Tropes Space Opera

Space Opera

Galaxy-spanning adventure with warring empires and alien civilizations. Intimate human drama against the vastness of space.

Refreshed just now · 127 books

Spice:
  1. 1
    Project Hail Mary cover

    Project Hail Mary

    Andy Weir · Sci-Fi

    Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission–and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.

    quest · space opera · survival · high stakes survival

  2. 2
    The Martian cover

    The Martian

    Andy Weir · Sci-Fi

    Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.

    survival · space opera

  3. 3
    Dune cover

    Dune

    Frank Herbert · Sci-Fi

    Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, heir to a noble family tasked with ruling an inhospitable world where…

    space opera · chosen one · quest · political intrigue

  4. 4
    The Last Contract of Isako cover

    The Last Contract of Isako

    Fonda Lee · Sci-Fi

    Get ready to be blown away by this searing standalone science fiction epic where corporate samurai fight beneath merciless stars, and death is always…

    space opera · revenge plot · quest

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  5. 5
    Children of Time cover

    Children of Time

    Adrian Tchaikovsky · Sci-Fi

    The last remnants of the human race left a dying Earth, desperate to find a new home.

    space opera · survival · post apocalyptic · first contact

  6. 6
    Operation Bounce House cover

    Operation Bounce House

    Matt Dinniman · Sci-Fi

    All New Sonoran colonist Oliver Lewis ever wanted to do is run the family ranch and keep their aging fleet of intelligent agriculture bots ticking.

    survival · space opera · high stakes survival

  7. 7
    The Left Hand of Darkness cover

    The Left Hand of Darkness

    Ursula K. Le Guin · Sci-Fi

    [Comment by Kim Stanley Robinson, on The Guardian's website][1]: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin (1969) > One of my favorite novels…

    space opera · coming of age · political intrigue · first contact

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  8. 8
    Hyperion cover

    Hyperion

    Dan Simmons · Sci-Fi

    In the 29th century, the Hegemony of Man comprises hundreds of planets connected by farcaster portals.

    space opera · quest · multiple timelines · found family

  9. 9
    Empire of Silence cover

    Empire of Silence

    Christopher Ruocchio · Sci-Fi

    It was not his war. On the wrong planet, at the right time, for the best reasons, Hadrian Marlowe started down a path that could only end in fire.…

    space opera · grimdark · anti hero · revenge plot · morally grey character

    🌶️🌶️🌶️Moderate — some open-door scenes, not the focus
  10. 10
    Children of Strife cover

    Children of Strife

    Adrian Tchaikovsky · Sci-Fi

    From the award-winning master of sci-fi Adrian Tchaikovsky, Children of Strife is the unmissable follow-up space opera to the highly acclaimed…

    space opera · post apocalyptic · quest · found family

  11. 11
    Foundation cover

    Foundation

    Isaac Asimov · Sci-Fi

    One of the great masterworks of science fiction, the Foundation novels of Isaac Asimov are unsurpassed for their unique blend of nonstop action,…

    space opera · political intrigue · quest · chosen one

  12. 12
    Neuromancer cover

    Neuromancer

    William Gibson · Sci-Fi

    Henry Dorsett Case was the sharpest data-thief in the Matrix, until an ex-employer crippled his nervous system.

    space opera · dystopian society · heist · cat and mouse

  13. 13
    Slow Gods cover

    Slow Gods

    Claire North · Sci-Fi

    My name is Mawukana na-Vdnaze, and I am a very poor copy of myself.

    space opera · quest · found family

  14. 14
    Howling Dark cover

    Howling Dark

    Christopher Ruocchio · Sci-Fi

    "Hadrian Marlowe is lost. For half a century, he has searched the farther suns for the lost planet of Vorgossos, hoping to find a way to contact the…

    grimdark · space opera · quest · political intrigue · first contact

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  15. 15
    The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy cover

    The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

    Douglas Adams · Sci-Fi

    DON'T LEAVE EARTH WITHOUT IT! THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY is the hilarious international bestseller--with over one million copies in…

    space opera · fish out of water · road trip · found family

  16. 16
    Shadows Upon Time cover

    Shadows Upon Time

    Christopher Ruocchio · Sci-Fi

    The seventh and final novel of the galaxy-spanning series merges the best of space opera and epic fantasy, as Hadrian Marlowe at last lights the…

    space opera · redemption arc · quest · multiple timelines

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  17. 17
    This Is How You Lose the Time War cover

