I read quite a lot of fantasy novels. Here're some of my favorites:
*Anything by Brandon Sanderson, but especially the Stormlight Archive series. Sanderson is skilled at writing interesting and immersive magic systems, and the Stormlight Archive is arguably his best work (though as of yet unfinished). Takes place on an alien planet quite unlike Earth, giving it almost a sci-fi feel at times.
*Anything by Robin Hobb. Her ability to express complex, flawed personalities is excellent, resulting in characters feeling more "human" than is typical for fantasy. She's also good at writing characters who actually feel like they're from an archaic time period rather than coming off as modern people who happen to be living in ye olden times.
*The Founders trilogy. Urban fantasy with cyberpunk-esque themes. Interesting characters and a compelling magic system, though the author repeatedly shows a lack of understanding for some fundamental laws of gravity.
*The First Law trilogy. If you want high fantasy that's nevertheless dark and gritty, this is the one for you. Filth, violence, and moral ambiguity abound.
Finally, since those are all fairly mainstream picks that get recommended frequently, here's an obscure one:
*The Mage Wars trilogy. Not nearly as good as my other recommendations, but a significant portion of the cast, including the main character himself, are full-blown quadrupedal gryphons. I have a soft spot for non-human protagonists, with bonus points for non-humanoids, and finding fantasy novels starring such a character that aren't aimed at children is a rare treat. Even without that blatant bias it's at least an above average story, though I wouldn't put it at the top of anyone's reading list.
