Science Fiction
The Best: You'll never be able to dial in on a best science fiction novel of all time. There are just too many greats. But Dune will be on everyone's short list.
Spice, the psychic oil of the galactic empire, is battled over by noble houses on the planet Arrakis. Paul, the heir to a great house, must assume his destiny over a race of elite desert warriors to take revenge on the Harkonnens.
My Favorite: Psychohistory, a concept from this book, changed the way I think about human history. Every chapter served as a short story in the greater narrative, making it very easy to read.
When a brilliant mathematician predicts the collapse of a galactic empire, he sets in motion a centuries-spanning plan to preserve human knowledge and shepherd civilization through 30,000 years of darkness.
What you Should Read: Ender's Game might be the best starter book for this genre. It's as good as it gets. Just read it.
After years of devastating alien attacks, the military takes gifted children from their families to train as commanders, including six-year-old Ender Wiggin, whose tactical genius makes him humanity's best hope against the mysterious Formics.
Honorable Mentions:
Ready Player One - Everyone who thinks they hate books ends up liking this book.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - A newly sentient AI leads a Moon rebellion. Sweet as.
Canticle for Leibowitz - The story of a small Catholic monastery through three stages of rebuilding civilization after nuclear apocalypse.
Fantasy
My favorite happens to be the best there is. Lord of the Rings is a good as it gets. The Silmarillion is the epic mythological history of that world. Beware, everything made after Peter Jackson's adaptations will be ruined once you read this book. Sorry Hobbit.
No summary will do the Silmarillion justice. You are either called to the Silmarillion, or you aren't.
What you Should Read: Controversial take, but I think this is the most engaging fantasy book I've read. Rothfuss seizes your attention be the collar and doesn't let go until the end of the second book, which will probably be the last one in the trilogy to be published. Still worth it.
A brilliant but arrogant young musician named Kvothe recounts his transformation from traveling performer to legendary magical prodigy at a prestigious arcane university, all while pursuing the mysterious demons who murdered his family.
Honorable Mentions:
Wheel of Time - It's huge. But every fantasy fan should check it out. Plus, you get to talk to Mr. Simmons about it when you're done.
A Song of Ice and Fire - If you want to find out why the internet rebelled against the show, read the books and find out. They are great.
The Lies of Lock Lemore - A bunch of thieves do some thievin'. Also, cursing is turned into an artform. It's delightful.
Other Fiction
Top Recommendation: This might be my top recommendation. It's a post-apocalyptic story about a retired Army officer surviving in a Carolina town with his elderly mother-in-law and two daughters after an EMP fries every electronic device in the country. No lights, no cars, no banks, no refrigeration, and the story of what comes after. Above all, it's a scenario the Pentagon has prepared for as a real possibility.
Top Recommendation: If you like history, you have to read the books by the Shaara's. They do a great job bringing military history to life. In fact, The Killer Angels, a book about the battle of Gettysburg (wait wait come back it's actually really good!) was used as part of the curriculum at West Point. It's as good as it gets, and most importantly, you'll read all about Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and his famous bayonet charge at Little Round Top.
Classics
Coming soon
Nonfiction
Coming soon