I also liked most of those. I'm just reading Blindsight, wonderful.
The only one I hated was "Market forces" by Morgan. It felt like reading "The Pilgrim's Progress", but with Chomsky as Jesus -- a little bit too heavy handed in political propaganda. For that kind of stuff done in a fascinating way, check Ken MacLeod's "The Stone Canal" and following.
(Asher got a little too much of Space Opera for me, in the end.)
For sf, I'd add Greg Egan (Stross has been mentioned multiple times).
I'd also like to recommend the worst author I used to buy books in hardcover from -- Robert L Forward. The guy couldn't have written a believable character to save his life, but he had some cool physics ideas. RIP.
For fantasy, which I didn't see mentioned, I'd add Scott Lynch, most stuff by Jack Vance, the black company series (Glen Cook), Joe Abercrombie and Vlad Taltos (Brust).
Dawkins' Selfish Gene has been mentioned. Steven Pinker was interesting.
Edit: Re Schoeder, I've heard good things but not read anything yet. Thanks for advice and kick to start.
Strongly agree on Greg Egan. "Schild's Ladder" is one of the best 'hard' SF novels I've ever read!
I can see how you'd feel that way about Market Forces. Personally what I liked most in that book was the way the main character developed/changed over the course of the story. That being said I would consider it on the 'lighter' end of the SF spectrum, but I still think it's an interesting exploration of a society taken to the extreme.
The only one I hated was "Market forces" by Morgan. It felt like reading "The Pilgrim's Progress", but with Chomsky as Jesus -- a little bit too heavy handed in political propaganda. For that kind of stuff done in a fascinating way, check Ken MacLeod's "The Stone Canal" and following.
(Asher got a little too much of Space Opera for me, in the end.)
For sf, I'd add Greg Egan (Stross has been mentioned multiple times).
I'd also like to recommend the worst author I used to buy books in hardcover from -- Robert L Forward. The guy couldn't have written a believable character to save his life, but he had some cool physics ideas. RIP.
For fantasy, which I didn't see mentioned, I'd add Scott Lynch, most stuff by Jack Vance, the black company series (Glen Cook), Joe Abercrombie and Vlad Taltos (Brust).
Dawkins' Selfish Gene has been mentioned. Steven Pinker was interesting.
Edit: Re Schoeder, I've heard good things but not read anything yet. Thanks for advice and kick to start.