As most of you are aware by now, I’m teaching an upper division literature course in fall. The theme: American space opera. A few weeks ago, the department approved my syllabus, so come the end of next month, I will be teaching a whole lot of really interesting works. Here’s what my students will be reading:
Novels
- The Skylark of Space by E.E. “Doc” Smith
- Judgment Night by C.L. Moore
- Dune by Frank Herbert
- Ragamuffin by Tobias S. Buckell
- Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
- Rocannon’s World by Ursula K. Le Gin
- Pride of Chanur by C.J. Cherryh
Short Stories, Essays, and Collections
- The Space Opera Renaissance edited by David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer
- “Introduction”
- “The Star Stealers” by Edmond Hamilton
- “Empire Star” by Samuel R. Delany
- “A Gift from the Culture” by Iain M. Banks
- The Well Wishers” by Colin Greenland
- “Escape Route” by Peter F. Hamilton
- “The Remoras” by Robert Reed
- “Aurora in Four Voices” by Catherine Asaro
- “The Death of Captain Future” by Allen Steele
- “Grist” by Tony Daniel
- Daughters of Earth and Other Stories by Judith Merril
- “Daughters of Earth”
- “Water Pirate” by Leigh Brackett
- “Boojum” by Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette
- “Ghostweight” by Yoon Ha Lee
- “The Warlord of Saturn’s Moons” by Eleanor Arnason
- “Thirteen Ways of Looking at the British Boom” by Andrew M. Butler
- “Not Just ‘Cosmic Skullduggery’: A Partial Reconsideration of Space Opera” by Patricia Monk
- “Introduction” to Space Opera edited by Brian Aldiss
- “Space Opera” from The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
- “Future-War Fiction: the First Main Phase, 1871-1900” by I.F. Clarke in Science Fiction Studies
Note: I’m aware that there are a few British authors on the list. This was intentional. Since the New Wave and New Space Opera have been heavily influenced/led/created by British writers, I have chosen to not only provide lectures on that connection, but to also show students some of that work. Hopefully, it will be enough!
And there you have it. A long reading list of great works of space opera. I’m pretty satisfied with the list, even if it is missing a lot of things I wish I had the time to go over with my students. Such is life.
So, what do you think?
5 Responses
a few look to be second (or other later) books in a series. Why? Doesn’t that mess things up a bit? Or do you not care since it’s more of an academic exercise?
I assume you’re referring to the Buckell and the Cherryh, yeah? The Cherryh is the beginning of a new trilogy in the same universe, so I think it should be OK. The Buckell is technically the second book, but it’s written as a standalone. There’ll be some confusion over certain aspects of the last third, but I can explain those beforehand without much effort.
So, not too concerned about it. 🙂
I just re-read Foundation (1951). Would have expected to see that on your list. Is there a specific reason for its exclusion?
Partly due to space limitations and partly because it is sorta space opera, but not quite. I went with Dune instead because it is more iconic as early re-imagining of space opera.