I'm a huge Lois McMaster Bujold fan. For fantasy novels, The Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls are excellent.

But if you liked Eddings' light tone I'd recommend the Miles Vorkosigan series, although it's SF rather than fantasy. The series has mostly (all?) been re-released in volumes containing two of the original novels. The Miles series proper starts with The Warrior's Apprentice (now published in the volume Young Miles), but I'd start with the excellent prequels: Shards of Honor and Barrayar, both now published in the volume Cordelia's Honor.

Well, my favorite fantasy series of all time is Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time (being finished by Brandon Sanderson who also has some great books) but many think its too long. 

Kate Elliott - Crown of Stars series, Terry Goodkind - Sword of Truth (later books tend to drag).  Anything by Mercedes Lackey.

There are tons but I'm drawing a blank right now, lol.

George R R Martin

Terry Goodkind

Try Robin Hobb (ships series, fool series) and L.E. Modesitt (corean series and recluce).  Jude Fisher and Juliet McKenna

There is so much great fantasy out there it's hard to keep up with it all!  I keep acquiring new series and sets on my TBR! 

I second the Robin Hobb idea! Wonderful books with complex character development and just long enough to really get into without being so long that you start dreading the next downfall the character encounters. Along with the ship and fools series, there is a soldier series and another one I can recall the name of at the moment...All series are trilogies (sp). Happy reading!

Another one starts with books Rhapsody, Prophecy, ..... the name escapes me at the moment.  Female author.

Paula, that's the Symphony of Ages series by Elizabeth Haydon.  that is good stuff.

Thanks Ellen, I couldn't remember and didn't have time to look it up, lol.  Wonder if it will ever be finished...