    This Is How You Lose the Time War

    Amal El-Mohtar · Sci-Fi

    Two time-traveling agents from warring futures, working their way through the past, begin to exchange letters—and fall in love in this thrilling and…

    slow burn · space opera · romantic comedy · multiple timelines

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  18. 18
    All Systems Red cover

    All Systems Red

    Martha Wells · Sci-Fi

    The series is about an artificial construct designed as a Security Unit, which manages to override its governor unit, thus enabling it to develop…

    space opera · anti hero · redemption arc

  19. 19
    The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet cover

    The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet

    Becky Chambers · Sci-Fi

    When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the Wayfarer, she isn't expecting much.

    space opera · found family · slow burn · friends to lovers

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  20. 20
    The Murderbot Diaries cover

    The Murderbot Diaries

    Martha Wells · Sci-Fi

    "We are all a little bit Murderbot." - NPR on Martha Wells's The Murderbot Diaries...

    space opera · found family · anti hero

  21. 21
    This Inevitable Ruin cover

    This Inevitable Ruin

    Matt Dinniman · Sci-Fi

    They call it Faction Wars. The ninth floor. Nine armies, each led by rich and powerful aliens from across the galaxy. Each team has one…

    survival · space opera

  22. 22
    Platform Decay cover

    Platform Decay

    Martha Wells · Sci-Fi

    A most-anticipated title from USA Today, Goodreads, BookPage, BookRiot, Seattle Times, and The Nerd Daily!

    space opera · found family · anti hero · psychological thriller

  23. 23
    We Are Legion (We Are Bob) cover

    We Are Legion (We Are Bob)

    Dennis E. Taylor · Sci-Fi

    “Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure.

    space opera · quest · survival · found family

  24. 24
    The Faith of Beasts cover

    The Faith of Beasts

    James S. A. Corey · Sci-Fi

    James S. A. Corey's Expanse series has sold more than 12 million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 23 languages, establishing…

    space opera · political intrigue · survival

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  25. 25
    Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? cover

    Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

    Philip K. Dick · Sci-Fi

    It was January 2021, and Rick Deckard had a license to kill.

    space opera · psychological thriller · anti hero

  26. 26
    The Forever War cover

    The Forever War

    Joe Haldeman · Sci-Fi

    "The legendary novel of extraterrestrial war in an uncaring universe comes to comics, in a stunningly realized vision of Joe Haldeman's Vietnam War…

    space opera · survival · trauma recovery · first contact · time travel

  27. 27
    Iron Gold cover

    Iron Gold

    Pierce Brown · Sci-Fi

    The explosive new novel in the Red Rising series

    space opera · dystopian society · revenge plot · chosen one

    🌶️🌶️🌶️Moderate — some open-door scenes, not the focus
  28. 28
    Revelation Space cover

    Revelation Space

    Alastair Reynolds · Sci-Fi

    Nine hundred thousand years ago, something annihilated the Amarantin civilization just as it was on the verge of discovering space flight.

    space opera · cat and mouse · high stakes survival

  29. 29
    Demon in White cover

    Demon in White

    Christopher Ruocchio · Sci-Fi

    The third novel of the galaxy-spanning Sun Eater series merges the best of space opera and epic fantasy.

    space opera · quest · political intrigue · demons

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  30. 30
    Ender's Game cover

    Ender's Game

    Orson Scott Card · Sci-Fi

    Young Ender Wiggin thinks he is playing war games at the Battle School, high in orbit, but he is engaged in something far more desperate.

    space opera · coming of age · chosen one · survival · first contact

  31. 31
    Childhood's End cover

    Childhood's End

    Arthur C. Clarke · Sci-Fi

    Childhood's End is a 1953 science fiction novel by British author Arthur C.

    space opera · first contact · dystopian society · high stakes survival

  32. 32
    Hell's Heart cover

    Hell's Heart

    Alexis Hall · Sci-Fi

    Gideon the Ninth meets Moby-Dick in USA Today bestselling author Alexis Hall's thrilling SF debut, Hell's Heart!

    space opera · found family · revenge plot · high stakes survival

    🌶️🌶️🌶️Moderate — some open-door scenes, not the focus
  33. 33
    Dark Age cover

