As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

sci fi – space opera

Epic sci fi takes that take place across an empire of stars – think Star Wars or Star Trek. Return to general Sci Fi

Note: these books are currently sorted by release date, with newest first.

Sort by:

Word Count: 87200

Summary: Some stories are epic. The Earth is in a state of collapse, with wars breaking out over resources and an environment pushed to the edge by human greed. Three living generation ships have been built with a combination of genetic mastery, artificial intelligence, technology, and raw materials harvested from the asteroid belt. This is the story of one of them—43 Ariadne, or Forever, as her inhabitants call her—a living world that carries the remaining hopes of humanity, and the three generations of scientists, engineers, and explorers working to colonize her. From her humble beginnings as a seedling saved from disaster to the start of her journey across the void of space toward a new home for the human race, The Stark Divide tells the tales of the world, the people who made her, and the few who will become something altogether beyond human.

The Stark Divide - J. Scott Coatsworth
The Stark Divide
Published:

Word Count: Information not available

Summary: AN EPIC TALE, A MEETING OF TWO UNIVERSES Disgraced scientist, Captain Anton Ekels, seizes the opportunity for redemption he recognizes in the Endeavor’s near-collision with an alien stasis pod. Expelled from the mouth of a remote wormhole, the capsule—once taken onboard the deep space research vessel--reveals clues that the captain believes may link its female humanoid occupant to an alternate reality. A student of Earth’s space exploration history, Ekels quickly recognizes a plaque similar to that attached to the twentieth century’s Pioneer space probes--but the universe described is potentially unlike anything ever encountered by the Intragalactic Science Consortium. SIX-HUNDRED YEARS EARLIER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORMHOLE Grand Master G’lea and her assistant, Master T’reau, aim their innovative celestiscope skyward and make a heretical discovery. Suppressed and warped by influential P’nesian Clerics, this startling revelation further secures the dominance of the Grand Conclave, enhances the mystery of the Heavenly Visitors and seals the fate of G’lea and T’reau. Despite the best efforts of the Grand Conclave the legend of the Grand Master and her assistant lives on in hand-copied, forbidden books, the furtive whisperings of radical academics and the tall tales of drunken sailors on the island of Lolus. Hundreds of years later, on this oft-denigrated island, unique circumstances unite a sea captain raised on those whispered tall tales with the estranged son of the powerful P’nesian Archcleric. Aboard the Vagus, A’zra and G’regor begin an adventure that not only challenges entrenched religious beliefs, but eventually inspires a much greater scientific leap—towards the Celestial Ocean and beyond. PIERCING THE CELESTIAL OCEAN THE SAGA OF THE CERULEAN UNIVERSE BEGINS

Piercing the Celestial Ocean - Kip Koelsch
PIERCING THE CELESTIAL OCEAN
Published:

Word Count: Information not available

Summary: The Dissolution approaches, and all will change. "Science fantasy with fantastic queer rep" -J.S. Fields, Author of the Ardulum Series The Dissolution approaches. Sam has saved the Assembly of Species, but at a terrible cost. Locked in his apartment, his memories gone and his best friend abducted, he is once again crippled with anxiety. Meanwhile, Enos struggles to free her brother from imprisonment, alone for the first time in her life. Her true species has been revealed, and there are hints the deadliest of her kind survived an ancient war. But the Nether contains more secrets. A musical chime disrupts daily life, signaling changes to its very fabric. To solve this mystery, Sam must face his anxiety and confront truths about his memories and unique abilities. Only then can he save his friends from the machinations of the Life Coalition, by understanding the reality behind the Facets of the Nether. If you like epic fantasy, space opera and music-based magic, you'll love William C. Tracy's Dissolution Cycle. Download Facets of the Nether today and discover the diverse cultures, genders, and alien species of an epic science fantasy space opera! The Dissolution Cycle (Epic Space Opera, LGBT): Book 1: The Seeds of Dissolution Book 2: Facets of the Nether Book 3: Fall of the Imperium Book 4: Tales of the Dissolutionverse (Novella collection)

