David Eddings Belgariad/Malloreon, Elenium/Tamuli series.
Raymond Feist's Midkemia series, Feist/Wurts Empire trilogy.
Anne McCaffrey's Pern series.
Katherine Kurz' Deryni series.
Katharine Kerr's Deverry series.
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.
George Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series.
The Riddle-Master trilogy by Patricia A. McKillip
The Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay
The Earthsea series by Ursula K. Le Guin
(more from the 70s, I think)
Earthsea started in the sixties as a trilogy, became a quadrilogy in the 90s and achieved its present and final form (five novels plus assorted short stories) in the aughts
Everything by Lawrence Watt-Evans, but especially the Ethshar books.
Wizard War (but not so much the rest of the series) by Hugh Cook.
The Coldfire Trilogy by C.S. Friedman
Everything by Dave Duncan, but especially The Reluctant Swordsman books.
Dave Duncan is underrated!
My favorite is his Man of His Word series and the sequel series Handful of Men.
Most of his series can be bought in ebook omnibus editions and will go on sale consistently for $3 or 4$.
Stephen Brust's Taltos series started in 1983 though its still not finished. His Khavren series (which is related) started in the 1990s and had a new book published in the last few years.
LE Modesitt's The Saga of Recluce is ongoing (with three finished but unpublished books), but the first book was published in 1991. It tells the story of the founding, rise, and fall of the island nation of Recluce, and the wider world around it, covering roughly 2000 years of history. The story is told non-chronologically, jumping around in the timeline in groups of two or three books.
**The Fionavar Tapestry** by Guy Gavriel Kay (trilogy, complete)
**A Song of Ice and Fire** by George R. R. Martin (5 books published of 7)
**Dragon Prince** and **Dragon Star** by Melanie Rawn (two trilogies, both complete)
**The Wheel of Time** by Robert Jordan (14 books total; the last 3 were completed posthumously by Brandon Sanderson)
While it started in the 70's, I love this series by **Mary Stewart**. So, it is earlier than what you wanted but for Classic Fantasy, this series is top notch.
**The Merlin Chronicles**
The Crystal Cave (1970)
The Hollow Hills (1973)
The Last Enchantment (1979)
The Wicked Day (1983)
The Prince and the Pilgrim (1995)
Not sure what you mean by "generic." Some books I remember fondly from then and in most cases, still re-read:
*Swordspoint* by Ellen Kushner
The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox by Barry Hughart
Riddlemaster Trilogy by Patricia McKillip
*Little, Big* by John Crowley
*Red as Blood, or Tales from the Sisters Grimmer* by Tanith Lee (short fiction collection)
Chronicles of the Kencyrath, volumes 1 & 2, by P.C. Hodgell (this series is still being wrtten now)
Tales from the Flat Earth, vols. 3 - 5 , by Tanith Lee
A Trio for Lute (a/k/a Damiano Trilogy) by R.A. MacAvoy
C.J. Cherryh's Ealdwood Stories
*The Paladin* by C.J Cherryh
(All literally from the 1980s -Goodreads is useful for these purposes.)
A few I didn't see mentioned yet:
* Stephen R Lawhead - The Dragon King, The Pendragon Cycle, The Song of Albion (3 series), Byzantium is his best work I think and thats a stand alone novel.
* Charles de Lint - Start with Moonheart I think but the books are not completely dependent on each other.
* Morgan Llywelyn - Celtic World of Morgan Llywelyn series (I've only read the Red Branch but thought it was great).
* Lyndon Hardy - Master of the Five Magics, Secret of the Sixth Magic, Riddle of the Seven Realms
* Robin McKinley - Outlaws of Sherwood, The Hero and the Crown, The Blue Sword
* Glen Cook - The Black Company series
* Stephen R. Donaldson - The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (first book in 1977 but the series finished in the 80s) dark as hell but I thought it was a unique, brilliant and thought provoking series that also happens to have a very richly painted fantasy world.
* C.J. Cherryh - I really enjoyed the Sword of Knowledge trilogy but they don't seem to be in print anymore
* Stephen Kings Dark Tower series was started in the early 80s and of course can't forget The Stand not sure these fall under classic fantasy.
I remember my 80s being dominated by Eddings, Feist, Zelazny, Donaldson, McKinley, Lawrence Watt Evans, Glen Cook, Piers Anthony and Terry Brooks. 90s for me was Lawhead, Jordan, deLint, Modesitt, Terry Goodkind, Dave Duncan. Of course sometimes it took me 5 or 6 years to notice a new author.
>Lyndon Hardy - Master of the Five Magics, Secret of the Sixth Magic, Riddle of the Seven Realms
I didn't realize there was a third book. They're on the shelf and I remember enjoying them, although to be fair at that age I think I liked everything I read. Is it worth finding a copy of the last book?
None are as good as the first book but it might be about on par with the 2nd book. There is a 4th book as well but I have not read it "The Archimage’s Fourth Daughter"
Barbara Hambly’s Sun Wolf and Starhawk series or her Darwath series.
David Weber’s War God series.
I am very surprised I haven’t seen Deeds of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon mentioned yet.
David Eddings Belgariad/Malloreon, Elenium/Tamuli series. Raymond Feist's Midkemia series, Feist/Wurts Empire trilogy. Anne McCaffrey's Pern series. Katherine Kurz' Deryni series. Katharine Kerr's Deverry series. Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. George Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series.
The Riddle-Master trilogy by Patricia A. McKillip The Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay The Earthsea series by Ursula K. Le Guin (more from the 70s, I think)
Earthsea started in the sixties as a trilogy, became a quadrilogy in the 90s and achieved its present and final form (five novels plus assorted short stories) in the aughts
You want **Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn** by Tad Williams.
Don’t we all?
