Dan Simmons “hyperion series” ( he’s the guy who wrote the essay-story “message from a time traveler” that gets posted to FR a lot and confused with be written bu Orson Scott Card : http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1610142/posts ) The first Hyperion book is an awesome spin on Chaucer’s canterbury tales set in space.
If you want to read really good sci-fi speculative fiction, try out Gene Wolfe. He is a devout Cathoic who uses Cathoilc imagery in his work. The “book of the new sun” series is fantastic, influenced heavily by Jack Vance. He’s the best writer going in my opinion. here’s the wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Wolfe
Jack Vance “the Dying Earth” series
Poul Anderson “ensign flandry” series
Freegards
Jack Vance is actually still alive. He’ll turn 94 in August.