From Powells.com
Our favorite books of the year.
Staff Pick
This book is like if Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy had a baby with Ziggy Stardust and Eurovision. Valente's use of language is beautiful, funny, and it will not stop for you in this glitter- and stardust-strewn story of when aliens first come to earth. The universal community has decided that wars are stupid and instead they hold a music competition to work through the competitive nature of civilization. The punishment for last place is the destruction of the planet, so you had better rock your heart out. I cannot overstress how fun this book was to read. Recommended By Shayna O., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy meets the joy and glamour of Eurovision in bestselling author Catherynne M. Valente's science fiction spectacle, where sentient races compete for glory in a galactic musical contest...and the stakes are as high as the fate of planet Earth.
Mankind must sing — not fight — for its destiny.
A century ago, the Sentience Wars tore the galaxy apart and nearly abolished intelligent space-faring life for good. In the aftermath, a curious tradition was invented by the remnants of civilization...something to cheer up everyone who was left...something to celebrate having escaped total annihilation by the skin of one's teeth — if one has skin. Or teeth. Something to bring the shattered worlds together in the spirit of peace, unity, understanding, and the most powerful connection of all social bonds: the exclusion of select others.
Once every cycle, the great galactic civilizations gather for Galactivision — part gladiatorial contest, part beauty pageant, part concert extravaganza — and part continuation of the wars of the past. The powerful species that have survived compete in feats, not of orbital combat, but of song, dance — and whatever facsimile of these can be performed by various creatures who may or may not possess feet, mouths, larynxes, or faces (at least not in the traditional sense). And if a new species should wish to be counted among the high and the mighty, if a new planet has produced some savage group of animals, machines, or algae that claim to be, against all odds, sentient? Well, then they will have to compete. And if they have any hope of participating in the greater culture of the interstellar empire, they must not only compete, but win. If a species fails to do so or refuses to enter, they will be quickly exterminated by the powers as to avoid another costly Sentience War. It's a mercy, really. One must always think of the greater good.
Thus, a fragile peace has held.
This year, a bizarre and unsightly species has looked up from its muddy planet-bound cradle and noticed the enormous universe blaring on around it: humanity. Where they expected to one day reach out into space and discover a grand drama of diplomacy, gunships, wormholes, and stoic councils of grave aliens, they have found glitter. And lipstick. And pyrotechnics. And electric guitars.
A band of human musicians, dancers, and roadies have been chosen to represent their planet on the greatest stage in the galaxy. And the fate of Earth lies in their ability to rock.
Review
"Valente has pulled off another spectacular feat of world building (it’s worth reading just for the descriptions of previous performances) and a story which is uproariously funny, sweet, and hopeful." Booklist (Starred Review)
Review
“Space Opera is a book I really needed in this dour, dire age: Valente’s book contains a story and prose that is both electric and breathless, It has the heart of Douglas Adams and the soul of David Bowie. I loved it and it made me happy.” New York Times bestselling author Chuck Wendig
Review
“Space Opera sings its heart out in full technicolor. This book made me giggle, freak out, and reflect on life’s tawdry beautiful pageant.”
Charlie Jane Anders, Nebula Award-winning author of All the Birds In the Sky
Review
"As if Ziggy Stardust went on a blind date with The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy, then they got smashed and sang karaoke all night long. Cat Valente is mad and brilliant and no one else would have even thought of this, much less pulled it off." New York Times bestselling and Hugo-Award winning author John Scalzi
Synopsis
2019 HUGO AWARD FINALIST, BEST NOVEL The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy meets the joy and glamour of Eurovision in bestselling author Catherynne M. Valente's science fiction spectacle, where sentient races compete for glory in a galactic musical contest...and the stakes are as high as the fate of planet Earth.
A century ago, the Sentience Wars tore the galaxy apart and nearly ended the entire concept of intelligent space-faring life. In the aftermath, a curious tradition was invented--something to cheer up everyone who was left and bring the shattered worlds together in the spirit of peace, unity, and understanding.
Once every cycle, the great galactic civilizations gather for the Metagalactic Grand Prix--part gladiatorial contest, part beauty pageant, part concert extravaganza, and part continuation of the wars of the past. Species far and wide 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. And if a new species should wish to be counted among the high and the mighty, if a new planet has produced some savage group of animals, machines, or algae that claim to be, against all odds, sentient? Well, then they will have to compete. And if they fail? Sudden extermination for their entire species.
This year, though, humankind has discovered the enormous universe. And while they expected to discover a grand drama of diplomacy, gunships, wormholes, and stoic councils of aliens, they have instead found glitter, lipstick, and electric guitars. Mankind will not get to fight for its destiny--they must sing.
Decibel Jones and the Absolute Zeroes have been chosen to represent their planet on the greatest stage in the galaxy. And the fate of Earth lies in their ability to rock.
About the Author
Catherynne M. Valente is the acclaimed author of The Glass Town Game, and a New York Times bestselling author of fantasy and science fiction novels, short stories, and poetry. She has been nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards, and has won the Locus and Andre Norton award. She lives on a small island off the coast of Maine with her partner, two dogs, one enormous cat, a less enormous cat, six chickens, a red accordion, an uncompleted master’s degree, a roomful of yarn, a spinning wheel with ulterior motives, a cupboard of jam and pickles, a bookshelf full of folktales, an industrial torch, and an Oxford English Dictionary.