Space Opera Fans discussion

Welcome Space Opera Fans!

Are you into galactic-spanning science fiction that focuses as much on the interpersonal and political aspects of life off-Earth as it does the hard science? Do you like your spaceships to come with kick-butt heroes and heroines, with lots of angst, intrigue, and perhaps a bit of backstabbing or romance as you piece together your warp drive using duct tape and a few junk parts. If so, guess what? You are a space opera fan! And here is a community where you can discuss your favorite galactic-empire-spanning books, series, and even tie-ins to television and movies.

This is an evolving group, but currently we have the following rules:

1. All community members must follow the Will Wheaton rule - 'Don't be a d!c#...'

2. Keep swearing and foul language down to a minimum. Remember that some community members are less than 18 years old.

3. No spam!!!

4. All self-promotion must go in the self-promotion thread. Any self-promotion that is not posted in the self-promotion thread will be immediately deleted.

5. No troll dung! All trolls will be warned, banned, and become the villain in an upcoming Space Opera anthology, dying a horrible death when a character bearing their exact name contracts flesh-eating bacteria, get shot out an airlock, and then eaten by a shape-shifting xenomorph!

6. We have LISTOPIAS if you're looking to read something very sub-genre specific. And you're always free to open a thread and ask a question or start a discussion about some cool science-related topic in our Reader Discussion folder.

7. Don't be a stranger! Say hello in the Introduce Yourself thread!

Thread is HERE: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Come on in, settle into your captain's chair, and come join us for a rollicking good time!

Be epic!
MOD-Anna

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AUTHORS: Space Opera Fans tries to walk that fine line between nurturing new voices and not spamming the crap out of our community members. We have some tips and lots of rules. Why not start by visiting this Self-Marketing Tips thread?

Author Self-Marketing Tips: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Any fans here of E.E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman series?

It may seem dated, but I think it deserves its place as one of the pioneering works of the Space Opera genre, considering it was released in the late 1940's.

It probably works better for a young adult audience ... It doesn't seem to work for mature age readers of the genre. I first read it as a young fan (age 11) and thoroughly enjoyed it.

It was a great introduction for me as a boy into the realm of science ... I credit this book series and 1970's reruns of Star Trek:TOS for making me a life-long Sci-Fi fan!

Rotuma wrote: "Any fans here of E.E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman series?

It may seem dated, but I think it deserves its place as one of the pioneering works of the Space Opera genre, considering it was released in the..."

Hi Rotuma! Welcome to Space Opera Fans!

Like you, I first picked up and read Triplanetary and Children of the Lens when I was still a teen. Gosh ... it's been so long since I read them that they probably -would- appear simplistic now the same way that the Chronicles of Narnia was when I read them aloud to my own kids. But I remember I enjoyed reading them immensely.

Were you aware I had started an entire discussion thread dedicated to E.E. Doc Smith as these are exactly the types of discussions I hope to foster? I would absolutely love it if you cut-and-pasted this question to THIS thread: :-)

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Rotuma wrote: "Any fans here of E.E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman series?

It may seem dated, but I think it deserves its place as one of the pioneering works of the Space Opera genre, considering it was released in the..."

I've read a lot of classic sci-fi, but haven't tried this one yet. I'm hoping to get to it some time this year. Hopefully I'm simple enough that I'll enjoy it.

William wrote: " I'm hoping to get to it some time this year. Hopefully I'm simple enough that I'll enjoy it...."

Most of E.E. Doc Smith's books are out-of-copyright, so you can download them for free at Project Guttenberg (risk-free to give it a try):

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...

Anna wrote: "William wrote: " I'm hoping to get to it some time this year. Hopefully I'm simple enough that I'll enjoy it...."

Most of E.E. Doc Smith's books are out-of-copyright, so you can download them for ..."

Thanks, I might do that, or I might pay for an audio version if I keep my long commute!

Rotuma wrote: "Any fans here of E.E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman series?

It may seem dated, but I think it deserves its place as one of the pioneering works of the Space Opera genre, considering it was released in the..."

The Doc is great. But I agree entirely with your sentiment. I recently re-read the first installment of the Family d'Alembert series, but had to stop. I thought it was fantastic at age 12, but I couldnt read it as an adult. It's a shame - that fresh innocent wonder i had when i read these first is gone forever, and i cant bring it back.

