5 must read space operas

Рет қаралды 173,148

Күн бұрын

Hi everyone. Today, I’m looking at 5 must read space operas - a staple in any science fiction diet. Hope you enjoy.
#spaceopera #scifi #booktube
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vvv MORE vvv
MY SCI-FI NOVELS
linktr.ee/bookodyssey
DELPHINE DESCENDS -
After her family is killed and her homeworld occupied, young Kathreen Martin is sent to the distant world of Furoris for re-education. She will live the rest of her life as a serf - to be bought and sold as a commodity of the Imperial Network.
When her only chance of escape is ruined, a chance mistaken identity offers her a new life as the orphaned daughter of a First-Citizen Senator and heiress to a vast fortune.
She vows to claw her way into power to sit among the worlds’ elite. Then, with her own hands, she will reap bloody vengeance on them all.
But, to beat them she must play their game. She must become worse than them all.
BLACK MILK -
Prometheus has the chance to bring his wife back from the dead, but doing so will mean the destruction of Earth.Spanning time, planets and dimensions, Black Milk draws to a climactic point in a post-apocalyptic future, where humanity, stranded with no planet to call home, fights to survive against a post-human digital entity that pursues them through the depths of space.
Five lives separated by aeons are inextricably linked by Prometheus’s actions:
Ystil.3 is an AI unit sent back in time from the distant future to investigate Prometheus’s discovery...
The mysterious Lydia has devoted her life to finding a planet that the last remaining humans can call home…
Tom Jones (he’s a HUGE fan!) is an AI trapped inside a digital subspace, lost and desperate to find his way back to his beloved in real-time…
Dr Norma Stanwyck is a neuroscientist from 24th Century Earth whose personal choices ripple throughout time...
Prometheus must learn the necessity of death or the entire universe will be swallowed by his grief.
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GOODREADS:
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Пікірлер: 863

@Sci-FiOdyssey 2 жыл бұрын

Hey everyone, I hope you enjoy reading through the books on this list. There are SO many great space operas out there so this list certainly isn't exhaustive. I'll be looking at more space opera must reads soon... of which there are plenty. Thanks for watching.

@richmcgee434 2 жыл бұрын

If you're seriously examining space opera as a subgenre then start with its foundational works. Granted, EE "Doc" Smith's Lensmen and Skylark of Space series are going to feel outdated and awkward to some modern readers. But skipping on them while claiming to be a fan of space opera is like expressing a love of cosmic horror & the Cthulhu Mythos without ever having read Lovecraft, or delving into epic fantasy while studiously avoiding Tolkein. You're missing the roots that (for better or worse) influenced everything that came afterward in those subgenres. Smith's writing is a particularly good example of the kind of sharp ramp-up in the scale of conflict involved from one book to the next, something that's very much a signature of space opera as a whole. Your suggestions in this video are also rather light on the military elements of space opera, the Expanse being the major exception. You could counterbalance that by highlighting works like Weber's Honor Harrington novels, Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan series, Moon's Familias Regnant series, and Campbell's Lost Fleet books. Those are probably more palatable to folks these days than Smith or his contemporaries, but you can still see the influence of the earlier era of pulp space opera stamped on them.

@FutureReverberations 2 жыл бұрын

I came not expecting anything. But got one recommendation for a new book. Tau Zero. Not read any Poul Anderson in many years. :) Edit: you are looking for suggestions? Try the Heechee Saga by Frederick Pohl.

@C_Beaty 2 жыл бұрын

Great list! I've been meaning to re-read Foundation since I read the original trilogy as a teenager. I'll have to check out some of these others too. I would also recommend Peter F. Hamilton's Commonwealth/Void series as a must-read space opera series. Amazing, detailed world-building, great character-building that keeps you invested, and multiple complicated, interwoven plotlines make it fantastic to read.

@garthhaver3513 2 жыл бұрын

While not a "space opera" per se, s.m. Stirling's draka novels are great. Think watching a train wreck but not being able to turn away. Having been into hard core s.f. for over thirty yrs, it's hard to pin down any one book.

@interstelar7396 2 жыл бұрын

David Zindell's "Neverness" is worth checking out. It builds a fascinating world.

@peterbroom5067 2 жыл бұрын

Lensman series by EE 'Doc' Smith, is I think the first sci fi story to describe inertialess flight, as well as hyperspace and a galactic civilisation. Real pageturners and great fun to read, the depictions of huge space battles and tactics are well thought through. Published in the 1930's !

@awesomeink 2 жыл бұрын

I am glade im not the only one to start with classics

@grayscribe1342 2 жыл бұрын

Agreed. While I'd be one of the first to agree that the writing style might be difficult for today's readers, one of, if not the father of space opera should be at least mentioned. Though I wouldn't say the space battles were huge. Even today they have been dwarfed by very few other stories. Weapon systems that make the Death Star look like a toy and fleets so huge, that a specially build command ship can only command flotillas as single ships are too numerous to do so and even the largest battleship is insignificant within a flotilla. By the way, according to the GURPS Lensman RPG Doc got a letter after WWII, telling him that the way he described how he solved the problem of too much information coming in, how that data is being sorted was used in the Command and Control Centers of flagships in the Pacific theatre of WWII. Before that this wasn't necessary.

@machintelligence 2 жыл бұрын

I have heard that E. E. Smith was the master of multi order waves and one dimensional characters. I read his books in my early teens, which was probably for the best.

@lawrencewilson3652 2 жыл бұрын

Doc Smith's Lensmen is the basis of so much of space sci-fi today that it should never be ignored. The story is too good vs evil for many modern readers who need soiled heros, but the scope of the story is a canvas many have drawn from (most notably Babylon 5). He really put science (for the 1940's) into science fiction.

@johnl9677 2 жыл бұрын

In addition to the Lensmen series, don't forget Smith's earlier series "The Skylark Series". It was his big hit before the Lensmen were born.

@steverliu1886 2 жыл бұрын

I’ve really enjoyed John Scalzi‘s Old Man’s War series as well as his The Collapsing Empire Series.

@awesomeink 2 жыл бұрын

yes that is a great series !

@BeCurieUs 2 жыл бұрын

I love The Collapsing Empire!

@florbfnarb7099 2 жыл бұрын

I only read the first in the series and was sorely disappointed; the protagonist is definitely a Mary Sue. Nothing wrong with the writing, really, but I tend to be allergic to Mary Sues.

@BeCurieUs 2 жыл бұрын

@@florbfnarb7099 Have you read The Collapsing Empire? Really recommend it. It is a good space opera. Filled the void of what I needed after I finished what existed of The Expanse :D

@florbfnarb7099 2 жыл бұрын

@@BeCurieUs - Nope.

