K.B. Wagers has a bachelor's degree in Russian Studies and her non-fiction writing has earned her two Air Force Space Command media contest awards. A native of Colorado, she lives at the base of the Rocky Mountains with her husband and son. In between books, she can be found playing in the mud, running on trails, dancing to music, and scribbling on spare bits of paper.
The Photonic Effect (2026) Mike Chen "What space opera is meant to be. The Photonic Effect is a brilliantly complex novel about love, loss, and war that's populated by characters so alive you can feel their hearts in each beat of your own."
An Unbreakable World (2025) Ren Hutchings "Beautiful hopepunk at its best. Ren Hutchings's An Unbreakable World is an amazing story about finding yourself, and about how the smallest things are the most important. A much needed space opera for our time."
The Stars Too Fondly (2024) Emily Hamilton "A perfect hope-punk science fantasy that reminds me of Doctor Who in all the best ways. The Stars Too Fondly is magnificent in its spaceship stealing adventure and twisty plot. Where Emily Hamilton excels is the bonds between friends and loved ones that stretch between light-years and dimensions with the comfort of a weighted blanket. It is an achingly beautiful and hilariously funny debut."
Generation Ship (2023) Michael Mammay "Michael Mammay's Generation Ship is a masterclass in political science fiction. A political chess match filled with absolute page-turning tension that culminates in an ending which manages to be both bittersweet and hopeful. This was a book that will be stuck in my head for a while."
The Death I Gave Him (2023) Em X Liu "Brilliant. Breath-taking. An absolute page-turner. The Death I Gave Him is a complex and gritty story unlike anything you've seen."
Ion Curtain (2022) Anya Ow "Anya Ow's Ion Curtain is a fast moving, deeply satisfying space opera complete with loveable rogues and messy politics. I was hooked from the very first page and can't wait to see what happens next."
August Kitko and the Mechas from Space (2022) (Starmetal Symphony, book 1) Alex White "For fans of music, mayhem, and truly epic space opera, August Kitko and the Mechas from Space is a wild ride that starts with the end of the world and only gets better from there."
Discordia (2021) (Nova Vita Protocol, book 3) Kristyn Merbeth "A voice to watch in space opera!."
Winter's Orbit (2021) (Winter's Orbit, book 1) Everina Maxwell "A deftly woven tale of political intrigue, all with a galactic treaty on the line. Maxwell's Winter's Orbit is a stunning new space opera debut, striking with all the skill of a master staff wielder. I hope there is more Kiem and Jainan to come!"
Velocity Weapon (2019) (Protectorate , book 1) Megan E O'Keefe "Velocity Weapon is a roller-coaster ride of pure delight. Furious action sequences, funny dialog, and touching family interactions all wrapped up in a plot that will keep you guessing every step of the way. This is one of the best science fiction novels of 2019."
Empress of Forever (2019) Max Gladstone "Readers will be hooked from page one. Vivan Liao is the best kind of badass. Zanj is an epic trainwreck of death and destruction. The rest of the crew is too awesome for words. The whole book is filled with the kind of snark that I love and an endless majesty of stars. It broke me to pieces and then stitched me back together with golden thread. Simply glorious."
The Stars Now Unclaimed (2018) (Universe After, book 1) Drew Williams "What happens when you put a war-weary soldier, an AI preacher and a telekinetic girl on the same ship? You end up saving the galaxy, or a small part of it, anyway. Williams's debut novel The Stars Now Unclaimed is a massive, galaxy-spanning tale of war, betrayal, friendship, and the kind of commitment people make to a better future even at the cost of their own lives. You don't want to miss this amazing, kick-ass book."
The Freeze-Frame Revolution (2018) Peter Watts "The Freeze-Frame Revolution is a slow-motion rebellion as heart-stopping as any roller coaster ride and will delight readers across the science fiction spectrum. It was a joy to read and I found myself unable to put it down once I got started."
Blood Orbit (2018) (Gattis File, book 1) K R Richardson "Richardson takes sci-fi noir to a whole new level by dropping you into the site of a massacre in the rough-and-tumble streets of Angra Dastrelas and never letting you catch your breath. Richardson paints a fascinating world with a lush and complex story of family, revolution, and politics. It is a heart-stopping rush of a story."
