Revelation Space

Revelation Space, by Alastair Reynolds, takes a while to warm up. It gently introduces a collection of largely unlikeable characters, but then unfolds an intricate plot with some very impressive worldbuilding. It does suffer a bit from empty-world syndrome - there isn't a clear sense that there is much out there in the universe beyond the few places the protagonists have visited. But the universe it builds, and the depth of history it presents, is very well done, and worth further exploration. I'll definitely give Chasm City, the sequel to Revelation Space, a read.