[Tolik]

Update: summary of the Sci-Fi books' recommendations: (in no particular order):

• Alistaire Reynolds "Revelation Space" (must read from the beginning)

• The early Honor Harrington stories by David Weber.

• Peter Hamilton's Reality Disfunction series. Peter Hamilton's Pandora's Star series.

• David Feintuch's Hope series. (first 4 books)

• Heinlein

• Forward

• Niven

• Pournelle

• Joe Haldeman

• Keith Laumer's time travel and alternate-universe stories.

• Iain Banks  "Culture" novels

• Greg Bear (Eon, Queen of Angels)

• Neil Gaiman (American Gods, Good Omens-with Terry Prattchet).

• Vernor Vinge (everything),

• Dan Simmons (Hyperion Cantos)

• Neal Stephenson (Diamond Age; Snow Crash; CRYPTONOMICON)

• Orson Scott Card

• Fred Hoyle's "Black Cloud"

• Willam Gibson  "Neuromancer"

• Phillip K. Dick

• Nancy Kress  Beggars in Spain

• PJ Farmer

[balrog666]

What? Nobody has mentioned David Brin yet?