Space opera

Information about Space opera

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Classic pulp space opera cover, with the usual cliché elements.
For other uses, see Space Opera (disambiguation).


Space opera is a subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that emphasizes romantic adventure, and larger-than-life characters often set against vast exotic futuristic settings with remotely plausible technology as time travel and interstellar travel, complex alien civilizations and fictional depictions of the human future.

History of space opera

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Grey Lensman, 1939
"Space opera" was originally a derogatory term, a variant of "horse opera" and "soap opera," coined in 1941 by Wilson Tucker to describe what he called "the hacky, grinding, stinking, outworn space-ship yarn" — i.e., substandard science fiction.[1] "Space opera" is still sometimes used with a pejorative sense.

Space opera in its most familiar form was a product of the pulp magazines for the 1920s–1940s. Science fiction in general borrowed a great deal from the established adventure and pulp fiction genres, notably frontier stories of the American West and stories with exotic settings such as Africa or the orient, and space opera was no exception. There were often parallels between sailing ships and spaceships, between African explorers and space explorers, between oceanic pirates and space pirates.

An early proto-science-fiction novel may have also been the first space opera. Garrett P. Serviss's Edison's Conquest of Mars, published in 1898, predates the term "space opera" but has all the cliché elements: spaceships, travel to other planets, flying cars, battles with evil aliens, military weapons of mass destruction, beautiful women being held prisoner, and even the first appearance of a disintegrator ray.

The prototype of the pulp space opera is E. E. Smith's The Skylark of Space (first published in Amazing Stories in 1928), in which a scientist discovers a space-drive, builds a ship, and flies off with a female companion to encounter alien civilizations and fight a larger-than-life villain. Smith's later Lensman series and the work of Edmond Hamilton and Jack Williamson in the 1930s and 1940s were popular with readers and much-imitated by other writers, and it was the imitators that inspired Tucker and other fans to use the label to indicate hackwork.

Eventually a fondness for the best examples of the genre led to a reevaluation of the term and a resurrection of the subgenre's traditions. Writers such as Poul Anderson and Gordon R. Dickson had kept the large-scale space adventure form alive through the 1950s, followed by (to name only a few exemplars) M. John Harrison and C. J. Cherryh in the 1970s and Iain M. Banks, Lois McMaster Bujold, and Paul J. McAuley in the 1980s. By this time, "space opera" was for many readers no longer a term of insult but a simple description of a particular kind of science fiction adventure story.

In the 1970s, a number of mostly British writers began to reinvent space opera. Significant events in this process include the publication of M. John Harrison's The Centauri Device in 1975; a "call to arms" editorial by David Pringle and Colin Greenland in Interzone[2]; and the financial success of Star Wars, which closely follows many traditional space opera conventions. This new space opera, which evolved around the same time cyberpunk emerged and was influenced by it, is darker, moves away from the "triumph of mankind" template of space opera, involves newer technologies, and has stronger characterization than the space opera of old. While it does retain the interstellar scale and grandeur of traditional space opera, it can also be scientifically rigorous. Among the practitioners of the new space opera are Iain M. Banks, Stephen Baxter, Simon Green, Peter F. Hamilton, M. John Harrison, Paul J. McAuley, Ken MacLeod, Alastair Reynolds, Charles Stross, Vernor Vinge, Walter Jon Williams, and John C. Wright.

A more recent movement of American space opera writers, many writing for the Baen books imprint, developed during the 1990s and 2000s. This new wave of space opera authors include David Drake, Lois McMaster Bujold, Eric Flint, S.M. Stirling, John Ringo and David Weber. This branch of space opera follows more military themes than the British branch and usually features tales of war on an interstellar scale.

Other older, more established writers such as James H. Schmitz and Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, among others, had produced space opera and were often reprinted by Baen during this same period, as part of an effort by the publisher to reestablish the market for more military-themed space opera.

Random House's Del Rey division, which had never totally gone out of the space opera business, also increased their output of space opera books during the 1990s and 2000s, including their own versions of military space opera. Stories such as David Sherman and Dan Cragg's StarFist series became increasingly common.

Characteristics

The characteristics and connotations have changed and continue to mold in the various forms of media that Space Opera is present in.
While most science fiction in television and film, from Star Trek to Battlestar Galactica, have space opera elements they usually lack one or more of the elements that sets space opera apart from the other parts of the sci-fi genre. Most new space opera tends to be a mixture of hard science fiction and mythology with some exceptions mixing in soft science fiction as well.

