rektide

Dune (but super heady material)

Foundation series (and much more Asimov!)

Diamond Age is much less dark, and way more a fun tail about an incredible & mysterious primer for a young lady.

Accelerando (and Iron Sky and ... overflowing playful scifi)

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE A Fire Upon the Deep.

Left Hand of Darkness also by Ursala Le Guin is a shifting chaotic shizmatic tale, about picking our fates.

has more style, pizzaz, & spirit than I feel like any of us deserve.

The Stars My Destination (brimming with class & substance)

The Stars My Destination was great.

Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut.

All Systems Red series by Martha Wells is a underprivileged barely coping robot dealing with the humans she hates having to talk to

could quite easily, quite simply be the best first contact story story ever. Touching, and sincere, & simple.

Rainbow's End really is our planet, sometime not far out, and Vinge has the most tour of this next place we're headed