The name’s a pseudonym for two other authors, but you might like The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey. Part one is Leviathan Wakes. It’s all set within the Solar System with large colonies throughout the Asteroid Belt and inner planets.
Or Neal Asher and Eric Brown both have some neat books.
Personally, I also failed to finish my first Reynolds novel but I went back to him years later have have since enjoyed some of his more recent books. You might want to give him another chance.
I think most of the essentials have been recommended. If you like Rocket Ships and Ray Guns, the other old-timer you should try is Jack Williamson, specifically The Legion of Space. It is hard-driving blood-and-thunder pulp fiction at its best.
For word-pictures, try Cordwainder Smith, especially some of his short stories. *Scanners Live in Vain *is the one that shows up in most anthologies, but I don’t think it is close to his best–The Ballad of Lost C’Mell, or *The Dead Lady of Clown Town *are, I think, better, but read a couple and see what you think.
For human stories in a science fiction world, see if you can find *Don’t Bit the Sun *and *Drinking Sapphire Wine *by Tannith Lee.