Science Fiction
(I link to Amazon for user reviews and reference - I make no commission.)"Science Fiction" is a loose idea - Orwell's 1984 and Huxley's Brave New World mostly fit the bill, though they don't feature space travel and microchips.
I haven't yet read Asimov's foundation series. Shame on me.
Growing up with computers and games, I developed a solid appreciation for cyberpunk:
NeuromancerWorking at Software Etc. put me in the basement of a B.Dalton booksellers. One of my coworkers, can't remember his name, he recommended me this series:
by William Gibson
Deliberately obtuse and cryptic technology fiction brings the feelings of a voodoo future into your belly. I love the computer game based on the book too.
Snow Crash
by Neal StephensonFantastic fun pop culture inflected tour of post-modern calamities.
When Gravity FailsThis is another name you can't miss in Fantasy/SciFi:
by George Alec EffingerMerging Muslim culture, transsexuals and drugs in a Fez cum New Orleans - cyberpunk science fiction with a lot of flavor. Someone made an excellent game out of this series.
Ender's GameI share a birthday with this man, somehow between that and his mix of drugs, paranoia, insight and spiritual seeking, I couldn't help but read him:
by Orson Scott CardI read this book as a teenager without getting up to go to the bathroom. It's a sweeping tale of a young man who finds out that playing games are very important - I loved it.
Man in the High CastleReading Sci Fi Literature 101, a thread on Slashdot, I learned about this great pair of books:
by Philip K. DickDick's I Ching infused masterpiece illustrates the potential for modern political science fiction.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
by Philip K. DickBlade Runner was based on this book - the book is deeper, bringing animals in on the questions of the role of soul. Talk about recursion - the book was made into a movie, which was made into a game.
Hyperion / Fall of HyperionWanda Webb gave me a copy of this book:
by Dan Simmons
High science fiction wraught with the older english masters in mind. Great reading, you'll feel elevated. By this pair of books - they're essentially a unit.
Vurt
by Jeff NoonThoroughly drug-oriented future fiction. Eminently readable.
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