The original Space Opera that defined the genre, first in the Lensman series, a must read for all SF devotees

Great debut book, lots of action, hard edged SFand interesting central theme.

Choose any Iain M Banks, they are all great, but Excession also has some great humour in the exchanges between the ships and of course he started a trend now followed by others in spaceship names.

AKA Tiger Tiger (in other editions), Alfred Bester at his best (sorry), the central character, Gully Foyle and his mission of revenge, wonderfully crafted and paced book

The very best SF comic story ever written, yes we all know the follow up books were bad, but just read and enjoy and laugh out loud

Did William Gibson start cyber-punk, who knows or cares, just read all his books and enjoy pure quality action against the backdrop of techno stuff, that may be here already

Ken Macleod early works, like this, were really good, lovely plot, moving between time lines and were well crafted, shame he lost the plot with the Engines of Light series

Sorry, but the I think that the film, Bladerunner is actually much better than the book that was its idea, but PKD was so influential in SF, best read them all

My favorite Arthur C Clarke, first contact, I wonder what they will look like?

Actually my least favorite of Larry Niven's work, but it is so central to his rest of known space, you just have to go there

Dan Simmons fantastic tour de force, pilgrims, time travel and the Shrike

Another new writer with lots of ACTION and a great central concept

James White's hugely entertaining Hospital Station series, great idea, not deep thinking SF, just enjoy.