The Dragonriders of Pern. Anne McCaffrey has to be my all-time favorite author of speculative fiction. I first discovered her Pern series as a young teen. I spent the next decade or so bewailing the fact that "dragon rider" was not an occupation open to those of us living on Earth. I didn't realize it at the time, but my future as an author was determined by these books. I lost my heart that year to the world of imagination, and apparently it's there to stay.

The series is appropriate for "young adults" as well as adults. It starts out as a fantasy series, but later books iluminate a terrific science fiction crossover. If you've never read the Dragonriders of Pern books, start with these:

#1: Dragonflight
#2: Dragonquest
#3: The White Dragon
#4: Dragonsong
#5: Dragonsinger
#6: Dragondrums
#7: Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern
#8: Nerilka's Story

The Homecoming Series. Think of this two-shot-latte-addictive series by Orson Scott Card as science fiction for fantasy lovers. Or maybe fantasy for science fiction buffs. Either way, they're pure gold. Read the first chapter for free on Amazon. Then buy book one. Or save yourself some time and buy all five volumes:

#1: The Memory of Earth (hardcover) / (paperback)
#2: The Call of Earth (hardcover) / (paperback)
#3: The Ships of Earth (hardcover) / (paperback)
#4: Earthfall (hardcover) / (paperback)
#5: Earthborn (hardcover) / (paperback)