Some sci-fi books I’ve read recently that I’d recommend:
Orphan’s Journey (Jason Wander)
Orphan’s Destiny (Jason Wander)
The above books by Robert Buettner were very enjoyable, although shorter than I would have liked (either more depth added or fewer books).
Ilium is a bit tough to read (as the story parallels some of the Iliad along with all of the names), but I definitely enjoyed the twists and turns of the book. It’s gotten really good reviews generally (although there’s of course some people who hated it).
If you haven’t tried Dan Simmons before, I’d definitely recommend this book:
(It’s gotten awesome reviews at Amazon).
Here’s some of my older recommendations for sci-fi books. I definitely appreciate the advice given then and any new suggestions you might have!