Dan Simmon's stuff is great, I stopped at fall of Hyperion because I thought it was a perfect ending, but may pick up the other 2 if I get a chance sometime.

Well Way of King's has a much larger fantasy element then A Song of Ice and Fire. It doesn't take place in historical earth setting or even really an earth setting at all. It takes place on a much more desolate planet that is constantly wracked by super storms. The people there have medieval tech and societies but their cultures are much different. Magic also plays a much bigger part but like the best fantasy series there is a well defined system and magic doesn't become a plot crutch. Both are gritty and bloody and feature huge battles but Way of Kings also focuses on only around a half dozen main characters so it tends not to kill them off.

As a happy coincidence it recently came out in paperback!

Glen Cook's Instrumantalities of the Night series is awesome.

Welcome to the world of the Instrumentalities of the Night, where imps, demons, and dark gods rule in the spaces surrounding upstart humanity. At the edges of the world stand walls of ice which push slowly forward to reclaim the land for the night. And at the world's center, in the Holy Land where two great religions were born, are the Wells of Ihrain, the source of the greatest magics. Over the last century the Patriarchs of the West have demanded crusades to claim the Wells from the Pramans, the followers of the Written. Now an uneasy truce extends between the Pramans and the West, waiting for a spark to start the conflict anew.

Then, on a mission in the Holy Land, the young Praman warrior Else is attacked by a creature of the Dark-in effect, a minor god. Too ignorant to know that he can never prevail over such a thing, he fights it and wins, and in so doing, sets the terrors of the night against him.

As a reward for his success, Else is sent as a spy to the heart of the Patriarchy to direct their attention away from further ventures into the Holy Lands. Dogged by hidden enemies and faithless allies, Else witnesses senseless butchery and surprising acts of faith as he penetrates to the very heart of the Patriarchy and rides alongside their armies in a new crusade against his own people. But the Night rides with him, too, sending two of its once-human agents from the far north to assassinate him.

Submerged in his role, he begins to doubt his faith, his country, even his family. As his mission careens out of control, he faces unanswerable questions about his future. It is said that God will know his own, but can one who has slain gods ever know forgiveness?

Simpson did it! ...erm I mean James Clamens did it a year before in an excellent dark fantasy (with steampunk elements and an Arya-esk character) called Shadowfall.

Cook is a horrid writer..no flow to his words at all.

I read Terry Goodkind A sword of truth Series and except for a few books loved the series.

I also read A wheel of time and this one also except fora  book or two where the story tends to stretch for pages and pages found the story very compelling. The use of magic is quite unique in the wheel of time. You also see what the world would look like if it was run by women. (I'm sure I'll get killed for that remark) The last book of the series is suppose to come out early next year I believe and most of them if not all are on audio books. I have lots of them myself.

Then my very first epic was David eddings 10 books series The belgariad and the malloreon. I adored both as long as you take them as a fast pace story where the good guys can't do anything wrong. Very funny jokes and a few memorable characters. Silk for example is  so dang funny.

One series that I really enjoyed that was not mentioned yet is The death gate cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, it's a 7 book epic about 2 super magic powers that battle it over an earth that was broken up into 4 great planes using once again a unique magic system. I suggest reading it. It's very interesting and a great read.

I never cared really for Thomas covenant. It's a dark story with a main character that wants to die all the time. At some point while reading it I was hoping he would buy a gun and kill himself.

I enjoyed Raymond e feist story magician apprentice and the following books. Milamber/Pug is interesting if a bit missing meat on the bone. Still fun to read, the main story is interesting.

Another series nobody mentioned is  Dragon Prince trilogy. By Melanie Rawn. There is a second trilogy but I never cared for it. however this first one I loved it. Using Sunlight and moonlight to use magic. Very nice political story not as involved as A game of thrones but fun nonetheless.

Just a few I've read.... I have so many books everywhere in the house...

If you are interested in Scify try  Rendez-vous with Rama and the following books.... Interesting to say the least.

Perhaps someone can help me with the name of this series/book. I read it when I was a lot younger and I don't remember much, but what I do remember is that the central part of the book was that the characters were dying and being reborn. You followed them quite literally across many lifespans. One specific part I remember clearly (I was a teenager, give me a break) and that is when one of the characters has sex with some goddess or something while at the same time plummeting to their deaths. Magic seemed to revolve around spirits a lot. There was a magical duel between some guy representing light and someone representing darkness that involved pulling each other towards doors or some such (it took place on an ethereal plane).

a few months late... but the many lives part sounds like something from katherine kerr.

Thanks to both of you.

