The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell (A first contact novel by an anthropologist.) She followed it with Children of God, but hasn't published any other fiction.
A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
A Song of Fire and Ice series (A Game of Thrones; A Clash of Kings; A Storm of Swords) by George R.R. Martin
Souls in The Great Machine (followed by The Miocene Arrow and by Eyes of the Calculor) by Sean McMullen
Perdido Street Station (followed by The Scar) by China Mieville
The Peshawar Lancers by S.M. Stirling
Guns of The South by Harry N. Turtledove
Slashdot Mirror
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell (A first contact novel by an anthropologist.) She followed it with Children of God, but hasn't published any other fiction. A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson A Song of Fire and Ice series (A Game of Thrones; A Clash of Kings; A Storm of Swords) by George R.R. Martin Souls in The Great Machine (followed by The Miocene Arrow and by Eyes of the Calculor) by Sean McMullen Perdido Street Station (followed by The Scar) by China Mieville The Peshawar Lancers by S.M. Stirling Guns of The South by Harry N. Turtledove