I have no idea if it's up your alley but Earthblood, by Keith Laumer and Rosel George Brown came to my mind. It certainly covers big concepts and a sweeping background. Keith Laumer was a master of science fiction adventure, but he was always a bit short on making his characters likeable and "human" -- and that's where Ms. Brown came in.
It's available in a large collection from Baen, pretty much everywhere.
|