Ten posts and not one mention of Tolkien? I'll cover that, I guess. Beyond LotR, some of his other stories are great too. Ever read Farmer Giles of Ham?
I am also a fan of Walter Wangerin Jr. The Book of the Dun Cow and The Book of Sorrows are two of the best books I have ever read. Most people I talk to haven't heard of them; if you haven't, you need to check them out.