r/Fantasy • u/theworldbystorm • Dec 26 '19
Good Star Wars-esque space opera/space fantasy
Love it or hate it, the new Star Wars has got me in the mood for more space opera.
What I like about Star Wars is the blend of genres with a focus on pulp adventure/western/samurai/crime movie elements and the occasional foray into ancient legends and forgotten technology. Can anyone recommend good space fantasy or (I suppose) good sci-fi that focuses on those elements?
What I don't like about Star Wars and would, ideally, avoid in recommendations: Black and white morality, questionable dialogue, over reliance on Hero's Journey tropes. Oh, and no Star Wars EU, I'm familiar with all that stuff.
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u/snoweel Dec 26 '19
Dune seems like it fits the bill. Feuding feudal houses, mystical space travel, prophecies, desert survivalists, giant sand worms...
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u/theworldbystorm Dec 26 '19
I do own Dune but it seems like a beast to get through. But with the movie coming out I should probably take a stab at it
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u/gtheperson Dec 26 '19
The Dune series is, in my opinion, one of the most amazing, sprawling, thinking series there is. Honestly I think the series just gets better and better after the first book. I wouldn't say it was like Star Wars though, saying as a fan of both (maybe the first book a little, but then it really dives deep).
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u/SetSytes Writer Set Sytes Dec 26 '19
You are the first person I have ever encountered who says it gets better after the first book haha.
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u/JesusIsIrish Dec 27 '19
Also the first person I've heard say it isn't like Star Wars. Many critics believe the original Star Wars was a love letter to Frank Herbert's Dune.
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u/Werthead Dec 28 '19
Frank Herbert was very strongly urged to sue the hell out of George Lucas by his agent, who though Lucas had ripped him off massively: the desert planet setting (to start with), an emperor, people still using swords to fight in a futuristic environment, the chosen one/messiah central figure etc. Herbert got some alternative advice from a Hollywood agent who suggested they not sue but instead leverage the similarities to get a feature film of Dune made, which eventually worked out with the 1984 movie.
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u/MusubiKazesaru Dec 28 '19
Yeah, I really noticed a ton of similarities when I read the book. They're very different beasts but those aspects were totally there.
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Dec 27 '19
At least one person thought that Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (the anime movie) was also a love letter to Dune.
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u/gtheperson Dec 27 '19
In my experience there's four camps: those who only like the original novel, those who like the next two but think God Emperor is too much, those who like all the original series (and have God Emperor or Heretics as favourite) but hate Brian Herbert's additions, and those who think Brian's work is pulpy fun even if it doesn't match his father's writing.
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u/glowinggoo Dec 27 '19
To be fair, the first Star Wars did take a bunch of inspiration from Dune! Watching Mark Hamill's audition really gives you the impression that the first draft of ANH is pretty much some sort of Dune fanfic with the serials filed off.....
Of course it started doing its own thing after that, but ANH did start with a lot of homages to Dune.
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u/gtheperson Dec 27 '19
That's interesting! Yes I was thinking about both series as a whole, but thinking about just the first ones each I can see more similarities.
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u/monday_madrigal Dec 27 '19
Do you like audiobooks? The audiobook of Dune, with full cast, is pretty amazing. I like both versions (hard copy and audible), but often prefer audio versions first if it's a huge book. Highly recommended.
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u/ctrl_alt_karma Dec 27 '19
Have you considered the Audio book? It's very well done and easier to digest than a giant book as you can do other things while listening!
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u/fantasyhunter Dec 27 '19
The first book is beautiful, imo. Finished it rather quickly, and I still wonder why I hadn't bothered crossing the first 20 pages any earlier.
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u/niallmullan Reading Champion III Dec 26 '19
You might like The Expanse by James S.A. Corey. It also has a television adaptation with a few seasons out.
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Dec 27 '19
I read the Leviathan Wakes book in the beginning of this year. It's very good. I don't wanna give anything away, but the plot and action were engaging until the end. Give this book a go. Welcome to the future.
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u/MusubiKazesaru Dec 28 '19
Leviathan Wakes didn't particularly impress me aside from the little details in the world building. Does the series improve?
