Around the World in 80 Books discussion

I'm looking for recommendations for sci-fi and fantasy from around the world, translated or originally in English.

It would be really helpful to know a bit more about what you like and don't like as a reader. Otherwise, recommendations won't be any more helpful than just looking at a massive list of popular science fiction and fantasy would be. I want to help, and it's much easier to do that when I know what someone will enjoy! :-)

I like hard scifi, militsry scifi, space opera, first contact, epic fantasy, fairy tale retellings, not huge on romance heavy books or grim dark. I am enjoying The Witcher series. I will give just about any book a try.

I enjoyed The Foundation series by Isaac Asimov.

For fantasy, have you read The Lord of the Rings?

Working on Foundations by Asimov and loving it. I lost count how many times I've read Silmarillion through Lord of the Rings. I guess I should say these are genres I read the most frequently, and am looking for either lesser known authors and series or ones that aren't just by American and UK authors. Thank you for the recommendations! I should get back to Foundations. It's been a while since I read the first book or two.

I also enjoyed The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and Starship Troopers by Heinlein.

I haven't read any of Heinlein's books yet.

One way I like to discover new SF and fantasy authors, including lesser known ones, is to read collections of short stories. They often include a blurb about the author, and if I really enjoy a story I go and check out other things the author has written.

Some translated recommendations:
- The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski (from Polish)
- Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist (from Swedish)
- Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami (from Japanese)

See also The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday by Saad Z. Hossain (set in Nepal)

Valor Series by Tanya Huff is a military sci-fi

Embers of War Series by Gareth L. Powell is a retired military sci-fi. It takes place after a devastating interplanetary war.

Old Man's War by John Scalzi is good as well

books I read and enjoyed:
the three body problem by Cixin Liu (sci fi classic from China)

anything by Angélica Gorodischer (Argentinian author) I started with Trafalger

a hero born (first book in the legend of the condor series) by Jin Yong. this is a book in a Chinese specific genre, wuxia. its a mix of epic fantasy set in ancient China and martial arts.

the list of things I want to read bit havent yet is so much longer. if you want, I can share that too. just know that I don't know if it's any good...