Empire of Silence

Empire of Silence is a typical example of the science fiction subgenre known as “space opera,” which is associated with adventure-themed space-travel stories that depict humans traveling beyond the solar system, encountering alien species, and engaging in massive scale warfare. First coined by Wilson Tucker in 1941, the term was initially used derisively to compare space-adventure stories with television soap operas and popular western movies called “horse operas.” Space opera was seen as melodramatic, formulaic, and more focused on style than science.

While contemporary space operas retain their focus on adventure, aesthetics, and dramatic conflicts between good and evil, they also deal with complex themes like the impact of advanced technology, the dangers of colonization and empire, and the ravages of war. Space opera generally relies on “soft science,” which does not adhere to verifiable scientific principles and often blurs the line between science and fantasy for the sake of the story (Sawyer, Andy. “Space Opera.” The Routledge Companion of Science Fiction. Eds: Bould, Mark; Butler, Andrew; Roberts, Adam; Vint, Sherryl, 2009). However, recent examples have leaned more heavily on “hard science,” (i.e., opting for realism and extrapolating more closely from scientific fact).