The Expanse

Earth, Mars and the Belt depend on one another without trusting one another in The Expanse. A mystery opens onto that larger system, where control of transport, resources and information can be as important as a ship's weapons.

The attraction is how much consequence the setting gives to practical things. Distance matters. Work matters. People who share a species do not necessarily share an interest, and the divisions are visible in the way they speak and carry themselves. The crew at the centre gives the scale a human point of reference.

There is terminology and world-building to absorb before the full shape becomes clear. For someone who enjoys space drama with competing factions and difficult compromises, that investment is part of the appeal. Battlestar Galactica is the natural companion, though the two build very different societies around their ships.