And the fate of their species lies in their ability to rock. A band of human musicians, dancers, and roadies have been chosen to represent Earth on the greatest stage in the galaxy.

Mankind will not get to fight for its destiny-they must sing. And while they expected to discover a grand drama of diplomacy, gunships, wormholes, and stoic councils of aliens, they have instead found glitter, lipstick, and electric guitars. This year, though, humankind has discovered the enormous universe. The stakes are high for this new game, and everyone is forced to compete. Instead of competing in orbital combat, the powerful species that survived face off in a competition of song, dance, or whatever can be physically performed in an intergalactic talent show. Once every cycle, the civilizations gather for Galactivision-part gladiatorial contest, part beauty pageant, part concert extravaganza, and part continuation of the wars of the past. In the aftermath, a curious tradition was invented-something to cheer up everyone who was left and bring the shattered worlds together in the spirit of peace, unity, and understanding. (Apr.A century ago, the Sentience Wars tore the galaxy apart and nearly ended the entire concept of intelligent space-faring life. Valente could’ve written it: Space Opera, the life-affirming, Eurovision-inspired ode to every broken soul ever soothed by the power of a heartfelt ballad, a kicking drum solo, a sweet guitar lick. Agent: Howard Morhaim, Howard Morhaim Literary. It was the book so preposterous, so frenetic, so wild and word-drunk, that only Catherynne M. Other entries-including a disturbing alternate history, “Fade to White,” and clever myth retelling, “L’Esprit de L’Escalier”-are equally challenging.The result is an impressive showcase for a gifted author who never plays it safe. Cosmic horror tropes are further subverted by the narrator, a being who was born in the underwater city where the tentacled Cthulhu is confined and is utterly bored by his life there, complaining of “the ugly, kitschy non-Euclidean central business district.” The satire of this piece couldn’t be more different from the heartfelt thought experiment of “Silently and Very Fast,” in which Elefsis, an AI who originated as a smart house, pushes back on the trope of a man-made intellect wanting to become human, but both work on every level. “Down and Out in R’lyeh” opens with the line, “In his house at R’lyeh, dead Cthulhu farts in his sleep,” instantly puncturing the Lovecraftian menace with humor.

The standouts are an irreverent take on the Cthulhu Mythos and a thought-provoking look at artificial intelligence. Valente ( Space Opera) shows off her versatility in this mind-blowing collection of 45 stories.

Catherynne valente space opera