Lots of good and great SF authors I like very much in that thread.
Just my 2 cents, Ian Banks and Hamilton deserve a much better place.
Ian Banks because no SE4 fan can miss any of his Culture books.
Hamilton for his Night's Dawn books which set a standard of SF human civilization. Voidhawk : did anyone said "organic manipulation" ?
Then I'll spit against one author : Hubbard. Not for what he believes, which is really not my problem, but for his books which were nowhere near my standards for suspens and surprising story. I mean, How can you like his books after reading Banks and Hamilton ?
Question of taste maybe.