the only 2 on there i would even mention to a beginner sci-fi is hitch hikers and peridio street. every one is stuck on old shit all the others on the list are pretty ancient AND mostly crap particularly for beginners. the new stuff ia awsome anyone read any peter f hamilton lately he is epic and galexy spanning belivable tech for a possible human evol. storrys and worlds and chars are rediculously awsome. the new void seirise is awsome but i hear the trillogy of is is amazing too and i would recomend reading them before The Dreaming Void beacuse that takes place 1200 years after the trillogy and explains alot. it is funny too that the tech in the novels litteraly makes 1000 year gaps seem no more than several centurys in the feel of the novels. also most all larry niven books i would recomend they are freeking brilliantly imaginative very interesting and charichters are awsome even his new stuff like the sequel to his vertion of inferno, Escape from hell they both are awsome altho not exactly sci-fi.