I'm finding that older science fiction stories are really interesting: e.g. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (you can read the book here), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells. I'm currently reading the last one. They all have the element of a doctor achieving the seemingly impossible thing (turning invisible, coming back alive after being dead, etc. though but still cool to read.
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells is next.