[gpderetta]

It seems that everybody has been recommending sci fi and fantasy... Well, so will I.

- The Lies of Locke Lamora: fantasy (think fantastic Renaissance Venice), fairly light read, very well written, great characters.

- Accelerando: from our own cstross. Postuhumanist episodic scifi, pretty much a required read for the average HN reader.

- The Book of the New Sun: fantasy (or is it?), On the surface episodic adventures of an executioner, but it is built on multiple layers. Not an easy read, but masterfully written. Might require multiple reads. Long series.

- Blindsight, bleak diamond hard scifi, about first contact, consciousness and life. Not an easy read, but strongly recommended.

[tarboreus]

I second Accelerando and Book of the New Sun. Both challenging in their own ways.