Space opera

Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes space warfare, melodramatic adventure, interplanetary battles, as well as chivalric romance, and often risk-taking. Set mainly or entirely in outer space, it usually involves conflict between opponents possessing advanced abilities, futuristic weapons, and other sophisticated technology.

The term space opera began to be recognized only in the early 1990s as a legitimate genre of science fiction. Hartwell and Cramer define space opera as "colorful, dramatic, large-scale science fiction adventure, competently and sometimes beautifully written, usually focused on a sympathetic, heroic central character and plot action, and usually set in the relatively distant future, and in space or on other worlds, characteristically optimistic in tone. It often deals with war, piracy, military virtues, and very large-scale action, large stakes."

Early works related to but preceding the subgenre contained many elements of what would become space opera. They are today referred to as proto-space opera. The earliest proto-space opera was written by a few little-known mid-nineteenth century French authors such as: C. I. Defontenayin (1854) and Lumen (1872), Camille Flammarion. Later on Robert William Cole wrote “The Struggle for Empire: A Story of the Year 2236” which was declared the first space opera.
The novel does depict an interstellar conflict between solar men of Earth and a fierce humanoid race headquartered on Sirius.

According to author Paul J. McAuley, a number of mostly British writers began to reinvent space opera in the 1970s.
The new space opera was a reaction against the old. New space opera proponents claim that the genre centers on character development, fine writing, high literary standards, verisimilitude, and a moral exploration of contemporary social issues.

During the Golden Age of Science Fiction, the fanciful space opera stories were seen in sharp contrast to the terse, scientifically plausible material that came to dominate mainstream science fiction typified by the magazine Astounding Stories. Although at this time, space opera stories were often relegated to the status of children's entertainment, their freedom of imagination .
After the convention-breaking "New Wave", followed by the enormous success of the Star Wars films, space opera became once again a critically acceptable subgenre. Throughout years 1982–2002, the Hugo Award for best science fiction novel was often given to a space opera nominee.

The most famous representatives of space opera are:
E. E. "Doc" Smith
Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
Isaac Asimov
C. J. Cherryh
Orson Scott Card
Dan Simmons
Kevin J. Anderson
Michael F. Flynn
Ann Leckie etc.

Ancillary Justice is a science fiction novel by the American writer Ann Leckie, published in 2013. It is Leckie's debut novel and the first in her "Imperial Radch" space opera trilogy. The novel follows Breq, the sole survivor of a starship destroyed by treachery and the vessel of that ship's artificial consciousness, as she seeks revenge against the ruler of her civilization.