Now I remember reading A Hitchhiker's Guide back in the early 80s. It was very popular with my crowd. I honestly don't remember too much about it, but I seem to recall it was kind of funny in an ironic way? I might be mistaken.

siggy47

Sci-fi-y I've mostly spent time with space opera stuff so recommendations are more focused that way...

 for a not-space-opera and more rock focused series.

Neal Stephenson can be hit or miss for folks. My favorite is 

bitcoin

Beginner Science Fiction Books?

Sci-fi-y I've mostly spent time with space opera stuff so recommendations are more focused that way...

Asimov is a classic as well. [Foundation series](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_series) and (outside of that series) [The End of Eternity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_End_of_Eternity). 

[Hitchhiker's Guide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy)

[Old Man's War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Man%27s_War_series) and Scalzi's later [Interdependency series](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Collapsing_Empire).

[Broken Earth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._K._Jemisin#Broken_Earth_series) for a not-space-opera and more rock focused series. 

Not beginner-y, [Imperial Radch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancillary_Justice) is really interesting. 

Neal Stephenson can be hit or miss for folks. My favorite is [Seveneves](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seveneves) but [Snow Crash](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Crash) is a classic and [Cryptonomicon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptonomicon) fits well with crypto folks. 