Facets of the Nether - William C. Tracy - Dissolution Universe
Facets of the Nether
Published:

Word Count: 45000

Summary: Returning to the frozen planet Aren died on was bound to have complications... Major Aren Dalsgaard's newest assignment is to investigate a series of murders on the frigid planet, Drass, where relations between the Treaty settlers and the indigenous inhabitants have taken a nasty turn. A linguist and trained xenologist, Major Dalsgaard should be the ideal Special Investigations Officer for this case, but Drass is where he died, over a hundred and twenty years ago. Sent by his family to the chigyel city, Nyachung finds himself confronted with a murder charge, racial prejudice, and a man who claims to be a hero from his grandmother’s generation. The man could be crazy or he could be lying to manipulate Nyachung, but the sincerity in those spring-green eyes disturbs him more than anything else he's encountered in the foreigners’ city. Evidence that makes no sense, mysterious boxes, and a suspicion that they can't trust anyone in the city drives the major and Nyachung together and out into the wilderness. No one's telling Major Dalsgaard everything, but every step leads him closer to a feeling of imminent catastrophe if he can't wrap this case up in time.

SubZero - Angel Martinez - Esto Universe
Sub Zero
Published:

Word Count: 77000

Summary: Breaking into one of the most secure prison planets in the system isn’t the hard part. The hard part is going to be getting back out again. They just pulled off the heist of the century. Now ex-smuggler pilot Jez and the motley crew of the Ungovernable have a promise to keep: an extraction from a high-security political prison. But the timeline for the rescue is shorter than they ever imagined, and if they want to save their target from certain death, they’ll have to go in blind—no specs, no intel, no time to prepare, and only the skeleton of a plan. And between prison gangs, murderous guards, and a vicious warden, extracting their target might be the least of their worries. Jailbreak is the second book in R.M. Olson’s science fiction space opera series The Ungovernable. With a crazy, close-knit crew, plenty of humour, and loads of action, Firefly meets Ocean’s Eleven in this fast-paced, kick-ass, wickedly fun series.

Jailbreak - R.M. Olson - The Ungovernable
Jailbreak
Published:

Word Count: 103,000

Summary: The Pirates of Sufiro is the story of a planet and its people—of Ellison Firebrandt the pirate captain living in exile; of Espedie Raton, a man from the streets of Earth looking to make a fresh start for himself and his wife on a new world; of Peter Stone, the geologist who discovers a fortune and will do anything to keep it; and of the lawman, Edmund Ray Swan who travels to Sufiro seeking the quiet life but finds a dark secret. It is the story of privateers, farmers, miners, entrepreneurs, and soldiers—all caught up in dramatic events and violent conflicts that will shape the destiny of our galaxy.

The Pirates of Sufiro - David Lee Summers - Space Pirates' Legacy
The Pirates of Sufiro
Published:

Word Count: 80,0-00

Summary: MIKE CHRISTOPHER RETURNS TO EARTH TO BATTLE AN OLD NEMESIS! Mike Christopher, an artificial Human spurned and abused by much of Earth society, left Earth to become a Galactic explorer. Now, 25 years later, he returns to battle the Jenregar, an alien enemy he's fought before. But the key to defeating the alien threat also presents a soul-crushing moral dilemma!

All Human Things - Dave Creek
ALL HUMAN THINGS
Published:

Word Count: 130,000

Summary: THE AWARD-WINNING SPACE OPERA SERIES NOW AVAILABLE IN ONE VOLUME! A GALACTIC WAR THAT PITS HUMANITY AGAINST ITSELF! Included: A CROWD OF STARS -- Earth Alliance starship captain Jon Hendrik barely escapes death at the hands of the Star Rebellion, and vows to defeat it! Meanwhile, Rachel Adero, a young woman scarred by poverty, joins the Star Rebellion to fight for the destruction of the Alliance! That's as the ruler known only as the Eminence is pulling the strings on both sides of the conflict! WINNER OF THE 2016 IMADJINN AWARD FOR BEST SF NOVEL! THE FALLEN SUN -- Ambassador Jon Hendrik works to keep dueling political factions from re-igniting The Great Human War! When he and his lover Niva Tessler are kidnapped and Niva's family members are placed in danger, the conflict becomes all too personal! THE UNMOVING STARS -- In the midst of The Great Human War, a sneak attack leaves the starship Shen Kuo with half its crew dead and the ship itself crippled and adrift thousands of light-years from home. Now, with Captain Kiernan Taylor facing a return journey that could take decades, he must seek out a "shortcut" home even as he perceives the first glimmerings of a mutiny! WINNER OF THE 2018 IMADJINN AWARD FOR BEST SF NOVEL!

