Another series i don't think anyone has mentioned yet is the Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson The Way of Kings is the first in the series, enthralling read especially towards the climax of the story The second book is coming out in 2014 as well, so if you consider yourself ahead of the herd (a hipster) its a good chance to get in on the ground floor
I *thoroughly* recommend Dresden Files. They are my 2nd-favorite fantasy books behind the Farseer & Tawny Man Trilogies. That said, it's important to remember the first book basically sucks. It's just... bad. Boring. And the sucky part is, you really should read it if you want to appreciate the series as a whole. The one merciful thing is it's pretty short. Basically book 1 sucks, book 2 is above average, book 3 is meh, book 4 and beyond are all flippin' fantastic. So it takes time to warm up, but it's completely worth-it when you get there. And these books are like less than half the length of Hobb's or Martin's or Rothfuss's books. I'd also recommend Lord of the Rings, Song of Ice & Fire, and Kingkiller Chronicles. But all of those less so than Dresden Files.
I'll definitely check out The Way of kings. Looks pretty cool. I'll also probably check out The Kingkiller series too. Glad someone started this thread.
Finished it about two weeks ago and it is amazing! I have no idea how I'm going to deal with waiting for the next books in the series. Kingkiller Chronicles are equally awesome. I'm sure book three will not disappoint. I'm about to start the Blade Itself. Blood Song is another fantastic beginning of a series I just finished a few days ago.
I actually hate it when i read a series that is not finished yet. I hate having to wait for a new book to arrive. I'm now reading Abercrombie (because the series is finished and available in dutch, my wife prefers to read the books in Dutch). I'm at the end of the second book, they are nice books, not really special, but enjoyable. It is a more gritty book indeed.
Grimnoir trilogy by Larry Correia. A gritty alternate 1930's where magic suddenly appeared in the mid 1800's. Reminded me little bit of the Mistborn series but a completely different setting. Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher(The other series besides Dresden Files that he has written) Garret PI series by Glen Cook(since you had Black Company in your list)
Again, I highly recommend this book. It's not the dark savagery that fantasy has evolved into over the last 30 years, but it's not quite YA either. And it's got a wickedly descriptive wizard's duel. It's OOP, so you'll need to buy a used copy, but Amazon dealers are selling it for one cent plus 3.99 shipping. It's not high fantasy, it's not pulp, it's not hardcore, it's not YA, it's in a very interesting spot beyond and in between those genres. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/e/phyllis-eisenstein/sorcerers-son.htm
Anyone read any of the Amber series by Zelazny? I'm about to start the first one, but it's a 15 book commitment.
Did not like Amber at all. Could not get into it after 1-2 books. I love Brent Weeks and of course Brandon Sanderson (Myst Series) lately. Please, please give Michael Sullivan's Heir of Noivron a try. It is solid. Lian Hearne's Tales of the Otori is great - japanese tinge to fantasy.
Anybody read The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams? Bought it but have been putting other books in front of it for the last couple months. Would recommend A Song of Fire and Ice series. My only problem is waiting for the next book. There are so many lead up parts that never get answered in A Dance with a Dragons. Also no love for A Wheel of Time? Have read the first three and really liked them. Have been told it goes down hill after that but I still plan to read the other 11 or 12 books.
The Dragonbone Chair is part of the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy and was mentioned by another poster. It is an epic high fantasy series similar to others in the genere. I read it a long time ago. Wheel of Time was already in the OP's post. I read many epic high fantasy series back in my younger days(probably all of the ones available at the time), but I think I'm a bit over the genre. I do envy some of you younger folk discovering it for the first time though.
I am quite surprised no one has mentioned the Dark Elf Trilogy. I absolutely love all of the Forgotten Realms books by R.A. Salvatore.
Finished the First Law series and moved on to Red Country. Joe Abercrombie is now an automatic purchase of whatever he writes. The guy fleshes out characters like no one else. I feel like I have known Glockta and Cosca for years.
Oh damn, I was going to recommend the Malazan series. I just finished the Book of the Fallen; working on all the Esselmont books now. They're the same world by collaborating authors, so it feels just like the Book of the Fallen series. Erickson is publishing additional books in the world, too (i.e. Forge of Darkness, about what happened to Kharkanas). So if you haven't read 'em all... go back! The Malazan books are better than the Wheel of Time books, IMO -- better world.