Below are some of the usual characteristics one might- but not always- see in a space opera.
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Buck Rogers comic book
  • Setting
  • Outer Space or distant planet
  • Characters
  • Aliens are similar to humans in terms of culture, outlook, and often even physically; barriers to communication between human and alien are easily overcome.
  • Depth of character development and description can vary but some people refuse to apply the term ‘space opera’ to a work with well-developed characterization
  • Often no shades of gray in characters; they are good or evil
  • Plot
  • Set apart from other science fiction sub-genres by ultimate good vs. evil stories
  • Large scale, planet/galaxy/universe depends on survival of hero’s civilization
  • Romance components
  • Formulaic
  • Space battles
  • Technology
  • Ray-guns or a gun-like weapon
  • Robots
  • Spaceships
  • Scientific plausibility
  • Spaceships sometimes violate laws of physics with faster-than-light travel or even time travel. Also they can have unrealistic maneuverability and rarely need to decelerate
  • Diverge from known physical reality invoking paranormal forces or vast powers capable of destroying planets, stars or galaxies
  • Possibility of supernatural abilities by certain characters, although not normally to the extent of those in some works of fantasy.

Definitions by contrast

Space opera and planetary romance

Some critics distinguish between space opera and planetary romance.[3] Where space opera grows out of both the Western and sea adventure traditions, the planetary romance grows out of the lost world or lost civilization tradition. Both feature adventures in exotic settings, but space opera emphasizes space travel, while planetary romances focus on alien worlds. In this view, the Martian-, Venusian-, and lunar-setting stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs would be planetary romances (and among the earliest), as would be Leigh Brackett's Burroughs-influenced Eric John Stark stories. Other writers who have produced planetary romances include Jack Vance (the Tschai tetralogy and Durdane trilogy), Philip José Farmer (The Green Odyssey), Robert Silverberg (the Majipoor series), and Frank Herbert (the first three Dune novels).

Space opera and hard science fiction

Space opera can also be contrasted with "hard science fiction", in which the emphasis is on the effects of technological progress and inventions, and where the settings are carefully worked out to obey the laws of physics, cosmology, mathematics, and biology. There is, however (according to some), no sharp division between hard science fiction and true space opera. Many of Robert A. Heinlein's young adult novels, such as Starship Troopers, are seen by his fans to qualify as both.

Space opera and military science fiction

One subset of space opera overlaps with military science fiction, concentrating on large-scale space battles with futuristic weapons (example: Honor Harrington series by David Weber). In such stories, the military tone and weapon system technology may be taken very seriously. At one extreme, the genre is used to speculate about future wars involving space travel, or the effects of such a war on humans; at the other it consists of the use of military fiction plots with some superficial science fiction trappings.

Parodies



Harry Harrison's Bill, the Galactic Hero and Douglas Adams's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy parody the conventions of classic space opera. The 1987 film Spaceballs, directed and co-written by Mel Brooks, is a Star Wars parody with many space opera characteristics. The American animated television series Futurama, created by Matt Groening, plays with the space opera genre from time to time, for example in the over-the-top military officer Zapp Brannigan. Also on the Colbert Report is the author of a so-called "un-published and shopping it around to publishers" epic novel called Alpha Squad 7: Lady Nocturne: A Tek Jansen Adventure. He occasionally reads excerpts from the novel, and later aired several animated shorts based on them.

In the comic strip world, the adventures of Spaceman Spiff, the alter ego of Calvin, eponymous hero of Calvin and Hobbes, parodied many space opera conventions.

Examples of Space Opera

In all media below. Where a * is noted there are multiple types of media for a franchise.

Literature

Novels & Series
Anthologies & Collections
Short Fiction
  • "The Swordsman of Varnis" by Clive Jackson (1950), USA; a story important to the redefinition of the term Space Opera in the 1950s
  • "The Prince of Space" (1931) by Jack Williamson, USA
  • "The Mountains of Mourning" by Lois McMaster Bujold, USA

Film

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During the Battle of Endor, Luke confronts Vader in an attempt to bring him back from the dark side.

Television

Anime / animated

Comic Strips or Comic Books

Stage

Music

Games

Role Playing Games:
  • Fading Suns
  • Space Opera, setting created by E. Simbalist, M. Ratner & P. McGregor
  • ''Star*Drive**, a far-future space opera setting, using the now out-of-print Alternity RPG rule system. Originally published by TSR.
  • Traveller, setting created by Marc W. Miller
Board games: Computer games:

See also

References

1. ^ [1]| SF Citations for OED, "Space opera"
2. ^ [2] See Paul J. McAuley, "Junkyard Universes," Locus, August 2003
3. ^ [3]| SF Citations for OED, "Planetary romance"

Articles

Space opera is a subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that emphasizes romantic adventure, exotic settings, and larger-than-life characters.

Space Opera may also refer to:

In literature:

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    Speculative fiction is a term which has been used in multiple related but distinct ways. Speculative fiction is a type of fiction that asks the classic "What if?" question and attempts to answer it.
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    worldwide view of the subject.
    Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page.


    Science fiction (abbreviated SF or sci-fi
    ..... Click the link for more information.
    romance or chivalric romance refers to a style of heroic prose and verse narrative current in Europe from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.

