Winter is Coming

[Caliana]

Anne McCaffrey's Pern books are good (I got started in middle school, when a teacher of mine got us to read Dragonsong). I wouldn't personally recommend the new ones written with/by her son Todd. I read the first one or two, and it read pretty much like a plagiarism of the original stuff (it was the exact same story, same characters, everything, just retold a little)

The Ship That Searched (written with Mercedes Lackey) is still one of my favorite books (it's the second book, but IMO the first book, solo written by McCaffrey, was crap D:)

[Doc Thunder]

Anne McCaffrey's Pern books are good (I got started in middle school, when a teacher of mine got us to read Dragonsong). I wouldn't personally recommend the new ones written with/by her son Todd. I read the first one or two, and it read pretty much like a plagiarism of the original stuff (it was the exact same story, same characters, everything, just retold a little)

The Ship That Searched (written with Mercedes Lackey) is still one of my favorite books (it's the second book, but IMO the first book, solo written by McCaffrey, was crap D:)

The Ship that Sang was not a bad book, but i agree that the later BB ship books were better (personally the Hypatia Cade book was the best)

I would also prod you to read the Crystal Line books as they build on that same world.

[Dasch]

Not strictly speaking a series, but Iain M. Banks' "The Culture" has a few good novels out for it.
Use of Weapons
The Player of Games
Excession
Were my three favourites of his.

[Caliana]

Looking through part of my collection (can't get to them all, because I have 2 17 gallon tubs and then some filled with books), Here are some more of my faves/goodies:

Christopher Moore
-Fool
-Lamb: The gospel according to Christ's childhood pal, Biff

Stephen Kenson (Shadowrun)
-Born To Run
-Poison Agendas
-Fallen Angels

Holly Black
-Tithe
-Valiant

Tamora Pierce
-Trickster's Choice
-Trickster's Queen

[Thiefofsouls]

Don't know how I could have forgotten about these. Terry Brooks series. Execlent books.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Brooks

The Original Shannara Trilogy
1.The Sword of Shannara (1977)
2.The Elfstones of Shannara (1982)
3.The Wishsong of Shannara (1985)

Word & Void series
1.Running with the Demon (1997)
2.A Knight of the Word (1998)
3.Angel Fire East (1999)

The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara trilogy
1.Ilse Witch (2000)
2.Antrax (2001)
3.Morgawr (2002)

High Druid of Shannara trilogy
1.Jarka Ruus (2003)
2.Tanequil (2004)
3.Straken (2005)