Another thing I should have mentioned: The “Nifft” books by Michael Shea (The Incompleat Nifft and The A’rak). They’re not really epic fantasy; they’re more along the lines of the Fafhrd & Grey Mouser or the Dying Earth books.
It’s a bit heavy on the seers and deities and magic angelly beings for them to be straight historical fantasy though.
I’m in the middle of Banewreaker now. It’s interesting, but I’m still not sure I like it or not. It borrows so heavily from the Silmarillion that I find it distracting. Also, I like knowing who to root for.
I’ll second and bump this, along with Hughart’s other two books in the trilogy, Story of the Stone, and Eight Skilled Gentlemen. The last two are out of print, but are available through amazon.com and others.
It is the first fantasy in recent memory that I have been genuinely impressed with, and I’m a tough critic. The writing flows beautifully, the world and characters are wonderful, very well crafted plot, and there is wonderful wit and humor.
Is that the novel with The gunpowder helicopter?
jsgoddess - sorry you can’t find the Evangeline Walton books. I loaned out my copies long ago and they never came back. Since you like Alan Garner’s books I know you’d love her Mabinogion-retellings. Maybe interlibrary loan or cheap used through Amazon.
So many books - so little time. So many to choose from just in this thread; instead I wandered over to the bookcase to pick up Watership Down - that epic rabbit fantasy - to reread.
Good, but really dark.
I’m gonna second (or is that third), Tad Williams. My favorite author in the Fantasy genre.
In addition to the Dragonbone Chairseries, he wrote a series called OtherworldI believe, sort of a mix between SF and Fantasy, gritty and dark, some of it drags, but some of it is fleeming Brilliant (with a capital B). And as a standalone, though still something like 800 pages, The War of the Flowers is also excellent. If only reading one, I’d go with Flowers
wow, I’m really, really not used to this whole posting thing.
I am too lazy to find the previous post that said this, but Feist did not write D&D books; I think the poster was thinking of Salvatore, who wrote the famous Drizzt series.
I second/third/fourth Hobb, Jones and Haydon… although Hobb can be pretty cruel to her characters. I found it more difficult in some ways to read her books than I did Martin’s. As for Haydon, the protagonist of her series needs a good slap, but Haydon does know how to write an absorbing story. And she has a good, if sometimes crude sense of humor.
Ack, I remember something else that bothered me about Haydon: her noble characters - those who should be using polished language - frequently sound like they’ve spent their lives on the street. I don’t expect (or want) flowery prose flowing from the mouths of all and sundry, but people who have had a formal education should at least sound educated.
A couple of authors who haven’t been mentioned yet. PC Hodgell’s “Chronicles of the Kencyrath” is a good fantasy series. I have one big book with that title, but it’s actually three books, and there is a concluding one which I haven’t read. It was out of print for a while, but seems to have been reissued.
Protagonist is a female warrior with some unusual talents, whose past unfolds through the story. Hodgell is an accomplished writer, and although the books are a bit uneven, they’re very enjoyable.
The other series is Jan Siegal’s which begins with “Prospero’s Daughter”. I think you might like these. I think the first book is the strongest, with a bit of an Alan Garner feel about it, but the other two aren’t far behind.
It’s been a long time since I read them, but I remember enjoying Emma Bull’s “War For The Oaks”, Mark Helprin’s “Winter’s Tale” and Sherri S. Tepper’s “Beauty”. None of them are the long, epic fantasy you requested, but maybe you’d like them, anyway. I should warn you that my “grimness” sense is out of whack, so maybe someone else who’s read them can advise?
The Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan is pretty good. Peasant girl ends up being very powerful magician type of read.
The Stone and the Flute by Hans Bemmann is very good, pretty long, and definatly epical.
I also recommend The Riddle-Master Trilogy by Patricia McKillip.
I know you said you didn’t want gloomy, but I saw a few suggestiongs (Since when is Book of the New Sun not gloomy? Same goes for Hobbs Farseer Trilogy), so I will suggest the Scavenger Trilogy by K.J Parker. Guy wakes up with no memory and starts a journey with a girl on a cart pretending to be the god of destruction. But is he really that god?
If you are willing to read a bit of darkness, try the Dark Tower series by King. Definately epical.
How about the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind?
If you want to go more Teen level of reading (such as Harry Potter- which is pretty good, but not epic), Try The Shannara series, or the Belgariad.
The Black Jewels Trilogy is pretty good too, as is the Lord of the Isles series (if a bit of a disapointment on the latest book). I also Second, Third, or fourth the Riftwar Saga, and Serpent War saga, as well as his last two books. I strongly recommend the Death Gate cycle if you have not read it, as well as The Book of Words and The Dark Sword Trilogy.
Also, Revelation, Restoration and Transformation by Carol Berg is a very good read.
The Banned and the Bannished by Jane Clemmens (Wi’tch, Wi’tch fire, etc), is also very entertaining, as well as as the Last Rune Series by Mark Anthony.
Well, those are some good ones off the top of my head, should keep you busy for awhile. If you want more recommendations, when I have a bit more time, I can add some if you really like. I can add much more if you want Fantasy in general, and not epical fantasy. 
Oh, I highly recommend the Coldfire Trilogy by C.S Friedman. It has elements of Sci-fi- I.E the book revolves around colonists on a planet where “magic” works. It is definately fantasy though, and not only Epical, but good. (IMO of course)
Can’t recall - Has anyone mentioned The Once and Future King by T.H. White? A wonderful King Arthur retelling.
Try Chris Bunch and Allen Cole’s The Far Kingdoms, first volume of the Antero sequence. Cole then continues in that universe with other books. He has also written the Timuras Cycle, which I think you would enjoy. All of his stuff is available on Amazon.
I believe so.
Then I also highly recommend Bridge of Birds.
Tad Williams’ Otherland series is very good, but it’s science fiction. If you ever feel like some sf to balance the fantasy, I’d recommend it. It’s worth reading just for the newsfeeds that head the chapters.
Lissla, I agree that Otherland has elements of SF, but most of the story within the computer could be called Fantasy, and rather quirky fantasy at that (The House springs readily to mind). and if the OP doesn’t want a little SF to temper their Fantasy, well, that’s cool too.