There's nothing worse than coming back to a childhood favourite as an adult and reaching the conclusion that it's garbage.

Green bean casserole. I loved it as a kid. I ate it as an adult and nearly gagged. I was so revolted I featured it as a joke in one of my Captain America fanfiction pieces.

Yeah ... some BOOKS are like that as well. Great as a kid. Kinda gooey and pussy and w-a-y too salty as an adult!

"Steve stared at the green bean casserole…

The green bean casserole stared back at him…

Any second now, he expected eyestalks and pinchers to erupt from the thing and then he'd have to take cover, guns blazing, to protect Peggy's progeny from all things alien and horrifying as he'd promised her before she had died. One of the cousins at the kids table behind him snickered, whispering a comment about Bernice's cooking. Bernice stared at him with a proud grin, as though she were feeding him filet mignon..."

Anna wrote: "Green bean casserole. I loved it as a kid. I ate it as an adult and nearly gagged. I was so revolted I featured it as a joke in one of my Captain America fanfiction pieces.

Yeah ... some BOOKS ..."

Green bean casserole. Now that is taking this to extremes... :-)

Mark wrote: "Green bean casserole. Now that is taking this to extremes... :-) ...."

Captain America's greatest foe! More dreadful than Red Skull, the Other, and the Winter Soldier combined! After tackling Bernice Rosenthal's green bean casserole, the Cap-sicle is now ready to tackle Thanos and the deity he worships, Death! 3:-)

[*yeah ... me and my superhero fetish...*]

Anna wrote: "Mark wrote: "Green bean casserole. Now that is taking this to extremes... :-) ...."

Captain America's greatest foe! More dreadful than Red Skull, the Other, and the Winter Soldier combined! Afte..."

I would like to welcome our green bean overlords.

William wrote: "I would like to welcome our green bean overlords..."

[*giggle*]

Hello community,
For me this genre of books has proven the most difficult to find new content for. Hopefully joining this group will help with that :)

Nathan wrote: "Hello community,
For me this genre of books has proven the most difficult to find new content for. Hopefully joining this group will help with that :)"

Welcome Nathan! If you like new content, I suggest you scope out the various sub-genre Listopia's and Master Lists which our community members have recommended, and also our Book of the Month club offerings each month. Most of the cutting edge stuff is coming out of the Indie community, but you'll want to read the book descriptions carefully because a lot of the newer stuff crosses genres. You can also find out which author-members are offering new releases down in the self-promotion section. If you have any questions or want a recommendation, just start a thread and ask :-)

Nathan wrote: "Hello community,
For me this genre of books has proven the most difficult to find new content for. Hopefully joining this group will help with that :)"

I'm cranking them out as fast as I can!

Nathan wrote: "Hello community,
For me this genre of books has proven the most difficult to find new content for. Hopefully joining this group will help with that :)"

You should be able to find plenty of reading material in this group!

Hello all,

I seem to have found myself with moderator privileges on this group after Anna put out a cry for help. I have been tasked with starting and managing exciting new topics within the space opera realm, which will be a challenge for someone with little imagination.

However, I would like to attempt to pull my weight in the group and so if any of you would like a new topic promoted then please let me know.

Also if any of you notice others transgressing the rules, being offensive or any other such nasty stuff, let me know and I will zap the posts (as I believe I have the power). I do love power :)

Thanks,

Ralph.

Hi Ralph, thanks so much for taking on the moderator role. It's lovely to know that there are people who've stepped forward.

Awesome. Thank you Ralph. I like this group and am happy to see it will continue! :-)

Hello Ralph Looks like I am new here too. But this sounds intriguing

Mark wrote: "Rotuma wrote: "Any fans here of E.E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman series?

It may seem dated, but I think it deserves its place as one of the pioneering works of the Space Opera genre, considering it was ..."

Don't we just hate it when our critical minds develop? All those great books of our collective past, forevermore transformed. Go figure.

Mark wrote: "Rotuma wrote: "Any fans here of E.E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman series?

It may seem dated, but I think it deserves its place as one of the pioneering works of the Space Opera genre, considering it was ..."