    Dark Age

    Pierce Brown · Sci-Fi

    *He broke the chains. Then he broke the world….* A decade ago Darrow led a revolution, and laid the foundations for a new world. Now he’s an…

    space opera · dystopian society · high stakes survival

    🌶️🌶️🌶️Moderate — some open-door scenes, not the focus
  34. 34
    A Fire Upon The Deep cover

    A Fire Upon The Deep

    Vernor Vinge · Sci-Fi

    Thousands of years in the future, humanity is no longer alone in a universe where a mind's potential is determined by its location in space, from…

    space opera · first contact · quest · survival

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  35. 35
    After The Fall cover

    After The Fall

    Edward Ashton · Sci-Fi

    Part alien invasion story, part buddy comedy, and part workplace satire, After The Fall by Edward Ashton, author of Mickey7 (inspiration for the film…

    space opera · first contact · survival · found family

  36. 36
    House of Suns cover

    House of Suns

    Alastair Reynolds · Sci-Fi

    Six million years ago, at the dawn of the star-faring era, Abigail Gentian fractured herself into a thousand male and female clones, which she called…

    space opera · quest · multiple timelines

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  37. 37
    Dune Messiah cover

    Dune Messiah

    Frank Herbert · Sci-Fi

    **Book Two in the Magnificent Dune Chronicles—the Bestselling Science Fiction Adventure of All Time** Dune Messiah continues the story of Paul…

    space opera · grimdark · political intrigue · morally grey character

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  38. 38
    2001: A Space Odyssey cover

    2001: A Space Odyssey

    Arthur C. Clarke · Sci-Fi

    A deluxe hardcover edition of the wondrous space adventure that is the basis for Stanley Kubrick’s Oscar-winning film—now celebrating its 50th…

    space opera · first contact · high stakes survival

  39. 39
    Leviathan Wakes cover

    Leviathan Wakes

    James S. A. Corey · Sci-Fi

    When Captain Jim Holden's ice miner stumbles across a derelict, abandoned ship, he uncovers a secret that threatens to throw the entire system into…

    space opera · psychological thriller · found family

  40. 40
    Pandora's Star cover

    Pandora's Star

    Peter F. Hamilton · Sci-Fi

    Critics have compared the engrossing space operas of Peter F.

    space opera · first contact · quest

  41. 41
    Light Bringer cover

    Light Bringer

    Pierce Brown · Sci-Fi

    The Reaper is a legend, more myth than man: the savior of worlds, the leader of the Rising, the breaker of chains.

    space opera · grimdark · revenge plot · anti hero · political intrigue

    🌶️🌶️🌶️Moderate — some open-door scenes, not the focus
  42. 42
    Ice Planet Barbarians cover

    Ice Planet Barbarians

    Ruby Dixon · Romance

    You'd think being abducted by aliens would be the worst thing that could happen to me.

    paranormal romance · space opera · fish out of water · first contact

    🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️Spicy — explicit sexual content, multiple open-door scenes
  43. 43
    Orbital cover

    Orbital

    Samantha Harvey · Literary Fiction

    A slender novel of epic power and the winner of the Booker Prize 2024, Orbital deftly snapshots one day in the lives of six women and men traveling…

    space opera

  44. 44
    The Mercy of Gods cover

    The Mercy of Gods

    James S. A. Corey · Sci-Fi

    A spectacular new space opera that sees humanity fighting for its survival in a war as old as the universe itself.

    space opera · high stakes survival · political intrigue

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  45. 45
    Isles of the Emberdark cover

    Isles of the Emberdark

    Brandon Sanderson · Sci-Fi

    All his life, Sixth of the Dusk has been a traditional trapper of Aviar - the supernatural birds his people bond with - on the deadly island of Patji.

    space opera · quest

  46. 46
    A Psalm for the Wild-Built cover

    A Psalm for the Wild-Built

    Becky Chambers · Sci-Fi

    It's been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the…

    space opera · cozy vibes · coming of age · found family

  47. 47
    The Vanished Birds cover

    The Vanished Birds

    Simon Jimenez · Sci-Fi

    A “highly imaginative and utterly exhilarating” (Thrillist) debut that is “the best of what science fiction can be: a thought-provoking, heartrending…

    space opera · found family · quest · coming of age · multiple timelines

  48. 48
    The Sparrow cover

    The Sparrow

    Mary Doria Russell · Sci-Fi

    The Sparrow is a novel about a remarkable man, a living saint, a life-long celibate and Jesuit priest, who undergoes an experience so harrowing and…

    space opera · first contact · trauma recovery · redemption arc · quest

    🌶️🌶️🌶️Moderate — some open-door scenes, not the focus
  49. 49
    Rendezvous with Rama cover

