The John Carter books (11) were some of the earliest books I ever bought back when I was still in Primary school. I loved them and still have them!!
As for stand-alone books: I happen to love Emphyrio by Vance, Mindgames by Cadigan (eventh tough it's Cyberpunk), Heinlein's Starship Troopers and Number of the Beast, and 'The Mote in God's Eye' by Niven & Pournelle (though I can't stand the books each wrote by himself, if for different reasons).
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Gateway (the first book, couldn't really get into the rest, the first is awesome though, Pohl)
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Rendezvous with Rama (again, the first one, Clarke)
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The Lost Fleet is a military science fiction series written by John G. Hemry under the pen name Jack Campbell. The series is set one-hundred-plus years into an interstellar war between two different human cultures, the Alliance and the Syndics. The protagonist of the story is discovered floating in a suspended animation escape pod one hundred years after he made a "heroic last stand" against an enemy fleet. In his absence, he has been made into a renowned hero in the Alliance, but his legend and actions are used to justify poor tactics and decisions. Awakened after being discovered during a secret mission that turns out to be an enemy trap, he is suddenly dropped into the role of fleet commander and expected to live up to the legend that has grown around him.
Might help if you could list those you have read already. My recommendations from newer ones are Consider Phlebas et al. (Culture Series) and Red Mars, but I haven't read too much sci-fi yet, so my experience is limited.could use some tips for good newer sf, something close to asimov style perhaps, or the rama books. really tired of sf involving epic wars/loads of violence, or main characters that are "ex-marine-whatever".
Might help if you could list those you have read already. My recommendations from newer ones are Consider Phlebas et al. (Culture Series) and Red Mars, but I haven't read too much sci-fi yet, so my experience is limited.
There's always the Top 100 sci-fi list for some inspiration — on the left you can browse different themes you like.