Sadly, I found over time his newer books became steadily worse. It's odd to me that someone like Jim Butcher can get steadily better where other authors 'give up', start believing their own hype, use ghost writers, or something.

Of the more recent generations, I've particularly enjoyed Vinge and Brin, although Brin varies somewhat.

There are probably a few others I could mention, but they have a nasty habit of not coming to mind when I make a conscious effort.

For Vinge, I would recommend particularly A Deepness in the Sky and (prequel) A Fire Upon the Deep.

For Brin, the second and third books of his Uplift Trilogy, adding also the first for context. The second and third are Startide Rising and The Uplift War. Also, his book Earth, which stands alone.

P.S. Gibson and Stephenson. Gibson's Neuromancer and the two subsequent; after that, I couldn't continue (so, another "Card-esque" experience?). Also Gibson's collected short stories, Burning Chrome.

I've quite enjoyed several Stephenson novels -- I guess they might tend to be his "older" ones. I tried The Baroque Cycle and could not stay with it.

my favourite recent author is unquestionably lois bujold (unless you want to count pratchett as recent). also, don't forget charles stross and stephen baxter.

I've wondered if the declining arc of Card's writing is connected to his apparently increasing narrowness, rigidity and dogmatism in general.

Case in point: Frederick Pohl's Gateway series. The first book was amazing, the second was pretty solid, and then the series dropped off a cliff.

I wonder how much the economics of publishing and personal financial need figures into declining quality of (some) authors, musicians and other artists.

Completely agreed. I don't mind skimming through OSC's books now but they are just fun reads (plus I'm always looking for some of his more vile opinions to seep through, though that never really happens).

I love Ender's Game but my opinion of it has dropped over the years. His A Planet called Treason however affected me pretty deeply, and I still read it from time to time.

Brandon Sanderson as well.

I was going to point out that Sanderson doesn't really do science fiction, but on reflection his books tend to revolve around magic systems that obey very scientific rules. One could probably argue that's more science fiction than fantasy.