I got chills reading some of these depictions, they're so good. The way each description runs on and on, every detail more amusing and more revealing than the last, is pure narrative magic. If you are ever in need of understanding what a strong narrative voice is, just pick up Space Opera and read any page, any sentence. Here is your official spoiler-ish warning. I won't spoil the ending for you, but I do want to talk some story specifics. Some species literally feed their hearts to the audience, some throw interdimensional travel into their act, and others can vibrate stamens to the tunes of every single individual audience member's best childhood memories. Decibel Jones and the one remaining Absolute Zero are chosen for us to sing for our sentience. Valente presents this insanity in such a sane way, you can't help but wonder if somewhere out there in space, there really might just be an intergalactic Eurovision contest playing out between all the other forms of life.Įarth isn't given a choice in representatives either. If you deserve a place at the table or if you don't. Singing, as it turns out, is the best way to gauge if you are sentient or not.

Once intergalactic civilization finds you, you must sing. It turns out, new species petitioning for sentience don't really have a choice in the matter. At least, not until aliens came to Earth. Tragedy struck in the form of the loss of one band member, Mira Wonderful Star, and the band hasn't been together since.

A former rock star, Decibel used to be frontman to rock trio Decibel Jones and the Absolute Zeros. Enter our protagonist, the 'ethereal glamtrash satyr' Decibel Jones. Those are some pretty big stakes to set up at the start of our story, and Valente, in her characteristic style, does so beautifully. Any beings petitioning for sentience who fall into last place are exterminated.

If a petitioner species doesn't get last place, they are welcomed into intergalactic civilization.

Yes, all sentient and petitioning sentient beings must participate in a song contest every year. That peace relies on a spectacular demonstration every year in the form of a song contest, the Metagalactic Grand Prix. A recent Sentience War has resulted in a shaky peace between all the major civilizations across the galaxy. It can't stand not happening.' And all this intergalactic life has run into each other and made a bit of a mess of things. In Space Opera's universe, 'Life wants to happen.

Catherynne valente space opera