I've read through all of Tchaikovsky's stuff -- except the books related to games -- and can say they're all good. The guy writes faster than I can read.
Lots of good stuff mentioned on here. I was prepared to give my expert opinion on this stuff (I'm a classic SF/Fantasy fan and have enough books to outfit a used book store), only to have my thunder stolen by a lot of the stuff being mentioned already! Being out of town and away from my shelves, I'll try to throw out a few by memory... * "Agent Cormac" series by Neil Asher * All of the early "Cyberpunk" stuff by William Gibson * James Hogan "Giants" series * Gateway series by Fredrick Pohl * Had to put in another vote for Heinlein stuff, I'm a fan * Chanur series by C. J. Cherryh * Early Dune series (you will either love or hate these) * Lord of the Rings stuff if you haven't read those (Fantasy) * Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson (Fantasy) * Magician: Apprentice series by Raymond E. Feist (Fantasy) * Jhereg series by Stephen Brust (Fantasy) * Ringworld series by Larry Niven (or anything in the bigger series of "known space" stuff) * Polesotechnic League books by Poul Anderson * Agent Flandry books by Poul Anderson * Robots series by Isaac Asimov * Uplift series by David Brin * Skylark and Lensman series(es) by E. E. Doc Smith (very old but the genesis of a lot of sci-fi concepts) * Deathworld trilogy by Harry Harrison (the Stainless Steel Rat guy) * Amber series by Rodger Zelazny (Fantasy) * Rama series (original) by Arthur C Clarke On sci-fi stuff, you can generally pick up one of the old "grand masters" and do well. A lot of modern stuff went instantly to a movie/series adaption (IE "Three-body Problem"), but search out the original books, they are generally *sooo* much better...
The Wool series by Hugh Howey - basis for the Silo TV series Newford series by Charles De Lint ( fantasy) he also has written a variety of stand alone novels many of which are good. The Tower series by Stephan King Heinlein Earthsea trilogy - Ursula K LeGuin (fantasy) Childhoods End - Arthur C. Clark Conan the Barbarian Robert Howard and many later authors
It was literally the first reply....now I didnt list the other books explicitly, but of you read the first and liked it you will read the others.
Lots of good stuff already mentioned. But the best fantasy i ever read is any platform or position paper written by the Democratic Party.
Some of the HALO books are good. These audiobooks are definitely worth it. The Fall of Reach The Flood First Strike Ghosts of Onyx
Lots of good stuff already here. The Forever War-Joe Haldeman. Darwin’s Radio-Greg Bear Blindsight-Peter Watts Embassytown- China Miéville A Fire Upon the Deep-Vernor Vinge The whole culture series by Ian M Banks Seveneves- Neal Stephenson (and other stuff) Diaspora- Greg Egan (and other stuff) Uplift series- David Brin Xeelee- Stephen Baxter Vorkosigan Series - Lois McMaster Bujold Honorverse multiple series- David Drake The great North Road- Peter F Hamilton (and others) Cry Pilot- Joel Dane The Dispossessed-Ursula K LeGuin There are some reasonably good candy-like Mil-SF series from the following authors that are simple but fun. Jack Campbell Joshua Dalzelle Marko Kloos B.V. Larson
Edgar Rice Burroughs' Mars, Venus and Pellucidar series are great. James P Blaylock's "The Digging Laviathon" and "Homunculus" Agreed with "Hammer Slammers" Some of the Agent Pendergast books sidle into sci-fi. Any of Mark E Roger's "Samurai Cat" books are five star.
Not really sci/fi more fantasy adventure and entertaining for sure is anything by Clive Cussler. Please don't judge him by that dumass movie Sahara, great book tho.
David Eddings series. Roger Zelanzy anything. Anne McCaffery Dragon books A.E Van Vogt Frederick Pohl Poul Anderson All Heinlein I've probably got a thousand books here at the house but I trade them in regularly. I also raid thrift stores to stock up.
R.A. Salvatore - The Drizzt series. Start with book one and then go forward. H.P. Lovecraft - Necronomicon Michael Moorcock - The Elric Saga Part 1 & 2 War of the Spider Queen series (If you like D&D, this is a good series with multiple authors) Edgar Allen Poe - Selected Tales of Mystery
