With a somewhat unfortunate book recommendation debacle on his record, you'd think I would stop taking my Media Recommendation Friend's advice. But I generally enjoy sci-fi more than "literature" so I was willing to give MRF's gift of two of Vernor Vinge's books a try, despite the record.

And I'm happy to report that they were both great! I couldn't put them down, and my productivity at work suffered greatly from them. Definitely the mark of quality fiction.

Thanks, Media Recommendation Friend. You know who you are.