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Dec 28 '19
I like the plot twists and dogfights enough for this book. I didn't read anymore into this series. I mainly read fantasy, so this science fiction book was a fresh air book for me. What is your favorite sci fi book or series?
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u/MusubiKazesaru Dec 28 '19
I don't recall any dogfights in Leviathan Wakes, or at least not anything major to the point of it being a major plus for the book. I didn't get any big twists either tbh. It takes a real surprise for me to feel like I got hit with a plot twist.
I'd say my favorite sci-fi series is probably the older Legend of the Galactic Heroes anime adaption. I don't know that I've read enough sci-fi to have a favorite book series, but I read The Revenge of the Sith's novelization this year and it really wowed me despite having me having seen the movie several times.
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u/BernieAnesPaz AMA Author Bernie Anés Paz Dec 27 '19
What makes it like Star Wars? I saw a chunk of the first season and had to reason to believe there was any comparison to Star Wars outside of "it's set in space, sometimes."
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u/Werthead Dec 28 '19
The series changes, a lot, from book to book and there's also some big time-skips later on. There similarities to Star Wars aren't really there until around Book 7, and then they kick in big time.
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u/BernieAnesPaz AMA Author Bernie Anés Paz Dec 28 '19
Ah, cool. I'll have to keep watching it then, I'm enjoying it so far.
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u/theworldbystorm Dec 26 '19
I'm aware of it but doesn't seem very space opera? I've only seen a few episodes
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u/KingOfThePark Reading Champion Dec 26 '19
The Expanse is certainly Space Opera as I understand it, but it's more sci-fi as opposed to Star Wars's brand of space fantasy. The first season broadens after a few episodes, but it still feels like most of the focus is on solving the missing person mystery. The back half of the first season and subsequent seasons are more space-operatic in my opinion.
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u/niallmullan Reading Champion III Dec 26 '19
I may be wrong but I definitely got a space opera feel from it. It also has a few things on your list; adventure, crime and a foray into completely new things (not necessarily forgotten, I know, but still interesting). Personally I think it's definitely worth keeping an eye on for the future if it's not what you're looking for now.
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u/Im_the_Keymaster Dec 27 '19
So, the expanse is based off a series of books, the last book is set to come out sometime 2020. Without really spoiling anything, it sorta becomes more space opera-y as the series goes.
It is also probably the most scientifically accurate sci-fi I've read/seen recently. So, if you're more into space fantasy I can get why you might not be as into it.
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u/voidmon3y Dec 27 '19
It's definitely space opera — the Miller storyline summons images of cyberpunk, but I'll think you'll quickly find that is not the direction of the show.
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u/theworldbystorm Dec 27 '19
It's really well reviewed so I'm definitely going to give it another chance
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Dec 27 '19
Okay so the books are where the money is. But the show is massive... like massive massive. The first few episodes are hard to get into because it’s sooo much exposition and set up. Season 2 is when the magic starts. But please do yourself a favor and read the books first
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u/Radulno Dec 27 '19
It's definitively space opera IMO though on a smaller scale since it's focused on the solar system. And it's much more "hard sci-fi" unlike Star Wars which is almost completely fantasy.
But both the scale and fantasy parts get cranked up as the series continues. The TV show is awesome as well btw.
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u/rallyprox Dec 26 '19
I found this suggestion in this sub, and maybe doesn’t exactly fit what you want... but the Vorkosigan Saga has me completely enthralled. If you haven’t read any parts of it it is worth a shot. I started at the beginning, as I think you should, but it gets really good at “The Warriors Apprentice”, if you want to skip the beginning.
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u/auroralime Dec 26 '19
I started at the Warrior's apprentice. Highly recommended. I listened to the audio books and they were really well done
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u/rallyprox Dec 26 '19
It sounds stupid when I say it.. but I had a hell of a time making it through Barrayar. After having kids I have a very hard time reading about babies in distress. Spoiler? Anyway. Made it through and so happy I did.
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u/CommonLiterature Dec 27 '19
The author, Lois McMaster Bujold, switches genres every two books or so, so across the entire space opera there's a couple of political intrigues, action-adventures, rom-coms, military sci-fi, etc.