@plamentd 2 жыл бұрын

i think larry niven's "known space" and especially ringworld series are the very definition of the genre

@ManuelDornbusch 2 жыл бұрын

I would rather say that Lensmen is by definition the very definition of the series :-) but Niven's Known Space stories are of course fantastic

@shayneoneill1506 Жыл бұрын

If I was going to pick a series that I'd consider "The Canonical Space Opera" , it'd still be the Foundation Series. Thats not to say its the *best* (Its good, but Asimov was brilliant for his ideas, not his writing IMHO) just that it really did set the template for so much of what came after.

@roqsteady5290 Жыл бұрын

Niven needs Pournelle to rein in his weird, implausible technology and aliens (Broccoli anyone?). Writing together they have some excellent works of which "The Mote in God's eye" is probably the best.

@alancoe1002 Жыл бұрын

Excellent bridge between the old classics and the new.

@tomricketts7821 Жыл бұрын

Hell yes plus mote in godsceye

@GavP75 2 жыл бұрын

Old man’s war, John Scalzi, would be on my list.

@Setebos 2 жыл бұрын

The Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold, and the Vatta's War series by Elizabeth Moon.

@richmcgee434 2 жыл бұрын

I'd put the Familias Regnant books on the list alongside Vatta's War, although they are a bit less overtly space opera - less over the top action, slower power scaling. And certainly Bujold, can't talk space opera without Miles Vorkosigan, it'd be like not inviting the Kinnison family to the party. :)

@chrisvickers7928 2 жыл бұрын

I was at a con with Bujold a couple of decades ago. I asked how she could write such believable male characters complete with their pissing contests. She said male characters are easy to write because we are so simple. Believable female characters were far harder to write including for her.

@davidunderwood326 3 жыл бұрын

Whenever I hear the term "Space Opera", I automatically think of Iain M Banks and was starting to think he was not featuring lol. I love those novels and have been half-looking for another author to follow!

@rogerpartner1622 3 жыл бұрын

Or Hamilton or REYNOLDS - BAXTER . Etc I like the old boys E E DOC SMITH Galactic lenseman Skylark series etc Frank Herbert

@carlosfandango2419 2 жыл бұрын

Keep looking. That man, until God knows when has/will never be replaced when it come's to this genre. His Universe is so well portrayed and imagined that everything else comes across as a pale shadow. In saying this I have however enjoyed Gene Wolfe - Shadow of the Torturer series, The Sparrow - Mary Doria Russell, The Book of Strange New Things - Michel Faber, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August - Claire North, Alastair Reynolds - House of Suns, Under the Skin - Michel Faber and the obvious Dune series.

@OnlyKaerius 2 жыл бұрын

My top recommendation is the Caine Riordan series by Charles E Gannon. On a more "space adventure in a space opera universe" sort of series look towards Jamie McFarlane's Privateer Tales series (also Junkyard Pirate series). He's great, and prolific.

@prime8nate 2 жыл бұрын

Player of Games is my favorite fiction book. Brilliant.

@g0rd0nfreeman 2 жыл бұрын

@@prime8nate 100% brilliant. When I put that down I thought to myself this could never be turned into a movie which is something that makes it great.

@nickross1003 2 жыл бұрын

i loved pandora's star series but how about a little love for Lois McMaster Bujold. Vorkosigan saga may be the most space opera space opera. Thanks for the video

@Debilitator47 2 жыл бұрын

I spent 12 years as a cabbie, working night shift. When it got quiet after last call, I'd pull out some Vorkosigan and sink in. Never minded the quiet hours, and then finish the shift with early morning airport runs. Plus numerous other sci fi novels, too many to recount. But the vorkosigan saga is by far my comfy place.

@rickbates9232 2 жыл бұрын

Read them all in just 3 months a year ago ... loved LMB's world.

@massivereader 2 жыл бұрын

@@Debilitator47 If you're a Bujold fan, you should definitely try Miller and Lee's Liaden series.

@Debilitator47 2 жыл бұрын

@@massivereader I'll look that up. Thanks for the rec.

@richmcgee434 2 жыл бұрын

@@Debilitator47 You should also take a look at Elizabeth Moon's Familias Regnant series.

@ranterofall 2 жыл бұрын

Book List with timestamps: Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov 0:49 Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds 2:53 Tau Zero by Paul Anderson 4:17 Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey 6:14 Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks 8:04

@wtk6069 Жыл бұрын

For those interested in the pulp origins of space opera, the original father of the space opera sub-genre was Edmond Hamilton in his "Interstellar Patrol" stories in the late 1920s and early 1930s, and they still hold up today. After the Interstellar Patrol, he became the third most prolific writer for Weird Tales Magazine after only Robert E. Howard and H. P. Lovecraft, plus he was the lead writer and creator of Captain Future, a space opera pulp hero who was basically Doc Savage in space. Hamilton was Isaac Asimov's favorite writer growing up, and the influence is obvious in the precise "style-less" prose they both used and with Foundation being full of space opera tropes whose origins go back to Hamilton and Doc Smith, the "second father of space opera" very shortly behind Hamilton. If you ever check out any of the collections of pulp stories that Asimov edited in the seventies and eighties, several of them begin with Edmond Hamilton stories as the very first story. Along with fellow pulp writers like Otto Binder and Manly Wade Wellman, Hamilton escaped the collapse of pulps by moving into comic books, where he wrote Superman and Batman for decades. He also got to apply some of his space opera tropes to remake a series created by Jerry Siegel, The Legion of Super-Heroes. Incidentally, Hamilton's wife was Leigh Brackett, who was nicknamed the "Queen of Space Opera" in the 1930s. Today, she is most remembered for her later screenwriting on movies like "The Big Sleep, "The Empire Strikes Back", and a number of John Wayne westerns.

@classicsciencefictionhorro1665 Жыл бұрын

Love those.

@jonnyosteo5984 10 ай бұрын

Smart n interesting post. Cheers 🫡

@robjones2408 2 жыл бұрын

Peter F. Hamilton's "Night Dawn" trilogy remains unbeatable. Joshua Calvert and Quinn Dexter are the ultimate of Good versus Evil. Each book is 1500 pages long, but they are magnificent examples of superb writing and plotting. I read all three books in six weeks. 10/10. Get your loved ones to buy the books for your birthday or Xmas.

@NomadShadow1 2 жыл бұрын

My favorite Space Opera is David Weber's Honor Harrington series, the second book in the series "For The Honor Of The Queen" is fantastic and what got me hooked

@hankyler4129 2 жыл бұрын

The Safehold series is good as well.

@matt_SurfaceOfTheSunPhx 2 жыл бұрын

@@hankyler4129 Could not agree more...picked up the series on Audible also. Was really well narrated and fun to listen to on long drives to and from work.

@mikepope9503 2 жыл бұрын

Lots of great sci-fi suggestions, but not all sci-fi is space opera. One of my favourite space operas (along with the Honor Harrington series that others have mentioned) is the Vorkosigan Saga series by Lois McMaster Bujold. Really, really well-written and entertaining.

