Space Opera Fans discussion

This thread is for nominations for LIMITED category for March 2024.

LIMITED books are books that are unlikely to be available to all members. Typically these will be Indie books, but can also include books available only as ebook or from a single vendor, or books only available in a few countries. The general rule of thumb is if it doesn’t qualify for READER, then it should fit into LIMITED.

Must be
* currently in print in at least one format, either ebook or physical book. Requiring a special order from a store or website counts, but not if the book is only available used.
* Books posted to be read online count.
* Kindle Unlimited books count.
* 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 or about 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.
* If no book is seconded this thread will stay up until we get a seconded book.

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.

Could I nominate Dissidence by Ken MacLeod, please?

It's the first novel of his highly-rated "Corporation Wars" trilogy. I've read and enjoyed other books from this author, and this one apparently also contains the multiple themes and layers of meaning that are a trademark of his writing.

As an Amazon review noted "It mixes intelligence & humour with a good wodge of Space Opera. What's not to like?"

Summary so far:
Dissidence by Ken MacLeod. Nominated by John. Awaiting seconds.

I would like to nominate Expedition by Rachel Cherie. (Yep, it's mine....)

Goodreads link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...

It's the first book in a series, so it can be read without any previous reading!

Summary so far:
Dissidence by Ken MacLeod. Nominated by John. Awaiting seconds.
Expedition by Rachel Cherie. Nominated by Rachel. Awaiting seconds.

If no book is seconded by the 22nd (tomorrow) this thread goes into sudden death. That is, the first book to be both nominated and seconded will be chosen.

We are now in sudden death. The first book that gets a second will be chosen, and we will start reading it a few days later.

We've been in sudden death now for two weeks; in the interest of leaving everyone enough time to read the chosen book in March, I'd like to withdraw my nomination of Dissidence.

Once a book is nominated as sudden death, we usually give it a full month or even six weeks.

Ah that's fine.

I nominate a short story that is relevant to Trader's Leap by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. The name of the story is Preferred Seating. It can be read for free online
https://www.baen.com/preferred-seatin...

This story is also available in one of the Constellation anthologies, likely A Liaden Universe Constellation: Volume 5.

It is backstory for Trader’s Leap and should be enjoyable without having read any of the Lee & Miller books. Reading order with Trader’s Leap doesn’t matter.

Hmmm is it on Goodreads as a book? Yes! Preferred Seating

Interestingly, its not available as a book on Amazon UK.

The Constellation anthologies should be available worldwide. This story was never published as a separate book. It might be in a chapbook with another short story - I haven’t checked.

Understood Teresa - so the nomination is for the free online version of the single short story (and if we prefer to purchase the Volume 5 Anthology, that's up to us individually?)

The fact that for May we now have 3 nominations should help overcome the impasse we've had since February.

I figured that the odds of getting a second for a free to read short story were good. I’ve pulled that trick before when we had trouble getting seconds.

I can confirm that Preferred Seating is in Constellation 5, which I own. I will second Preferred Seating.

Thanks Audrey! Since this thread was in sudden death, I will now close it and do the tasks for adding Preferred Seating as our Limited Pick, to last until the end of May.