How does Orions Arm differ from other “Space Opera”?
In addition to (a) the emphasis on hard science, Orion’s Arm differs in that (b) human beings are no longer the dominant intelligence in the galaxy and (c) the role of alien empires is replaced by empires of various terragen phyles and races, whether biological, cyborg, robot, or ai. In fact, there are no current major alien empires at all in Orion’s Arm, although there are relics and artifacts left by former mighty alien races, as well as a small number of current but much less powerful alien species (either once great races now in decline, or species in their infancy).
