I just finished rereading Chain of Dogs, by Steven Erikson an epic fantasy of the fucking highest calibre. He weaves a vast tale with a cast of characters on par with George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, but unlike Martin, Erikson doesn't lose control of his story. That one is book 2 of 10 (he's released 8 of 10 so far), and my personal favourite. The series itself only has about three books I wasn't impressed with, and of that only one I wouldn't reread.

He tends to go on a philosophical bent every now and then, but overall the characters, situations and general plot and execution are so good it overshadows any flaws in the story.

So, if you read fantasy books, read Steven Erikson.