Is it alright to ask for recommendations? I've been reading fantasy for awhile now, but after recently finishing the second Malazan Empire book and starting the third I'm thinking I could use a palate cleanse. Wanted to try something a little different, maybe space opera-ish or cyberpunk? I was looking at Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash as I've heard good things. Any favorites or stand outs in these genres? Series or stand alone, either is great.
I've read Leviathan Wakes, the first book of The Expanse series, but stalled on the second book.
My standard list, YMMV, may or may not have what you've read:
Frank Herbert's Dune. Space opera/planetary romance (as in the genre, not a romance-novel) hybrid. Classic, superb.
Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn trilogy or Commowealth Saga (duology) for space opera, Greg Mandell trilogy (post-)cyberpunk with some psychic powers. Very long though, so if you're looking for something short these aren't ideal.
Alastair Reynold's Revelation Space series for hard science fiction space opera. Contains some weirdness too though. The titular Revelation Space starts the series. Chasm City is a good stand-alone prequel though.
Classics: Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein. Pick anything, though the Foundation is most clear space opera. Most are easy reads, though with Heinlein's books you'll have to tolerate his possibly odd political ideas.
From Clarke, i count Earthlight as one of my favorites. Sure as hell has one of the best names for a scifi novel ever.
Larry Niven's Ringworld for mindbreaking scale.
I need to go over my shelf someday, i can't even recall everything i have, i think.
EDIT And since i ended up liking the first book, Vorkosigan Saga. Starts with Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster-Bujold or however that name is written.