Must-read Sci-fi & Fantasy books

[Earniel]

I saw the idea on another forum.

What are the must-read fantasy and sci-fi books? Which are the novels any fantasy or sci-fi fan should have on their shelf? New, old, doesn't matter which. And if you can, tell us why you think so.

For me the list will have to include:

• Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien (obviously)
• Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury (talk about a scary distopia!)
• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (Sometimes a bit too absurd for my taste, but quotes are everywhere, so it is an influential book.
• 20,000 Leagues under the Sea - Jules Verne (Verne was such a visionary, even today his books haven't become overly dated despite their age.)
• The Lost World - Arthur Conan Doyle (Dinosaurs! Whee!)
• Small Gods - Terry Pratchett (hard to pick a Discworld book that jumps out, they're all pretty good. But Small Gods was an awesome read.