David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer’s The Space Opera Renaissance, a 941 page mammoth volume from 2006, is divided into six sections.  I’ve already reviewed Section 1 (you can read my review here) and you can read my review of Section 2 here and Section 3 here and Section 4 here.

My favorite story in Section 5 is Michael Moorcock’s “Lost Sorceress of the Silent Citadel.” Moorcock wrote this story as a homage to Leigh Brackett, but as you’ll see in the next quote, he honors a lot of other Space Opera writers, too:

“They said only four men in the solar system could ever handle that weapon. One was the legendary Northwest Smith, the second was Eric John Stark, now far off-system. The third was Dumarest of Terra, and the fourth was Captain John MacShard. Anyone else trying to fire a Bunning died unpleasantly.” (p. 803)

I’m a fan of Robert Reed and his million year old giant starship. Gregory Benford shows off his Space Opera chops in “A Women in the Well.” I’m not sure Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Shoes’ Story” is true Space Opera…but that’s what Hartwell and Cramer decided.

As you read the late 1990s selections, you’ll see the stories diverging more and more. GRADE: B+

V. MIXED SIGNALS/MIXED CATAGORIES (TO THE LATE 1990s)

 589 • A Worm in the Well • (1995) • novelette by Gregory Benford
* 607 • The Survivor • [Man-Kzin Wars] • (1991) • novella by Donald Kingsbury
* 715 • Fool’s Errand • (1993) • shortstory by Sarah Zettel
* 727 • The Shobies’ Story • [Hainish] • (1990) • novelette by Ursula K. Le Guin
* 745 • The Remoras • [Marrow] • (1994) • novelette by Robert Reed
* 768 • Recording Angel • (1995) • novelette by Paul J. McAuley
* 788 • The Great Game • (2003) • shortstory by Stephen Baxter
* 802 • Lost Sorceress of the Silent Citadel • (2002) • novelette by Michael Moorcock
* 823 • Space Opera • (1997) • shortstory by Michael Kandel