Octopus Overlords

Friday, by Heinlein? I don't recall much about the story, but I think it was pretty light on the science part. And it's one of the more hefty books like that.

Thanks! I'll take a look at some of those. Most of the type of stuff I'm talking about is short, but I would run out of book halfway through the month on something like that. The Star Trek/Humanx feel, more grounded than Star Wars, but not 'hard science fiction.' Reality should be acknowledged, but the author shouldn't be afraid to technobabble around it if it makes for a better story.

Maybe The Expanse would do the trick.

More grounded than Star Wars? Then skip Resnick. His stuff is more like Firefly. Old West meets science fiction.

Firefly is more grounded than Star Wars. Star Wars is basically a sword-and-sorcery pulp in space.

Firefly is grounded it old-timey Westerns, which adds to the absurdity. Entertaining when you check your brain, but really absurd if you think about it. A starship that's the equivalent of a rusty old garbage scow? Who would ever board such a thing? (although something similar could be said about the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars).