Michael, you have to read Fuzzy Nation and Redshirts before you quit Scalzi.
Lockout isn't bad, either. Not all that original, but I really like Scalzi.
I just read:
The Lost Starship
The Lost Command
The Lost Destroyer
all by Vaughn Hepner.
I just started "On Distant Shores" (Earth Exiles Book 1) by some truck driver.
Mark Harritt, that's his name. I really like it so far, but it's taking it's good time getting wound up and there's way too much info so far. About 50 characters in 50 pages. I have no idea who anyone is.