Fantasy hmmm...
Short reads or long ones?
Tamora Pierce has some great short reads. She does alot of women in arms. Her Tortallian stuff is really good. (*grr* haven't read Circle of Magic yet *grr*)
http://www.tamora-pierce.com/
Mercedes Lackey is GREAT. She's done alot of stuff though.
http://www.mercedeslackey.com/text/1indexpage.shtml
Her Valdemar novels are my favorite, though the Fairy Tales series were pretty good too.
Anyway, you've got alot of suggestions from everyone else and those two are all I want to give cause it's 1:31 in morning right now. 😄
Have fun.
Terry Goodkind - Sword of Truth series, especially the first three
Robert Jordan - Wheel of Time series, though I got bored after book 7
Peter F Hamilton - Naked God trilogy
Vernor Vinge - Absolutely anything
Neil Gaiman - Everything, especially Sandman series
Roger Zelazny - Anything, especially Amber series
David Gemmell - This man is the best living British author of fantasy. I kid you not. I have read almost everything he has written to pieces
David Eddings - All his series
Orson Scott Card - Ender series and Alvin Maker
Stephen King - Dark Tower series
Frank Herbert - Dune series
Stephen Donaldson - Thomas Covenant series
Terry Prattchett - Duh!