@stratocruising 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely loved the Vorkosigan series. One measure of a series' worth is how often it resonates with contemporary life. I find that frequently, I use language from the books to explain an idea. Another is whether the characters are people I'd like to know.

@TuffTitties4U 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely agree. I could never have enough "Miles".

@davestr7031 2 жыл бұрын

Anne Leckie’s Ancillary series! best space opera of the past few years.

@seanhoare7639 2 жыл бұрын

Whilst I loved reading all mentioned on here for comedic entertainment in Sci Fi you cannot beat Harry Harrisons Stainless Steel Rat stories..

@lord6617 2 жыл бұрын

Or Deathworld. Deathworld Trilogy was one of the first science fiction books I ever read.

@wades2132 2 жыл бұрын

Hahaha! Slippery Jim! What a great series.

@TheTozmoGaming 3 жыл бұрын

Commonwealth Saga by Peter F Hamilton is my favourite space opera (all 7 of them). I also loved the revelation space trilogy, and I'm on the last book of the Expanse right now and loving that too.

@angryginger791 3 жыл бұрын

I was going to say the same thing about Hamilton. I also read his newest "Salvation" trilogy, which was fantastic.

@mikeyfoofoo 2 жыл бұрын

Same with the Peter F Hamilton books! They are delicious. I did several of the Expanse and they are excellent, but I forgot where I was between waiting on the next book to come out.

@gregorhi2 2 жыл бұрын

@@angryginger791 The books were too short though, the whole series was more like one of his books in the past.

@Shattered-Realm Жыл бұрын

It Peter F Hamiltons books really worth reading? the entire universe is based on a such an unbelieveable concept that you just sit there having to suspend all disbelief. (All there myriad worlds connected by wormholes which are traversed though.......steam engines - that's right trains.)

@stevenscott2136 8 ай бұрын

@@Shattered-Realm Why is that harder to accept than hyperdrive? A train is a very efficient means of moving people and goods. If it's the "steam" part that bothers you, just say "electric" in your head -- it's not like railroad logistics are a major part of the story.

@donsample1002 2 жыл бұрын

The Honor Harrington books by David Weber. The series starts out as Horatio Hornblower IN SPACE, but quickly adds all sorts of political intrigue and other shenanigans.

@BadgerRobot 2 жыл бұрын

One of my absolute favorites of all time.

@futurepiercer 2 жыл бұрын

Hornblower in space.... A marriage I never knew I needed in my life. Came for the video but a comment sold me.

@walker1812 2 жыл бұрын

@@futurepiercer They really are good, especially the first half dozen or so. The world does get a little big and unwieldy at times after that. David Weber has more than one space opera series as well under his belt. Mutineer's Moon is another fun one.

@this.is.a.username 2 жыл бұрын

Came to mention Honor. Loved the way he "ended" it, but still waiting for the next one... Mike, Anton, and Victor still have plenty of mopping up to do while Honor enjoys her retirement.

@richmcgee434 2 жыл бұрын

If you're fond of the "Hornblower In Space" elements of it, do not miss out on David Drake's RCN series, or Lt, Leary, or whatever you want to call them. They dial it up to eleven, with FTL tech that literally requires setting "sails" manually. Very fun reads if you enjoy military scifi and political intrigue with a strong dash of historical flavor.

@MalcolmBrenner 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you mentioned Poul Anderson’s “Tau Zero.” When I interviewed him in Seattle in 1980, I met a gentleman of the old school, kindly, humorous but not rude, thoughtful and intelligent. He said his degree in physics wasn’t intended to make him a better SF writer, but it did. Concepts of time dilation led him to the idea that each chapter would cover 10X the time of the previous one!

@massivereader 2 жыл бұрын

Always liked Anderson. His Dominic Flandry stories were James Bond before there was a Bond and his Polesiotechnic League was right up there with Heinlein's Universe.

@dreadogastusf3548 2 жыл бұрын

Agreed. I feel Anderson is seriously overlooked in many lists and conversations. His characters were well written especially for the time he started writing.

@temmy9 3 жыл бұрын

I recommend David Brin's Upliftverse

@Starbuck8008 3 жыл бұрын

Revelation Space and The Culture are so good.

@s0litaire2k 2 жыл бұрын

Surprised there wasn't a mention of Stephen R Donaldson's "Gap" series. This was "Game of Thrones" in space before "Games of Thrones" was even written! Filled with a cast of characters you love to hate and hate to love.

@thedamnedatheist Жыл бұрын

Donaldson is a brilliant writer, the best character development I've ever read, but damn his stories are dark.

@DavidWiles 2 жыл бұрын

I always considered "Bill the Galactic Hero" by Harry Harrison (1965) to be the stuff that space operas are made of.

@richmcgee434 2 жыл бұрын

If you want an even more on-the-nose and generally hilarious send-up of space opera tropes, may I suggest the grossly underappreciated Star Smashers of the Galaxy Rangers novel by Harry Harrison? Arguably his best work, Deathworld and Stainless Steel Rat notwithstanding.

@paulgilligan1535 2 жыл бұрын

Read all of them. Good picks! Lots of good choices in the comments as well. I'm surprised that no one mentioned 'The Mote in Gods Eye' when talking space opera. Fantastic read!! Thumbs up for 'A Fire upon the Deep' as well.

@mpetersen6 2 жыл бұрын

Or Ringworld

@massivereader 2 жыл бұрын

Well, while this guy in the video is pretty much conflating "galactic empire"' with "space opera" that's not really the common usage. While there are quite a few space operas set in empires, most of the silver age writers like Niven, Anderson, Dickson, and such were not really considered space opera but more 'hard" or even the 'new wave' of science fiction'.

@geoffmoon2903 2 жыл бұрын

I also enjoyed "A Fire upon the Deep'. I would love to see more novels from Vinge set in that universe to flesh it out. I have read "Children of the Sky' and 'A Deepness in the Sky' too. But more is needed.

@UnwashedPearl 2 жыл бұрын

What always comes to mind first for me is the German pulp series, Perry Rhodan, that has been published weekly since 1961 (!). The first 126 of them were published in English by Ace Books from 1969-1978 under the direction of Forrest J Ackerman. They would be classified as novellas today since they were around 125 pages.

@richmcgee434 2 жыл бұрын

That is absolutely and unequivocally the longest-running space opera in existence, no denying it. OTOH, it struggles for recognition in English-speaking circles because of the age of the last translation run, and even if that were to change getting into it as a new reader at this point would be a daunting task. You hear manga fans say One piece is hard to start up with due to its length, but Perry Rhodan makes the series look a grade school writing assignment by comparison. Still, worthy of mention, and very important to the sub-genre historically. Shame about that damn movie, though. :)

@gregorhi2 2 жыл бұрын

@@richmcgee434 It's not just hard for new readers to get in to. There have been so many announcements of movie and tv productions for at least 20 years (let's never talk about "That Movie" though) and yet nothing apart from a few CGI trailers has ever progressed. The best time for new readers is probably at the start of a new cycle (often every 100 issues or so) or reading the Silberband issues (compressed cycles into a few books). And of course having to learn German :-)

@calypsodream8059 2 жыл бұрын

OMG. I didn't think anyone knew of the Perry Rhodan series here in the US. I guess this will show my age, but I did own couple of dozen of the books in French in the 70s while abroad, and they were outrageously fun to read. My whole family got into it. I agree...Something did get lost in the translation because I never got the same out of the English version.

@Wateringman 2 жыл бұрын

@@calypsodream8059 That may eventually change, when computers get advanced enough, and translate German into English, or whatever language one wishes, with a high degree of accuracy, and appropriate syntax. It's coming!

@ronaldstrous2764 2 жыл бұрын

I have the first 900 episodes in dutch, after which i stoppen collecting them. As far as i know they are beyond episode 2100.

@jasonwilliams3064 2 жыл бұрын

5. Ilium/Olympos by Simmons. Everything except the ending. 4. Fire Upon the Deep 3. Commonwealth Saga (Hamilton is amazing) 2. Hyperion 1. Saving #1 for when Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere gets to the space opera era !

@awesomeink 2 жыл бұрын

Hyperion ,the Commonwealth Saga(and a few others he wrote) and fire on the deep were really good .. i am also waiting to see what sanderson does with Cosmere

@asdf51501 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent choices!

@OnlyKaerius 2 жыл бұрын

Caine Riordan series by Charles E Gannon. You can thank me later.

@mikeyfoofoo 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, Hyperion has a Lovecraft element to it that's cool if you are in to that kinda thing. Sanderson is amazing and fast. Loved Mystborn and the later books set in the wild west although I guess it's fantasy. I had to hold up on the Stormlight stuff until it's done. The first could were excellent.

@dreadogastusf3548 2 жыл бұрын

After decades of losing interest in S-F I got A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge. Damn what a story! This is space-opera brought into the info-age and then given a course in Practical Theology.

@peakrider4886 3 жыл бұрын

Currently reading through The Expanse series. I think the TV series is great and it has prompted me to get the books and delve deeper into the storytelling that you don’t get in adaptations. Other space operas I have really enjoyed is the Nights Dawn trilogy by Peter Hamilton, which I would love to see come to life on screen, and Stephen Baxter’s Xeelee time series of books.

@UteChewb 2 жыл бұрын

Yes to Baxter, though I always feel like I need an anti-depressant after reading him. But love his grand scale thinking.

@donaldc3884 2 жыл бұрын

I really enjoyed the Hyperion series.

@reluctantsocialist2670 2 жыл бұрын

Agreed, but it’s a more literary sci-fi than any space opera, the first book is a riff on the Canterbury tales, the whole thing with poets (trying not to spoil it lol) etc, I’d put it with PKD or Le Guin

@bikingdervish 2 жыл бұрын

The Hyperion cantos is what’s up

@modernwarriorsystems7347 Жыл бұрын

Just finished the four book Cantos. Loved it.

@lobstrosity7163 Жыл бұрын

Fantastic series. I really Shrike it.

@nettewilson5926 Жыл бұрын

Just read the first book

@SteveWhipp 2 жыл бұрын

A master of Space Opera is Peter F. Hamilton. Really reminds me of Iain M. Banks. I can definitely recommend the Commonwealth Saga and the Void Trilogy (The latter is set 1,000 years after the former, in the same universe) possibly the finest exemplar of the subgenre.

@RobertoMaurizzi 2 жыл бұрын

I though he got a lot of ideas from Banks... then reading Banks in order I found that his novel about post-life is from ~2010 while Edenism is from mid-90s... I'd add "Great North Road" to the recommendations :D

@bowantoia8536 2 жыл бұрын

Agree with everything you said dude.👍

@mikeyfoofoo 2 жыл бұрын

Common Wealth and Void Trilogy are awesome. I circled back to the Common Wealth books again recently. So good.

@animeanibe Жыл бұрын

Agreed, Peter Hamilton is fantastic.

@ttrestle 3 жыл бұрын

The greatest space opera ever written is by Peter F Hamilton. In order- Pandora’s Star Judas Unchained The Void Trilogy (3 books)

@rogerpartner1622 3 жыл бұрын

Agreed But for its time EE DOC SMITH galactic lensman and SKYLARK of space series considered they were written 80 yrs ago are stunning And of course Frank HERBERT The master

@deanwalker5367 2 жыл бұрын

I was about to write on here exactly what you did. That and the "Night's Dawn" trilogy are quite clearly the best in my opinion. PFH is the GRR Martin of Sci Fi.

@sriranjit3684 2 жыл бұрын

@@deanwalker5367 💯 Agreed ... tho my personal favorite is Commonwealth Saga Duology which was fast paced than Night's Dawn Trilogy

@fatalshore5068 2 жыл бұрын

No love for The Reality Dysfunction?

@anderskronquist9750 2 жыл бұрын

I love Hamilton's books, I just hate that he can't write a good end to a story. It's why I recommend his series over his stand-alone books, because the end is a much smaller part of them. Also, Night's Dawn trilogy is a good read, too - I bought the first one (The Reality Dysfunction) out of sheer $ per page, and wasn't disappointed.

@1Fracino 2 жыл бұрын

Nights Dawn trilogy by Peter F Hamilton. The Forge of God and The Anvil of Stars by Greg Bear. A very scary idea taken right to the edge. All of Stephen Baxter's Books, or any of them that you can get your hands on, SPACE is the main one you want to find, truly epic in scope. Downbelow Station and the rest of the books in this series by C. J. Cherryh. Last but not least, The Dragonflight series by Anne McCaffery.

@derrickstableford8152 2 жыл бұрын

I have a signed copy of Nights Dawn. All of the books in this series have a Leicestershire town or locations as cameos in the books.

@transient_ 2 жыл бұрын

Can the dragonflight series truly be considered Space Opera? They all take place on Pern, right?

@deevnn 2 жыл бұрын

Greg Bear is a fantastic writer...

@1Fracino 2 жыл бұрын

@@derrickstableford8152 Thanks very nice, you're lucky. I never made the Leicestershire connection when I read them :/

@1Fracino 2 жыл бұрын

@@transient_ I suppose you're right, I should not have included it. I really liked them a lot as it's different & think the younger gen would get a kick out of reading the original books.

@michaelgiotis9373 2 жыл бұрын

"Hyperion" bro. Totally unique, fully epic. Also, no Dune?

@LinuxGalore 2 жыл бұрын

the culture books would make for a really good SF tv series.

@david22262 3 жыл бұрын

I have read the Foundation series twice now as it’s one of the best sci-fi series ever. I will have to read these other suggestions too. Thank you.

