Citadel

"Citadel" by Algis Budrys is a science fiction story that pulls you into a far-off galactic world, dealing with the battles between what people want, how societies are set up, and dealing with aliens. The story follows Martin Holliday on his quest to settle a peaceful planet, but he gets trapped in the Solar Union government that is being threatened by the Dovenilids. As Holliday tries to find his safe space, he gets caught up in interstellar politics and becomes a piece in the game that Secretary Marlowe and his assistant Mead are playing to try and avoid a fight with the Dovenilids. Exploring things like ambition and the search for freedom, the story looks at the ridiculousness of government and the unpredictable nature of what people do across the galaxy.