More like Cosmic Blackout!

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Starman JonesNovel
Robert A. Heinleinstandalone novel1953
About coming of age, set in spaceship.
“Starman Jones, a 1953 science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, features a farm boy who wants to go to the stars.”
from the catalogue
Citizen of the GalaxyNovel
Robert A. Heinleinstandalone novel1957
About coming of age and identity.
“On a planet far distant from Earth, a lame beggar buys a young boy slave who has forgotten his origins.”
from the catalogue
Known SpaceUniverse
universe142 books1964
About aliens.
“Give a clever species a few centuries and a working fusion drive, and it will fill the sky with problems.”
from the catalogue
Start with Ringworld →
includes Ringworld, Fleet of Worlds, Man-Kzin Wars
CoDominiumUniverse
universe98 books1971
Military science fiction.
“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, War World, Laurie Jo Hansen
Humanx CommonwealthUniverse
universe39 books1972
About aliens.
“Two species that ought, by every buried instinct, to recoil from one another instead clasp hand to truhand and build a galaxy together.”
from the catalogue
Start with For Love of Mother-Not →
includes Pip & Flinx, Icerigger Trilogy, The Founding of the Commonwealth
The Colors of SpaceNovel
Marion Zimmer Bradleystandalone novel1963
Mysterious in tone, about aliens.
“The Lhari seem peaceful and friendly, but they go to some lengths to protect their monopoly on faster-than-light travel.”
from the catalogue