@paultheroman6637 2 жыл бұрын

James Blish's "Cities in Flight" is space opera at its finest. Larry Niven's novels featuring Louis Wu would also be a good contender. Frederick Pohl wrote the Heechee saga using the gateway concept. Still, when it comes to sweeping space opera, grand concepts, and intriguing ideas, Frank Herbert's "Dune" and its many sequels wins hands down.

@classicsciencefictionhorro1665 Жыл бұрын

Fantastic books. Love Blish's Cities in Flight. Really well-written.

@sriranjit3684 2 жыл бұрын

1. Foundation series by Assimov 2. Revelation Space 3. Tau Zero 4. Leviathan wakes 5. Consider Phlebas

@korichamberlain 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you.

@insaciableshakuras190 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the list. IMO, it should be present (with links even) in the description of the video.

@bowantoia8536 2 жыл бұрын

The Reality Dysfunction. Could be classed as Science Fantasy but another great read.

@23catzilla 2 жыл бұрын

Minor correction: EE Smith's Lensman series had a Galaxy spanning empire long before Foundation

@khankrum1 2 жыл бұрын

Foundation has a lot of presince with the long fall of the Rome and Byzantium. As well as other empire's rise and fall. As for the Second Foundation based upon logic and mathematics, I would look at the " Arisians : for presidence. Not tjat Fundation is not a classic, but it pales by comparison to Dune for literary excellence. More of a synopsis than novel. Now if you want Asimov at his very best, in my opinion, read " Fall of Moon Dust" . You will not be disappointed.

@colinmaynard2879 2 жыл бұрын

I love in Lensman that it is all analog. Even building a ship large enough to contain a vernier scale to perform galactic triangulation!

@richmcgee434 2 жыл бұрын

@@colinmaynard2879 Vacuum tubes and slide rules for the win! :) He may not have been great about tech predictions, but the US navy took inspiration from Lensmen (specifically the Z9M9Z fleet command ship in it) when they were trying to come up with command/control/communications techniques during WW2. The roots of the modern Combat Information Centers on USN ships ultimately come from a space opera protagonist's need to manage a fleet of millions of starships for a multi-galaxy war. Kind of makes up for not foreseeing the transistor, eh?

@matt_SurfaceOfTheSunPhx 2 жыл бұрын

@@richmcgee434 that is an amazing factoid. thanks for sharing, I hadn't heard that but it makes tremendous sense in retrospect.

@davidbonner4556 2 жыл бұрын

Correction. TWO galaxy spanning empires... The Arisians and the Eddorians.

@TheEricthefruitbat 2 жыл бұрын

Nathan Lowell's Golden Age of the Solar Clipper books are a bunch of good reads in the genre.

@thorr18BEM 2 жыл бұрын

The Foundation trilogy began as short stories which were published starting in 1942, not 1950. They were compiled into the 3 books in 1951. It used to be common. Dune, eg, was first published in smaller pieces within magazines.

@wades2132 2 жыл бұрын

Yea especially since the sci-fi greats of the 40s 50s and 60s really grew up reading pulp fiction magazines so wrote their initial stories in the same manner.

@KarloVukosic 3 жыл бұрын

Great picks, and love your editing its special and different to other booktubers which i love!

@Sci-FiOdyssey 3 жыл бұрын

Wuk_xD thanks so much 😃

@vanlepthien6768 2 жыл бұрын

Never thought of Foundation as Space Opera. I'm surprised you overlooked C. J. Cherryh's Alliance-Union books - including extensions like the Chanur series. Excellent treatment of complex humans and aliens and their interactions.

@richmcgee434 2 жыл бұрын

I can see elements of space opera in Foundation but it's not a perfect fit by any means. Then again, of all Cherryh's work the Chanur books are the ones I'd say are closest to space opera, but again none are a perfect fit - they're mostly missing that element of rapidly-increasing scale that define the subgenre to me, unlike (say) Lensmen or Honor Harrington. Almost like many books don't fit into neatly pigeonholed subgenres, no matter how much corporate booksellers want them to. :)

@wtk6069 Жыл бұрын

@@richmcgee434 Foundation is like Dune in that it's not strictly a space opera, but it has a ton of space opera tropes like interstellar travel, galactic empires, etc.

@darkcommission 2 жыл бұрын

Wow! For once I have every book/series in this list. The Nights Dawn and Commonwealth series by Peter F. Hamilton. Anything by Iain M. Banks. But my own absolute favourites are the Humanx Commonwealth books of Alan Dean Foster and especially the Flinx Novels. Sku September being one of my favourite characters. After collecting just over 800 books over the last 40 years (mainly from car boots, charity shops, market stalls etc.) there are just so many to choose from and we all have our favourites. Happy (and thoughtful) reading everyone 😎 Edit: EVERYTHING by Neal Asher!!!

@carl6149 3 жыл бұрын

I guess I am getting too old. The only series I read from these is Poul Anderson’s Tau Zero and Isaac Asimov’s Foundation Series. Anything by Asimov is good reading. The R. Daneel Olivaw Series, The Caves of Steel, The Naked Sun, The Robots of Dawn and Robots and Empire are also excellent books. If I remember correctly, they tie into the Foundation universe. And being old, when I think of space opera, I automatically think of E. E. Doc Smith’s Lensman Series.

@TheMaxWyvern 3 жыл бұрын

You're right about Asimov's Robot novels tying into Foundation, especially with the later works in both series. A lot of people find it a crude fit and there are definitely logical flaws, though I think this is largely due to Asimov's compositional style in which he didn't start with an outline. He was making up connections on the fly. Sometimes it works, sometimes not, but in general it lends itself to delightful possibilities.

@SusannaSaunders 2 жыл бұрын

How the Lensmen series didn't make this top five list is just mind boggling to me! It's the definitive Space Opera Story! An Absolutely Awesome Read!

@waynecampeau4566 2 жыл бұрын

I agree. To me the touchstone of space opera is the E.E. Doc Smith Lensman series (also The Skylark of Space and Spacehounds of I.P.C.).

@thomascollins4325 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely agree that the Lensman series is the foundational space opera series!!! 👍

@emilywhitfield2780 2 жыл бұрын

I love classic science fiction!! Asimov, Anderson, Doc Smith and Hal Clement are my favorite authors!! James White and Alan Dean Foster are my favorite modern authors!!! Old school sci fi is the best!!!

@colinsearle1015 2 жыл бұрын

The "Gap into" trilogy is a good read I keep going back to

@BertGrink 2 жыл бұрын

Trilogy? FYI There are actually FIVE books in this series.

