Space opera

:For other meanings of this term see Space Opera (disambiguation).

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.

Related Topics:
Laws of physics - Faster-than-light travel - Mystical powers - Star Wars - Death Star - Force - Pulp

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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.

Related Topics:
Lois McMaster Bujold - Iain M. Banks - Usenet - Rec.arts.sf.written

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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.

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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.

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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.

Related Topics:
Battlestar Galactica - Star Trek - Harry Harrison - Douglas Adams - Fritz Leiber - The Wanderer - Samuel R. Delany - Nova

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In his 1965 story Space Opera, Jack Vance parodied the genre by writing about an interstellar operatic company which brought culture to deprived worlds.

Related Topics:
1965 - Space Opera - Jack Vance

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