Space Opera Fans discussion

This thread is for nominations for READER category for June 2019.

READER books need to be currently in print in both paperback and ebook, and readily available through most of the normal places to get books (both online and brick and mortar stores). They must be Space Opera, which means a spaceship has to be involved in the story somewhere. If it is part of a series, it needs to be suitable to being read without having read other books in the series.

RULES:
* you may nominate one book on this thread.
* you may second as many nominations as you like on this thread.
* it is okay to nominate the same book on more than one nomination thread, as long as it meets the criteria
* don't nominate a book we already have on our bookshelf
* If a book you nominate or second is selected, you are expected to post at least one comment about it on the thread about the book.
* In about two weeks I will draw a book randomly, with each second being one raffle ticket for the book. That is, a book with three seconds (so four of us want it) will get three chances in the pool.

It is likely helpful if you know something about a book that has been nominated if you mention it in this thread, whether it is for or against the book.

Recently nominated and seconded, so would be good to nominate again:
The Witches of Karres by James H. Schmitz
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Relentless by Jack Campbell

I nominate The Witches of Karres by James H. Schmitz. Classic space opera that I have reread many times.

Relentless by Jack Campbell

Still pushing Illium.

Summary so far
The Witches of Karres by James H. Schmitz. Nominated by Teresa. Awaiting seconds.
Relentless by Jack Campbell. Nominated by Mary. Awaiting seconds.
Ilium by Dan Simmons. Nominated by Sheri. Awaiting seconds.

I’ll second “Ilium - Dan Simmons”

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

A race for survival among the stars... Humanity's last survivors escaped earth's ruins to find a new home. But when they find it, can their desperation overcome its dangers?

WHO WILL INHERIT THIS NEW EARTH?

The last remnants of the human race left a dying Earth, desperate to find a new home among the stars. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, they discover the greatest treasure of the past age - a world terraformed and prepared for human life.

But all is not right in this new Eden. In the long years since the planet was abandoned, the work of its architects has borne disastrous fruit. The planet is not waiting for them, pristine and unoccupied. New masters have turned it from a refuge into mankind's worst nightmare.

Now two civilizations are on a collision course, both testing the boundaries of what they will do to survive. As the fate of humanity hangs in the balance, who are the true heirs of this new Earth?

Children of Time has already been read
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

They all look good = I’d probably join in on any of them! But Ilium was already on my TBR list, so I’d pick that one over the others. I read another Dan Simmons, The Terror (historical fic + paranormal fantasy + a dash of thriller, so not space opera, but still), and really liked it! I’m ready to read another of his books! (btw my review of The Terror is here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)

I’m counting Emma’s comment as a second for Ilium. Emma please note that you are allowed to second as many books as you like, and to nominate one book per nomination thread.

Nominations will close on the 22nd. So far the only one seconded is Ilium.

Teresa wrote: "I’m counting Emma’s comment as a second for Ilium

Yeah, sorry, that's what I meant!

Nominations are now closed. Our Reader Pick is Ilium.