@colinsearle1015 2 жыл бұрын

@@BertGrink correct my bad

@BlackDiluvian 2 жыл бұрын

One crazy rollercoaster ride! I still remember most of the story, not to mention the awesome names of some of the characters: Morn Hyland, Min Donner, Warden Dios and Angus Thermopylae of course.. pretty good for a book i read 25 to 30 years ago. :)

@BertGrink 2 жыл бұрын

@@BlackDiluvian Pretty good? I think it´s amazing that you can remember those names after so much time. And yes, the names are very well thought out; I find the name Hashi Lebwohl (the DA Director) particularly amusing. In fact, I think that the entire oeuvre is very well written, with lots of subtle twists. :D

@dennisboulais7905 2 жыл бұрын

The best long running "space opera" is David Webers "Honor Harrington" series. He has enormous character and political develpoments with great space battles. I agree with Peter Broom that E.E.Smiths "The Lensman" series is the classic and one I read as a teenager.

@jasondrane8749 2 жыл бұрын

Let me say I adore Weber's Honor Harrington series. However the more recent books have lost a lot of punch. To much and to many angles of view.

@richmcgee434 2 жыл бұрын

@@jasondrane8749 The series drops off steadily as Weber's editors have shown less and less willingness (or ability) to reign him in. Too many massive exposition dumps and political theorizing masquerading poorly as natural dialog these days, and none of the excellent pacing we saw in On Basilisk Station and the earlier sequels. What was an incredibly strong series has become a victim of its own success, or possibly just rampant incompetence in traditional publishing as a whole. I will give it this, it's arguably the best modern interpretation of the way Smith's Lensmen and Skylark books ramped up both the scale and stakes at a crazy pace, going from humble beginnings to galaxy-shaking events inside a single lifetime.

@MM22966 2 жыл бұрын

@@jasondrane8749 Yeah, you could also tell he wanted to wrap it up. The whole Solarian thing just ended with a whimper rather the massive space battles we have come to expect.

@thtiger1 2 жыл бұрын

@@jasondrane8749 I think he got bored with that universe, but was contractually obligated to do so many more books. Only my speculation. But I have seen more than a few favorite series go totally into the garbage dump due to that. With the last few books looking like the author just tossed them together with no real plot or staying true to the character development for the first few books.

@ronnycook3569 2 жыл бұрын

@@jasondrane8749 They're good until roughly Honor Among Enemies, then start going downhill. Pretty much as soon as command grows beyond task force size. His Safehold books have much the same problem, but it starts much earlier in the series. The tactical battles are lost in a political morass. It's not his strong point. I did finish the HH series, but it says something that I haven't taken the time to finish the side novels published after the main series finished.

@rrsjr 2 жыл бұрын

Neal Asher's Polity books, Dan Simmons' Hyperion/Endymion books and Peter F. Hamilton's Commonwealth, Confederation and Salvation books.

@RobertoMaurizzi 2 жыл бұрын

Confederation as in "Night's dawn trilogy"?

@richmcgee434 2 жыл бұрын

The Polity is a fascinating setting. Reminds me more than a bit Banks' in many ways, but I enjoy Asher's writing style more.

@Ceyx1265 2 жыл бұрын

Robert A Heinkein's : Lazarus Long books are my favourite space opera.

@paultheroman6637 2 жыл бұрын

Ideally, if R.A.H.'s Lazarus Long's stories could be stitched together to create the ultimate multi-episodic series, I could imagine the late John Wayne as Lazarus. Possibly Jeff Bridges as the titular character.

@davidbonner4556 2 жыл бұрын

Many of the Lazarus Long stories are gathered together in Time Enough for Love, and even these are just a subset of Heinlein's "Future History". Many of the latter books include an inset showing the timeline of the Future History and where each story fits into it.

@m.4983 3 жыл бұрын

I just want to say that a lot of people on youtube discussing books are incredibly annoying. You however, are calmly spoken, informative and without ego. Thanks for your videos, I'll be looking for more.

@RobertoMaurizzi 2 жыл бұрын

"Consider Phlebas" is written like a D&D adventure. Then you begin "Use of Weapons" and it's almost impossible to understand it without some preparatory studying...

@norm4x 2 жыл бұрын

I wish I could go back and read Peter F Hamilton all over again for the first time.

@d3mist0clesgee12 Жыл бұрын

New subscriber, really like your review and your book list, read two but didn't know about the others. Thanks to this video I"m actually want to read the last two when I have time, thanks again and keep them coming.

@Thekraziesars 3 жыл бұрын

I love your reviews and your channel. Thanks for the amazing content!

@Sci-FiOdyssey 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I appreciate that.

@stephanhirons3454 2 жыл бұрын

Wow you put Tau Zero in there I must have read this book over 40 years ago and loved it.Thank you

@Ascarion47 3 жыл бұрын

Space Opera list without Bujold's Vorkosigan? Huh.

@lisawillis8227 3 жыл бұрын

Exactly, Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series is outstanding.

@cameragod1 2 жыл бұрын

Was thinking the same thing. A lot of these "TOP 5" lists video just make me think the host needs to read a bit more.

@liammurphy2725 2 жыл бұрын

@@cameragod1We all need to read more. But sadly we are limited by life and it's expectations and realities. After six decades of a lot of reading I have learned that a top 5 list of anything at all will generate a comments section exactly the same as this one.

@massivereader 2 жыл бұрын

@@cameragod1 Or delve a bit into the history of the genre. Anyone who considerers "Foundation' to be space opera really doesn't understand what he's talking about.

@richmcgee434 2 жыл бұрын

@@massivereader Skipping on Doc Smith isn't great either - but this did seem to be a reading recommendations vid rather than an historical review, and I'll concede that his style won't suit many modern readers. That doesn't excuse categorizing Foundation as space opera or leaving Bujold off the list, though.

@acousticrocker7990 2 жыл бұрын

I have read three of the books on this list already and one is my favourite sci-fi novel ever. I will definitely been checking out the other two you suggest. Thank you so much!

@tmutant 2 жыл бұрын

I love Space Opera. It usually seems more fundamentally hopeful about the future. Very good video. I love the Foundation and Expanse books. I'm starting to get into the Culture books, and I'll have to check out the others you discussed.

@richdiddens4059 Жыл бұрын

Add to the list both Doc Smith series, Skylark and Lensman which led to the coinage of the term Space Opera. Piers Anthony's Space Tyrant books. For humorous space opera, Bond's The Remarkable Exploits of Lancelot Biggs, Spaceman. For younger readers Heinlein, A. E. Nourse, and Andre Norton had a bunch. Of course David Weber has at least 3 or 4 series that are space opera.

@khomo12 Жыл бұрын

Sounds great! Adding a few of these to my tbr📚

@slipoch6635 2 жыл бұрын

EE 'doc' smith, Harry Harrison (particularly Stainless Steel Rat). But otherwise I like all your choices.

@gregmchurch 2 жыл бұрын

Slippery Jim is an "interesting" character, a nice blend of egomania and humour.

