What I liked about it:
1.The story 2. How simple the writing is. 3. The space themes
The Demolished Man is also by Bester and is his first published novel, IIRC, and while it doesn’t have as much space theme stuff as TSmD, it has much of the other mind-melting materials that are inside TSmD. I personally consider it a kissing cousin to 'Stars, except the focus is on telepathic future cops instead of teleporting future spacehands. Generally people put TDM and TSmD together as Bester’s masterworks.
Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks is part of the justly famous Culture novels, and is one of the darker works in that cluster. Thematically it’s very similar to TSmD, it definitely fits with the space part, though the writing is a bit more sophisticated than Bester’s flagrant homage to the two-fisted pulp stylings he seems to have loved so.
Jack Vance’s Star King is about a lonely man in space taking vengeance on interstellar crime bosses. Again it has quite a few Bester-at-his-best vibes and much simpler writing than Banks’ works.
Maybe The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey? He does say that Bester is a major influence, so…
Harry Harrison’s The Stainless Steel Rat is sort of what you get if someone wants to channel Bester, but wear a smirk while doing so. There’s a LOT of space travel and a LOT of the Bester vibe, but always paired with a wink and a nudge. A slightly looser fit, but likely still enjoyable for you, is his Deathworld series. Three novels set on three planets with … well … very deadly characteristics. And loads of space opera in the background to make you realize you’re in the retrofuture.
I recently read the first stainless steel rat and really enjoyed it. It showed its age a little with how quickly the MC catches feels, but overall a very fun romp.
You gave some great suggestions!
These are all fantastic recs and I would particularly point out Use Of Weapons.
I would also add Ursula K. Le Guin’s Hainish series books like The Left Hand of Darkness, Rocannon’s World, The Word for World Is Forest, etc. Le Guin’s writing is extremely easy to parse so on that level it’s a good fit, especially the earlier books in the series, but the themes are still complex and extremely relevant. She was an amazing author.
The Demolished Man is one of my favorite books and I never see people talking about. Happy to see the call out.
Off-topic, but another amazing and oft missed book is Among Others by Jo Walton. Absolutely love it and I have no one to talk to about it.
Bester wrote some of the best SF of all time. And … ah … some real trash. But TDM and TSmD are definitely his masterworks and I will never stop recommending one or the other.
Perhaps the Star Wolf trilogy by Edmond Hamilton? It’s classic sci-fi from one of the original pulp writers about a mercenary who is exiled from his harsh home world. The writing is simple but very well done and exciting, I really enjoyed it.
