Take a look at the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. Extremely entertaining, lots of action, good character development. Reminds me of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher (which I also highly recommend)
I recently started reading The Belgariad Series from David Eddings which I found very similar to Terry Brooks. I'm a big fan of R.A Salvatore and Terry Brooks series. I must have read there collections from first book to recent a few time each. Anyway, those came up a few time on this thread and there is no doubt they are on top of many people list... Ive read the Dragonlance series but some how I never got caught into it as much as I can read and visualize at the same time what is going on from R.A Salvatore.
I agree, Sanderson is great. Did a great job finishing WoT and also reading his Way of Kings books, and read Elantris. Also, but this is pretty heavy and gets very in-depth, I am a huge fan of the Malazan Books of the Fallen. Two authors worked on them, there are 14 or 15 total between the two (Stephen Erickson and Ian Esslemont). Also the Black Company books by Glen Cook. And at the risk of blowing my own horn, I have self-published my own books, the first two of a planned series of four (Trials of a Demon Prince series) https://www.amazon.com/Carol-Bosselman/e/B00HJEN87W
As people mentioned the the stormlight archives by Sanderson is very good. Someone mentioned death gate cycle. I agree its a good series but i found the first two novels. A bit slow. It had a good payoff. A very good but lesser known series is a dream of eagles. Though it is not true fantasy . it is a fictional storey that tries to explain camelot. It is a bit dark at times. It starts from tnhe fall of Rome. Each novel stands up pretty well on its own.
A couple of my favorite series that I haven't seen mentioned, Abhorsen series by Garth Nix (interesting twist on necromancers, lots of magic and interesting characters), and In legend born series by Laura Resnick (Ultimate fight between two elements, the masters of water and servants of fire. Probably tied for my favorite series with WoT)
I also recommend the David Eddings Belgariad series. It was one of my favorites back when I had time to read.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/399373.The_Swords_Trilogy https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60148.Corum
Most of these have been mentioned but - Wheel of Time (bogs down after book 5, picks back up though for a great finish by Jordan & then Sanderson) David Eddings (don't read anything after the Tamul trilogy IMO, he goes downhill & Tamul itself barely makes my cut) Piers Anthony (barely makes the cut tho, still has good stuff) Sherwood Smith (havent seen her mentioned, has some good stuff) Brandon Sanderson (some earlier stuff is a bit well, early, but great all-around author and Stormlight is amazing) Terry Goodkind (the first book in Wizards First Rule was great, it was downhill after that - be warned) Jim Butcher (Codex Alera series is great & was written on a dare (first book is the worst - but still good imo) - his Dresden Files are set in modern times but have all the fantasy ingredients you listed, you might like it) Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman - Childhood favorites for the Dragonlance books (their first couple of trilogies are probably worth reading), but as another poster mentioned, their Death Gate cycle series is solid. I'll also add the Darksword trilogy to that list. Harry Turtledove - Videssos series (theres 14 books I think, with 3 cycles & a standalone) - it's a tiny bit historical fiction but otherwise great fantasy. PS - OP is interested in fantasy, but for anyone reading this thread that's looking for an obscure, but great sci-fi series (5 books) - Exordium is the series name, by Sherwood Smith & Dave Towbridge. The opening of the first book is slow. The series after that is probably one of the best & most overlooked sci-fi gems I've ever read.
The Artemis Fowl series by Eon Colffer is very good and well written. It's witty, smart and full of fantasy/sci-fi. Has goblins dwarves, centaurs, pixies, faries, trolls, and the infamous Artemis Fowl a 14 yr old boy who disrupts the entire fantasy world using only his brain. Check them out.
Joe Abercrombie Last argument of kings and all his books in that genre I like. Peter V Brett Warded man series, Miles Cameron Red Knight series also.
Dennis McKiernans Mithgar series is amazing stuff. He took alot of the Tolkien style adventures and expanded on it. There are quite a few books in the series but they start with The Dragonstone. https://www.amazon.com/Dragonstone-...F8&qid=1493432736&sr=8-1&keywords=dragonstone
Another vote here for Jim Butcher's Dresden Files and Codex Alera series. Excellent all around. Shayne Silvers' Nate Temple series is a fun read. Urban fantasy with classic characters and a lot of snark. Michael G. Manning's Mageborn series is fantastic as well. Gets a bit dark towards the end, but very entertaining.
Everyone has different tastes but If Stephen R Donaldson: Thomas Convenant Series was a D&D campaign that I was running, rocks would fall and everyone would die 3 chapters into the first book if not sooner.
Lots of good choices listed above and I'll add a few that haven't been mentioned: Gentleman Bastards series by Scott Lynch Elric Saga by Michael Moorcock Lost Swords series by Fred Saberhagen
Another positive vote for Elric Saga by Michael Moorcock. Surprised to see that nobody suggested the Great Book of Amber by Roger Zelazny.
Tossing my vote in for Malazan Book of the Fallen series and other works associated with the Malazan empire.
