Space opera
- For other meanings of this term see Space Opera (disambiguation).
Space opera is a subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that emphasizes romantic adventure, interstellar travel, and space battles where the main storyline is centered around interstellar conflict and character drama.
Contents
History
"Space opera" was originally a derogatory term, a variant of "horse opera" and "soap opera". Wilson Tucker suggested the term in 1941. It meant an action-oriented tale of space adventure instead of "respectable" science fiction story that concentrated on effects of technological progress and inventions. However there is no sharp dividing line and many authors manage to combine the space adventure and the supposedly 'respectable' elements, ensuring that the best written space opera is represented among the best of science fiction generally.
Originators of the first space opera stories were E. E. Smith, with his Skylark and Lensman series; Edmond Hamilton; Jack Williamson; John W. Campbell; and later Leigh Brackett and A.E. van Vogt.
In recent years, a resurgence in space opera has resulted in what some consider to be a sub-subgenre often called "new space opera." Typically, new space opera combines the interstellar scale and grandeur of traditional space opera with elements of hard science fiction. New space opera is therefore scientifically rigorous while ambitious in scope.
Among the practitioners of the new space opera are Dan Simmons, John Varley, David Brin, Iain Banks, John Clute, Charles Stross, J. Michael Straczynski, Peter F. Hamilton, Lois McMaster Bujold, M. John Harrison, David Weber, Ken MacLeod, Alastair Reynolds, and C. J. Cherryh.
Anime has now become one of space opera's main television contributors. Series such as Cowboy Bebop, the Gundam series, Dirty Pair (Original and Flash), Crest of the Stars, Legend of Galactic Heroes, the Five Star Stories and Martian Successor Nadesico are increasing in popularity and to a certain extent influence the genre.
Space opera forms a central part of the belief system of Scientology, whose founder L. Ron Hubbard was originally a pulp science fiction writer. The story of Xenu illustrates space opera themes in Scientology, which regards science fictional space opera as being an unconscious recollection of real events which occurred in the distant past. For a more detailed overview, see Space opera in Scientology doctrine.
Characteristics
The scientific veracity of various backgrounds varies tremendously. In some cases, the only violation of the known laws of physics is the faster-than-light travel. Although this can be seen itself as very divergent from reality, at the other end of the scale, stories tend to be even less realistic. Some protagonists use various mystical powers and are able to destroy whole planets and alien species. Star Wars, with its Death Star and "Force" lies close to the original pulp science fiction.
Character development and description varies as well. Lois McMaster Bujold and Iain M. Banks write about very human conflicts. Some critics and fans, however, deny the use of the term space opera for a work with well-developed characterization. Both sides of this debate have been expounded at length in the Usenet forum rec.arts.sf.written.
A popular subset of space opera stories concentrates on large-scale space battles with futuristic weapons. Some of them take their military tone and weapon system technology very seriously. See military science fiction.
Many science fiction writers use variants of space opera background with less military fervor and planet-busting xenophobia. At one extreme, the genre is a speculation about future war in space or effects of war on humans; at the other it consists of the use of non-science fiction plots in a superficially SF background.
Many of the TV science fiction series from Battlestar Galactica to Star Trek are variants of space opera. Harry Harrison and Douglas Adams parody space opera clichés. Fritz Leiber's The Wanderer tells a story about a situation when Earth sees one episode of interstellar conflict. Others, like Samuel R. Delany in Nova, refer to mythological concepts.
In his 1965 story Space Opera, Jack Vance parodied the genre by writing about an interstellar operatic company which brought culture to deprived worlds.
Sample space opera backgrounds
Books
- A Fire Upon the Deep and A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge
- Alliance-Union universe by C. J. Cherryh
- Childe Cycle by Gordon Dickson
- Culture series by Iain M. Banks
- Dune universe by Frank Herbert
- Ender's Game series by Orson Scott Card
- Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov
- Gap Cycle by Stephen R. Donaldson
- Heechee series by Frederik Pohl
- Hyperion Cantos and Ilium by Dan Simmons
- Known Space universe by Larry Niven
- Lensman series by E. E. Smith
- Night's Dawn Trilogy by Peter F. Hamilton
- Revelation Space universe by Alastair Reynolds
- Saga of Seven Suns by Kevin J. Anderson
- Uplift Universe by David Brin
- Vorkosigan Saga series by Lois McMaster Bujold
Comic Strips
- Dan Dare by Frank Hampson
- Buck Rogers by Dick Calkins
- Flash Gordon by Alex Raymond
- Schlock Mercenary - a webcomic
- Valérian: Spatio-Temporal Agent by Jean-Claude Mezieres and Pierre Christin
Television
- Rocky Jones, Space Ranger
- Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda
- Babylon 5, created by J. Michael Straczynski
- Battlestar Galactica (1978), created by Glen A. Larson
- Blake's 7, created by Terry Nation
- Farscape, created by Rockne S. O'Bannon
- Firefly, created by Joss Whedon
- Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry
- Stargate SG-1 (and its spin-off, Stargate Atlantis)
Film
- Barbarella directed by Roger Vadim
- Star Wars, created by George Lucas
- The Fifth Element written and directed by Luc Besson
- Stargate directed by Roland Emmerich
- Serenity directed by Joss Whedon
Games
Role playing games:
- Bulldogs!
- Fading Suns
- Space Opera Space Opera, setting created by E. Simbalist, M. Ratner & P. Mc Gregor
- Traveller, setting created by Marc W. Miller
Board games:
- Full Thrust, a popular 2D space battle simulation board (and miniatures) game
- Hard Vacuum, a board/miniatures game of WWII space combat in an alternate universe where the Allies and Axis have both achieved space flight
Computer games:
- Star Control, a series of strategy/adventure games.
- Star Craft, real time strategy game and often cited as one of the best and most popular PC games of the world. Probably one of the best known examples of Space Opera settings in the computer gaming.
- X-Com, space-based action strategy game
- Homeworld, a 3D space real time space battle simulation with a space opera story (campaign)
- Master of Orion and Alpha Centauri, classic 4X games
- Nexus: The Jupiter Incident, a game of real time tactical combat with an epic story
- System Shock Series, FPS with hard cyberpunk undertones.
- Wing Commander (computer game) Space flight simulator games heavily space opera based. With long involved plots detailing humanity's war with the kilrathi and other enemies.
Console games:
Other
- Kai, Death of Dreams - an opera
- Orion's Arm - a transhumanist space opera website
See also
- Aniara
- Galactic Empire
- hard science fiction
- soft science fiction
- Political ideas in science fiction
- Religious ideas in science fiction
- Science-fiction operas
Articles
- Dave Langford: Fun With Senseless Violence
- David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer: Space Opera Redefined
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