People have already justifiably mentioned Iain Banks, but let me throw some more goodies your way.
Kim Stanley Robinson, primarily his Mars series but his other work is great too. In fact, KSR went on Chapo(https://soundcloud.com/chapo-trap-house/bonus-will-interviews-kim-stanley-robinson-with-the-antifada)
Ken MacLeod, who I believe was actually friends with Iain Banks. Check out the Fall Revolution series, or Newton's Wake, or the Execution Channel if you're feeling grim.
China Mieville is primarily a weird fiction and fantasy writer, but he does have an excelent SF book, Embassytown.
Aw hell, throw Ann Leckie in there. Ancillary Justice deserved the praise it got.
People have already justifiably mentioned Iain Banks, but let me throw some more goodies your way.
Kim Stanley Robinson, primarily his Mars series but his other work is great too. In fact, KSR went on Chapo(https://soundcloud.com/chapo-trap-house/bonus-will-interviews-kim-stanley-robinson-with-the-antifada)
Ken MacLeod, who I believe was actually friends with Iain Banks. Check out the Fall Revolution series, or Newton's Wake, or the Execution Channel if you're feeling grim.
China Mieville is primarily a weird fiction and fantasy writer, but he does have an excelent SF book, Embassytown.
Aw hell, throw Ann Leckie in there. Ancillary Justice deserved the praise it got.
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I found Ancillary Justice to be a very vanilla space opera, it coulda been published by Baen.
Hey, Baen publishes Lois McMaster Bujold!