Several of the ones I would rec have already been listed (The Goblin Emperor, the Vorkosigan series, Ancillary Justice).
I would add:
Terry Pratchett's Discworld - it's a loooooong, delicious series that switches POV focus amongst different character types, so at least one is bound to please.
Connie Willis, "Bellwether" - a comic novel about corporate "productivity", management crazes, and creating/monetizing fads that is still relevant 25 years later.
Diane Duane, The Tale of the Five series - a beautiful fantasy series about power, grief, finding your purpose, and coming to terms with trauma, with found family all over the place.
ETA: Oh! I almost forgot Martha Wells' "Murderbot" series - a grumpy (and fannish) cyborg hacks their governor control module to gain freedom from their corporate overlords' commands, and proceeds to discover feelings and loyalty and other icky humanish attachments.
no subject
Several of the ones I would rec have already been listed (The Goblin Emperor, the Vorkosigan series, Ancillary Justice).
I would add:
Terry Pratchett's Discworld - it's a loooooong, delicious series that switches POV focus amongst different character types, so at least one is bound to please.
Connie Willis, "Bellwether" - a comic novel about corporate "productivity", management crazes, and creating/monetizing fads that is still relevant 25 years later.
Diane Duane, The Tale of the Five series - a beautiful fantasy series about power, grief, finding your purpose, and coming to terms with trauma, with found family all over the place.
ETA: Oh! I almost forgot Martha Wells' "Murderbot" series - a grumpy (and fannish) cyborg hacks their governor control module to gain freedom from their corporate overlords' commands, and proceeds to discover feelings and loyalty and other icky humanish attachments.