Gateway

Wow, I can’t believe I just found this thread and not one mention of Jack Vance. His "Planet of Adventure" series, Alastor series or Demon Princes novels are classics. His command of language and dialogue is unparalleled. Every modern sci-fi author cites him as an influence. Gateway by Frederik Pohl is another underrated one from the 70s although the sequels are disappointing. The Forever War Joe Haldeman and Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers are also indispensable.

Day of the Triffids - John Wyndham - everyone goes blind and a bunch of sentient plants start eating people. one of the first science fiction books I ever read, and the one that introduced me to post apocalyptic fiction. Giant plants might sound silly, but its no more silly than walking corpses. And in fact the walking dead and 28 days later owe a lot to this book. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke - beautifully inventive fantasy novel about two magicians bringing magic back to Britain during the Napoleonic wars. Fab read. Gateway - Frederick Pohl - pulp sf at its best. Humans discover a hollowed out asteroid worth ftl ships preprogrammed with unknown destinations. Prospectors pack as much food as they can and hit 'launch' in the hopes that they'll discover something valuable and not land on a star or starve to death. The Forever War - Joe Haldeman - more great pulp sci-fi about the first interstellar war. Old man's war by John Scalzi is very similar and almost as good. Most things by Iain (m) banks. Crow Road, Wasp Factory, The Bridge, Consider Phlebas, Use of Weapons, Player of Games etc. Song of stone was awful though, they're not all winners

Some which I have re-read recently and still enjoyed: William Gibson's Sprawl trilogy Frank Herbert's Dune series Isaac Asimov's Foundation series Frederik Pohl's "Gateway" Robert Heinlein's "The Moon is a harsh Mistress" Some which I remember liking when I read them many years ago as a teenager: E.E. Doc Smith's Lensman series David Brin's Uplift series Peter F. Hamilton's Greg Mandel trilogy and The Night's Dawn trilogy Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game" George R. Dickson's "Dorsai!"

Philip K. Dick (Ubik, Man in the high castle, Flow my tears the police man said) Frederik Pohl (Gateway, the Space Merchants) Ursula K. Le Guin (The Dispossessed, Left Hand of Darkness) Iain M. Banks (Culture novels) You will find many Sci-Fi treasures by just going through http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SF_Masterworks

Frederik Pohl's Gateway