New Adventures in Space Opera

Jonathan Strahan has become the editor of science fiction anthologies like we used to get from the late Gardner Dozois.
New Adventures in Space Opera rounds up stories from 2014-2023 by writers who are on all the recent awards shortlists. Don’t expect pulpy “phasers-on-stun” stories from this crowd. Nor do they have much to say about technology or physics. For the most part, they are polished and poignant explorations of character that just happen to be set in a spacefaring far future.
Because I am old fashioned, my favorite was “Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance,” by Tobias S. Buckell, which featured a well-meaning Asimovian robot with a knotty ethical problem.
Alastair Reynolds’ “Belladonna Nights” about a show more deep-future reunion was as heart-wrenching as anything I have read since Cordwainer Smith.
Seth Dickinson’s “Morrigan in the Sunglare” provides a space war in which pilots must face the cold equations and the erosion of their humanity that such a war entails.
There are other good stories here as well. If you are thinking about getting back into space opera, these new adventures are a good place to start. show less

I do love a good anthology, and space opera is probably my favorite sub-genre. Surprisingly, my favorite stories from this one didn't come from my already established favorite authors, but ones I hadn't read before. Part of the fun of anthologies is getting exposed to so many different writers. Even if some you don't enjoy that much, it still gives you a chance to try something new. Individual story ratings below:

Zen and the Art of Spaceship Maintenance
4

Extracurricular Activities
4.5

All the colors you thought were kings
3.5

Belladonna Nights
4.5

Metal Like Blood in the Dark
4

A Temporary Embarrassment in Spacetime
2

Immersion
4

Morrigan in the Sunglare
4.5

The Old Dispensation
4.5

A Good Heretic
4

A Voyage to Queensthroat
3.5

The show more Justified
3.5

Planetstuck
4

The Last Voyage of the Skidbladnir
4.5 show less

A collection of some of science fiction's hottest names. They're not all famous for their short story works which can be a tricky format. These mostly work well with only farce/humour one that didn't engage. The collection didn't always have the punchy finish that I enjoy in a short story, but as insights into the authors' space opera series it mostly worked very well.

They stories usually picked up a minor character from the longer works and established a little of their history.

The editor should be praised for the collection of names he's managed to collate into one volume.