I don't have anything Sci Fi on my redaing list at the moment. It's bizarre, normally I have 2 or 3 things. There's the new Gibson one (Pattern Recognition) I've not read and should do, that's about it.
I just stumbled across this short story recently and wonder if the Wachowski brothers read it and were inspired to create The Matrix series because of it. Its a short story about how computers control people and use some similar imagery captured in The Matrix trilogy. It's called The "Angel of Violence" written by Adam Wisniewski-Snerg. He's also written a book called Robot that is sort of the reverse of The Matrix (though I haven't read it nor claim to know too much about it) where humans have discovered robots on a distant planet and try to study and control them much like the machines in The Matrix of humans.
Sounds interesting, I just ordered an anthology of sci-fi short stories off of Amazon, so I'll check that out. Next on my list is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick, the inspiration for Blade Runner.
Just finished all the Ender's and Bean series (Orson Scott Card) in softcover... there's one new Bean novel that I don't have, but it's only in hardcover right now so I'll hold off.
Roadside Picnic by the Stugatrtsky Brothers is available for free at various places around the net.
Personally, I'm on a quest to hunt down the various works of Cifford Simak. Find the short story "House with an infinite backyard" if nothing else.
"Snow Crash" is technically post-cyberpunk, not SF, but its an interesting ride none the less. Deadly memes, Babylonian mythology, the best swordsman on the net
The asteroid series by Ben Bova was pretty good.
Red Mars by K.S. Robinson wasn't too bad, though I have heard less than flowering descriptions of its sequels. If I ever find them, they will still get a try.
The Atomic Rocket Site is well worth reading in its own right - but the various books it quotes and use for reference makes for a wonderful collection as well. (Must find "Footfall" - and see an Orion drive in use)
Speaking of which, look for the book "Project Orion" by George Dyson. The author is the son of Freeman Dyson who actually worked on the titular project - a plan to create a 4,000 ton spaceship powered by hydrogen bombs!