Charge your lasers, and prepare for lightspeed: The SPACE OPERA thread.

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > Charge your lasers, and prepare for lightspeed: The SPACE OPERA thread.

Telsa Cola: Aug 19, 2011; No... this is all wrong... this whole operation has just gone completely sidewaysface

Psykmoe posted:

I've been looking for some more sci-fi schlock to read. I think I'm in the mood for something more ground-based instead of space battles.

To narrow it down, here are things I've already read in the vein I mean (and to make up for me being bad at explaining what I am looking for):

Hammer's Slammers by Drake (although I tend to prefer something more infantry-ish).

Redliners by Drake is also one I enjoyed.

I've read the Prince Roger books, and Huff's Condederation of Valor series.

Asprin's Phule's Company was also a good way to fritter away a couple hours.

When I was younger I read a bunch of those WH40K Gaunt's Ghosts books.

I've read Spots the Space Marine

I've read Starship Troopers but I'm just mentioning that for completion, since that always seemed more ambitious to me than the rest of this nonsense.

Any suggestions? I guess I just enjoy reading about a bunch of future soldiers in lovely situations. It's less fun without the sci-fi window dressing. Oh yeah, I get annoyed at spelling mistakes so I'm wary of that new generation of self-published sci-fi authors who think they can be their own editor

I enjoyed the Starfist series by Sherman though I apparently seem to always enjoy terrible terrible things so YMMV. Also the series never got an ending so heads up.

# ¿ Mar 25, 2015 23:51

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# ¿ May 8, 2024 03:19

Telsa Cola: Aug 19, 2011; No... this is all wrong... this whole operation has just gone completely sidewaysface

Koesj posted:

Scales? It's more flash fiction than a short but yeah, absurd kinda covers it.

I have no idea what I just read.

# ¿ Jan 10, 2016 23:40

Telsa Cola: Aug 19, 2011; No... this is all wrong... this whole operation has just gone completely sidewaysface

WarLocke posted:

I liked it.

There actually was a decent amount of plot progression, the Sharonians get their poo poo together and Busar plots to assassinate the Caliraths. Meanwhile Olderhan, Shaylar and Jathmar finally get to Arcana Prime and there's some good stuff about how their civilization/society works, and an intense series of courtroom testimonies/court martials. And near the end Weber drops a bombshell about how Sharonian and Arcanan 'technology' interact.

Mind spoiling it for people who will never read it haha?

# ¿ Jan 29, 2016 08:32

Telsa Cola: Aug 19, 2011; No... this is all wrong... this whole operation has just gone completely sidewaysface

Again I think most of your complaints are because you picked up a book in a pretty developed universe that assumes you read at least some of the previous books. This is not really your fault per se but because of this I don't really think any of your criticisms hold any weight. Also the Prador are giant enemy cannibalistic space crabs and I never ever got the orc vibe or generic alien vibe from them. Maybe thats the feel this book gave of them but having read pretty much all of the other books I have to disagree with you on your judgement of them. Take some time and read the rest of the series, I don't think I have ever heard a bad thing about them either but maybe they are just not your thing.

# ¿ Feb 25, 2016 18:45

Telsa Cola: Aug 19, 2011; No... this is all wrong... this whole operation has just gone completely sidewaysface

Leary was actually worse then Harrington for me which is saying something.

# ¿ Apr 30, 2017 05:57

Telsa Cola: Aug 19, 2011; No... this is all wrong... this whole operation has just gone completely sidewaysface

ZombieLenin posted:

No, I'm pretty sure it has those hangups, but totally different. The Culture is absolutely an Enlightenment society with the same "liberal" humanist values, save one--the Culture does not buy "cultural" imperialism.

In other words, when they see a society that is sufficiently anti-Enlightenment, they are not held back by any Prime Directive bullshit. Instead, they go out of their way to intervene, destroy said society, and set it on a path to become more like The Culture.

Eh, destroy implies everything gets burnt to the ground. Its implied that they normally nudge it over a long period of time into the direction they want, bribing or acting as advisors for leaders. The example in Player of Games is way more aggressive than what they normally do and thats probably because they were already a galactic civilization so the slight nudges wouldn't work.

# ¿ May 2, 2017 08:41

Telsa Cola: Aug 19, 2011; No... this is all wrong... this whole operation has just gone completely sidewaysface

Just suggestion for people who don't know, the LA library and I assume many other libraries have ebooks they lend out online, with a 30 day loan period and the option to check out like 30 books. I read obnoxiously fast and have a little to much free time so its been nice and easy for me to check out 1-2 books, read them and then return them in a day or so. Saves money too.

# ¿ Jun 24, 2017 00:05

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# ¿ May 8, 2024 03:19

Telsa Cola: Aug 19, 2011; No... this is all wrong... this whole operation has just gone completely sidewaysface

coyo7e posted:

I'm sure that the booming population of Louisiana book goons will appreciate being informed

Check your library! They might have it and worst case scenario you can spoof an Los Angeles address. I used LA since it was relevant to me but others might have it.

# ¿ Jun 24, 2017 04:28

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > Charge your lasers, and prepare for lightspeed: The SPACE OPERA thread.