Re: “Top 10 Space Opera Books and Series”

On 6/1/2024 3:58 PM, Michael F. Stemper wrote:

On 31/05/2024 16.28, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:

In article <v3dc4d$2cmed$1@dont-email.me>,
Lynn McGuire  <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

“Top 10 Space Opera Books and Series”
>
https://discoverscifi.com/the-top-10-space-opera-books-and-series-of-all-time/
>
10. Blood on the Stars by Jay Allan - never heard of it
9. Hyperion by Dan Simmons - yes
8. Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds - I have never read the series
7. Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold - freaking awesome series
6. The Culture Series by Iain M. Banks - I have never read the series
5. The Commonwealth Saga by Peter F. Hamilton - I have never read the series
4. Triplanetary by E.E. "Doc" Smith - this is on my reread list
3. Old Man's War by John Scalzi - yes
2. The Expanse Series by James S.A. Corey - awesome series
1A. The Foundation Series by Issac Asimov - yes
1B. Honor Harrington Saga by David Weber - yes
>
David Weber's Dahak series needs to be a part of this list.
>
I would swap The Foundation Series and The Vorkosigan series.

>
I would say that Foundation is *not* Space Opera.  In fact it makes some
fun of Space Opera.
>
_Triplanetary_ definitely is, but how can you be aware of Doc Smith and
leave a) the Lensman series proper & b) the Skylark series off of a
Space Opera list?

 100% agreed. I'm not too convinced that _Hyperion_ (or the four-novel series
that it kicks off) or the Culture qualify as Space Opera, either. I briefly
perused the page and some of its links, but was unable to find what they
were using as a definition of "space opera".

I'm surprised that you think the Culture doesn't meet the standard. It
has miles long spaceships, drama, violence, Big Dumb Objects, Big Smart
Objects, wars, clashes of civilizations, etc.
pt