LINKS

KEYWORDS

Metagalactic Grand Prix
Intergalactic politics
Decibel Jones
Survival stakes
Alien civilizations

Space Oddity

by CATHERYNNE M. VALENTE

In the sequel to "Space Opera," humanity faces new threats as they prepare for the Metagalactic Grand Prix, a contest that mixes gladiatorial combat, beauty pageants, and concerts. With a mix of humor, absurdity, and intricate world-building, the story follows the quirky characters as they navigate political machinations and the challenges of representing Earth in the galaxy's most outrageous competition.

Reader Review Summary

"Space Oddity" is a brilliant, wildly imaginative sequel to Catherynne M. Valente's acclaimed "Space Opera." It continues the story in the aftermath of humanity's 10th place finish in the Metagalactic Grand Prix singing competition, picking up with the now interstellar rock stars Decibel Jones and the Absolute Zeroes on a universe-spanning tour.

From the very first pages, Valente's dazzling prose dazzles and delights. Her writing sparkles with manic energy, hilarious wordplay, and an unmatched gift for zany metaphor and imaginative descriptions. Sentences unfurl for pages, brimming with vivid imagery and laugh-out-loud humor. Valente's voice is utterly unique - whimsical, erudite, and deliriously over-the-top in the best way possible. Her talents are on full display, making even the most absurd concepts feel vivid and real.

The world-building is out-of-this-world excellent, painting a wildly creative galactic canvas teeming with bizarre alien races and fantastical cosmic locales. Valente takes the gonzo premises established in the first book and runs with them, crafting a richly textured universe that blends the wondrous and the hysterically mundane. Her imagination seems to know no bounds as she envisions everything from sentient office supplies to miniature pocket dimensions.

At its core, "Space Oddity" is a heartfelt celebration of the strange, the uncategorizable, and the defiantly unique. Protagonists like Decibel Jones, the "tinsel-hearted, assigned fabulous at birth" rock idol, are joyfully, gloriously queer in a refreshingly matter-of-fact way. The book revels in fluidity of identity and existence itself. Its humor has real warmth and humanity beneath the zany shenanigans.

While the plot is relatively loose, allowing Valente to go on delightful tangents, the central story about preparing for the next Grand Prix and dealing with conspiracies against humanity provides a compelling through-line. More importantly, the madcap adventure is a heck of a lot of fun, delivering laughs and wonder in equal measure. This is the kind of deliriously original literary journey that leaves you grinning from ear-to-ear.

With "Space Oddity," Catherynne M. Valente has created something utterly unique and unforgettable - a dazzlingly clever intergalactic satire told with astonishing linguistic verve. It's a reading experience unlike any other, a loving ode to embracing your freaky self and reveling in the sheer weirdness of existence. For readers who crave their science fiction/fantasy with a deliriously bonkers blend of wit, warmth and uncompromising individuality, "Space Oddity" is an indescribable delight from one of our most imaginative literary voices.

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