We've got 18 books and series we highly recommend, so there's something here for all kinds of readers - and at the end of the episode we rank our top 3 to bring you the best of the best.

What is space opera? Books with big characters and a bigger world - they usually even come with big 'ol wordcounts. Space opera is often multi-pov, with interstellar travel and the fate of the galaxy at stake.

No spoilers anywhere in this episode.

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This episode is sponsored by indie sci-fi publisher Lil' Factory

All the books we recommend, plus timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:36 Sponsor - Lil' Factory
• 1:24 What is a space opera?
• 2:58 The Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
• 4:45 The Expanse - James S.A. Corey
• 6:38 Hyperion - Dan Simmons
• 9:51 House of Suns - Alistair Reynolds
• 11:32 Children of Time - Adrian Tchaikovsky
• 13:11 Fire Upon the Deep - Vernor Vinge
• 15:04 The Culture - Iain M. Banks
• 17:17 Peter F. Hamilton's whole discography
• 20:19 Embassytown - China Mieville
• 21:45 A Memory Called Empire - Arkady Martine
• 23:34 Dune - Are you happy now?
• 24:47 Ancillary Justice - Ann Leckie
• 26:34 Downbelow Station - C.J. Cherryh
• 26:05 The Mote in God's Eye - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
• 29:24 Startide Rising - David Brin
• 31:16 The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet - Becky Chambers
• 33:01 Foundation - Isaac Asimov
• 35:22 Rankings: 3rd best Space Opera
• 37:27 Rankings: 2nd best Space Opera
• 38:50 Rankings: 1st best Space Opera