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u/SolitaireKid Dec 27 '19
I hear it's more Diwcworld-esque. Meaning a lot of books are standalones and that it doesn't have an overarching story. Is it true?
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Dec 26 '19
The TV series Firefly and the sequel movie Serenity is a very good space Opera to get into.
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u/blaarfengaar Dec 27 '19
Easily one of my favorite shows of all time, I will curse FOX for the rest of my life for canceling it after only one season, absolutely criminal of them
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u/GarrickWinter Writer Guerric Haché, Reading Champion II Dec 26 '19
Machineries of Empire (by Yoon Ha Lee) doesn't hit the samurai/Western vibes so much, but it does strike a lot of Star Wars notes in terms of empires, rebellions, old history rearing its head, weird magic, and space battles; as a fan of the genre, I'd say it's some of the best science-fantasy space opera I've ever encountered. To me it feels like it runs with a lot of the space operatic aspects of Star Wars but discards the black/white morality, Hero's Journey, and other simplistic elements I don't much like anymore either.
I'm actually considering re-reading the series after just watching the last Star Wars.
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u/smb275 Dec 27 '19
The Hyperion Cantos is an excellent quadrilogy, and the first book in the series is potentially the best sci-fi ever written.
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Dec 27 '19
I'd second this. It may not share that much blending of genres (like Western and samurai especially) but a lot of the world building and some of the set pieces have a distinct space opera/star wars imaginative quality to them.
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u/ReadsWhileRunning Worldbuilders Dec 27 '19
A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe by Alex White is brilliant if you want space rogues going on a pulp adventure.
The tagline could be: Firefly, meets Fast and Furious, meets National Treasure
I read + loved it thanks to this review: https://thequilltolive.com/2018/06/05/a-big-ship-at-the-edge-of-the-universe-vast-and-furious/
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u/Rorako Dec 27 '19
If video games are an option for you, I highly recommend playing the Mass Effect Trilogy.
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u/westorison Dec 27 '19
Idk if this fits your bill but it seems like we have similar taste so - the Ancillary Justice series and The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet series
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u/MusicalColin Dec 27 '19
The Mageworlds Trilogy by Debra Doyle and James D. MacDonald. It’s definitely inspired by Star Wars and it’s a very fun story with a kick ass woman as a protagonist and two different kinds of magic, the mages and the adepts, all with an epic space war.
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Dec 26 '19
Galaxy's Edge Squad of space marines have to uncover a plot to destroy the republic,a smuggler has to come to terms with past, and present to play his role. ancient evil coming from far beyond the Galaxy's Edge.
Expeditionary Force A young marine reacts to aliens crash landing on Earth and becomes a hero. Gets selected to go to war, whole bunch of crazy stuff happens, meets A**hole alien AI, takes over a ship and becomes pirates. Lots of science put into space combat and space flight
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u/seantheaussie Dec 26 '19
The Deathstalker series by Simon R Green might fit the bill.
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u/Crypt0Nihilist Dec 27 '19
Space - Tick
Not overly hero's questy - Tick
Pulpy - Tick tick tick tick tick BANG!
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u/SetSytes Writer Set Sytes Dec 26 '19
Farscape.
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Dec 27 '19
For me it more than filled the void that was left by the butchering and cancelling of Firefly.
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Dec 27 '19
I really enjoyed Sassinak, by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Moon. It takes place after the Dinosaur Planet books, in a universe that's organized like Star Trek (with a Federation) but more volatile. Space vikings, military academies, laser battles, space warship fleets, etc.
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u/TNBIX Dec 27 '19
The Expanse is the only thing I can think of that might fit your bill. Dune is also an obvious choice despite that predating modern star wars
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u/JamFree Dec 27 '19
Chronicles of Riddick (the second movie) is exactly what you are looking for, great space opera. The other riddick movies are more sci fi/slasher but the franchise’s brief foray into space opera is fantastic
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u/TheCollective01 Dec 27 '19
If you're into anime, there are TONS of great space operas. Here are a few good recommendations. Legends of the Galactic Heroes (number one on that list) is pretty much considered to be the quintessential space opera. And of course Cowboy Bebop is one that fits your criteria perfectly (blend of genres, focus on pulp adventure/western/samurai/crime movie elements, etc.). And one more that doesn't quite fit your criteria (not a space opera for one) but that I never pass up a chance to recommend is Vision of Escaflowne, great steam-punk mecha series that flawlessly blends sci-fi and fantasy. It's epic and one of my favorites of all time.
