Just a job, five days a week

[Jackball74]

I'm looking for novels and stories focusing on the unglamorous positions one may find in space, like what we saw in Alien and Dark Star.

 

[Ropie]

Interesting topic. I can't think of any novels off hand set specifically in space, but maybe of interest are the Space Quest series of PC adventure games from the 1980s & 90s, about a space janitor. You can still get them and play them with something like the DOSbox emulator. They're very loosely based on Star Trek and are quite funny.

edit - just thought of the Red Dwarf novels. The first two are very good indeed and concern a guy called Lister who is a low ranking technician. Also very funny.

 

[Jussslic]

Are you open to manga/anime? There is a manga called Planetes... the core premise is that the Kessler effect has started to become a real problem, and something needs to be done. So the central characters are the crew members of a debris collection vessel. Very ordinary people, more or less on the lowest rung of their organization.

It's actually the only anime I've ever watched, but I thought it was pretty impressive. Honestly one of the most realistic depictions of near-future space-faring I've ever seen on screen. Your mileage may vary, but there are some great depictions of physics, EVA ops, space station life, etc. here.

 

[psikeyhackr]

This may not be what you want but I think it is hilarious.

The Vor Game is about how unglorious it is to be Emperor.

psik

 

[phil_geo]

Falling Free by Bujold is a Hugo winner about some people with the most unglamorous jobs in space who rise up in rebellion.

 

[Jackball74]

Thanks everyone! Just stumbled upon this -
http://www.amazon.com/Orbital-Decay-Near-Space-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00EJ3FAQS?ie=UTF8&keywords=orbital decay&qid=1459547031&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1

 

[N. E. White]

There's also Hugh Howey's Beacon. And I suppose his Wool series would fit, too.

 

[columbob]

Are you open to manga/anime? There is a manga called Planetes... the core premise is that the Kessler effect has started to become a real problem, and something needs to be done. So the central characters are the crew members of a debris collection vessel. Very ordinary people, more or less on the lowest rung of their organization.

It's actually the only anime I've ever watched, but I thought it was pretty impressive. Honestly one of the most realistic depictions of near-future space-faring I've ever seen on screen. Your mileage may vary, but there are some great depictions of physics, EVA ops, space station life, etc. here.

I'm reading the manga right now and it's amazing.

 

[Ghidorah]

"Bill for Delivery" by Christopher Anvil (1964) has always been one of my favorites of that type.