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An almost impossible choice, and so subjective in any event. I won't give reasons for my choices here as they would require a lengthy essay in themselves. There is so much that is good. I too read Orson Scott Card's "Speaker for the Dead" many years ago, and would put it right up there with the best. Ender's Game was a good read, but I don't think in the same class as Speaker. The other books in the series were basically unmemorable.
The Legacy of Heorot (Niven, Barnes and Pournelle) is also up there with the best, as is Footfall (Niven and Pournelle) and the previously mentioned "Mote in God's Eye" (Niven and Pournelle).
Finally, who can forget Orwell's "1984".
I also can't escape that nagging feeling that I have overlooked something for this top category.
There are many many novels which are very close, including many of those mentioned here. I searched out Alfred Bester's "The Stars My Destination" as a young teen after coming across a reference to it in, of all things, a Stephen King short story. An excellent read. I read "The Sparrow" only recently and found the storyline intriguing, though it falls just short of greatness. "Armour" and "Starship Troopers" are both also very good. "2001" is a classic. I loved "Childhood's End" as a Teen, but it is not as good on re-reading it now. Clarke felt compelled to later add a note that he no longer gave any credence to some of the "paranormal" type aspects of the Book.
I plan to start another thread for short stories as so many wonderful authors and ideas have no place here.
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