry - not a Star Wars guy)
Favorite Movies: Serenity, Blade Runner
Day Job: Retired - so I guess I'm an author now!
Hobbies: Making board games, kayaking

Looking forward to the discussions in this group.

Ken

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Welcome Ken!

[Gaines]

Hullos. I've not been active here in a while, so I thought I'd re-introduce myself. Hello everyone. I'm Gaines. I live in the Blue Mountains in southeastern Australia, and I like to go for walks, play & listen to music, eat good food, and read good stories, regardless of genre, though I do tend to gravitate toward speculative fiction / sci-fi / fantasy. The best book I've read this year so far was Beloved, which I highly recommend, and I've just recently (and finally!) begun reading The Eye of the World in the Wheel of Time series, which has been on my to-read list since long before Goodreads even existed. It's captivating so far. Anyway, nice to meet you / nice to see you again, all. /wave :-) Oh, and I make weekly blog posts at www.otherspect.com . The topic varies; sometimes it's a memory, sometimes a pontification about this or that, sometimes a poem, sometimes a bit of fiction, sometimes a ramble about food or whatever else might be on my mind.
I do love space opera, too, though it'll be awhile until I finish the Robert Jordan books. After that I'm sure I'll "swing" back to sci-fi; I always do. lol

[Gregorio]

Hi ! I'm Gregorio J

Favorite Books:
Thraxas
The Mother of Learning
A Confederacy of Dunces
El Eternauta
The Horse and His Boy
The Empire of Ice Cream

Favorite Genres:
SciFi (hard, light, with frosting)
Fantasy
Police Noir
Pirates at Sea !

Favorite TV shows:
How i met your mother
Cowboy Bebop(anime)
The Expanse
Westworld

Favorite Movies:
Arrival
The truman show
Interstellar

Favorite Food:
Ramen

Day Job:
Student, Programmer

Hobbies:
Fountain Pens

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Welcome, Gregorio!

[Jim]

Hello. My name is Jim Cronin. I am a retired middle school science teacher currently working part-time as an educator/performer at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. This is where I get to interact with guests as an astronaut on Mars (in full spacesuit and inside our diorama of Mars), dissect hearts and lungs, read books to children, and teach science in all sorts of fun and engaging ways. Best Job Ever! I am also a science fiction author with five novels currently published.
My favorite books to read are science fiction and fantasy, although I do read many other genres as well. Currently, I am reading Kurt Vonnegut's The Breakfast of Champions. And before that, I read an interesting biography about U.S. Grant. My favorite movie is Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
My favorite food is a PBJ sandwich.
Hobbies include going for walks, fly fishing, bike riding, reading, and watching movies. But my favorite pastime is visiting my granddaughters.

I

[Betsy]

Jim wrote: "Hello. My name is Jim Cronin. I am a retired middle school science teacher currently working part-time as an educator/performer at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. This is where I get to in..."

Welcome Jim. What a fun job!

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Welcome Jim! That sounds like a fantastic job!

[Byron]

Hello fellow Space Opera Fans! My name is Byron Krauskopf and I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

While I am new to Goodreads, I am a life long lover of all things sci-fi and fantasy, having grown up on a steady diet of Andre Norton, Robert Heinlein, and JRR Tolkien.

This year, in an effort to branch beyond just rereading my comfortable classics, I have challenged myself to read all of the Hugo Best Novel winners starting from the most recent. This has led me to fall in love with the worlds of Martha Wells' "Murderbot Diaries" and Arkady Martine's "Teizcalaan".

I am looking forward to being introduced to many more fantastic and wonderful worlds through this group :)

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Welcome Byron!

[C. John]

Byron wrote: "Hello fellow Space Opera Fans! My name is Byron Krauskopf and I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

While I am new to Goodreads, I am a life long lover of all things sci-fi and fantasy, having grown..."

Yeah, another Canadian. Used to live in Mississauga before moving out to Nanaimo in British Columbia (yes the Nanaimo Bar is named for the city).

By the way is Bakka still around. I recall shopping there frequently, as well as Silver Snail and Memory Lane. I know the owner of the latter passed away a few years ago I I suspect that one is long gone.

[Byron]

C. John wrote: "Yeah, another Canadian. Used to live in Mississauga before moving out to Nanaimo in British Columbia (yes the Nanaimo Bar is named for the city).

