I'm not familiar with these either, but it looks like I need to read more SFF.
1. Old Man's War by John Scalzi - Nominee, Hugo Award for Best Novel, 2006; Finalist, 2006 Locus Award for Best First Novel
2.American Gods by Neil Gaiman - Hugo Award for Best SF/Fantasy Novel, Bram Stoker Award for Best Horror Novel, Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel , Nebula Award for Best Novel
3. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss - Quill Award (2007) - Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror, "Best Books of the Year" (2007) - Publishers Weekly - Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror, Alex Award (2008) - Young Adult Library Services Association
4. Blindsight by Peter Watts - Hugo Award nominee Best Novel 2007
5. Kushiels Dart by Jacqueline Carey - 2002 Locus Award for Best First Novel,
2001 Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, Best Fantasy Novel, Barnes & Noble, Top Ten Science Fiction & Fantasy of 2001
6. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin - 2001 Locus Award, the 2002 Geffen Award for Best Novel, 2001 Nebula Award nominee for Best Novel, Hugo Award nominee
7. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke - Hugo Award Best Novel 2005, Time's Best Novel of the Year 2004, World Fantasy Award for Best Novel 2005, Locus Award for Best First Novel 2005, Mythopoeic Award for Adult Literature 2005, British Book Awards Newcomer of the Year Award 2005.
8. Anathem by Neal Stephenson - Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel in 2009, nominated for Hugo, Arthur C. Clarke, and John W. Campbell Memorial Awards 2009, nominated for British Science Fiction Award 2008.
9. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson - nominee John W. Campbell Award. Sanderson finished Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series after Jordan's death.
10. Perdido Street Station by China Mieville - nominated for the 2002 Nebula Award for Best Novel and Hugo Award for Best Novel. Winner of British Fantasy Society's August Derleth Award in 2000, Arthur C. Clarke Award in 2001, Premio Ignotus Award in 2002, Kurd Laßwitz Award in 2003, Amazon.com Editors' Choice Award in Fantasy in 2001.