@slipoch6635 2 жыл бұрын

@@gregmchurch Yeah always loved the series, he gets a bit misogynistic sometimes but overall a great series. I even liked the last one where he realises he's too old for it all anymore.

@gregmchurch 2 жыл бұрын

@@slipoch6635 I fell in love with the series as a teenager. Then I discovered Make Room Make Room.

@slipoch6635 2 жыл бұрын

@@gregmchurch yeah otherwise known as solyent green. I like the deathworld series too.

@gregmchurch 2 жыл бұрын

@@slipoch6635 Have you tried H.Beam Piper?

@Naafun Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the recommendation! Great to see Banks in there. Big fan.

@bencowles2105 2 жыл бұрын

I have read all of these and quite a few more. then again I am a sci-fi writers so it was kind of expected. lol hopefully one day soon my books will be available. great video glad I found your channel.

@kaigogolin515 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for your awesome Science fiction recommendations and reviews. I have read Foundation and loved Revelation Space. Just reading Alastair Reynolds Chasm City. Looking forward to dive into the world of Iain Banks soon.

@morganjones1566 3 жыл бұрын

I absolutely LOVE Chasm City!

@mdbrewer07 2 жыл бұрын

Chasm City is awesome. I also highly recommend Terminal World (my favorite Reynolds book), House of Suns, and The Prefect. I'm 99 percent sure that all these books take place in the same universe as Revelation Space. The galaxy is huge, so there is a lot of space to tell stories in.

@taknothing4896 2 жыл бұрын

You should read all of Banks' Culture books in the order they were written. They do vary, but taken as a whole they're great.

@RobertoMaurizzi 2 жыл бұрын

I'm interested in your (and other people's) opinion about the big revelation at the end of Bank's "Use of Weapons"...

@paulabrowning9798 2 жыл бұрын

@@RobertoMaurizzi I never got on with Feersum Enjinn but the rest of Banks books are great. Use Of Weapons might just be my favorite. He also wrote some great regular fiction under Iain Banks (as opposed to Iain M. Banks).

@psibug565 2 жыл бұрын

The Honor Harrington novels by David Weber have been one of my favourite space operas but I should read these classics some time.

@jamesdunn9609 2 жыл бұрын

In the category of space opera comedy, the Retief series by Keith Laumer. Hilarious stuff!

@matt_SurfaceOfTheSunPhx 2 жыл бұрын

Truth! Part James Bond...with a touch of Inpector Clouseau always landing on his feet

@roberthuron9160 11 ай бұрын

And Retief has a run in with thinking office machines! AI before AI! Laumer was an Air Attache and a lot of the plots,were taken from his experience! State Department shenanigans- Meddle and Muddle! Plus they do things like that for real! Thank you 😇 😊!

@andreasxanthros5853 3 жыл бұрын

Great vid Darrel. Ha! I just started re-reading Revelation Space two days ago. And Tau Zero - man, I've read it twice but eons ago. I love Poul Anderson's work, good choice for sure.

@Sci-FiOdyssey 3 жыл бұрын

Andreas Xanthros Yes Tau Zero blew me away. Never read any Poul Anderson before but I sure will again. Will do a review soon. Let me know how you get on with RS. Hope you enjoy as much as I did.

@TheMaxWyvern 3 жыл бұрын

Haven't read Tau Zero, but the plot description reminded me of a book by AE van Vogt called Rogue Ship. Same idea - arc ship bound for distant stars at sub-luminal speed. Things go wrong, time and space dilation effects, generational changes. Great concept and well-executed. Stuck with me.

@markpriest589 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I'll give them all a try. I also enjoyed the Honor Harrington books by Weber and the everything by Lois McMaster Bujold.

@UteChewb 2 жыл бұрын

As an old (in both senses) fan of Poul Anderson it was great to see Tau Zero mentioned. Absolutely blew my mind when I first read it. The scale of it was staggering. Only exceeded when I read Stapledon. I haven't read Revelation Space but it sounds like I really should add it to the list. Love the rest of your selection also, there are others I could add, but I guess we all feel like that. :)

@grahamtravers4522 2 жыл бұрын

Enlightening and very well presented. Thank you.

@gimmeboobes 2 жыл бұрын

Good list. I'd add Dune, Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy from the Star Wars EU, Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn trilogy, and 2001 A Space Odyssey.

@Alorand 2 жыл бұрын

I still wish I could get a couple more novels set in the Culture universe. Heck I would settle for well written fan-fics at this point.

@Tkuun 3 жыл бұрын

Another great video! Will check some books you mentioned

@Sci-FiOdyssey 3 жыл бұрын

Tkuun awesome let me know how you get on!

@markosullivan6444 2 жыл бұрын

I've read nearly all of these and agree with most of your comments. I was really pleased to see a copy of 'Darker than you think' on the bookshelf behind you. A book I really enjoyed.

@johndillon8051 2 жыл бұрын

Should include Brin's Uplift series.

@swirlcrop 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the list.

@everrit Жыл бұрын

Great list thank you.

@michaelmills5972 2 жыл бұрын

Ever see the "Gateway" series, by Frederick Pohl? Or "Dragonriders of Pern", by Anne & Tod McCaffrey?

@richardwhitehead7458 2 жыл бұрын

They're both very enjoyable, but I don't think they qualify as space opera.

@RustyDust101 2 жыл бұрын

"The Find" by Cliff Aleister (sorry, parts 2 and 3 still available only in German), the complete Honorverse setting by David Weber (including spin-offs and prequels), "We are Legion. We are Bob" by Dennis E. Taylor, are just my contributions to the must read-list. Many others have been listed below.

@michaelmills5972 2 жыл бұрын

The later Foundation books even tied to R. Daneel Olivaw series in, as well.

@allanmiller8203 3 жыл бұрын

These choices are great, but let me share my favorite juvenile space opera - Ben Bova's "Star Conquerors". The description of how "the Masters" had almost wiped out humanity in the solar system during the first human star empire fired my very young imagination and turned me into a lifelong science fiction reader. That book was part of the Winston Science Fiction Series, which had Alex Schomburg's endpaper art - an amazing and beautiful depiction of space opera.

@richmcgee434 2 жыл бұрын

Oh yeah, I'd nearly forgotten that one. Definitely juvenile, but that just makes it a nice light read. Probably only space opera-adjacent in the literary sense, but Jameson's Bullard of the Space Patrol short stories are similarly solid juvenile fiction and certainly evoke a nice retro style.

@phillipradcliffe8037 2 жыл бұрын

The term Space Opera was coined by the writer Wilson Tucker, who is / was my grandmother’s cousin.

@garyjust.johnson1436 9 ай бұрын

Good selection to choose from!

@jasnacar9186 3 жыл бұрын

Nova, by Samuel Delaney, Hyperion books by Dan Simmons, Stars my Destination by Alfred Bester, Neverness and Requiem for Homo Sapiens trilogy by David Zindell A Deepness in the Sky, by Vernor Vinge, anything from Jack Vance.....