The Great Human War Trilogy - Dave Creek
THE GREAT HUMAN WAR TRILOGY
Published:

Word Count: Information not available

Summary: What price for justice? Cora discovers the traitor in her midst. A fiendish move allows him to flee capture. Months pass. Life has moved on. New faces join Cora’s cause. But when the traitor resurfaces, Cora must make a choice. Join forces with her sworn enemy to get justice, or put her friends at risk. Cora will do anything to find him, but nothing is as it seems. Following a bloody trail, secrets are all around her. A dark new power manifests within. Is the traitor still working for Lucius, or are they both in danger? What will it take to find out? What price is too high?

Fated Alliance - D.C. Fergerson - The Dragon's Dream Saga
Fated Alliance
Published:

Word Count: 78000

Summary: She’s lost her ship, lost her job, lost her reputation, and is on the run from the law. Jez is a damn good pilot, and she’s always worked alone. Until she got picked up for smuggling, that is. Now she’s an ex-con and ex-employed, and there are plenty of people with old scores to settle. So when a mysterious stranger in a battered pilot's coat comes to her with an offer that sounds too good to be true, she reluctantly agrees to listen. All she has to do is fly one little job. Four ex-convicts. One charismatic mastermind. And the most dangerous heist the System has ever seen. Firefly meets Ocean’s Eleven in R.M. Olson’s fast-paced, kick-ass, wickedly fun space opera series, The Ungovernable. Grab a copy and join the crew.

Zero Day Threat - R.M. Olson - The Ungovernable
Zero Day Threat
Published:

Word Count: 250000

Summary: Can a Warlord and a Prince find love when the galaxy is on the brink of war? Chief Warlord Sohm'lan has a job he loves protecting the family who claims him as one of their own. He has known the loss of a mate and believed he would walk alone for the rest of his life… that is until Prince Mestor demanded more from him than duty. Unable to fathom why Mestor would want a widowed older warrior, Sohm'lan maintains his distance believing Mestor will eventually choose an amor closer in age and experience, even though the thought causes him more pain than it should. Prince Mestor is tired of pretending and his patience is eroding. He needs Sohm'lan to see past their respective ranks and duties to who Mestor is underneath it all. Worried Sohm'lan will be lost to him if he pushes too hard, Mestor and Sohm'lan are caught in a dance of denied desires and tangled obligations. Warlord Sohm'lan and Prince Mestor struggle to find a way to their heart's desire against the backdrop of galactic conspiracies, the dangerous mission escorting the Fal'Amoric royals, and discoveries within the Vondorian family that threaten to tear apart everything they hold dear. The two of them must stand together to fight the coming battle whatever the consequences. *Note: Constant is 250,000 words and is the third book in the series that must be read in order.

Constant - Lexi Ander - Valespian Pact
Constant
Published:

Word Count: 284

Summary: Third-gender operative Dalí Tamareia thought their life as an ambassador ended when they joined a galactic intelligence agency. When they’re yanked out of the field and tapped to negotiate the surrender of deadly bio-engineered warriors who crashed into hostile territory, Dalí is thrust headfirst back into the tumultuous world of galactic diplomacy. Dalí has faced Shontavians before, but not like these. The stranded mercenaries are highly intelligent and have an agenda of their own. Dalí can’t afford to be distracted from the negotiations by their own demons or the presence of a charming diplomat with a mysterious past. As a brewing civil war threatens to derail the entire mission, Dali must use all their skills to bring this dangerous situation to a peaceful end—but the Shontavians may not be the biggest monsters at the table. Someone is determined to see Dalí and their team dead before they discover the brutal truth hidden in the wreckage.