    Rendezvous with Rama

    Arthur Charles Clarke · Sci-Fi

    Written in 1973, a massive 50 kilometre long alien cylinder begins to pass through the solar system provoking a hurried effort to intercept it.

    space opera · first contact

  50. 50
    Altered Carbon cover

    Altered Carbon

    Richard K. Morgan · Sci-Fi

    In the 25th century, humankind has spread throughout the galaxy, monitored by the watchful eye of the U.N.

    space opera · cat and mouse · high stakes survival · dystopian society

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  51. 51
    Blindsight cover

    Blindsight

    Peter Watts · Sci-Fi

    *Two months since the stars fell...* Two months since sixty-five thousand alien objects clenched around the Earth like a luminous fist, screaming…

    cosmic horror · space opera · first contact · high stakes survival

  52. 52
    A Memory Called Empire cover

    A Memory Called Empire

    Arkady Martine · Sci-Fi

    Won the 2020 Hugo for Best Novel.

    space opera · political intrigue · twist ending

  53. 53
    Snow Crash cover

    Snow Crash

    Neal Stephenson · Sci-Fi

    Within the Metaverse, Hiro is offered a datafile named Snow Crash by a man named Raven who hints that it is a form of narcotic.

    space opera · heist · anti hero · morally grey character · dystopian society · high stakes survival

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  54. 54
    Skyward cover

    Skyward

    Brandon Sanderson · Sci-Fi

    **SPENSA'S WORLD HAS BEEN UNDER ATTACK FOR DECADES.** Now pilots are the heroes of what's left of the human race, and becoming one has always been…

    space opera · coming of age · chosen one · high stakes survival

  55. 55
    Moss'd in Space cover

    Moss'd in Space

    Rebecca Thorne · Romance

    Torian Razner finally bought a starship, and contrary to Amelia’s assessment, it was not “a meteoric sign of stupidity.” Sure, the alien starship may…

    space opera · romantic comedy · cozy vibes · opposites attract

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  56. 56
    Ancillary Justice cover

    Ancillary Justice

    Ann Leckie · Sci-Fi

    On a remote, icy planet, the soldier known as Breq is drawing closer to completing her quest.

    revenge plot · space opera · psychological thriller · quest · trauma recovery

  57. 57
    To Be Taught, If Fortunate cover

    To Be Taught, If Fortunate

    Becky Chambers · Sci-Fi

    At the turn of the twenty-second century, scientists make a breakthrough in human spaceflight.

    space opera · survival · found family

  58. 58
    Winter cover

    Winter

    Marissa Meyer · Sci-Fi

    Princess Winter is admired for her grace, kindness and beauty, despite the scars on her face.

    space opera · dystopian society · chosen one · found family · twist ending

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  59. 59
    Automatic Noodle cover

    Automatic Noodle

    Annalee Newitz · Sci-Fi

    "From sci-fi visionary and acclaimed author Annalee Newitz comes Automatic Noodle, a cozy near-future novella about a crew of abandoned food service…

    cozy vibes · found family · space opera

  60. 60
    Speaker for the Dead cover

    Speaker for the Dead

    Orson Scott Card · Sci-Fi

    Ender Wiggin, the young military genius, discovers that a second alien war is inevitable and that he must dismiss his fears to make peace with…

    chosen one · quest · space opera · redemption arc

  61. 61
    Nobody's Baby cover

    Nobody's Baby

    Olivia Waite · Mystery & Thriller

    Becky Chambers meets Miss Marple in the second entry of this cozy sci-fi mystery series, helmed by a formidable no-nonsense auntie of a detective.

    space opera · cozy vibes · found family

  62. 62
    Celestial Lights cover

    Celestial Lights

    Cecile Pin · Sci-Fi

    A coming-of-age tale inspired by Odysseus set both on Earth and in space, Celestial Lights is perfect for fans of Orbital and Normal People.