@liammurphy2725 2 жыл бұрын

As long as anything from Jack Vance includes Lyonesse. My favourite Vance and a must, absolutely must read. Nice to see S.R.Delaney included. My guess is you have read widely and well in your time. Yours is the most interesting selection thus far. Thank you.

@jasnacar9186 2 жыл бұрын

@@liammurphy2725 Thank YOU for your kind words....well... Lyonesse is fantastic ( ..I haven't read third part , Madouc or Green Pearl?) , But it's not space opera....My favorite Vance is Tchai - Planet of Adventure...

@asdf51501 2 жыл бұрын

The Stars My Destination is excellent. It's even proto-cyberpunk in a way in that characters have cybernetic body modifications that improve reflexes and so forth, and I believe it was written in the early 1950s. Fun fact: Walter Koenig played a character in Babylon 5 named Alfred Bester.

@defaultuser1447 2 жыл бұрын

Two series I really enjoy are the Ancillary books by Ann Leckie and The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells. Very different, but have some similarities in the viewpoint character/narrator. In Ancillary Justice, we are introduced to Breq, sole remaining "corpse soldier" of the troop carrier Justice of Toren, who retains the memories of the ship's AI that controlled the body (personality-wiped enemy or criminal). She is on a mission to avenge the destruction of the ship. Murderbot is security bot, a constructed entity of machine and vat-grown human material. It hacked its own controller, becoming a "rogue" although at first all it does with that is download and view video content.

@BeTheGuitar 2 жыл бұрын

Agreed! Murderbot is wonderful. As someone who is still stuck in the past (lol) with CJ Cherryh Union/Alliance universe, it was great to have a friend recommend something new that stuck for me. Really liked Ancillary Justice as well, but it is a slower burn in the beginning (much like Cherryh). Oh yeah, and there’s always the early Vorkosigan novels. I liked the beginnings of that one as well.

@joshsalwen 3 жыл бұрын

You have a great deliver. Keep up the good work.

@rikwarren3999 Жыл бұрын

great recommendations. Haven't read Tau Zero but will look for it. The Culture rules!

@DamoBloggs 2 жыл бұрын

An excellent list - have read them all, and totally agree 👍

@willfagence3144 2 жыл бұрын

I really enjoyed Banks Culture books, my favourite was Excession, but i also liked the book of short stories "State of the Art". I've never read anything by Reynolds, although i keep running into good reviews of his work, and yours has piqued my interest. I read Tau Zero many years ago and enjoyed it very much, i still have it in storage (along with almost all my books, due to extensive renovation!!). I have seen the Expanse and really loved it, i haven't read the books, but I'm putting them on my list. Which is pretty long.

@timwill9688 2 жыл бұрын

I wish there was some book on this list that I haven’t read 😢 please do more!!!

@mattheweppley 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the list! I've added Consider Phlebas and The Culture series to my list. I've also read, and really enjoyed, the Star of the Guardians series by Margaret Weis. It may not be as popular, but I thought the scale of the universe was fairly epic.

@vultureTX001 2 жыл бұрын

Having bought over SFF 4000 books for my library, I kept Peter F Hamilton for his Space Operas when I had to downsize to 2 shelves. full disclosure I also kept Glen Cook's The Black Company series as the fantasy equivalent.

@massivereader 2 жыл бұрын

A kindred soul! I have several pallets of boxed hardbacks and paperbacks in the cellar. Still have two bookselves in my bedroom for the creme de la creme though.

@richmcgee434 2 жыл бұрын

You have read Cook's Starfishers trilogy, the various other stories set in the same universe (Passage At Arms being the longest, I think), and the standalone Dragon Never Sleeps, right? If not, you should fix that. :) Confess my favorite Cook work is probably the Garrett PI series, starting with Sweet Silver Blues. The man can't write a bad book but there's just something about fantasy detective noir that appeals to me.

@massivereader 2 жыл бұрын

@@richmcgee434 I remember reading some of the Garrett PI stories, but it might be because they were serialized in the pulp magazines or included in anthologies. I've mostly been Sci-fi oriented and only occasionally dipped into fantasy until the turn of the century urban fantasy craze. Starfishers sounds interesting. I'll add it to my TBR list.

@CoronisAdair 2 жыл бұрын

Two space opera series I'd highly recommend are David Weber's Honor Harrington Series and Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn Trilogy

@elroykez 2 жыл бұрын

I'm half way through leviathan.. it's great. I'll read the rest of these.. already downloaded the samples from Amazon so i don't forget them. Thanks again

@macrumpton 2 жыл бұрын

Not sure they qualify, but Martha Wells Murderbot series is an amazing read.

@robinstanden1951 2 жыл бұрын

hi nice to see someone who likes sci fi i find so few new books theses days in the genre a short bit in one of your videos that guides such a search would be great, btw my no1 sci fi book in the last 30 years has to be ( afire upon the deep, vernor vinge)

@ronw7667 3 жыл бұрын

If Hyperion (cantos) isn't space opera, then I'll have to read them a third time. Surly top five imo, maybe top two, maybe top top.

@earlofsked6991 3 жыл бұрын

Top one series for me. Totally unique.

@topfish1225 3 жыл бұрын

I just completed my second read through of the first two books , even better the second time around .

@ciprian6356 2 жыл бұрын

Hyperion Cantos - No. 1 Sci-Fi Space Opera in my top.

@Gol_D_Rog3r 2 жыл бұрын

It's up there in my mind but many people categorize it as sci-fi horror

@carlburke1625 2 жыл бұрын

I've never gotten past the first volume, which I thought was stand-alone at the time. The side stories were good, but the whole trip down the river and the Shrike just annoyed the hell out of me. And then it just stopped with a complete nonsequitur.

@ewangillespie452 2 жыл бұрын

Some great books here! My favorite space opera is Vernor Vinge's Zone of Thought including (1) A Deepness in the Sky and (2) A Fire Upon the Deep. An epic sweep with some of the best representations of alien life/culture that can be found in science fiction. Vinge is also well known for his theory of The Singularity.

@israfaeldari5532 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for recommendations: I will look at revelation space, I'm big fan of the three body problem, so this looks like it's the same territory of Sci fi.

@ZombieDish 2 жыл бұрын

I've only watched the Expanse but am curious about picking up the novels. Amos Burton is my favorite character on the series.

@FIT2BREAD 3 жыл бұрын

totally agree with 4 of the 5. I have to check out Tau Zero as I've not finished it!

@silafuyang8675 2 жыл бұрын

"Revelation Space" is the best piece of science fiction literature I have ever read. The whole series is awesome. "The Expanse" is best sci-fi TV show I have watched. Must watch! Lexx is number two on the list.

@ptr250 2 жыл бұрын

B5 is #1 until we see how "The Expanse" wraps.