It's so hard to describe what really makes the books work for me, but the ones that stick out the most tend to follow along a few main threads lately:

"End of the World": in which we follow characters, but are regularly given a top-down review of how things are happening on a global scale. "Lucifer's Hammer" is a great example of this, as well as "Seveneves," "40 Signs of Rain," and maybe "Project Hail Mary"

"What if" looks at geopolitical intrigue: This plays out in which a new technologyis dropped in, or time has passed from modern era. How would things change? What societal structures would go through an upheaval and how would the various forces react. Good examples are "A World Set Free" by HG Wells, "The Long Earth," and "The Expanse" -- I think "Three Body Problem" fits here as well. "Dune" is a possible fit as well.

"ALIENS??": books in which we discover new worlds, technology, and are exploring it for the first time. "Rendezvous with Rama," "Aurora," and "Ringworld" -- "The Long Earth" also fits here.