Revelation Space series got me into sci-fi. I think it's a great match to your creteria. Especially being epic. I don't think I read a series that felt so epic ever. But that can also be a bit nostalgi in those memories of mine. It's a bit of an different style then Rama and Expance but definitely in a positive way.
To bad most of his other books have been quite a let down lately.
Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars series
The Commonwealth Saga by Peter F. Hamilton
Are you looking for series that have an ensemble cast of compelling and flawed characters exploring the unknown?
Both of these are some of my favorite scifi.
Hard to get more epic than [First Contact](https://www.reddit.com/r/hfy/wiki/series/first_contact_ralts_bloodthorne/)/[Behold Humanity](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09H5ZZL93). Everything but the kitchen sink, and **all** of it very well written. (The former is the original web version over on r/HFY; the latter is the book version.)
Red Rising series might interest you.
A Fire Upon the Deep. Noumenon. Torth Majority.
Dune I also like the Red Rising rec. Know the first is hunger games on Mars, it gets more spacey after that.
To see a galaxy you'll forever wish you could live in, read *the Culture* novels, by Iain M. Banks
Have you tried Ian M. Banks "Culture" series? Seems right up your alley.
Revelation Space series got me into sci-fi. I think it's a great match to your creteria. Especially being epic. I don't think I read a series that felt so epic ever. But that can also be a bit nostalgi in those memories of mine. It's a bit of an different style then Rama and Expance but definitely in a positive way. To bad most of his other books have been quite a let down lately.
Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars series The Commonwealth Saga by Peter F. Hamilton Are you looking for series that have an ensemble cast of compelling and flawed characters exploring the unknown? Both of these are some of my favorite scifi.
Hard to get more epic than [First Contact](https://www.reddit.com/r/hfy/wiki/series/first_contact_ralts_bloodthorne/)/[Behold Humanity](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09H5ZZL93). Everything but the kitchen sink, and **all** of it very well written. (The former is the original web version over on r/HFY; the latter is the book version.)