By the way is Bakka still around. I recall shopping there frequently, as well as Silver Snail and Memory Lane. I know the owner of the latter passed away a few years ago I I suspect that one is long gone."

Hello my fellow Canuck :) If you mean Bakka-Pheonix Books on Harbord St near the university, then its absolutely still around. So is the Silver Snail. I don't know about Memory Lane, I've never come across it before.

[C. John]

When I lived near Toronto Bakka was across from Silver Snail. In fact Silver Snail came about when the partner in Bakka who was the comic book person decided to open his own store. Bakka was the main place in Toronto to buy your SF. Memory Lane was on Markham Street near Honest Ed's. Like I said the owner, George Henderson, passed away awhile back so I wouldn't be surprised if the store is gone. I gather the Toronto Library's science fiction collection is now called the Judith Merrill collection. It was called the Spaced Out Library when I lived there.

[Byron]

C. John wrote: "When I lived near Toronto Bakka was across from Silver Snail. In fact Silver Snail came about when the partner in Bakka who was the comic book person decided to open his own store. Bakka was the ma..."

Yes if Memory Lane was on Markham then it is definitely gone. The whole block that use to hold Honest Ed's, along with both sides of Markham along that stretch, were levelled a few years ago for a big condo development. The Judith Merrill collection (née The Spaced Out Library) is still going strong, it's houses out of my local branch.

[Jim]

Betsy wrote: "Jim wrote: "Hello. My name is Jim Cronin. I am a retired middle school science teacher currently working part-time as an educator/performer at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. This is where..."

Yes, its the perfect job for a retired science nerd like myself!

[Jim]

Teresa wrote: "Welcome Jim! That sounds like a fantastic job!"

Thanks! Yes, it is a retired science nerd's dream job!

[Gaines]

Jim wrote: "educator/performer at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science"

Sounds like a really cool job :-) Congratulations.

[Leticia]

Hi,

I'm trying to participate more on my Goodreads groups this year, so sorry if I've been very much away before.

Name: Leticia Toraci
Favorite Books: too many to list.
Favorite Genres: Space Opera and Fantasy
Favorite TV shows: Lately The Expanse.
Favorite Movies: Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back
Favorite Food: Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá.
Hobbies: Reading, Writing, Painting and Journaling.
Other: I live in south Germany but I'm Brazilian. And Goodreads is my favorite social media platform. I love talking about books.

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Welcome Leticia!

[Gaines]

Hi Leticia :-)

[Cesar Ausejo]

Hello everyone!

My name is Cesar Ausejo - I’m from Lima Peru. I’m also new at Goodreads. I joined the group bc I love sify movies. Specially start trek related. I’ve read a lot of them!

I recently had surgery so I’m not eating as much. But I love chicken in all their ways to prepare!

I’m 34 years old!

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Welcome Cesar!

[Gaines]

Cesar Ausejo wrote: "I recently had surgery so I’m not eating as much. "

I hope your recovery goes smoothly! I recently had surgery, too... day before yesterday, in fact. I am feel exhausted.

[Roly]

Name: Roly Gutierrez
Favorite Books: Project Hail Mary, The Alchemist, Fight Club
Favorite Genres: Sci-Fi, Mystery/Thriller, Speculative Fiction
Favorite TV shows: Breaking Bad, The Office, Superstore, HIMYM
Favorite Movies: Sunshine, Fight Club, Akira, The Martian, Arrival
Favorite Food: Thai, Mexican, Ethiopian andddd Puerto Rican foods
Day Job: ADR Director/Engineer & Voice Actor
Hobbies: Reading, making beats, watching shows and tech videos

[Gaines]

Roly wrote: "ADR Director/Engineer"

Nice to meet you, Roly :-) What does ADR stand for, if you don't mind my asking? Audio something? Artistic something?

[Roly]

nice to meet ya too! :D

Technically it means Automated Dialogue Replacement
but it's basically directing/engineering voice over talents for different project types, mostly live action, and animated dubs.

Gaines wrote: "Roly wrote: "ADR Director/Engineer"

Nice to meet you, Roly :-) What does ADR stand for, if you don't mind my asking? Audio something? Artistic something?"

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Welcome Roly!