Some of my favorites, in no particular order: Foundation by Isaac Asimov Dune by Frank Herbert Permutation City by Greg Egan Blindsight by Peter Watts Anat

Some of my favorites, in no particular order: Foundation by Isaac Asimov Dune by Frank Herbert Permutation City by Greg Egan Blindsight by Peter Watts Anathem by Neal Stephenson Story of your Life and Others and Exhalation by Ted Chiang Chiang in particular is an excellent writer who explores interesting concepts using speculative fiction. A lot of his stories stuck with me, like the one about lookism. Egan also writes excellent stories with very well thought-out and consistent worlds, though the character writing and plotlines is not that strong.