The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings is the epic. One cannot have a serious discussion about fantasy if they do not mention The Lord of the Rings. Many recent competitors have popped up (Harry Potter and Game of Thrones), but The Lord of the Rings will stand the test of time. Centuries from now, our descendants will point to The Lord of the Rings as the most epic tale ever written.

I concede it can be slow to read sometimes. But most of the book is very entertaining. History fans like myself will marvel at the depth of the world Tolkien creates, rich with millennia of its own lore.

There are also common criticisms with which I agree. The absolute distinction between good and evil is one. Generally, such a distinction will seem cheesy in many normal novels. Tolkien manages to still make an incredibly story in spite of this polarity.