The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

Although this is essentially a space opera setting, it doesn't focus on the sorts of things that space operas normally focus on. Instead, it's a story about the crew of an unarmed vessel that drills hyperspace tunnels for other ships to travel through. While there are some dramatic moments - especially towards the climax - they're a pretty minor part of the book, which is more about the mundane lives of the characters.

Every member of the crew is a viewpoint character at some point, and we learn how and why these people decided to take up such a rootless existence, and how they have found a new family in each other. This does mean that the story is quite slow and sedate, at least for the most part, but it's worth it for the pay-off at the end. It's not going to be to everyone's taste, with rich setting and characterisation, but little of the sort of action that tends to populate most space opera. Personally, I enjoyed it as a fresh change of pace, with an upbeat, optimistic worldview, despite the fact that the setting is far from a utopia.