Egan is probably far from an easy blanket recommendation, even here in HN. I enjoyed CR, but there are many parts extremely boring and way too detailed (which is usually his point and style) and that will put away a lot of people.
My copy of Permutation City arrived a while ago. Just awaiting the right mood to strike before I get started with it
The ideas in Permutation City still bother me now and then (in a good way), 20 years after I read it. If you like idea- or philosophy-based hard SF, you can hardly do better I think.