Steve Caldwell’s List of Must Read Space Opera Part 1
Since I was a kid, I have been a fan of sci-fi, especially space opera. It didn’t matter what it was, whether it was shows like Space 1999, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek and Battle of the Planets on tv, or movies like Star Wars and Star Trek in theaters, I was going to see it. When I discovered authors like Robert Heinlein, Jack L. Chalker, and Fred Saberhagen wrote these kind of stories into books, I was hooked again.
Several thousand books later, after a discussion with author CT Phipps, We decided to do lists of must read space opera. Mine are a mix of traditionally published, small press and self published over a wide range of years and sub genres of space opera. I think they will have a lot of appeal for a wide variety of sci-fi fans. They are in no particular order, just the order I thought them up.
The Secret King: Lethao by Dawn Chapman
Dawn Chapman’s The Secret King: Lethao is the first in an epic space opera series. It has so many good elements: Interesting, three dimensional characters, some intriguing world building as well as a fast paced plot that will keep the reader turning pages. It has elements of other space opera properties, such as a race escaping their dying planet, a harrowing journey through space pursued by an implacable foe, and political intrigue and challenges to the leader’s rule. If you like Battlestar Galactica, Kevin J. Anderson’s Seven Suns Saga or even Game of Thrones, you will find something to enjoy in this book.
Atlas by Isaac Hooke
Isaac Hooke’s Atlas is first and foremost a character driven story. It centers around Rade Galal, who ends up in the military of the US under interesting circumstances, and follows him as he goes through the future version of SEAL training as he joins the Navy’s MOTH’s, who are special operators who use a wide variety of futuristic weapons, including Atlas Mechs, in their fight against both human and alien foes across human occupied space. It has lots of realistic action, and some great character building, as well as subtle humor that will keep things from getting too oppressive. With humanity facing a calamitous threat, the MOTH’s may be humanity’s best hope for survival.
The Legion Awakes by J.R. Handley
The Legion Awakes, the first book in J.R. Handley’s Sleeping Legion series, has an interesting premise: Humanity in the future has been conquered and absorbed into an alien empire, where they have become basically space marines in the aliens legions, and are born into it. Failure means death or serving in menial jobs with no chance of advancement. The main character, SGT Lance Scipio, awakens after decades of cold sleep to find the legion very different from the one he las remembered, and he is tasked with bringing his old knowledge of fighting to a new generation, as the winds of political change swirl violently around them. With fast paced action, realistic military action and some intriguing world building, it’s interesting thinking about where the series will go.
The Adventures of Kirk Rogers: Inside the Moon by C.J. Boyle
Inside the Moon is the first book in C.J. Boyle’s Kirk Rogers series, a throwback to pulp era space opera. It is chock full of sci-fi Easter eggs, starting with the main character's name, which should be a fairly obvious one. It is fairly light in tone, having a lot of humor, but it tells a seriously good story with some fun world building and relatable characters, even the giant alien spider and the android. It should appeal to a wide range of sci-fi fans.
Lucifer’s Star by C.T. Phipps and Michael Suttkus
Lucifer’s Star is C.T. Phipps and Michael Suttkus’s first collaboration on a space opera series. It chronicles the Adventures of Cassius Mass, a former noble on the Planet of Crius, who oppressive society was defeated in a war, and he is now working the fringes of space on a cargo ship, trying to forget about the past. Unfortunately, the past has a way of catching up, and when it does, Cassius and his friends must be willing to fight for their lives and maybe play a part in much larger events.
The authors are obviously familiar with a lot of the tropes of space opera, but not just looking to write a generic story. Instead, they take those tropes and turn them on their heads, making a unique blend of action, humor and character development into something new. This one should have broad appeal as well, especially to fans of more comedic space opera.