    space opera · coming of age · quest · multiple timelines

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  63. 63
    Old Man's War cover

    Old Man's War

    John Scalzi · Sci-Fi

    John Scalzi channels Robert Heinlein (including a wry sense of humor) in a novel about a future Earth engaged in an interstellar war against more…

    space opera · survival · high stakes survival

  64. 64
    Sea of Tranquility cover

    Sea of Tranquility

    Emily St. John Mandel · Sci-Fi

    Edwin St. Andrew is eighteen years old when he crosses the Atlantic by steamship, exiled from polite society following an ill-conceived diatribe at a…

    time travel · multiple timelines · slow burn · space opera · paranormal romance

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  65. 65
    The Mote in God's Eye cover

    The Mote in God's Eye

    Larry Niven · Sci-Fi

    Writing separately, Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle are responsible for a number of science fiction classics, such as the Hugo and Nebula…

    space opera · first contact

  66. 66
    Gateway cover

    Gateway

    Frederik Pohl · Sci-Fi

    Gateway opened on all the wealth of the Universe...and on reaches of unimaginable horror.

    space opera · psychological thriller · survival · trauma recovery

  67. 67
    The Radiant Dark cover

    The Radiant Dark

    Alexandra Oliva · Sci-Fi

    ***Arrival meets Wild Dark Shore in this captivating novel that follows a family for over fifty years—a bold and compassionate exploration of the…

    coming of age · multiple timelines · trauma recovery · space opera · found family

  68. 68
    The Primal Hunter 3 cover

    The Primal Hunter 3

    Zogarth · Sci-Fi

    With a huge open planet before him, Jake has literally grown wings as he begins his conquest of the local wildlife.

    space opera · quest · coming of age · survival

  69. 69
    Radiant Star cover

    Radiant Star

    Ann Leckie · Sci-Fi

    Space opera's sharpest mind returns to the world of the Imperial Radch in this brilliant standalone from award-winning author Ann Leckie.

    space opera · political intrigue · found family

  70. 70
    Spin cover

    Spin

    Robert Charles Wilson · Sci-Fi

    One night in October when he was ten years old, Tyler Dupree stood in his back yard and watched the stars go out.

    space opera · survival · time travel

  71. 71
    Inherit the Stars cover

    Inherit the Stars

    James P. Hogan · Sci-Fi

    space opera · first contact

  72. 72
    Disquiet Gods cover

    Disquiet Gods

    Christopher Ruocchio · Sci-Fi

    The sixth novel of the galaxy-spanning Sun Eater series merges the best of space opera and epic fantasy, as Hadrian Marlowe continues down a path…

    space opera · grimdark · revenge plot · anti hero · political intrigue

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  73. 73
    The Employees cover

    The Employees

    Olga Ravn · Sci-Fi

    "Is this a human problem? If so, I'd like to keep it. The crew of the Six-Thousand Ship consists of those who were born, and those who were made. …

    space opera · psychological thriller

  74. 74
    Ashes of Man cover

    Ashes of Man

    Christopher Ruocchio · Sci-Fi

    The fifth novel of the galaxy-spanning Sun Eater series merges the best of space opera and epic fantasy, as Hadrian Marlowe continues down a path…

    space opera · revenge plot · political intrigue · high stakes survival

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  75. 75
    Rosewater cover

    Rosewater

    Tade Thompson · Sci-Fi

    "Rosewater is a town on the edge.

    space opera · political intrigue · first contact

  76. 76
    Hyperion Cantos cover

    Hyperion Cantos

    Dan Simmons · Sci-Fi

    space opera · quest · multiple timelines · twist ending

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  77. 77
    The Space Between Worlds cover

    The Space Between Worlds

    Micaiah Johnson · Sci-Fi

    NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS’ CHOICE • An outsider who can travel between worlds discovers a secret that threatens the very fabric of the…

    space opera · first contact · survival

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  78. 78
    This Brutal Moon cover

    This Brutal Moon

    Bethany Jacobs · Sci-Fi

    Bethany Jacobs returns with the thrilling conclusion to The Kindom Trilogy that began with the Philip K.

    space opera · revenge plot · high stakes survival · political intrigue

    🌶️🌶️🌶️Moderate — some open-door scenes, not the focus
  79. 79
    Ringworld cover

