More like Visual dictionaries

anchored on:science fictionfar futureother star systemsinformative

but

Narrow

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
Known SpaceUniverse
universe142 books1964
Science fiction, about aliens, set in far future and other star systems.
“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, Man-Kzin Wars, Fleet of Worlds
Ender's GameUniverse
universe39 books1977
Science fiction, set in far future.
“To beat your enemy you must first understand him so completely that you love him — and in the instant you love him, you destroy him.”
from the catalogue
Start with Ender's Game →
includes Ender Wiggin, Ender's Shadow, First Formic War, Second Formic War, Fleet School
Old Man's WarSeries
series16 books2005
Military science fiction, adventurous in tone.
“Sign a document at 65, saying you intend to join up 10 years later.”
from the catalogue
Start with Old Man's War →
UpliftUniverse
universe13 books1980
Adventurous in tone, about uplift.
“No species, the Galactics insist, ever climbs to sapience alone.”
from the catalogue
Start with Sundiver →
includes Uplift, Uplift Storm
Starship TroopersNovel
Robert A. Heinleinstandalone novel1959
Military science fiction, adventurous in tone, about coming of age.