In Hella by David Gerrold you will find inventive Science Fiction world building, both the building of a literal alien world where our story takes place and the building of the social world of our colonists a world that is obviously answering to some of the social justice issues present in our own world today.
The story takes place on the planet of Hella. This planet has a slightly lower gravity then Earth, meaning its plant and animal life is enormous --- think dinosaur world. It also has an extreme tilt so the colonists must migrate between summer and winter sites. The colonists are getting by when a ship, with a meddling AI, from an Earth that has pretty much collapsed, arrives while simultaneously local politics turns ugly.
The book is a fascinating read for its world building. Hella and its plant and animal life are very interesting and keep you engaged. The social world building falls a little flat for me but you do have to give the author credit for trying and it gives you the chance to muse over what changes you would make in setting up a similar scenario. All in all I recommend the book to anyone interested in a good SF adventure.