It should be mentioned that only part of the Family d'Alembert series was written by "Doc " Smith. The bulk of it was written someone else. Smith's story was included in The Best of E.E. "Doc" Smith

Personally, I am 62 but I still enjoy Smih's work.

I still read the Lensman series periodically. It now takes a bit of a mind reset to enjoy the older style of writing, but once I get back "into" the story, I enjoy myself all over again.

Personally - I am 61and still remember Smith's writing. Yes, they were written in a different age (pun not intended) but still hold up well.
Now that I have been reminded I'll have to go back and reread his works.

Howdy, my name is Ulysese. My favorite books is the Revelation Space series by Alastair Reynolds, Honor Harrington series and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. My preference is hard sci-fi and some fantasy but I'm always open for new ideas which is why I joined the group.

For TV and movies I, like Sci-fi/fantasy like 12 Monkeys, Legion, Dr. Who, Star Trek/Wars and DCTV. and superhero movies, especially Marvel.

My favorite food is pizza, chicken, Chinese, Mexican and Cuban.

During the day I work as a Business Analyst in financial services. I also play video games online.

Ulysese wrote: "Howdy, my name is Ulysese. My favorite books is the Revelation Space series by Alastair Reynolds, Honor Harrington series and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. My preference is hard sci-fi and some fa..."

Welcome, Ulysese. You should find some kindred spirits in this group.

I grew up in a house filled with books. Books in every room. The downstairs den held shelves of sci-fi and old pulp magazines. I started reading Doc Smith, Lovecraft, Moore, C.A. Smith and Piper (to name only a few) from their stories in serials in those mags. So many seem forgotten today. I honestly get upset to see all these movies based on P.K. Dick when he, and so many other writers, struggled to survive during their lifetimes, and yet I get as bothered by the greats from the past not getting their due. All the while I'm still waiting for a decent Conan movie.

Hello Spacefans I'm Corey! All my life I've been a die-hard Science Fiction nerd, and still am to this day. As a teen I loved reading the Star Wars expanded universe books, and I'm still rating them on Goodreads as I go along because I just found GR back in 2013, and there's still some Star Wars books I've read but still have to rate!

I'm an avid reader, if you don't see me doing anything else you'll probably find me with a book in my hands. I enjoy authors such as David Baldacci, Harlan Coben, Tom Clancy, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Ken Follett, Michael Crichton, and many others! And I'm always looking for other Writers that I might like.

I would like to mention I just saw Star Wars The Last Jedi this past weekend and all I can say is WOW!! I was on the edge of my seat right to the end, one of those movies I might have to see twice because there was so much going on. But I thought it was excellent!

Look forward to meeting new people in this group and expanding my horizon!

I've read through all the ages of science fiction. It is always interesting to observe how the respective epoch affects the mentality of the authors.
Towards the end of the 19th century, one still notices the aftermath of the classic epic era of writing. Baroque and ancient-looking.
At the beginning of the 20th century, optimism outweighed the revolution in technology.
In the interwar period are already critical sounds.
And as soon as peace returns, the fear of nuclear annihilation, the MAD Doctrine and the balance of horror subsides over the literature. Often deeply pessimistic and apocalyptic.
From the 70s and 80s, the development is gaining more and more momentum.
In the 21st century, there are so many new styles of science fiction. It has become a visionary literary genre from the disreputable niche genre.
The themes and elements of science fiction have penetrated into many other genres and have immensely enriched them.
I'm curious to see what happens next and I'm looking forward to watching the development. To discover the influences of the long history of science fiction and the current social and global development in the new, upcoming works.
How often the predictions in areas such as societal structure, technology, economics, finance, weapons technology, etc applied is striking.

Hi, I'd like to offer a link to my free online short story (not downloadable). It's Space Opera IMHO. Is this permissible? If so, which topic?

Ken wrote: "Hi, I'd like to offer a link to my free online short story (not downloadable). It's Space Opera IMHO. Is this permissible? If so, which topic?"
Free books get posted to this thread
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Or you can post in the self-promotion folder
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...

I had looked at the free books topic, but it stipulated that the story has to be downloadable. I'll post it, and if it's wrong please just delete it. Thanks!

Welcome, Peter.