Steven Erikson - Malazan series (10 books of awesomeness)
Ian C Esslemont - Malazan Empire Series (same world as Erikson's - they developed the world/ideas together)
Guy Gavriel Kay - Fionavar Tapestry trilogy
James Barclay - 2 Raven trilogies, the Ascendants books and currently his new Elves trilogy
Scott Lynch - Locke Lamora books (The Gentlemen Bastards)
Patrick Rothfuss - Name of The Wind (Kingkiller Chronicles)
Peter Brett - Painted Man trilogy
Brandon Sanderson - The Way of Kings
Sword of shadows series by J.V Jones is quite good. Gritty in comparison to something like the Belgariad. Most of the others I have enjoyed have already been mentioned
The dark tower was great but on the whole I would say the story deteriorated as it went on, the last really good book being the wizard and glass.
The most important advice I would is at the end of the story when Mr King gives you the option to see what was inside the dark tower in an "extra".chapter don't look I wish I hadn't
Dragons of Autumn Twilight, although this is a bit of a rubbish reading (a bit...robotic for my taste, read the book instead), and I normally skip the songs like I did in LotR. Good old classic DnD adventure.