Peacemaker - E.M. Hamill - Dalí Tamiera
Peacemaker
Published:

Word Count: 24000

Summary: Chief Engineer Shandi Leavenworth has been crushing on Major Tyra Sur ever since she joined station staff, though the laconic customs officer doesn't give up personal information easily. A few scraps of information lead Shandi to the perfect Solstice present, until of course everything goes horribly wrong. Major Sur took the job on Onwa Station for the stability, the quiet, and out of a need to be useful. It's been all of those things up until the moment the woman she's been quietly flirting with at the bar puts in a desperate call for help. There's no question they need to save the station, but Tyra's not so sure about saving their budding relationship.

The Solstice Pudding - Abgel Martinez
The Solstice Pudding
Published:

Word Count: 98926

Summary: An unbidden journey to a new world. A mind-bending search for intergalactic empathy. Will mankind ever understand the true meaning of the alien interactions with Earth? Amidst Alien Stars, the standalone second book in a spellbinding First Contact series from Clayton Graham, takes readers on an interplanetary journey to a strange and dangerous alien world. Fans of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Contact, and Arrival will be captivated by this gripping tale of mystery, betrayal, and alien intrigue. ★★★★★ "There is world building of such depth and lush detail that you could almost feel it." ★★★★★ "Not only is this an exciting, action-packed page turner—I love the intelligence reflected, the witty dialogue, and the genuine depth in the characters’ emotions." ★★★★★  "Admirable world-building and the unsurpassable, indefatigable, drive of the human spirit to not just survive, but to thrive, power this engrossing sequel to the author's debut science fiction novel, Milijun." Following their terrifying capture from their home planet, Laura Sinclair and son, Jason, lead a group of desperate humans in a bid to forge their own future, and that of the entire human race. Aboard an alien space station, orbiting a mysterious planet in a strange new galaxy, they find themselves as collaborators in a breathtaking scheme of cosmic survival—for aliens and humans alike. But who can they really trust as they struggle to understand the challenging and hostile environment that holds them in a grip of iron? To succeed, they must solve the puzzle of extraterrestrial races in the throes of a perplexing and historic conflict. But will that be a bridge too far?

Amidst Alien Stars - Clayton Graham - Milijun
Amidst Alien Stars
Published:

Word Count: 43000

Summary: Shax can't walk away from an abandoned, hungry kitty. The fact that she can eat him in three bites is irrelevant. Someone abandons a pedigree hellcat right where Shax can conveniently claim her and sets off a cataclysmic domino line of events. It's time for the other shoe to drop since the Brimstone has a shadow cabal after them—partly due to Shax's own, er, interesting decisions and partly due to the presence of Agent Julian Parallax onboard. As ship security officer, Ness has a lot on his mind—a dangerous new pet, even more dangerous criminals tracking the Brimstone, and yet another unexpected rescued guest. The last thing he needs is a distraction and Julian, who confuses and confounds him more every moment, is exactly the distraction he doesn't need. Between Shax's reckless gambits and Julian's disregard for his own safety, how is Ness supposed to keep anyone safe? The Brimstone and her intrepid crew do all they can to stay one step ahead, but this time the hunters are closing in.

The Hut for Red Fluffy - Angel Martinez - Brimstone
The Hunt for Red Fluffy: Brimstone 6
Published:

Word Count: 93000

Summary: The danger threatening the Valespian Pact could tear Zeus, Dargon, and Alpha apart.   The peaceful respite for which Zeus and his intended, Dargon and Alpha, had been hoping for is shattered when Zeus is unexpectedly drawn into the Waters of Poseidon and told that the safety they've been promised is a trap.   But the Fal'Amoric aren't the only important cargo on the Oethra 7, and countless others are depending on the success of their mission. If Zeus hopes to break the silent siege on Valespia and protect those most precious to him, he will need not just powerful allies but the fortitude to survive overwhelming odds.   **Striker is a 93k sci-fi romance that has mature themes and content as well as a polyamorous relationship. This 2nd edition has been re-edited and 5k words added to add clarity.

