More like The Emperor's Finest

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Old Man's WarSeries
series16 books2005
Space opera.
“Sign a document at 65, saying you intend to join up 10 years later.”
from the catalogue
Start with Old Man's War →
CoDominiumUniverse
universe98 books1971
Science fiction and military science fiction, set in far future and other star systems.
“The body of work runs along a few hard threads rather than one line.”
from the catalogue
Start with The Mote in God's Eye →
includes Moties, Falkenberg's Legion, Laurie Jo Hansen, War World
JanissariesSeries
series4 books1979
Tense in tone, about slavery.
“Janissaries are an American series of military and political-based science fiction novels are set in an interstellar confederation of races, in which humans are a slave race entrusted with military affairs and law enforcement.”
from the catalogue
Start with Janissaries →
VorkosiganUniverse
universe27 books1986
Space opera.
“Beyond his backwater lies the wormhole nexus: a scatter of human worlds strung along unstable jump-routes, where a blood-and-honor warrior aristocracy, a coolly egalitarian utopia, and a hundred lesser polities trade, spy, and go to war.”
from the catalogue
Start with Shards of Honor →
includes Miles Vorkosigan, Cordelia Vorkosigan, Quaddies
HonorverseUniverse
universe83 books1993
Space opera.
“At the center stands one officer, Honor Harrington — captain, then something far larger — and the six-limbed empathic treecat who rides her shoulder.”
from the catalogue
Start with On Basilisk Station →
includes Honor Harrington, Saganami Island, Worlds of Honor anthologies, Wages of Sin, Expanded Honorverse, Manticore Ascendant, Honor Harrington Universe short fiction, Star Kingdom (Honor Harrington)
VattaUniverse
universe10 books2003
Space opera, tense in tone.
“Get kicked out of the Academy and the family still hands you a ship.”
from the catalogue
Start with Trading in Danger →
includes Vatta's War, Vatta's Peace