Some really obviously perfect fantasy choices:
The Dragonlance Chronicles - Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Really, in the Pantheon of Fantasy writers, they're Gods.
The Elenium and Tamuli Series - David Eddings. He actually writes knights and paladins as smart, interesting, and still good characters. It would be hard to find better fantasy novels than these anywhere. His other works are also good, just these were the best of the best.
The Dragon Riders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey. Really fun and fast reads. She's a giant of the field for a reason. Well worth reading even if it's just to be an achievements whore.
Some really great Sci-Fi Choices:
The Space Trilogy - C.S. Lewis. A very compelling and imaginative work. Saying much else would give it away.
Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury. Relevant, well-written sci-fi that performs the job of sci-fi perfectly.
Brave New World- Aldous Huxley. If you want to be a really good doomsayer, ****lord. You read Huxley because then you can alternate "what is this 1984" and bitterly saying "it's a brave new world".
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Trilogy - Douglas Adams. Seriously, entirely funny, a great send up of science fiction, and thrilling.
The Dragonlance Chronicles - Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Really, in the Pantheon of Fantasy writers, they're Gods.
The Elenium and Tamuli Series - David Eddings. He actually writes knights and paladins as smart, interesting, and still good characters. It would be hard to find better fantasy novels than these anywhere. His other works are also good, just these were the best of the best.
The Dragon Riders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey. Really fun and fast reads. She's a giant of the field for a reason. Well worth reading even if it's just to be an achievements whore.
Some really great Sci-Fi Choices:
The Space Trilogy - C.S. Lewis. A very compelling and imaginative work. Saying much else would give it away.
Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury. Relevant, well-written sci-fi that performs the job of sci-fi perfectly.
Brave New World- Aldous Huxley. If you want to be a really good doomsayer, ****lord. You read Huxley because then you can alternate "what is this 1984" and bitterly saying "it's a brave new world".
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Trilogy - Douglas Adams. Seriously, entirely funny, a great send up of science fiction, and thrilling.