[Mr. Vega]

Ursula K. Le Guin. Ursula K. Le Guin. Oh, yeah, and Ursula K. Le Guin.

(the Earthsea novels are a good place to start)

[General Battuta]

Ursula K. Le Guin. Ursula K. Le Guin. Oh, yeah, and Ursula K. Le Guin.

(the Earthsea novels are a good place to start)

Absolutely essential. Earthsea is interesting because you get to see her feelings about it develop down the years.

[Mr. Vega]

I don't think the shift beginning with Tehanu undermined anything that came before, just showed you the other side of Earthsea that had hitherto been only seen in glimpses. And the emphasis on everyday living going hand-in-hand with dealing with the use of magic and power and the cycle of life and death was there from the beginning. It's why the stories have such power.

(I cannot say enough good things about those books. A Wizard of Earthsea and The Farthest Shore are my two favorite books ever, with Atuan and The Other Wind close behind)

The Annals of the Western Shore are also really good if you want something that isn't any kind of typical fantasy (Voices is right up there with the best she's ever written, and I think the story works better if you read that book first, then read Gifts).

[Luis Dias]

Flowers for Algernon.

I mean, it's a tear inducing amazing little story.

[butter_pat_head]

Red Dwarf: Infinity welcomes careful drivers, Better Than Life and Backwards perhaps?  The first two are avaliable as the Red Dwarf Minibus.

[General Battuta]

Flowers for Algernon.

I mean, it's a tear inducing amazing little story.

Read that and then read 'Understand' by Ted Chiang

[Aesaar]

Less of a classic, but 40k has been mentioned, so meh.

The Temeraire series by Naomi Novik is pretty good.  Shortest summary possible is: the Napoleonic War WITH DRAGONS!  That's exactly what it is.  Good if you like the historical period.

There are some elements of it that just don't make sense if you're familiar with the reasons why Europe has almost always been a military powerhouse, but if you can ignore that, the series is worth the time.


Also, having recently read it myself, the Aeneid is good read.  Virgil has a talent for writing battle and action scenes.

[Luis Dias]

Flowers for Algernon.

I mean, it's a tear inducing amazing little story.

Read that and then read 'Understand' by Ted Chiang

I found it published online here: http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/stories/under.htm

[Mikes]

I'm flying cross-country out to Florida on Wednesday, and I need book options to keep me occupied on the plane ride and while I wait in the airport, and yes I'll be flying back but not for a week.   Any good sci-fi, cyberpunk, or fantasy choices I should buy before I leave?

Please don't mention J. R. R. Tolkein, George R. R. Martin, Starship Troopers, or Honor Harrington, okay?

Iain M. Banks (Sci Fi, one of the best, not necessarily just the official "Culture Novels", but also his other works like Against a Dark Background.) - also Iain Banks (same author, but he writes non science fiction novels under this name which is also awesome), Charles Stross (Mixed works, Sci Fi, Fantasy and near future/alternate worlds - incredibly imaginative author, but average writing style), Richard Morgan (both Sci Fi and Fantasy, "hard boiled")?

[LHN91]

Don't know if it's already been mentioned, or if its relevant anymore, but I'm a fairly large fan of Larry Niven. Fairly hard sci-fi with particularly well fleshed out worlds.

[karajorma]

I quite liked Larry Niven's stuff. Especially the Known Space books. Although they are kinda showing their age these days.

[General Battuta]

Larry Niven has some cool ideas but bear in mind he is also a bit of a nutcase (like so many SF writers) and a bit obsessed with having sex with aliens (again, SF writers...)

[SpardaSon21]

The trip is over with and I've already blown through the Old Man's War books.  So please, no more!

[The E]

No. You will accept our recommendations and NEVER. STOP. READING. Mwuahahahahahaaaa!

[Ravenholme]

I'm flying cross-country out to Florida on Wednesday, and I need book options to keep me occupied on the plane ride and while I wait in the airport, and yes I'll be flying back but not for a week.   Any good sci-fi, cyberpunk, or fantasy choices I should buy before I leave?

Please don't mention J. R. R. Tolkein, George R. R. Martin, Starship Troopers, or Honor Harrington, okay?

Iain M. Banks (Sci Fi, one of the best, not necessarily just the official "Culture Novels", but also his other works like Against a Dark Background.) - also Iain Banks (same author, but he writes non science fiction novels under this name which is also awesome), Charles Stross (Mixed works, Sci Fi, Fantasy and near future/alternate worlds - incredibly imaginative author, but average writing style), Richard Morgan (both Sci Fi and Fantasy, "hard boiled")?

I endorse this man's suggestions.