To avoid the standard boring answers (LoTR, etc), I'll throw out one from a place you wouldn't expect: trash fantasy (Magic the Gathering).
"The Brothers War" by Jeff Grub is a pretty good read. A great tragedy in a fantasy setting.
If you've read any of the magic-the-gathering stuff, you'll probably laugh me off. Most of it is horrible trash. Trust me, I've read a fair amount of it. But this one is a hidden gem that's worth reading as a standalone novel.
Originally posted by joneschrYes, most of it is indeed horrible trash.
To avoid the standard boring answers (LoTR, etc), I'll throw out one from a place you wouldn't expect: trash fantasy (Magic the Gathering).
"The Brothers War" by Jeff Grub is a pretty good read. A great tragedy in a fantasy setting.
If you've read any of the magic-the-gathering stuff, you'll probably laugh me off. Most of it is horrible trash. Trus ...[text shortened]... amount of it. But this one is a hidden gem that's worth reading as a standalone novel.
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Originally posted by Jay JoosIt's The Dark Tower series actually and I cannot decide between that and the Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny. Both are well worth reading.
Gunslinger Series by Stephen King !!!
Runner up #1 is A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin who does some excellent foreshadowing and isn't afraid to really shake up the plot (could be the best, but it's not finished).
For light reading I second the endorsements of Artemis Fowl and Harry Potter.
Snow Crash by Neil Gaiman is excellent but Sci-fi not fantasy.
Good Omens by Terry Prachett and Neil Gaiman was also hilarious and engaging.
For character development, no one is better than Robin Hobb.
Originally posted by GortronJust an fyi Robert Jordan died recently so you probably won't be able to read the end of those unless his wife takes up writing.
Oops. The thing with that is I read the books straight through. I find when I do that I get bored by the end of any series. Same thing is happening right now as I read The Wheel of Time books. That could just be because there are lots of long boring parts in those ones though. I mean cmon, up to 11 books.
In some of the books nothing really happens ...[text shortened]... other books I want to read but it will be a while because I am getting bored and reading slower.
Originally posted by JamesqtI have to disagree there. Shannara is almost a direct ripoff of the Lord of the Rings which are a classic but were never among my favorites; The plot felt predictable and I never liked his treatment of dwarves.
Can't believe nobodys mentioned Terry Brooks superb Shannara series.
Brooks's characters will stay with you forever..and if your big into your "epic" fantasy this series spans 14 books and over 1,000 years
Also you cant talk about great fantasy without putting in Harry Potter (which is as much for adults as it is for kids). you won't read a book series told at a faster pace and the series is full of surprises