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.

hannibal: Jul 27, 2001; [img-planes]

If you want more fun adventures in Known Space without Larry Niven craziness, read the Man-Kzin Wars anthologies. There are 14 of them, lots of different authors, and I found them to be pretty good overall.

# ¿ Jun 7, 2014 05:00

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# ¿ May 8, 2024 02:51

hannibal: Jul 27, 2001; [img-planes]

Count Roland posted:

You're quite right, Destiny's Road is what I meant. I haven't read Rainbow Mars.

I rather liked A Mote in Gods Eye, the Niven Pournelle combo that is probably the best-known. It wasn't the best, but its throwback style (sorta 19th century british nautical) with interesting aliens and fairly realistic technology (no artificial gravity, especially) made it an ok read. The politics didn't bother me, but then they usually don't. I take politics in a novel to be completely fictional and a product of this fictional world; I don't try to derive what the author(s) own opinions are.

I didn't know ol Niven was independently wealthy, but then I guess I knew basically nothing at all about him. He's absolutely run out of ideas though, I can agree on that one.

If you liked Mote, there's a book called "The Prince" by Pournelle and S.M. Stirling that tells some stories from the same universe (actually four books combined into an anthology, all set in a story arc). It's excellent military sci-fi. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prince_%28Pournelle%29) There are also a bunch of "War World" novels set in the same universe, but I haven't had a chance to read those yet.

Regarding Zahn... the usual suggestion is Heir to the Empire/Dark Force Rising/Last Command, which were (I think?) the first of the 'modern' Star Wars books and probably the best. They published an anniversary edition of Heir to the Empire which had some interesting footnotes and commentary, but I don't think it sold well enough to justify giving the other two the same treatment, which is too bad. I actually picked up Scoundrels recently after seeing it in a B&N and I'd say it was pretty good. If you've read Zahn's other books you'll recognize his writing style right off the bat, which can be a little formulaic, but it didn't keep me from finishing it.

# ¿ Jun 9, 2014 04:14

hannibal: Jul 27, 2001; [img-planes]

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

My goto recommendation is The Prince.

# ¿ Mar 26, 2015 00:01

hannibal: Jul 27, 2001; [img-planes]

Washout posted:

I read all of falkenberg's legion over the last 4 days and it reminded me a lot of black company, are there anymore black company in space series that are good?

Did you read the other three novels? Falkenberg's Legion is just the first one.

# ¿ Apr 6, 2015 04:29

hannibal: Jul 27, 2001; [img-planes]

Chairman Capone posted:

Since the Falkenberg novels are set in the same continuity as the Mote in God's Eye books, I thought I'd take the opportunity to ask if anyone's read the third Mote book written by Jerry Pournelle's daughter, and if so, is it at least tolerable to read? Mote in God's Eye is one of my favorite books ever, and I even enjoyed The Gripping Hand for the most part, so I probably have higher tolerance for a lovely sequel to it than most, but "written by the daughter of the less-talented half of the original author pair" is a hard sell even so.

I started it a few years ago, didn't finish it, and couldn't tell you what did happen that I read. Take that as you will.

# ¿ Apr 7, 2015 04:43

hannibal: Jul 27, 2001; [img-planes]

WarLocke posted:

If I have absolutely abysmal taste in books and have read (and enjoyed) the majority of the Baen catalog, where would I go from there?

I'm not even sure how to describe my tastes when it comes to MilSF, I like (relatively) 'hard' series (Legacy of the Aldenata, In Fury Born) as well as more 'space fantasy' stuff (Ashes of Empire), space navy (Harrington, Lt. Leary) as well as groundpounder stuff (Empire of Man, Safehold). I'm just all over the place.

I saw the Vorkosigan book mentioned a few pages back, I might try to track them down. I'm not sure what else to try.

This isn't SF but if you enjoyed Harrington, go read the Hornblower and Aubrey-Maturin series.

Seconding Lost Fleet, although I haven't read the newer ones.

Also, The Prince by Pournelle/Stirling as mentioned up thread, but maybe you've already read it (isn't it Baen?).

# ¿ Apr 7, 2015 04:48

hannibal: Jul 27, 2001; [img-planes]

Baloogan posted:

Any of you guys know much about the CoDominum series by Jerry Pournelle (and quite a few other authors)?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CoDominium

"The Prince" (the compendium of four novels by Pournelle and Sterling) is one of my favorite mil-sf books. It details the beginning of the empire that is the background setting for Mote. It's mostly land based small/medium unit tactic type of stuff and follows one guy as he moves up in rank in the space marines and then starts a mercenary outfit, with a smattering of politics mixed in. Basically, the CoDominium Earth govt is breaking down, using colonies as dumping grounds for criminals (aka British Empire transportation), colonies want to break away, rebellions crushed, eventually one Enlightened Planet sets up what becomes the empire. It's not quite as nobility-worshiping as, say, Honor Harrington novels, though.

I've only read a few of the War World novels and they're ok, but pretty standard mil-sf pulpy stuff. It's not high literature but I enjoy the setting.

# ¿ Jul 7, 2015 05:20

hannibal: Jul 27, 2001; [img-planes]

Zorak of Michigan posted:

There's really no space opera content to the CoDominium novels. The Mote books are spacier than the rest and even then, it's more grinding battle than operatic awsomeness.