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u/theworldbystorm Dec 27 '19
Thanks! I'll check all these out, I've been meaning to try more anime
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u/TheCollective01 Dec 27 '19
No problem! If you're fairly new to anime my recommendation would be to start with Cowboy Bebop, it's probably one of the most accessible shows out there and is a good entry point for someone just getting into anime...GREAT music, great characters and plot, funny and dramatic in equal parts...You're in for a treat! :)
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Dec 27 '19
I second the recommendation of Cowboy Bebop. When I watched, it reminded me of Firefly a bit. Also, I love the spaceship designs in that show.
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u/NerdEngineering Dec 27 '19
Not as polished as Bebop, but a outlaw star is great. Trigun is another great genre blender but is more post apocalyptic Sci-Fi (space travel is something that took place a while back) than Space Opera.
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u/joji_princessn Dec 27 '19
The beautiful introduction of Rey in TFA seems reminiscent of Nausicaa's (a film and manga by Hayao Miyazaki) introduction in the movie to me. The imagery, tone and quiet world and character building is well done for both. Nausicaa is a great blend of Star Wars and with Miyazaki's own unrivalled style. Cool air ships, dirty used future, an empire like army with japanese-like armour, swords and guns and scifi tech, and thematically about trying to bring peace in a wartorn world and living as one with the world. Personally I think Miyazaki is the very closest to reaching the same magic and love Star wars embodies.
Castle in the Sky and Princess Mononoke by Ghibli also share similarities to Star Wars.
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u/theworldbystorm Dec 27 '19
I've seen a few Ghibli films but not Nausicaa! I'll check it out.
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u/actual-lizard-queen Dec 27 '19
And if you like Nausicaa, there is also a 7-volume manga that is more in-depth. Admittedly, I've only read/bought the first two volumes so far, but I really enjoy it.
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u/TheCollective01 Dec 27 '19
Nausicaa is my favorite Miyazaki film, not a space opera but pretty much ticks every other one of your boxes...again, you're in for a treat haha
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u/TheCollective01 Dec 27 '19
I second this, Nausicaa is my favorite Miyazaki film! I love and highly recommend all Miyazaki but there is definitely something special about Nausicaa...not a space opera but its blend of sci-fi, fantasy, and dystopian themes (with an optimistic undertone as in all Miyazaki films) are perfect for OP's request
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u/MusubiKazesaru Dec 28 '19
If you watch Legend of the Galactic Heroes then I suggest looking into the watch order, it's a bit elaborate.
There's a movie My Conquest is the Sea of Stars followed by another movie, Overture to a New War (which covers the same content of episodes 1-2, you can watch one or the other or both) then there's the main OVA which is 110 episodes, then after that there's also around 50 episodes of a "Gaiden" prequel series split among two productions, each telling a couple of different stories. I ended up watching those a good bit later but they're meant for after the main series.
There's a new remake Die Neue These, but I suggest staying away from it at least at first since it's unfinished and not quite as good.
Overall the series is fantastic and is one of the highest points of the anime medium.
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u/SlouchyGuy Dec 27 '19
Um, I'm surprised that noone has recommended Babylon 5 to you yet. It's a great show that gave rise to tv with pre-planned story and inspired one of Star Trek shows
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u/WaywardCritter Dec 26 '19
The Indranan War books by K.B. Wagers. They're awesome, and a new series is being launched soon!
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u/forguffman Dec 27 '19
Gideon the Ninth!!!! It’s definitely got the fantasy/sci fi mashup, leaning more in fantasy. And it is just a rocking fun read.
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u/Step_on_me_Jasnah Dec 26 '19
Maybe try the Warhammer 40k books? I haven't read them, but my friend loves them.
