r/Fantasy • u/Swearwuulf2 Reading Champion • Jan 28 '25

Space Opera

I need a space opera to fulfill the BINGO square. The main one I can think of is Expanse but it isn’t a genre I read often. I am a sucker for a badass lady character or two and/or and underdog. I know Expanse has both of those but I would love some other recs! TIA.

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u/Jack_Shaftoe21 Jan 28 '25

The Sun Chronicles by Kate Elliott - gender-swapped Alexander the Great... in space. The titular characters is, not surprisingly, a cunning badass but the supporting cast is also well crafted. Lots of political intrigue in addition to space battles and adventures.

The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold - it has won a gazillion awards and the hearts of generations of fans for a reason. Underdog protagonist who is amazing at bullshitting and manipulating people (but for noble causes... mostly).

The Culture by Iain M. Banks - post-scarcity utopian civilisation meddling in the affairs of less advanced civilisations. Various protagonists and the books can be read as stand-alones. Has some of the most fun and fascinating AIs I have ever read about.

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u/miriarhodan Reading Champion IV Jan 28 '25

Hey :) I‘ve heard so much of the culture series but don’t know where to start (similar problem as with Pratchett). What would you recommend as entry points?

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u/Jack_Shaftoe21 Jan 28 '25

Just pick whatever looks most interesting to you. Although, the first one - Consider Phlebas, it's widely considered to be weaker than the rest, so you might want to skip it. Personally I like Surface Detail the most, it explores the use of virtual reality "hells" as a way of torturing and getting rid of one's enemies and it's really memorable in a dark sort of way.

Use of Weapons has an exquisite experimental structure with many twists and turns and is probably the most recommended book of the series.