I am really surprised that nobody mentioned George R.R Martin books. In my opinion he is the best writer of our generation.
I recommend Jaqueline Carey's Kushiel line. Epic stories that I could not put down. I will warn that the first book is slow going until about 3/4's in when you'll have your holyfuckinshit moment. By the end of the first I was runnin my happy as out to get the 2nd. While the theme throughout is 'Love as thou wilt' some crazy mind blowing shit happens in these novels. I won't give any spoilers but must also warn these are NOT for the faint of stomach. Read them, you won't regret it & besides they're hella long so you've got hours of entertainment.
Edgar Allan Poe is amazing. Read his short stories: The fall of the house of Usher The cask of Amontillado The Raven Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
Right now I can recommend what i'm reading. It's called A House In The Sky I think. I'm preparing to travel through southeast asia, as a start. I started reading this book because it's about a woman who travelled and was abducted and held hostage. The idea of travel is what sparked my interest in reading it. Also, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. That was a good book.