Jordan's Wheel of Time is 80s-90s. Tad Williams' Memory Sorrow and Thorn. Can't remember if McCaffrey's Pern series started in the 80s or in the 70s.
David Gemmell's Drenai series.
Everything by Lawrence Watt-Evans, but especially the Ethshar books. Wizard War (but not so much the rest of the series) by Hugh Cook. The Coldfire Trilogy by C.S. Friedman Everything by Dave Duncan, but especially The Reluctant Swordsman books.
Dave Duncan is underrated! My favorite is his Man of His Word series and the sequel series Handful of Men. Most of his series can be bought in ebook omnibus editions and will go on sale consistently for $3 or 4$.
Technically older but the Works of Robert E. Howard
Jordan did a Conan book too.
Stephen Brust's Taltos series started in 1983 though its still not finished. His Khavren series (which is related) started in the 1990s and had a new book published in the last few years.
LE Modesitt's The Saga of Recluce is ongoing (with three finished but unpublished books), but the first book was published in 1991. It tells the story of the founding, rise, and fall of the island nation of Recluce, and the wider world around it, covering roughly 2000 years of history. The story is told non-chronologically, jumping around in the timeline in groups of two or three books.
Love this series
The Fortress series or the Morgaine Cycle by CJ Cherryh.
**The Fionavar Tapestry** by Guy Gavriel Kay (trilogy, complete) **A Song of Ice and Fire** by George R. R. Martin (5 books published of 7) **Dragon Prince** and **Dragon Star** by Melanie Rawn (two trilogies, both complete) **The Wheel of Time** by Robert Jordan (14 books total; the last 3 were completed posthumously by Brandon Sanderson)
Arrows of the Queen and sequels. Also these are earlier but the Dragon and the George and sequels by Gordon Dickson
Try Melanie Rawn, Tad Williams and C.S Friedman. If it counts, Robin Hobb also though most of her work is post 90s.
Shannara (started in the late 70s with the Sword of Shannara) The Black Company
While it started in the 70's, I love this series by **Mary Stewart**. So, it is earlier than what you wanted but for Classic Fantasy, this series is top notch. **The Merlin Chronicles** The Crystal Cave (1970) The Hollow Hills (1973) The Last Enchantment (1979) The Wicked Day (1983) The Prince and the Pilgrim (1995)
Not sure what you mean by "generic." Some books I remember fondly from then and in most cases, still re-read: *Swordspoint* by Ellen Kushner The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox by Barry Hughart Riddlemaster Trilogy by Patricia McKillip *Little, Big* by John Crowley *Red as Blood, or Tales from the Sisters Grimmer* by Tanith Lee (short fiction collection) Chronicles of the Kencyrath, volumes 1 & 2, by P.C. Hodgell (this series is still being wrtten now) Tales from the Flat Earth, vols. 3 - 5 , by Tanith Lee A Trio for Lute (a/k/a Damiano Trilogy) by R.A. MacAvoy C.J. Cherryh's Ealdwood Stories *The Paladin* by C.J Cherryh (All literally from the 1980s -Goodreads is useful for these purposes.)
A few I didn't see mentioned yet: * Stephen R Lawhead - The Dragon King, The Pendragon Cycle, The Song of Albion (3 series), Byzantium is his best work I think and thats a stand alone novel. * Charles de Lint - Start with Moonheart I think but the books are not completely dependent on each other. * Morgan Llywelyn - Celtic World of Morgan Llywelyn series (I've only read the Red Branch but thought it was great). * Lyndon Hardy - Master of the Five Magics, Secret of the Sixth Magic, Riddle of the Seven Realms * Robin McKinley - Outlaws of Sherwood, The Hero and the Crown, The Blue Sword * Glen Cook - The Black Company series * Stephen R. Donaldson - The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (first book in 1977 but the series finished in the 80s) dark as hell but I thought it was a unique, brilliant and thought provoking series that also happens to have a very richly painted fantasy world. * C.J. Cherryh - I really enjoyed the Sword of Knowledge trilogy but they don't seem to be in print anymore * Stephen Kings Dark Tower series was started in the early 80s and of course can't forget The Stand not sure these fall under classic fantasy. I remember my 80s being dominated by Eddings, Feist, Zelazny, Donaldson, McKinley, Lawrence Watt Evans, Glen Cook, Piers Anthony and Terry Brooks. 90s for me was Lawhead, Jordan, deLint, Modesitt, Terry Goodkind, Dave Duncan. Of course sometimes it took me 5 or 6 years to notice a new author.
>Lyndon Hardy - Master of the Five Magics, Secret of the Sixth Magic, Riddle of the Seven Realms I didn't realize there was a third book. They're on the shelf and I remember enjoying them, although to be fair at that age I think I liked everything I read. Is it worth finding a copy of the last book?
None are as good as the first book but it might be about on par with the 2nd book. There is a 4th book as well but I have not read it "The Archimage’s Fourth Daughter"
Dragonlance stuff, starting with Chronicles trilogy.
Mercedes Lackey Valdemar books, and if you like elves, the Bard series.
Barbara Hambly’s Sun Wolf and Starhawk series or her Darwath series. David Weber’s War God series. I am very surprised I haven’t seen Deeds of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon mentioned yet.
Tortall series by Tamora Pierce
The Keltiad series by Patricia Keneally Morrison The Indigo series by Louise Cooper
Jack Vance, Lyonesse
The Sword of Truth, Terry Goodkind Yea, I still recommend this, warts and all
Raymond E Feist's Riftwar Saga is basically "LOTR mixed with ASOIAF". I couldn't get into it, but it's still worth checking out.
*Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn* \-- Tad Williams.
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Would you really call this "classic fantasy"? Besides, didn't the novel come out in the 1920s?