'1984' by George Orwell - Even after all this time it is a chilling look at one of the many ways a society can go wrong, particularly relevant these days becaus

'1984' by George Orwell - Even after all this time it is a chilling look at one of the many ways a society can go wrong, particularly relevant these days because so many parts of it are coming true. 'Snow Crash' by Neal Stephenson - Awesome cyberpunk novel that anyone with an interest in programming. 'The Night's Dawn Trilogy' by Peter F. Hamilton - Fantastically engrossing series of books that are so good you will finish them wishing they were longer. The portrait painted in the books is so vivid that you will remember it for years to come. (In case you can't tell, I like Sci-Fi :-p)