I like the fact that Falkenberg's Legion shows the importance of good training, discipline, and staff work rather than focusing on a few over-the-top-awesome supersoldiers. I find some of the politics interesting and some of them terrifying.

Good point, I forgot I was in the space opera thread rather than the regular scifi thread.

# ¿ Jul 8, 2015 01:22

hannibal: Jul 27, 2001; [img-planes]

indigi posted:

While we're on the subject, is there any milSF that isn't written by some sort of vet, military historian, or neocon clearly jerking off about guns, wasting ~~Russians~~ ~~Chinese~~ aliens, and American Manifest Space Destiny? Something along the lines of Old Man's War that has kind of a "well clearly this is hosed up/unsustainable" vibe

By far my favorite milSF is "The Prince" by S.M. Stirling and Jerry Pournelle. Pournelle is a Korean War vet and they're also both Baen authors, but like Drake don't hold that against them.

The Prince is a compilation of four books that are prequels to Niven & Pournelle's "The Mote in God's Eye" and "The Gripping Hand" books. It describes a period in time when the Earth government (composed of a hegemony of the US and USSR) ruling a bunch of interstellar colonies was falling apart due to internal strife, and follows the life of a guy named Falkenburg who goes from new officer in the Marines to eventually being the colonel of a mercenary regiment fighting in multiple wars on different backwater planets. The stories are mostly about low-grade infantry combat on those planets - the rationale being, these are colony worlds where high technology is rare, locals are starting civil wars and independence movements, and the central government can't be depended on for help (since it's falling apart internally).

In addition that, there are a series of spinoff books by different authors about a single planet that loses touch with the rest of the galaxy during the downfall of civilization and has a bunch of internal wars. I haven't read all of them, but the ones I've read so far are good to middling. Kinda like the spin off "Man/Kzin Wars" of Niven's Known Space.

There's a pretty detailed breakdown on Wikipedia if you don't mind spoilers.

# ¿ Jun 6, 2016 17:16

hannibal: Jul 27, 2001; [img-planes]

Baloogan posted:

wow uh please return my taste in books somehow you found it!

I *love* the whole "The Prince" and the CoDo books. And right now reading the Man Kzin Wars, I'm on book 6 of that series. also reading the warworld series too

Yeah, I've read most of the Man/Kzin Wars books, they're not too bad. I like them better than the War World books so far though, but I've only read a couple of those. Known Space is one of my guilty pleasures though.

# ¿ Jun 12, 2016 00:12

hannibal: Jul 27, 2001; [img-planes]

Grand Prize Winner posted:

OK, humor me, space opera thread. I frickin' loved the Honor Harrington series as a kid but now... eh. Just doesn't do it for me. Anyone know of anything that captures the whole "Horatio Hornblower IN SPACE" feel but... a little more maturely, I guess?

This is probably a simple question that's been answered a lot, but 100 pages is a lot of thread. Help me, goons; you're my only hope.

I felt the same way about the HH books after trying to re-read them a few years ago. Just can't do it anymore. However, I would say go straight to the good stuff and read the Aubrey/Maturin books. Not space opera, of course, but the feeling is the same and Patrick O'Brian is the heroin dealer of that type of novel. A/M is the true hard stuff, nothing can top it.

The Hornblower books aren't bad either, but in my experience once I read POB everything else paled in comparison.

# ¿ Apr 29, 2017 20:33

hannibal: Jul 27, 2001; [img-planes]

Kesper North posted:

I feel like there is a dearth of nuanced ship-to-ship combat military SF.

I can agree with that. Honorverse books started out ok with a pretty fleshed out vision of spaceflight and weaponry, but Weber keeps one-upping himself in later books until it's pretty crazy.

I'm struggling to think of counter-examples though. Lost Fleet books? I will say I haven't read the RCN books or some of the others mentioned here.

# ¿ Apr 30, 2017 06:08

hannibal: Jul 27, 2001; [img-planes]

ToxicFrog posted:

Let me tell you about battlecruisers, and how they have the armament of a battleship, but the defences and maneuverability of a heavy cruiser.
Let me tell you about battlecruisers, and how they have the armament of a battleship, but the defences and maneuverability of a heavy cruiser.
Let me tell you about battlecruisers, and how they have the armament of a battleship, but the defences and maneuverability of a heavy cruiser.

I would rank Lost Fleet well below the first few HH books, honestly.

Hah, yeah, it's been a few years since I touched those, it was just the first series of books I thought of that involved a fleet of ships.

# ¿ May 1, 2017 03:51

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# ¿ May 8, 2024 02:51

hannibal: Jul 27, 2001; [img-planes]

General Battuta posted:

I agree with your opinions on Expanse 3/4 but what the gently caress those were nearly the best episodes of BSG man

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdkCpnGMyGw

I tried going back to childhood favorite Michael Stackpole's Battletech books and welp they do not hold up at all. Which is kind of a shame because the Battletech fiction comes close to 'nuanced multipolar space war without clear Good Guys or stupid tech differentials' but the novels, uh, well.

I've never read his Battletech books (isn't that where he got his start?) but his Star Wars books are kinda my guilty pleasure. Other than the original Timothy Zahn trilogy, they're the only ones I've kept around from all of the old Bantam era of Star Wars books.

# ¿ Jun 12, 2017 00:53

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