    Ringworld

    Larry Niven · Sci-Fi

    The ' (1970–2004), by science fiction author Larry Niven, is a part of his Known Space set of stories.

    space opera · quest · first contact

  80. 80
    Xeelee Sequence cover

    Xeelee Sequence

    Stephen Baxter · Sci-Fi

    Beginning with RAFT in 1991, Stephen Baxter's epic sequence of Xeelee novels introduced readers to perhaps the most ambitious fictitious universe…

    space opera · quest

  81. 81
    An Unkindness of Ghosts cover

    An Unkindness of Ghosts

    Rivers Solomon · Sci-Fi

    "Aster has little to offer folks in the way of rebuttal when they call her ogre and freak.

    space opera · morally grey character · survival · trauma recovery

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  82. 82
    When the Moon Hits Your Eye cover

    When the Moon Hits Your Eye

    John Scalzi · Sci-Fi

    John Scalzi flies you to the moon with his most fantastic tale to date: When the Moon Hits Your Eye The moon has turned into cheese.

    space opera · high stakes survival · political intrigue

  83. 83
    First Mage on the Moon cover

    First Mage on the Moon

    Cameron Johnston · Sci-Fi

    Cameron Johnston returns in this innovative space fantasy, where wizards race to be the first on the moon – also known as the land of the gods.

    space opera · quest · chosen one

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  84. 84
    Into the Drowning Deep cover

    Into the Drowning Deep

    Mira Grant · Sci-Fi

    Seven years ago, the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a “mockumentary” bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend.

    space opera · survival · high stakes survival

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  85. 85
    Contact cover

    Contact

    Carl Sagan · Sci-Fi

    In December, 1999, a multinational team journeys out to the stars, to the most awesome encounter in human history.

    space opera · first contact · quest

  86. 86
    Pluto cover

    Pluto

    Ben Bova · Sci-Fi

    Major Larry Randall has been called to Pluto to retrieve Dr.

    space opera · quest · high stakes survival

  87. 87
    The Stars My Destination cover

    The Stars My Destination

    Alfred Bester · Sci-Fi

    In this pulse-quickening novel, Alfred Bester imagines a future in which people "jaunte" a thousand miles with a single thought, where the rich…

    space opera · revenge plot · anti hero · high stakes survival

  88. 88
    Lord of Light cover

    Lord of Light

    Roger Zelazny · Sci-Fi

    space opera · quest · redemption arc

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  89. 89
    Halcyon Years cover

    Halcyon Years

    Alastair Reynolds · Sci-Fi

    A private investigator is hired to look into a mysterious, high-profile death aboard the starship Halcyon in this fresh new science fiction…

    space opera · cat and mouse

  90. 90
    Startide Rising cover

    Startide Rising

    David Brin · Sci-Fi

    David Brin: “Startide Rising” (1983) This is a sci fi story about a Terran (Earth) crew of neo-dolphins and humans on the starship “The Streaker”.

    space opera · first contact · quest

  91. 91
    The Mountain in the Sea cover

    The Mountain in the Sea

    Ray Nayler · Sci-Fi

    When pioneering marine biologist Dr.

    first contact · quest · survival · space opera

  92. 92
    The Player of Games cover

    The Player of Games

    Iain M. Banks · Sci-Fi

    The Culture - a human/machine symbiotic society - has thrown up many great Game Players, and one of the greatest is Gurgeh.

    space opera · political intrigue · cat and mouse

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  93. 93
    The Lunar Chronicles cover

    The Lunar Chronicles

    Marissa Meyer · Sci-Fi

    Cinder Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg.

    space opera · dystopian society · chosen one · quest

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  94. 94
    The Sixth Nik cover

    The Sixth Nik

    Daniel Kraus · Sci-Fi

    Perfectly aligned for readers of Ian M.

    space opera · quest

  95. 95
    Trading in Danger cover

    Trading in Danger

    Elizabeth Moon · Sci-Fi

    Kylara Vatta is the only daughter in a family full of sons, and her father's only child to buck tradition by choosing a military career instead of…

    coming of age · space opera · quest · chosen one

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  96. 96
    A Closed and Common Orbit cover

    A Closed and Common Orbit

    Becky Chambers · Sci-Fi

    Once, Lovelace had eyes and ears everywhere.

