The Dosadi Experiment

This novel is a fan-lovers secret. It didn't win anything. But, it should have. Usually readers find a copy by accident recognizing Herbert from his Dune series. Nothing prepares you for this wild-ass ride of a novel. Yes, it's set in space and yes there are aliens and shit. But, what this novel is really about is nearly impossible to quantify. Imagine a poisonous planet with one tiny habitable area that is massively overpopulated. This planet is trapped by an artificial spacewall so its inhabitants have nowhere to go. The game is survival, and it's a very deadly game. This novel grabs you and never lets you go. That's why its one of the best, for those people who hide their worn copies tucked behind the award-winning stuff.