A review by healnotslay
Downbelow Station by C.J. Cherryh

4.0

A study in the concept of loyalty and borders - but not quite as subtle as LHOD. Deeply political, only enjoyed this because I'm not working atm otherwise would not have been able to stomach it 
Alternatively as someone on r/printSF said, cherryh's strength lies in writing "pathetic lonely male characters"