    found family · space opera · trauma recovery · slow burn · chosen one

  97. 97
    The King Must Die cover

    The King Must Die

    Kemi Ashing-Giwa · Sci-Fi

    Fen’s world is crumbling. Newearth, a once-promising planet gifted by the all-powerful alien Makers, now suffers from failed terraforming, leaving…

    enemies to lovers · space opera · political intrigue · quest

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  98. 98
    Timelike Infinity cover

    Timelike Infinity

    Stephen Baxter · Sci-Fi

    Timelike Infinity: the strange region at the end of time where the Xeelee, owners of the universe, are waiting...

    space opera · survival · post apocalyptic · high stakes survival · quest

  99. 99
    Mickey 7 cover

    Mickey 7

    Edward Ashton · Sci-Fi

    Dying isn't any fun...but at least it's a living.

    space opera · survival

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  100. 100
    The Fall of Hyperion cover

    The Fall of Hyperion

    Dan Simmons · Sci-Fi

    On the world called Hyperion, beyond the law of the Hegemony of Man, there waits the creature called the Shrike.

    space opera · quest · multiple timelines · time travel · high stakes survival

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  101. 101
    Embassytown cover

    Embassytown

    China Mieville · Sci-Fi

    Embassytown: a city of contradictions on the outskirts of the universe.

    space opera · first contact · political intrigue

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  102. 102
    Seveneves cover

    Seveneves

    Neal Stephenson · Sci-Fi

    "What would happen if the world were ending?

    post apocalyptic · survival · high stakes survival · space opera

  103. 103
    Scion cover

    Scion

    James Islington · Sci-Fi

    IS BACK Scion introduces James Islington's first ever sci-fi novel in an unmissable new series following the story of Azure, the cybernetically…

    space opera · chosen one · survival

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  104. 104
    📖

    Use of Weapons

    Iain Banks · Sci-Fi

    The man known as Cheradenine Zakalwe was one of Special Circumstances' foremost agents, changing the destiny of planets to suit the Culture through…

    space opera · cat and mouse · morally grey character · political intrigue

    🌶️🌶️🌶️Moderate — some open-door scenes, not the focus
  105. 105
    Tau Zero cover

    Tau Zero

    Poul Anderson · Sci-Fi

    Poul Anderson's Tau Zero is an outstanding work of science fiction, in part because it combines two qualities that are often at odds in this genre:…

    space opera · high stakes survival · survival

  106. 106
    Story of Your Life cover

    Story of Your Life

    Ted Chiang · Sci-Fi

    Ted Chiang's first published story, "Tower of Babylon," won the Nebula Award in 1990.

    time travel · first contact · space opera

  107. 107
    Salvation cover

    Salvation

    Peter F. Hamilton · Sci-Fi

    "Humanity's complex relationship with technology spirals out of control in this first book of an all-new trilogy from "the owner of the most powerful…

    space opera · high stakes survival · political intrigue

  108. 108
    Jitterbug cover

    Jitterbug

    Gareth L. Powell · Sci-Fi

    In this twisty and action-packed adventure from the BSFA award-winning author of Descendant Machine and Future’s Edge, a crew of bounty hunters find…

    space opera · cat and mouse · heist · high stakes survival

  109. 109
    Look to Windward cover

    Look to Windward

    Iain M. Banks · Sci-Fi

    It was one of the less glorious incidents of a long-ago war.

    space opera · grimdark · high stakes survival

  110. 110
    Illuminae cover

    Illuminae

    Amie Kaufman · Sci-Fi

    ***This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

    space opera · found family · high stakes survival

  111. 111
    Stations of the Tide cover

    Stations of the Tide

    Michael Swanwick · Sci-Fi

    The story of a nameless bureaucrat who is sent by the Office of Technology Transfer, charged with restricting the flow of dangerous technologies, to…

    space opera · portal fantasy · cat and mouse · twist ending

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  112. 112
    Winter's Orbit cover

    Winter's Orbit

    Everina Maxwell · Sci-Fi

    While the Iskat Empire has long dominated the system through treaties and political alliances, several planets, including Thea, have begun to chafe…

    forced proximity · slow burn · space opera · opposites attract · marriage of convenience

    🌶️🌶️🌶️Moderate — some open-door scenes, not the focus
  113. 113
    Count Zero cover