    Characteristics of the romance


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    In a linear conception of time, the future is the portion of the time line that has yet to occur, i.e. the place in space-time where lie all events that still will or may occur.
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    Horse opera refers to a western movie or television series that is extremely cliched or formulaic (in the manner of a soap opera). The term, which was originally coined by silent film-era Western star William S.
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    soap opera is an ongoing, episodic work of fiction, usually broadcast on television or radio. Programs described as soap operas have existed as an entertainment long enough for audiences to recognize them simply by the term soap.
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    For the football player of the same name see Bob Tucker (football player).

    Arthur Wilson "Bob" Tucker (November 23, 1914 – October 6, 2006) was an American mystery, action adventure, and science fiction writer and fan.
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    Pulp magazines (or pulp fiction; often referred to as "the pulps") were inexpensive fiction magazines. They were widely published from the 1920s through the 1950s. The term pulp fiction can also refer to mass market paperbacks since the 1950s.
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    Western United States—commonly referred to as the American West or simply The West—traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States (see geographical terminology section for further discussion of these
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    Edison's Conquest of Mars, by Garrett P. Serviss, is one of the many science fiction novels published in the nineteenth century. Although science fiction was not at the time thought of as a distinct literary genre, it was a very popular literary form, with almost every
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    disintegrator ray is a fictional weapon that destroys its targets by breaking them down into their basic atoms, and then dispersing the atoms into the air. It is a common way in science fiction novels and films to depose of enemies without leaving any infectious corpses.
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    Edward Elmer Smith

    Gray Lensman in Astounding Oct. 1939
    Pseudonym: E. E. "Doc" Smith
    Born: May 2 1890(1890--)
    Sheboygan, Wisconsin
    Died: July 31 1965 (aged 75)
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    The Skylark of Space is one of the earliest novels of interstellar travel. First published in 1928, it was written between 1915 and 1921 by chemical engineer Edward Elmer Smith (E.E.
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    Amazing Stories magazine, sometimes retitled Amazing Science Fiction, was first published in April 1926 in New York City, thereby becoming the first magazine devoted exclusively to publishing stories in the genre presently known as science fiction (SF).
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    The Lensman series is a serial science fiction space opera by E. E. Smith. The series is significant because it was the first set of science fiction novels conceived as a series.
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    Edmond Moore Hamilton (October 21, 1904 - February 1 1977) was a popular author of science fiction stories and novels throughout the mid-twentieth century. [1] Born in Youngstown, Ohio, he was raised there and in nearby New Castle, Pennsylvania.
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    Jack Williamson

    Jack Williamson
    Pseudonym: Will Stewart
    Born: March 29 1908(1908--)
    Bisbee, Arizona
    Died: November 10 2006 (aged 98)
    Portales, New Mexico, U.S.
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    Poul Anderson

    Poul Anderson on the cover of F&SF; painting by Kelly Freas
    Pseudonym: A. A. Craig, Michael Karageorge, Winston P. Sanders, P. A. Kingsley[1]
    Born: November 25 1926(1926--)
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    Gordon Rupert Dickson

    Gordon Dickson lecturing
    Born: November 1 1923(1923--)

    Died: January 31 2001 (aged 79)

    Occupation: Novelist, short story author
    Genres: Science fiction, Fantasy
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    Michael John Harrison (born July 26, 1945), who writes as M. John Harrison, is a British author of science fiction, fantasy and literary fiction.

    Harrison was born in Warwickshire.
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    Carolyn Janice Cherry

    C. J. Cherryh at NorWesCon, Seattle, April 2006.

    Pseudonym: C. J. Cherryh
    Born: September 1 1942 (1942--) (age 65)
    St.
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    Iain Banks

    Iain M. Banks at 63rd World Science Fiction Convention in Glasgow, August 2005
    Pseudonym: Iain M. Banks
    Born: 16 January 1954 (1954--) (age 53)
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    Lois McMaster Bujold

    Born: November 2 1949 (1949--) (age 58)
    Columbus, Ohio
    Occupation: novelist
    Nationality:  United States
    Genres: science fiction, fantasy
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    Paul McAuley (born April 23, 1955), a British botanist, award-winning author, and self-described science junkie.

    By training a biologist, UK science fiction author McAuley writes mostly hard science fiction, dealing with themes such as biotechnology, alternate
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    Michael John Harrison (born July 26, 1945), who writes as M. John Harrison, is a British author of science fiction, fantasy and literary fiction.

    Harrison was born in Warwickshire.
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    Interzone may refer to:
    • International zone, such as in Tangiers
    • Interzone (book), the title of a short story collection by William Burroughs; it is also a setting in his 1959 novel Naked Lunch.

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    Cyberpunk is a science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life". The name, derived from cybernetics and punk, was originally developed as a marketing term and coined by Bruce Bethke in his short story "Cyberpunk" published in 1983[1]
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    Iain Banks

    Iain M. Banks at 63rd World Science Fiction Convention in Glasgow, August 2005
    Pseudonym: Iain M. Banks
    Born: 16 January 1954 (1954--) (age 53)
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