also in the slightly sci-fi category (both this and Dune won major awards) is Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card. What a damn good book. You honestly will not be able to put it down.
yes!! i first read ender's game in an anthology of sf short stories, excellent!! i was more than happy/excited to discover that card had written a trilogy based on ender's game. the entire series was brilliant.