    Count Zero

    William Gibson · Sci-Fi

    Turner, corporate mercenary, wakes in a reconstructed body, a beautiful woman by his side.

    space opera · heist

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  114. 114
    Network Effect cover

    Network Effect

    Martha Wells · Sci-Fi

    **Murderbot returns in its highly-anticipated, first, full-length standalone novel.** You know that feeling when you’re at work, and you’ve had…

    found family · space opera · anti hero · slow burn · trauma recovery

  115. 115
    Vorkosigan's Game cover

    Vorkosigan's Game

    Lois McMaster Bujold · Sci-Fi

    Miles Naismith Vorkosigan was not a mutant, though he was often mistaken for one.

    space opera · political intrigue · quest

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  116. 116
    The Thrawn Trilogy 3-Book Bundle cover

    The Thrawn Trilogy 3-Book Bundle

    Timothy Zahn · Sci-Fi

    Experience the #1 New York Times bestselling Star Wars Legends trilogy that introduced the menacing Grand Admiral Thrawn—now in a complete three-book…

    space opera · political intrigue · quest

  117. 117
    Downbelow Station cover

    Downbelow Station

    C. J. Cherryh · Sci-Fi

    From back cover Daw paperback February 1981: Pell's Star occupied the central spot in the coming conflict between Earth's tired stellar empire and…

    space opera · political intrigue · closed circle

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  118. 118
    As You Wake, Break the Shell cover

    As You Wake, Break the Shell

    Becky Chambers · Sci-Fi

    Explore a universe of stubborn survival and found family, of persistent danger and quiet wonder in the first installment of a heartfelt new duology…

    found family · space opera · survival · cozy vibes

  119. 119
    The Word for World is Forest cover

    The Word for World is Forest

    Ursula K. Le Guin · Sci-Fi

    Centuries in the future, Terrans have established a logging colony & military base named “New Tahiti” on a tree-covered planet whose small,…

    space opera · dystopian society · political intrigue · survival · grimdark

  120. 120
    Shadow Hunters cover

    Shadow Hunters

    Christie Golden · Sci-Fi

    Jacob Ramsey has spent much of the last two years on a backwater planet wasting time on a fruitless excavation.

    space opera · quest

  121. 121
    Detour cover

    Detour

    Jeff Rake · Sci-Fi

    A space shuttle flight crew discovers that the Earth they’ve returned to is not the home they left behind in the first book of this emotional,…

    space opera · psychological thriller · twist ending · high stakes survival · paranormal romance

  122. 122
    Planetfall cover

    Planetfall

    Emma Newman · Sci-Fi

    "From Emma Newman, the award-nominated author of Between Two Thorns, comes a novel of how one secret withheld to protect humanity's future might be…

    unreliable narrator · space opera · twist ending · survival

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  123. 123
    Exodus: The Helium Sea cover

    Exodus: The Helium Sea

    Peter F. Hamilton · Sci-Fi

    The epic conclusion of the Archimedes Engine duology by legendary author Peter F.

    space opera · high stakes survival · political intrigue

  124. 124
    Of Monsters and Mainframes cover

    Of Monsters and Mainframes

    Barbara Truelove · Sci-Fi

    **Spaceships aren't programmed to seek revenge--but for Dracula, Demeter will make an exception.** Demeter just wants to do her job: shuttling…

    space opera · revenge plot · survival · post apocalyptic

  125. 125
    Binti cover

    Binti

    Nnedi Okorafor · Sci-Fi

    Afro-futurist science fiction.

    space opera · coming of age · first contact · fish out of water · quest

  126. 126
    These Burning Stars cover

    These Burning Stars

    Bethany Jacobs · Sci-Fi

    "On a dusty backwater planet, occasional thief Jun Ironway has got her hands on the score of a lifetime: a secret that could raze the Kindom, the…

    revenge plot · cat and mouse · space opera · psychological thriller · twist ending

    🌶️🌶️Mild — romantic tension, kissing, nothing explicit
  127. 127
    The Martian Chronicles cover

    The Martian Chronicles

    Ray Bradbury · Sci-Fi

    This is a collection of science fiction short stories, cleverly cobbled together to form a coherent and very readable novel about a future…

    space opera · dystopian society · post apocalyptic · survival