Getting into science fiction and want to build a reading list. I've done Ender's Game, Hitchhiker's Guide, and Neuromancer. What else is essential? Open to classic and modern recommendations.

Prefer stuff that's more ideas-focused than space opera.

The Foundation trilogy by Asimov. Essential reading for anyone interested in ideas-driven sci-fi. The concept of psychohistory is brilliant.

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. The metaverse concept is prophetic and the writing is razor-sharp. Also hilarious.

Dune by Frank Herbert. It's the Lord of the Rings of sci-fi. Deep worldbuilding, political intrigue, ecological themes that feel increasingly relevant.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick. Short, thought-provoking, and it inspired Blade Runner.