Steve Caldwell’s List of Must Read Space Opera Part 2
Steve Caldwell continues his list of must read space opera novels.
The Derelict Duty by James Haddock
The Derelict Duty is James Haddock’s first foray into Space Opera, and he really nails it. Set in a future of humanities expansion across the solar system and into the various asteroid belts, It creates a universe that show’s humanity can still create political divisions, no matter where they go. The characters are excellently developed, and the technology seems very appropriate for the futuristic setting. There is some very real personal growth with the characters as well, as I have come to expect from this author, with characters having their share of failures and betrayals to go along with their successes. You find yourself getting really invested in these characters, and it’s a read you won’t want to put down.
Big Red by Damien Larkin
Damien Larkin’s Big Red is the first in his Mars series, which chronicles the battles on Mars across the decades between THe British/Irish and the escaped Nazis that escaped to Mars after the war, including some surprising members of their leadership, as well as the native Martians. Also, there are some time travel elements, consciousness transfer and genetic engineering elements as story elements, as well as a peek at a much larger overarching threat coming in the near future. It is definitely a book that will keep you guessing with the twists, but you won’t want it to stop.
The Demons at Rainbow Bridge by Jack L. Chalker
Jack L. Chalker’s The Demons at Rainbow Bridge, the first book in his Quintara Marathon trilogy, is one of the older titles on this list, being released in 1990. The story centers around the discovery of two creatures who could only be described as Demons trapped in giant crystals, and the calamity that follows their escape, as the three empires in the universe have to deal with this threat to their existence. It’s an interesting setup, with the three empires being very different: An AI run free for all, a theocracy run by “Angels”, and an empire run by parasitic aliens, all in competition with each other for people, territory, and resources. It’s set up so well, and the characters contrast each other in some great ways. It’s one of those must reads I have recommended for years. It’s currently out of print, but there are a bunch of them in used book stores, and I’m hoping that it will be re-released as several other of his series have been.
Gods of War by WIlliam S. Frisbee, Jr.
Gods of War, the first of WIlliam S. Frisbee, Jr.’s Last Marines series, is an exceptional look at the trope of the military unit lost in time, and awakening to find the world they knew is gone, changed so much as to be unrecognizable. In this case, Gunnery Sergeant Wolf Matheson and several of his surviving Marines awaken hundreds of years later to discover the US was destroyed and Earth is now ruled by a socialist dictatorship that is seeking to defeat the last holdouts, basically a republic based on Norse culture called the Vaphaus Republic. There are relics of dead alien civilizations, but none living, but that turns out to be not so true, to calamitous results for humanity.
This is the world they find themselves in, and it is very well developed. It’s interesting to see how technology has advanced and in some cases, regressed, and the characters are played against each other so well, with the clash of cultures being played for maximum effect. The characters are very relatable, and the military stuff is so realistic, not a surprise with a Marine as the author. It has some military insider humor, but this book should have much broader appeal to fans of action packed space opera.
The Legend of Zero: Forging Zero by Sara King
Sara King’s Forging Zero is the first book in her series dealing with the aftermath of first contact that goes horribly wrong for humanity. Humanity is given the chance to join with the alien polity, all for the low price of every child age 5-12 being given to the aliens to be conscripted into their military. With the overwhelming force arrayed against humanity, it’s not hard to see which way they would choose.
This leaves those children to basically be raised by vicious aliens who see them as expendable cannon fodder, and after they are genetically forced to adulthood prematurely, they are trained to be absolute terrors on the battlefield, but in this case, they are nowhere near the scariest thing out there. This is the universe these recruits find themselves in: Harsh and unforgiving. But after a prophecy is made saying that Zero, one of the conscripts, will bring an end to the alien Congress, things start going in some very interesting directions.
With it’s mix of visceral action, excellent characters and intricate world building, this is a story that should have broad appeal for a wide variety of fans.
This feels like a good place to conclude this list. That being said, it’s not an all encompassing list, so I will definitely be adding more lists of what I consider to be must reads, and will even make new lists covering other genres. I hope you can find something to enjoy from these recommendations.
