
The term "space opera" was coined in 1941 by fan writer and author Wilson Tucker as a pejorative term in an article in Le Zombie (a science fiction fanzine). In this view, the Martian, Venusian, and lunar-setting stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs would be planetary romances (and among the earliest), as would be Leigh Brackett's Burroughs-influenced Eric John Stark stories. Both feature adventures in exotic settings, but space opera emphasizes space travel, while planetary romances focus on alien worlds. Some critics distinguish between space opera and planetary romance. Space opera has been defined as "a television or radio drama or motion picture that is a science-fiction adventure story". īack cover of the premier issue of Galaxy Magazine Throughout 1982–2002, the Hugo Award for Best Novel was often given to a space opera nominee. After the convention-breaking "new wave", followed by the enormous success of the franchises, space opera became once again a critically acceptable sub-genre.
#What is a space opera book series
The Star Trek TV series (1966–) by Gene Roddenberry and the Star Wars films (1977–) by George Lucas brought a great deal of attention to the sub-genre. Perry Rhodan (1961–) is the most successful space opera book series ever written. Space operas emerged in the 1930s and continue to be produced in literature, film, comics, television, video games and board games.Īn early film which was based on space-opera comic strips was Flash Gordon (1936), created by Alex Raymond. The term has no relation to opera music, but is instead a play on the terms " soap opera", a melodramatic television series, and " horse opera", which was coined during the 1930s to indicate a clichéd and formulaic Western film. Set mainly or entirely in outer space, it features technological and social advancements (or lack thereof) in faster-than-light travel, futuristic weapons, and sophisticated technology, on a backdrop of galactic empires and interstellar wars with fictional aliens, often in fictional galaxies. Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes science fictional space warfare, with use of melodramatic, risk-taking space adventures, relationships, and chivalric romance.

Stargate by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin.Macross franchise created by Shōji Kawamori.Blake's 7 by Terry Nation with Chris Boucher as script editor.Lexx by Lex Gigeroff and Jeffrey Hirschfield.Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda and Star Trek.Star Wars franchise created by George Lucas.Space Battleship Yamato by Leiji Matsumoto & Yoshinobu Nishizaki.Star Trek novels by William Shatner, Alan Dean Foster et al.Star Wars novels by John Jackson Miller, Timothy Zahn, Jude Watson et al.Remembrance of Earth's Past by Liu Cixin.Zones of Thought series by Vernor Vinge.Familias Regnant universe and Vatta's War by Elizabeth Moon.Commonwealth Saga, Void Trilogy, The Chronicle of the Fallers and The Night's Dawn Trilogy by Peter F.The Saga of Seven Suns and The Saga of Shadows by Kevin J.Revelation Space universe by Alastair Reynolds.Saga of the Skolian Empire by Catherine Asaro.The Sten Chronicles by Allan Cole and Chris Bunch.Galactic Center Saga by Gregory Benford.Ender's Game series and Homecoming Saga by Orson Scott Card.Hyperion Cantos and Ilium/Olympus by Dan Simmons.Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold.Legend of the Galactic Heroes by Yoshiki Tanaka.Alliance-Union universe and Foreigner universe by C.



#What is a space opera book crack
If the three of them can crack his father's secret, maybe they can end the embargo and save the poor. Cutthroat killers, mystical beasts, and power-hungry priests, lords, and spies stand in their way. He has a chance thanks to mysterious magic powers and his two companions: clairvoyant crush Fyra and soldierly alien Kaylaa. When Vastire is surrounded by an embargo, it gets even harder to survive.Īn alien ship slips through, seeking Darynn with an offer: finish the revolution and the embargo ends. Now, Darynn scrounges through life in the slums. Unfortunately for sixteen-year-old Darynn Mark, his father incited a revolution. On planet Vastire, good families rise to the elite and the wicked fall into poverty.
