Science Fiction and Fantasy
For a book to interest me, it has to expand my mind in some way. The authors in this section all do this in one way or another.
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: There isn't a lot of middle ground on Tolkien--you either love him or you hate him. No doubt about it, I love him. A lot of people argue that his writing style was by turns childish and ponderous, and they're right, but he could flat out tell a story. The man developed whole languages for the races in his universe, so much so that for the movies currently in production, the producers have hired linguists to ensure the Elvish and Dwarvish languages are spoken properly by the actors.
Larry Niven: Here's a science-fiction writer who doesn't neglect the science. He's prolific and talented, and in Ringworld, he came up with a truly unique idea for a setting. To the hard science, he adds interesting characters and a fast-moving plot. Other books by Niven I'd recommend include Lucifer's Hammer and, of course, his collection of short stories Playgrounds of the Mind.
Joel Rosenberg: I generally hate reading a series that spans a long period of time. When characters die or are otherwise removed, they're almost always replaced by the "This new guy is ALMOST like Bob, but his hair is blonde instead of brown" kind of character. The characters become stale because they never change. It's extremely frustrating.
One of the few exceptions to this rule is Rosenberg's Guardians of the Flame series. In it, he takes an engrossing tale over the course of decades, helps you become attached to the characters, for all their flaws and quirks, then proceeds to kill one of the main characters when it makes sense for him to die. Even better, it's those faults you've seen in the character's development throughout the series that end up doing him in. In real life we have to deal with the consequences of our mistakes, and Rosenberg holds his fictional characters to the same standard. Highly recommended--check out The Sleeping Dragon for your introduction this outstanding series.
But wait, there's more! Rosenberg has also written two compelling mysteries in a fantasy setting. Take a look at D'Shai and Hour of the Octopus if you think that's as cool as I do. You won't be disappointed!
Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451: Here's a story that teaches you a lot. Imagine, lessons about loss of freedom, revisionist history, and the dangers of a totalitarian state all rolled into one. What, you thought firemen were supposed to put out fires? If you haven't read this one, make tracks to your local library, post haste.
Am I missing someone? Share your favorite authors with me!