Warning: Going to be a long post. Also, assuming very little knowledge of fantasy, so if you've read some of these, forgive me.
A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin - terrific series, very dark, very adult. I first read it when I was about 12-13 and I was NOT ready for stuff like that. Also super complicated plot (like 6-7 plots lines going at a time). If you have a lot of time then go for it, otherwise maybe think about easing into it with something else.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss - One of, if not the best, fantasy debut I have read. Fantastic writing, great main character, wonderful plot. Felt a little let down by the second book (Wise Man's Fear) but definitely one you don't want to miss.
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson - I am not a huge Sanderson fan, but I loved this book. It's 1000+ pages, but a Sanderson's writing style is such that it's a breeze to read. Not the deepest book I've ever read, but one of the most enjoyable.
The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams - Read anything that Tad Williams has written, but this is the first book in his series I think it's called Memory, Sorrow and Thorn if I'm not mistaken. Long books, but terrific high fantasy in the vein and tradition of J.R.R. Tolkien.
Prince of Nothing by Scott R. Bakker - I forget what the first book is called, (the thousandfold path?) but it written very well. I had a tough time wanting to read more though. But that's probably just a personal thing. Interesting magic system, unique main character, complex and well-developed world. The author is a linguist I think, and developed a language for his books.
Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson - READ THIS!!! The series is long (the tenth book was just published) but it is fantastic ,at least for the first five books. The last two that I read kind of killed the series for me, they seemed oddly out of sync with the rest of the series, but the first few are some of the best things i have ever read. Don't be discouraged if you don't understand stuff, Erikson is a writer who just puts things out there like he expects you to know them. His first few books have terrific, terrific plots, interwoven so that there will be plently of "OMG!!" moments. My favorite of the series is probably House of Chains. But it's hard to choose.
Wheel of Time by Robert Jordon (and Brandon Sanderson) - Classic series, begun by the late Robert Jordon, with the last two-three books beings finished by Brandon Sanderson. It's got its flaws, but still a must read. Some stuff is obviously borrowed from other sources (Dune anyone?) but most writers do to some extent, and he has a great plot. Later books I think get a little bogged down, as though Jordan was getting a little overwhelmed by the plot, but a good place to start. The first book, The Eye of the World, it one of my favorites.
Dresden Files by Jim Butcher - Not traditional fantasy (it's set in Chicago) but probably the funnest and most enjoyable stuff I've ever read in my life. It doesn't match up in terms of complexity with other writers maybe, but so much fun to read. Up to 12 books now I think, the next it expected out in June. If you've never had the pleasure, run out there for heavens sake and read some!!! First book is Storm Front, not the best. One of the things i like most about the series is that it just keeps getting better. His last book, Changes, was probably the best yet. Also his Furies of Alderon(?) series is more traditional fantasy, and worth checking out, though lacking the pop culture references that make the Dresden Files such a blast.
Terry Brooks - Not going to list anything specific, because frankly if you've read one... His Sword of Truth series is probably the most direct rip off of the Lord of the Rings that you're ever going to see, short of Lloyd ALexander's Prydain Chronicles, but without Alexander's touch of wimsy and his characterization. I read them all (I think) so they're not absolutely terrible, but I wouldn't put them especially high on the list. If forced to list a favorite, I'd go with Magic Kingdom For Sale.
Raymond E. Feist - Like Terry Brooks has written a lot of books (20+), but his are mostly all in the same 'Kingdom of the Isles' world. His first novel, Magician, was fantastic and I still love it. One of the best written stories following a young man's rise to power. His follow up works are spottier, but you should check out his collaborative effort with Jenny Wurts, I think the first one is called Daughter of the Empire. One of the best two author works I've read, I feel their styles really compliment each other.
R.A. Salvatore - Written a LOT of D&D books, mostly with the Drow ranger Drizz't as the main character. When I was young and naive, I was under the impression that this was fine literature. It is not. Salvatore is not a particulary skilled writer (just read his first book, the Scarlet Lance or something like that if you don't believe me), but they are fun sword and sorcery type reads. Some of his battles, not surprisingly, read like an rpg encounter. Can't think of anything specific to recommend. Maybe the Cleric Canticles.
Gene Wolfe - Saw a post recommending his books. Warning, a very different, and somewhat avante garde fantasy writer. A good writer, but he does a lot of mind bending stuff with narrators, abrupt changes in perspective, location etc. His books can be hard to get through, but should be at least attempted at some point.
Modesitte Jr. - For the life of my I can't remember his first name. Anyway, his books tend to be rather similar, at least in style. His main characters always struck me as rather emotionless, but he is a good writer who knows how to craft a good plot. His most famous series is about the balance between chaos and order, and covers a long period of time, with each book having a different protagonist (although occasionally there is some character overlap). I've haven't made it through the whole series for one reason or another. Like is sci-fi better. Recently published a new series called Imager, that is well-worth reading, although pretty heavy on dialogue and political manuevering.
The Night Angel Series by Brent Weeks - A fairly new author. I read the first two books of this series, but couldn't muster up enough energy to push onward. The main character seems as dumb as a brick, and I found myself hoping that he would die soon. So i kind of stopped reading. But pretty well written. Nothing too special.
Trudi Canavan - I can't remember the name of the series, but good stuff. Well written, and I like the magic in it. Nothing terribly original but solid and convincing (or as convincing as magic can be).
Well, that's pretty much all I got for now. There are of course tons of other writers, but none really leap out to me at the moment. If anyone has any other suggestions, please post. I feel like I've gone through most good fantasy, so open to suggestions. Feel free to PM me for most suggestions, especially any sci-fi which I have not listed here.
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