My favorite fantasy book..
Not mentioned at all, I also liked A. Bertram Chandler's Rim World series (John Grimes).
-PJ
Late to the party (as usual), but here are my thoughts:
SCI FI:
“Starship Troopers” is a *must* read for any conservative Sci-Fi fan. I avoided Heinlein for years after reading “Stranger in a Strange Land,” but “Troopers” is great. Charles Sheffield is good for “hard” sci-fi. I like Orson Scott Card’s Ender work, but haven’t read anything else.
STAR TREK:
Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens are can’t miss, even the stuff they write with Shatner. I have a soft spot for Diane Duane, Vonda McIntyre, and Diane Carey. Peter David is the exception to my Uncle’s rule that “chicks can’t write Star Trek books,” although you have to watch out for cutesy in-jokes. Avoid Michael Jan Friedman at all costs.
STAR WARS:
Timothy Zahn is a can’t miss here. James Luceno is also pretty good. You have to watch out, though, for stuff that was written before Episodes I-III if you are a “continuity cop.”
FANTASY:
My brother says that the first two Dragonlance trilogies from Weis and Hickman rival Lord of the Rings. I’m not saying they’re that good, but they are close.
H Beam Piper,
Poul Anderson,
John Brunner,
Frederick Pohl,
Murray Leinster and many more....