I cannot say enough good things about Brandon Sanderson's work.  Elantris, Mistborn, Warbreaker all great books.  Especially Mistborn.

I'd avoid Elantris. The most remarkable thing about Brandon Sanderson is how he is improving from book to book. Elantris was his first and it shows (cringe making in places).

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The opposite is more usually the case.

Feist: read the "Magician Trilogy" and skip the rest. Beautifully written and evocative, while his later stuff seems to have been phoned in.

Dan Simmons: Read only Hyperion. Highly thought provoking ideas... but when those were exhausted the author retreated into wingnuttery and projecting his personal issues. Similar happened to Frank Herbert and many others (in literary fiction you can get away with this, not so with fantasy).

Goodkind: er... don't bother. Can't think of a single redeeming feature for these books. The first novel 'works' as a poorly written adventure novel, the rest don't even have that.

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Regarding others mentioned:

Weis & Hickman: I agree that Death Gate Cycle is well worth your time. I've also heard good things  about the Darksword books but not read them personally.

Robin Hobb: An amazing writer. Her best are the "Live Ship" books but you should read the Assassin trilogy first.

David Eddings: I enjoyed these as a kid. But I'm not sure they'd have the same appeal as an adult. Very much fantasy by the numbers, though well executed.

Malazn: I just can't get into these at all. Others swear by them... so could just be me...

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A recent author I didn't see mentioned here is Greg Keyes. I enjoyed his Briar King books despite the rushed ending. The Age of Unreason books are even better with a unique setting (alternate 18th century histroy).

For 'Classic Fantasy'. Ursual Le Guins Earthsea books are a must. As is pretty much everything by Michael Moorcock. Oh, and Stephen Donaldson.

Oh yeah, will be taking the day off work to finish that thing... feel like a kid who's told he's going to the candy store!

Weis and Hickman Dragonlance were my introduction to fantasy and I still love them now.

If you can find them the 10 books of Hugh Cooks Wizards and warriors serious are wonderful.

Feist is good but by far the most exciting books I have ever read are any of David Gemmels series from Druss the Legend, Jon Shannow, Connavar, Waylander and Bale the bastard absolutely brilliant!!! He made heroes like no-one else does and is never afraid to kill off characters. It was a great shame when he passed a couple of years back.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/g/david-a-gemmell/

Buy them you will not regret it.

ok, where to start...

Goodkind's Sword of Truth - compared to wheel of time its way easier to read (wording and phrase wise) - overall plot is okay but not much is left up to guesses - some nice books but just not as good

For the Malazan Books - I personally found the beginning a bit hard - just couldn't get into the story - i might pick it up later again though

As for Sanderson - loved all his books (but the Alcatraz ones) - and yes as some mentioned before "The Way of Kings" is a must read imo.

Also in that same category as "The Way of Kings" - Brent Weeks "Lightbringer" Series - at Book 2 as of now - Using Light for Magic but with consequences of loss of sight/sanity if overused, etc...

Or Peter V. Brett's Demon Cycle starting with "The Painted Man" / "The Warded Man" (in the US) and is currently at Book 2 (Desert Spear) as well.

Also mentioned already: Anne Bishops: Black Jewels Series - Quite Dark Story wise and the earlier books are better than the later but i enyoied them.

A Bit different: Dawn Cooks (Kim Harrison) - Truth Series - Quite interesting play on a magical System using Bards and such...

James Barcley: The Chronicles of the Raven and The Legends of the Raven - I very much liked these thoughI couldn't point out right now why - well maybe one thing comes to mind - some characters that where built up for the story just suddenly died etc...

The Balgariad Saga - read it back then and liked it - not sure if i would like it as much nowadays though.

For none printed stuff:

Read: Anthony Ryan's Blood Song (Raven's Shadow) - one of the best epic Fantasy Novels I read honestly - only the first in the series availible as of now though.

and David A. Wells: The Sovereign of the Seven Isles starting with Thinblade - I would honestly compare these to Brandon Sandersons work - no kidding.

or for a shorter Read Andrea K Höst's: Medair

If we're going towards Urban Fantasy:

Most Defnitly: Jim Butchers Dresden Files - just good

Also worth mentioning: The Iron Druid Chronicles from Kevin Hearne - just love the main Character - a centuries old Druid that is "friends" with "the Morrigan - Celtic War/Death Goddes.

Also worth of Note: Rachel Caines "Weather Warden Series" - or Devon Monks "Allie Beckstrom Novels" (recently finished series)

And of Course Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter Novels.

and so many more but that are the highlights i recall reading an liking from the top of my head.