Striker - Lexi Ander - Valespian Pact
Striker
Published:

Word Count: 52000

Summary: Has kidnapping Zeus ruined Dargon and Alpha's chance at love?   The sole survivor on a science vessel adrift in deep space, Zeus was adopted by the Emperor and Empress of the Mar'Sani, though he is both human and blind, and seen by many as unfit to join the royal family. Though they were able to repair his vision, Zeus does not trust his eyes, and the nobles of his parents' court refuse to ever trust a frail and treacherous human.   Dargon Kal-Turak, along with his symbiote and lover, Alpha, command one of the most dangerous ships in the stars. After narrowly escaping a trap, they dock in a space port to make repairs but find that the Psionics hunting them are closing in fast. In desperation they kidnap the port's master mechanic, unaware that the man they've brought on board is more than he seems and will bring far more upheaval to their ship, their lives, and the stars than any of them could have imagined.   **Alpha Trine is a 52k sci-fi romance. It was re-edited July 2018 and some concepts were expanded upon. Neither the plot nor characters were changed.

Alpha Trine - Lexi Ander - Valespian Pact
Alpha Trine
Published:

Word Count: Information not available

Summary: The streets of London run red. Someone is missing. What price will Cora pay to get them back? Hanging her hopes on a lawman, Cora brings new allies into the fold. But when more and more go missing, a pattern is emerging. Are they all pawns in Cora’s war against Lucius? The answer may cost Cora her life.

Spirits Unbound - D.C. Fergerson - The Dragon's Dream Saga
Spirits Unbound
Published:

Word Count: Information not available

Summary: Discover ten planets, joined through music-based magic and an immense sentient crystal. This anthology contains ten stories from the popular Dissolutionverse universe! Journey with a new majus as he investigates the Pixie homeworld and tries to avert a war. Learn how to change the Symphony during a search for a majus' lost brother. Find a new relationship on an island at war! Travel with merchants in an old war train transporting suspicious cargo. Fly with the first majus in space! Discover the food and culture of the ten species. Uncover what lurks in the basement of the House of Potential. Investigate magic, mystery and murder when a miscreant attacks the secret Society of Two Houses! Confront other-dimensional entities alongside an ancient being. Climb to the top of a miles-high wall with a crew riding a giant steampunk beetle! If you like space opera, fast-paced adventure, music-based magic, and complex, diverse characters, then you’ll love this collection of stories from William C. Tracy’s Dissolutionverse. Pick up Tales of the Dissolutionverse to discover the music today! There’s more adventure in The Dissolution Cycle (Epic Space Opera, LGBT): Book 1: The Seeds of Dissolution Book 2: Facets of the Nether Book 3: Fall of the Imperium Book 4: Tales of the Dissolutionverse

Tales of the Dissolutionverse William C. Tracy
Tales of the Dissolutionverse
Published:

Word Count: 103900

Summary: A little blue world, the third planet from the sun. It’s home to 7 billion people with all manner of faiths, beliefs and customs, divided by bigotry and misunderstanding, who will soon be told they are not alone in the universe. Anyone watching from the outside would pass by this fractured and tumultuous world, unless they had no other choice. Todd Landon is one of these people, living and working in a section of the world called the United States of America. His life is similar to those around him: home, family, work, friends and a husband. After the attack on San Jose, Todd is appointed to Special Envoy for Terran Affairs by the nentraee, a position many world leaders question. Undeterred Todd wants to build bridges between both people. However, this new position brings with it a new set of problems that not only he, but his new allies Mi’ko and Mirtoff must overcome. Will the humans and nentraee learn to work together despite mistrust and threats of more attacks by a new global terrorist group, or will the terrorists win? Will this bring an end to an already shaky alliance between nentraee and humans?

Conviction - M.D. Neu - A New World
Conviction
Published: