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IrishDancingBard wrote:

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I'm not sure whether it's exactly in your categories but you might check out Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. It's set in England around the early 1800s and centers around two rival magic users. It's really long but it's really good.

I've heard very good things about that one!

The only Neil Gaiman book I've read so far is Good Omens, which he co-wrote with Terry Pratchett. Definitely recommended. I also recommend Pratchett -- I've only read a few of his book so far, but I really recommend Small Gods and Equal Rites.

My other recommendations:

The Windsingers Quartet by Megan Lindholm (aka Robin Hobb): Harpy's Flight, The Windsingers (the best of the lot, I think!), The Limbreth Gate, and Luck of the Wheels

The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb: Assassin's Apprentice, Royal Assassin, Assassin's Quest. (IMO, the last two aren't as good as the first but all are worth reading.)

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. A controversial trilogy that has a lot of passionate fans and equally passionate detractors, due to its strong critique of religion. Very flawed, IMO, but beautifully written, and creates a fascinating universe populated by equally fascinating characters. (Well, some of them, at least.) The first book, The Golden Compass, is definitely the best. It is followed by The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. In the last one in particular, I think the anti-religion message gets way too heavy-handed, and the adventure story/drama at times gets lost in the propaganda. Still, definitely worth reading (unless you're offended by attacks on religion -- in that case, do not touch with a 10-foot pole!).