@slooploon I really liked The Snow Queen (and World's End and The Summer Queen) by Joan Vinge. It spends more time planetside than in space. Feels kind of like a fairy tale wrapped in science fiction; has "reasonable" sciencey ideas if you account for "large space phenomena permits interstellar travel".

You probably already know of James Tiptree (pen-name of Alice Sheldon) and Octavia Butler, but if you don't, add them to your list.