What would you suggest to read to someone who likes a variety of different genres?

if your interested in classic sci-fi, A. Conan Doyle wrote "The Lost World" which is an excellent read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Tolkien and CS Lewis are also great authors. Read a Good Book! (that's my motto [or it might be...if i start having a motto...])

Sounds like you'd like Ilium by Dan Simmons. It mixes, integrally, elements of hard science fiction, fantasy, and classical literature (Shakespeare and Proust in particular). The main character is a literature professor from the 20th century who's resurrected to serve as a surreptitious documentarian for a full-scale reenactment of the events of the Iliad being put on by the Olympian Gods, on Mars, somewhen in the future. Of course the Gods aren't really Gods, and the participants aren't aware that they're fighting in a reenactment, much less that they're on Mars. Eventually the character rebels against the Gods, but that's just the beginning... The sequel Olympos is even more mind-blowing. Check out the Amazon pages for more information.

A wonderful fiction/fantasy book (series, actually, although I only read the first book) is Pendragon. I really like the first book because it is told from a teenagers perspective. It was on the school's reading list. Happy reading!

edit: Personally, I didn't enjoy Animal Farm. It was more of a hassle to read and understand then enjoyable.

Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay is excellent.

My favorite book is sort of a mystery meets old school literature and it's written so eloquently. It's called "The Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield.

Also, "1984" by George Orwell is excellent. It was written in the 30's about the future.

Try Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. They stand alone as books, but when read in order are just a bit funnier. There is a good mix of science fiction, fantasy, and humor involved. If you want something with a bit of mystery as well get one of the books related to the guards.

Old school science fiction / fantasy (written in the 60's) - you *will* enjoy A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

http://www.awizardofearthsea.com/

read the 400+ reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553383043?ie=UTF...

Magyk, Flyte, And others from the Septimus Heap series?

have you tried animal farm, lord of the flies or fahrenheit 411?

some great authors are lois lowry, ray bradbury, and like you said, jules verne

the immortal series

or

the inheritance cycle.