I would always recommend Stephen King, as he's my favourite author. I was caught up in the Dark Tower series last year. I started in May and finished in August, and when I was finished, I felt something was missing.
I also love Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. She's has the most amazing way of writing that leaves the reader feeling more educated.
When I'm in a romancy mood, and want a book that doesn't require a lot of thinking, I'm more apt to read Luanne Rice. She's a fresh voice, after growing up reading V. C. Andrews books. Which makes me ask this question... if the woman is dead, how can she still be writing?
Stephen Baxter's Manifold trilogy is a definite must for any Scifi fan. Which I'm not, lol.
The NeverEnding Story by Michael Ende is probably the best Fantasy book I've ever read. The movies that I watched as a child could not hold a candle to the book itself, which in all reality never really ends. How I wish all of the Fantasia books were written in English. But that is another story for another day.
If you like a good laugh, pick up a book by Christopher Moore. He has written
Fluke, or I Know Why The Winged Whale Sings, which I randomly picked up while putting books away at the library (worked there during high school). All of his books have left me laughing, and probably waking up my parents in the middle of the night, because I read to all hours of the morning.
Richard (because his real name turns into a smurf on here) Francis is a great mystery writer, although an unofficial biography claims that he doesn't write his novels, that his wife does. However, with his vast knowledge of horses, from his past career as a jockey, he has left me reading as many of his mysteries as I can. I love horses.