Sci-fi books which don't involve too much space travels and massive world builds? - eviltoast

Don’t really know how to explain this. I like sci fi and would love to dig deeper into it. Am avid reader and enjoyed Project Hail Mary (though set in space, this book is just amazing), Dune, short stories by Ray Bradbury and TV shows like Raised by the Wolves, Westworld, From (love From!). But e.g. Foundation I really disliked. Wheel of time is massive and I lost interest. Even the guide through galaxy I appreciated but was not really into it. Somehow, all those lots of traveling, lots of worlds, lots of many novel/invented names and terms render reading laborious for me.

Can you help me pin what is that I like and perhaps offer me a suggestion where to start? Thanks!

EDIT: thanks everyone for your excellent suggestions! So happy to be a part of lemmy community. I might make a follow up thread in couple of months so we can discuss some of the works. And lastly, if you been reading this far: have a good weekend.

  • Dagwood222@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Have you tried Asimov’s short stories? ‘I, Robot’ is mostly logic problems presented in a dramatic way. Good read.

    • giriinthejungle@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 year ago

      I haven’t. I thought I wasn’t really into short stories… Till I discovered Ray Bradbury. Now I am very much into short stories. So will give Asimov a try for sure.

      • p_diablo@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        VERY different genre, but if you’re digging short stories, i really dig earnest hemmingway’s stuff.

      • case_when@feddit.uk
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        1 year ago

        Check out Ted Chiang as well – his two short story collections (Story of Your Life and Others; Exhalation) are some of the best I’ve ever read. He wrote the story upon which the film Arrival was based. Lots of things about time, consciousness, free will, humanity, all beautifully done.