Sci-Fi Book Recommendations

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A couple of decades ago I was introduced to the genre of Cyberpunk, sort of computers mixed with the near future. To me it was at a time of the emerging technology of computers, networks and space travel. I too had started with H.G. Wells, Asimov, Dick and the such like, but this genre had a more everyday reality based setting that I liked.

The first book of the genre I read was William Gibsons "Neuromancer", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuromancer

After that I read Neal Stephensons "Snow Crash", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Crash

I've read most of both of their works, but for me Neal Stephenson really paints a visceral picture of realistic near futures, take for instance "The Diamond Age" where nano technology is common place and how an innocent child is taught to learn coping strategies for growing up in such a community. (BTW there is always a weird dark section in his books, so for the younger beware! But that bit is usually isolated off.)

As for Phillip K Dick, legendary are his short stories, many many movies are based on these. To start off with I like to recommend "Do androids dream of electric sheep?"

Another set of great short stories, more in the realm of old defunct tech now for me is Issac Asimovs "Robot Visions", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robot_Visions

Oh a final one I remember something from a SF Masterworks series, it was "Babel-17" by Samuel R Delany, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babel-17 . I've not read any others so if anyone can recommend others of his which are good I'd appreciate it.

Have you ever read Otherland by Tad Williams? I'm only on the second book in the series and I really enjoy it, well written "meaty" story with a reasonable amount of adventuring.

I also liked Ender's Game Orson Scott Card, especially the sequels, which dealt with societies and governments a lot more than science.

Also, I have read several books by Robert Heinlein and enjoyed them, though they can be a bit more hardcore science fiction.

I'm beginning to think that I don't actually like to read science fiction that much, and that what I really like is one very narrow type of plot — one person exploring an alien environment alone — written in a pre-modern style. Like, I'm just trying to relive the experience of my two favorite novels — The Time Machine and Out of The Silent Planet — over and over again, and confusing the impossibility of that goal with other novels being unsatisfying in general.

You might (?) like RAILSEA by China Mieville.