recommendation
If you're looking for a new SF author to pick up, you should do yourself a favor and check out Tobias Buckell. I'm wrapping up his second novel, Ragamuffin right now, and it's a good read. You can even read sample chapters of it and his first one, Crystal Rain at his site. So you don't have to take my word for it. You can head over there and check out his work before buying it.