I Just realized noone said anything about Warhammer.  It may not be Epic but it is Epicly fun to read.  I recommend the Gotrek and Felix Books (fantasy) those are a great start and the Gaunt Series (also good but more Sci-Fi)

Gimme a Combi Weapon and a Spear and watch me kill those damned dragonlance gods

1. LOTR (read and discussed so often that it almost feels "generic", but then everytime you take the book up again you are enchanted ...)

2. The first Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. Epic, unique.

3. E.R. Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros. No easy read (old-English ...) but a masterpiece, and epic. Written before LOTR it inspired Tolkien (and this time it is actually true and not a commercial argument)

Also epic feel in Guy Gavriel Kay's The Fjonavar Tapestry - recommended.

IMHPOV Robert Jordan has mistaken page count for epic feeling. If someone would be nice enough to cut out at least half of the Wheel of Time I might actually finish it and enjoy it. When money is involved people just don't know when to stop ...

Or at the very least, suffer spontaneous brain hemorrhaging.

The latter two books are much better. The first really drags along, so give it a second chance and start with the second one.

And don't get me started on the WoT books... or I would probably get banned from here.

Personally and in order...

The Bible of Fantasy has to be:

1: Lord of the Rings

Then:

2: Malazan Book of the Fallen

Followed by

3: RiftWar Saga

This

I don't know really. I've read all the Tolkien stuff (Sillmarillion and those others, too), but the only one of his books I really enjoyed was The Hobbit. The movies are great, though.

I second (or is it third?) the suggestion for the earthsea books.

How about the Amber series, by Zalazny?

I'd have to say my favorites are A Song of Ice and Fire and the Earthsea books, right now. I used to love the Wheel of Time series, but it became too tedious to read and at some point I just quit. I don't think I'll ever be up for the task of re-reading all of those books.

I've heard a lot about Malazan Book of the Fallen, though. I think I might have to find that.

First a comment...

Eddings and Goodkind are for children.  They are crap, crapola, and craptastic...

If you must read Eddings, pick any of his series and your read them all... change bad guy and locations... the rest is identical...

For my favorite...  George R. Martin

Got to admit, I can't stand Goodkind. The first book was okay, but after that... no thanks.

Eddings: have to agree with Javaslinger: read one series and you've no need to read anything else. The Belgariad was okay, but don't bother reading his other stuff if you've read it.

Terry Brooks: Shannara series. Not so good. I did like his magic kingdom series though, due to the tongue in cheek nature of it.

A couple I haven't seen mentioned (apologies if I missed them and further apologies that some or all of these may not be 'epic'):

Glen Cook's Black Company series.

Lois McMaster Bujold. I like her sci fi, and her fantasy (IMO) is just as good.

Stephen Brust's Vlad Taltos books.

To reinforce some others' suggestions:

Tolkien

Martin

Leiber

Hobb

Zelazny

LeGuin

Donaldson

The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. The author Robert Jordan pased away in June of this year with the final volume not yet completed, another author, (I don't rember his name has taken up the task to complete the book.)

Goodkind???  Goodkind again???  Another recommendation for Goodkind????

I just threw up in my mouth....

Javaslinger