Space Oddity

by Catherynne M. Valente

Overview

Return to the greatest contest in the galaxy in this “beguiling, bewitching” (Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author of the October Daye series) sequel to the hilarious USA TODAY bestseller Space Opera from New York Times bestselling author and finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy and Ursula K. Le Guin awards, Catherynne M. Valente.

The Metagalactic Grand Prix—part gladiatorial contest, part beauty pageant, part concert extravaganza, and part continuation of the wars of the past returns and the fate of the Earth is once again threatened. The civilizations opposed to the humanity have been plotting and want to take down the upstarts. Can humanity rise again?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781668063019
Publisher:	S&S/Saga Press
Publication date:	05/20/2025
Series:	The Space Opera , #2
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Catherynne M. Valente is an acclaimed New York Times bestselling creator of over forty works of fantasy and science fiction, including the Fairyland novels and The Glass Town Game. She has been nominated for the Nebula and World Fantasy awards, and has won the Otherwise (formerly Tiptree), Hugo, and Andre Norton award. She lives on a small island off the coast of Maine with her partner, young son, and a shockingly large cat with most excellent tufts.

Editorial Reviews

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

"Channeling the giants of sci-fi satire and glam rock into a brilliantly over-the-top burlesque, it’s a novel only Catherynne Valente could write."

B&N SciFi & Fantasy Blog

* "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."

starred review Booklist

The funniest science fiction novel I’ve read since Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”.

The Verge

"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

"A wildly comical and cheerfully absurd galactic adventure."

The Chicago Tribune

* "A wild, weird and witty magnum opus."

starred review Shelf Awareness

"It's all big ideas written in glitter. It's surprising tenderness on a galactic scale. It's about loneliness and nerdliness and acceptance and making fun of the old, frowsy powers that be. Valente offers up a universe in which the only thing of true value is rhythm. Not guns, not bombs, not money, not power, but sex and love and pop songs.

NPR Books

Valente’s signature stylistic whimsy is very much on display here, and fans will certainly enjoy this answer to 'what happens after you save the world.'

Booklist

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

"This glorious glitterball dream of a book is Valente at her best: beguiling, bewitching, and inexplicably demanding. Are you ready to rock?"

Seanan McGuire

"Like Douglas Adams writing on a sugar high."

Publishers Weekly

Heath Miller returns as narrator for this sequel to SPACE OPERA. The heroes of this audiobook have saved Earth from destruction because they didn't finish in last place in the Metagalactic Grand Prix. Now it's time for another song contest, and they're trying to help some aliens figure out what they need to do. This is a story that begs to be read aloud, and Miller's sardonic tone is perfect for its quirky humor. In a stream of consciousness reminiscent of Douglas Adams's HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, Miller is adept at helping listeners keep track of each main thought. Seemingly having great fun, he crafts personalities for the many characters who are as colorful as their names. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2024 - AudioFile