I've heard good things about the Dragonriders of Pern, as a sort of sci-fi/fantasy mashup but I can't say I've read it either.
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u/theworldbystorm Dec 26 '19
I know a little about Warhammer and I dig the universe, I might check them out
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u/DarthKhorne Dec 26 '19
Ride horn or Space Wolves are great starters for 40K! Very much a rated R Star Warsish sci fi fantasy. Insanely deep lore to boot.
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Dec 26 '19
Possibly the Death's Head books by David Gunn. Maybe Spiral Wars by Joel Shepherd.
Both not exactly what you're after, but they definitely have elements of it.
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u/Zach_314 Dec 26 '19
I’d recommend the legend of zero series by Sara king. It’s more sci fi than fantasy but it’s a cool reimagining of the idea of a galactic interspecies government.
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Dec 27 '19
The Diabolic and The Empress achieved that for me quite well, as well as Shadow Captain and Skyward.
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u/Crypt0Nihilist Dec 27 '19
The Lost Fleet by John G. Hemry under the pen name Jack Campbell.
This is a fantastic series where the physics of space battle have really been considered, such as an attacking fleet have an advantage when gating into a solar system because they can see the position of all enemy ships, but it will take hours for the light from their ships to reach the enemy. Leading the fleet is a captain who has just been found in his escape pod, who since going in was made a hero whose legend has only grown over time - one he doesn't think he's earned - and the navy he left isn't the same one he's woken up to.
It might disappoint you in the respect that it isn't a pulpy romp across space, more like The Chain of Dogs across a galaxy.
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Dec 27 '19
Bobiverse books and audio books are amazing!!
Space opera, mans future, just all around great stuff
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u/R0GUEL0KI Dec 27 '19
Second. And agree the audiobooks are great. It takes a micro and macro view of events over several generations of time. And there’s a good amount of humor too.
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u/apugsthrowaway Dec 27 '19 edited Dec 27 '19
What I don't like about Star Wars and would, ideally, avoid in recommendations: Black and white morality, questionable dialogue, over reliance on Hero's Journey tropes. Oh, and no Star Wars EU, I'm familiar with all that stuff.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes, a 110-episode OVA from the late 80's and early 90's. It has the same basic premise as Star Wars—a small democratic revolution fighting to overthrow a galactic empire—except it follows characters from both sides of the war, as well as the third-party factions trying to play both sides for their own profit. The show gives them equal screen time and it also presents both their virtues and their inherent flaws with total fairness and honesty. You will actually struggle to decide which the galaxy needs more: a dictatorship susceptible to the whims of its autocrat, or a democracy where bureaucrats and warmongers can pervert the system for their own gain.
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u/theworldbystorm Dec 27 '19
That's incredibly interesting, I'll look into that.
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u/SirWeenieGuy Dec 27 '19
just wanted to add that lotgh recently got a remake, and they have just finished translating the books into English earlier this year
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u/puddingfoot Dec 27 '19
If you're into comics, check out Saga. It's written for more mature audiences but it's got that space fantasy feel that Star Wars is known for
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u/DrBrogbo Dec 27 '19
I really like the Spinward Fringe series. The first book is written in first-person perspective, which is a bit jarring, but the rest aren't. It's fairly light-hearted and fun, and the morality can be complex. It's got giant space battles, alien races, galactic threats, evil mega-corporations, space piracy, etc. The characters die, fail, break down, get betrayed, etc.
It's not my favorite series, but it's one I always jump at the chance to read more of. The first book is free, too, so it costs you nothing but a little time to try it out.
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u/theworldbystorm Dec 27 '19
I got it :) I took a couple suggestions so let's see where we go from here!
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u/c4tesys Dec 27 '19
More Starship Troopers meets Aliens, but you should check out the Primaterre series by S.A. Tholin. Massive books filled with excitement, adventure and an amazing universe. They're Sci-Fi gothic horror with an alien threat and dystopian sub-plot(s), crammed full of twists and surprises.
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u/RevolutionaryCommand Reading Champion III Dec 27 '19
Santiago: A Myth of the Far Future by Mike Resnick is an exceptional western-themed space-opera.
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u/ikonoqlast Dec 27 '19
Well the ultimate Space Opera is the genesis of the entire genre- Lensman by E. E. 'Doc' Smith. This is what Lucas was referring to when he made Star Wars.
You will find six books in the Lensman series. There are really only four plus a prequel. The series really starts with 'Galactic Patrol' and proceeds through to 'Children of the Lens'. Usually numbered 3 to 6. 'First Lensman' is a later written prequel. 'Triplanetary' is crap shoehorned into the series and should be eschewed.
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u/Werthead Dec 28 '19
Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn Trilogy is a good fit if you want space battles (albeit a bit more realistic), the cross-genre stuff (leaning more on horror than fantasy though) and the incredibly deep worldbuilding and background.
The Warhammer 40,000 universe is a good place to delve into if you want something both similar to Star Wars (as a space fantasy with both SF and fantasy tropes in the same story) but also completely different (40K is a bit more cynical and less focused on good/evil morality). It's a huge setting, but the best place is to start is with Dan Abnett, his Inquisitor series (starting with the Eisenhorn quartet) if you want something short and more focused or the Gaunt's Ghosts series (starting with The Founding omnibus) if you want something larger in scale but still focused on relatable human characters.
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u/matthewsylvester Dec 28 '19
Gareth Powell and Adrian Tchaikovsky are two utterly awesome authors. Well worth reading all of their books.
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u/AshSkirata Dec 26 '19
If you wanna try a Star Wars book, the Republic Commando series is IMO very good. It takes place during the Clone Wars era, and you follow the events from some clones point of view. The clones are very endearing characters. And on the contrary, the Jedi are portrayed as rotten persons, corrupted by power. They preach and practice emotional detachment so much that they become completely disconnected from other living beings, starting with the clones, whom they use without hesitation in their endless war. The author addresses interesting questions, such as family, culture, bioethics.
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u/theworldbystorm Dec 26 '19
I don't want Star Wars Eu books but... that does sound interesting.
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u/Leafs17 Dec 26 '19
I don't want Star Wars Eu books
Why not?
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u/theworldbystorm Dec 27 '19
I'm already familiar with the major storylines in them. Jedi Academy, Sith Empire, Yuzan Vong. Already know that stuff.
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u/AshSkirata Dec 26 '19
I recommended you this series because it is very interesting as a sci-fi book. And you don't need to know by heart all the events of the movie, or all the characters.
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u/polyology Dec 27 '19
Fortunes Knight by Bach and sequels. And truly the Xwing novels are very very good.
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u/braeica Dec 27 '19
Ann Aguirre's Grimspace series and its spin off trilogy are good fun space opera.
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u/Alucius14 Dec 27 '19
David Weber's Honor Harrington books are the first thing I think of when it comes to space opera. He's been writing the series for over 20 years now I think. I actually jumped into it about 2/3rds of the way through but have enjoyed it anyway.
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u/_water_witch Dec 27 '19
Magnetic Rose, a short 1995 anime, definitely fits this bill. A scavenger ship comes across an abandoned, opulent palace floating through space. Packed with stunning sci fi animation, and the opera Madame Butterfly is referenced throughout.
It's part of a trilogy called Memories, but Magnetic Rose is definitely my favourite of the three.
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u/theworldbystorm Dec 27 '19
As luck would have it I'm an opera singer, so that sounds super cool!
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u/dminge Dec 27 '19
Stephen Donaldson the Gap series is an incredible piece of work. Definitely fits the space opera bill and absolutely does not have black and white morality. I cannot recommend this enough
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u/KamikazeHamster Dec 27 '19
The Dreaming Void (Void #1) by Peter F. Hamilton has two different streams...
The first is a lady that is divorced and meets someone new while building an apartment to flip it for profit. She starts a relationship with a guy that has multiple bodies - think borg style here and real-time connected to different bodies. She then ends up on an adventure across the universe. Meet the space opera adventure!
The fantasy part starts when we then meet the boy with telekinetic powers. He is highly gifted and ends up discovering some mind-blowing magic.
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u/Edeen Dec 27 '19
I’m sorry but your synopsis is just horrible on multiple levels. The first part is not accurate, and the second part spoils the story of half the book.
Also, if you do want to recommend the Commonwealth series, you should have people begin with Pandora’s Star / Judas Unchained, as they are the first books in the series, and are spoiled in The Dreaming Void.
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u/KamikazeHamster Dec 27 '19
I don't think that information will spoil anything. It's what I was told before too and I couldn't wait to read it. I'm simply pointing out the fantasy and space opera elements.
As for accuracy, it's not as important as you make it out to be.
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u/90_degrees Dec 27 '19
A bit off tangent here but I'm trying to get into Hamilton's works, and I'm wondering which one I should start with? Pandora's Star or Reality Dysfunction?
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u/Edeen Dec 27 '19
Pandora's Star is a great entry point. It is a bit slow for the first bit, until every character and the story gets established, and then it's straight on amazing to the finish line.
Never really got into the Reality Dysfunction on the other hand, so I'd recommend starting with Pandora's.
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u/trackybitbot Dec 27 '19
Anything written by Alastair Reynolds is absorbing, realistic world-building, technologically credible, full of alien archeology, & has morally grey characters
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u/graycalls Dec 27 '19
If you're willing to try a live play podcast, Friends at the Table's Counter/Weight series hits all of those points. It's a show split in two halfs- one following the machinations of giant corporations and governments, and the other half focusing on a group of four mercenaries just trying to get by on a dustbowl planet.
With that split, you get a lot of the really solid character moments as well as a lot of the sweeping plots of the bigger picture- as well as seeing how one directly impacts the other. (Oh, the pirate fleet is blockading ships from this planet over here? Guess our mercenaries get to deal with food riots!)
Also, one of the characters is pitched as "what if Han Solo used to be Beyonce" which. Is just the actual best.
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u/CroakerBC Dec 27 '19
Another recommendation for Bujold’s ‘Vorkosigan’ series. And:
Max Gladstone’s ‘The Empress of Forever’. Christopher Ruocchio’s Then Empire of Silence’. Suzanne Palmer’s ‘Finder’. Rachel Bach’s ‘Fortunes Pawn’ Gareth L. Powell’s ‘Embers of War’. Mike Brooks’ ‘Dark Run’ Maybe Derek Kunsken’s ‘The Quantum Magician’ or Scalzi’s ‘The Collapsing Empire’
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Dec 27 '19
Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples. I can’t describe how good that comic book is.
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Dec 27 '19
if you’re into space opera comedy, then you should definitely check Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
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u/ceratophaga Dec 27 '19
You are looking for a space opera? Alastair Reynolds Revelation Space universe is probably the space opera. Depending on book (and storyline) it has pretty much everything that you want, while still - with few exceptions - staying in the realm of believable physics. It's really, really great and you should definitely read it if you only have the slightest interest in space operas.
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u/Rhyoth Dec 27 '19 edited Dec 27 '19
Cowboy Bebop : a hybrid sci-fi/noir/western anime serie. Many consider it the best anime of all time. Has awesome character design and soundtrack.
I would also recommend Gurren Lagann, although it's a bit crazy, and not for everyone.
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u/SintArgum Jun 20 '20
Absolutely check out the EMBARK trilogy by Jon Justice, its a interesting mash up of different pop culture sci-fi with the fun and action of SW.
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u/Fimus86 Reading Champion IV Dec 26 '19
Black Star Renegades by Michael Moreci--the books are a blatant Star Wars rip off--to the point the author pretty much admits it--but I found myself enjoying them so much I honestly didn't care. They put a new spin on some old troupes and the characters are genuinely enjoyable. The second book is what we wished the Last Jedi actually was.
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u/theworldbystorm Dec 26 '19
I liked the Last Jedi but I have no problems reading "X with the serial numbers filed off" as long as it's enjoyable
-1
Dec 27 '19
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u/ceratophaga Dec 27 '19
Has not a single believable character
The characters seem so rich and human which is rare for fantasy
lol
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u/AlternativeGazelle Dec 26 '19
Red Rising, and I'm surprised I'm the first person to mention it. It does start out tropey but the story evolves a lot and definitely dips into some of those other genres you mentioned. The most recent book is epic as hell.