I used to read a ton of fantasy novels in my teenage years. Death Gate Cycle by Weis/Hickman (plugged already by WK) was my favorite, followed by their DragonLance books.

For modern fantasy, I'm not quite as well-read, but I have to recommend Patrick Rothfuss and Joe Abercrombie. Both are excellent writers, and Abercrombie's First Law series is both dark and engaging.

Quote Originally Posted by Vincent
Similarly Sword of Truth really struggles with quality beyond maybe Faith of the Fallen
That's an understatement. Goodkind is a mediocre writer (and apparently a real whackjob), but SoT kept me engaged due largely to well-developed, endearing characters. The last few books in the series are garbage.