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Space Opera

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Space Opera

By: Catherynne M. Valente
Narrated by: Heath Miller
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About this listen

Finalist for Hugo Award for Best Novel 2019

Finalist for Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel 2019

In space everyone can hear you sing.

A century ago, intelligent space-faring life was nearly destroyed during the Sentience Wars. To bring the shattered worlds together in the spirit of peace, unity and understanding, the Metagalactic Grand Prix was created. Part concert, part contest, all extravaganza, species far and wide gather to compete in feats of song, dance and/or whatever facsimile of these can be performed by various creatures who may or may not possess, in the traditional sense, feet, mouths, larynxes or faces.

This year, humankind has discovered that it must fight for its destiny not with diplomacy, gunships and stoic councils - but with glitter, lipstick and electric guitars.

A washed-up glam-rock trio from London, Decibel Jones and the Absolute Zeroes, has been chosen to represent humanity on the greatest stage in the galaxy. The fate of Earth lies in their ability to rock.

©2018 Catherynne M. Valente (P)2019 Hachette Audio UK Fiction Science Fiction Space Opera Destiny War
All stars
Most relevant
I kept telling myself all through this book that the Author was emulating Douglas Adam and Terry Pratchett but on steroids. Its a fun story but honestly if not for the absolute brilliant narration of Heath Miller I think it would have lost me. The complexity and continuous descriptions of things in the modes of other non similar things while fun at first becomes confusing.
But don't get me wrong this is fun, but I'm so glad I listened and did not read....
Well done to Heath Millar, I'm going to seek out more of his narrations he is brilliant.

Narrator Heath Miller shines and makes this a joy.

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As a huge fan of THHGTTG I was hoping that Space Opera would be as epic. As tall. As exotic. As full of science-y sci-fi and humour.

And it was!

It gets all the stars!

Oh! And Heath Miller’s accents work in phenomenal- I would not have guessed he was a fellow Aussie until he pulled out the perfect Aussie accent. Well done dude - no wonder you won an award for this narration! Will definitely be checking out more from both him and the author!

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy meets Eurovision

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This book is clever, and profound, and beautiful and stupid. it made me laugh and almost cry and want to take up music. buy this book. please, as a favour to me and yourself.

Beautiful and stupid, just like life.

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Starts out with some amusement, but it soon becomes clear that the author is stretching a thin idea even thinner. Barely has a plot. Admirable attempt at mimicking Douglas Adam’s voice, but sadly falls short.

Lacklustre

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I like what Valente was trying to do here, but it really doesn't work sadly. The long rambling descriptions that don't add anything to the story just create a feeling of being lost, and not lost in the story in a good way. I know some will say the that the journey is more important than the destination, that's fine if you actually go somewhere, which this book doesn't. Which is ironic when it's set 7,000 light years away.

Things to note:
- The title is misleading. There is no opera in either the musical sense or the space opera genre sense.
- The audio performance is wonderful.

To sum up:
All you really need to know is that this book really, really, really wants to be a Douglas Adams book, but instead of adding to that tradition it just tries to (and there's a BIG difference). This is espeically noticeable when the author throws in something completely unrelated and random at the end of a paragraph, like this ham sandwich.

20% story, 80% allegories, metaphors & adjectives

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