I like fantasy novels, but I'm looking for something beyond the traditional magic and wizards and academy or fellowship type things.

try The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. Her Dragon Haven and The Hero and the Crown are OK too, but not as good.

Other ideas:

The Warrior Heir (not sure of the author)

The Eragon/Inheritance cycle

if you're young or have an open mind about reading "kid's books" try Ranger's Apprentice. No magic at all and the first book isn't very good, but it does a decent job setting up the story and world. The series vastly improves in the second book. I think it's by John Flannigen (not sure of spelling)

Will post more if I think of them

Black Compnay series by Glen Cook

The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks

Eathsea Trilogy (actually 5 books) by Ursala K. LeGuin

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (Gets tiresome towards the later books)

The Shannara Trilogy by Terry Brooks

A Song of Fire and Ice by George RR Martin

Gaurdians of the Flame by Joel Rosenburg (Loved them huge D&D nerd most read)

The Xanth series by Piers Anthony (Hope you enjoy puns)

Dark Tower series by Stephan King also his book The Eyes of the Dragon

Louise Cooper's Indigo series.  Nemesis is the first book.

A non-tradtional fantasy based in Africa:  Who Fears Death? by Nnedi Okofaor.

The 'In Fire Forged' series by Laura Resnick. 

Jasper Ffords, Thursday Next Series

Robert Rankin - Garden of Unearthly Delights or other books, if its part of a series then read in order.

Tom Holt! - anything by him.

Here are a couple fantasy/paranormal series for you:

-  Karen Marie Moning's Fever series.  Set in Dublin it's a good vs evil series where the fate of the world rests on finding speciific Object of Power before evil forces do.  Leaves you hanging since you're never quite sure who the good forces are and who are the bad ones.

See series list and synopsis at my favorite fiction reference site, fantasticfiction.co.uk (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/karen-marie-moning/)

-  Shana Abe's Drakon series (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/a/shana-abe/)  A secret society of dragons/humans.

-  Gena Showalter writes several fantasy series you might like.  See at (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/gena-showalter/ )

Hope these are of interest to you.

rjvagabond

Brent Weeks

my fav. series of all time. 

Have you looked at Marcher Lord Press?  This is a small independent publisher who focuses on fantasy / sci fi type novels.

http://www.marcherlordpress.com/books/fiction.html

Charles DeLint  - the master of urban fantasy, from before it became cool.  We're not talking vampires and werewolves here either.  He sort of combines celtic and native american myth/folklore bits and pieces and weaves them into original modern tales.  I'd start with the earlier Newford stories (the best place is Memory and Dream) but they all pretty much stand alone. 

Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix. Amazing work. It is considered YA, but honestly I didn't feel like I was reading a kids book.

Someone already mentioned this series but allow me to be a broken record: A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin. It's like a fantasy series for people who are sick of fantasy genre cliches. It's mostly about political conspirasy and war, but it does have swords, magic, and dragons in it. It's just that the magical and fantastical parts of it are more hidden and in the dark. It's my personal favorite book series right now and I'm anticipating his next book A Dance with Dragons. The first book of the series is called A Game of Thrones, it's not the best book of the series but it establishes the characters and the world pretty well.

Oh, and it has a ton of detailed sex and violence. Just a warning.

Bryan Davis

Diane Duane

Barbara Hambly

Donita K Paul

Michael Scott

William Kotzwinkle's genre-bridging The Amphora Project

Try Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, by Tad Williams. That is a four-volume trilogy that will definitely satisfy.

Also, if you like high seas fantasy, The Liveship Traders series by Robin Hobb is top-notch!

Was going to say David Eddings' The Belgariad, but it does seem to fall into the "mold" a little...

Shane

Elizabeth Haydon's Symphony of Ages series, the first book is Rhapsody.

To second some suggestions.

Black Compnay series by Glen Cook

The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks.  (More recent publication, very entertaining, read recently and enjoyed, more mature)

Eathsea Trilogy by Ursala K. LeGuin   (This is an old series from decades age, perhaps dated)  Good for young reader

The Shannara Trilogy by Terry Brooks  (First book of Shannara is a great book for a young reader.  Book 1 is a classic.)

A Song of Fire and Ice by George RR Martin (contemporary, enjoyable, if you don't like book one, the rest are the same, mature)

The Xanth series by Piers Anthony (First 3 are best)  Long series.  Good for young reader.

Dark Tower series by Stephan King (First 3 or 4 are best)

Dragon Riders of Pern are memorable.  I found Eddings and Cook's books not as memorable.

For the young reader, Xanth series, Pern series, Earthsea, and Sword of Shannara.  All oldies but goodies.

For humor Discworld by Pratchett.

For the mature and edgy, books by King, Martin and Weeks.

Anything by Karen Miller, but especially Empress/The Riven Kingdom/Hammer of God. I found myself cheering for the main character in the first book, then hating her (in a good way) in the next. There are multiple main characters in this series and their lives get twisted together in a very interesting way. Great little trio! Also, Kingmaker, Kingbreaker by the same author is very good.

I'm going to check out some of these other suggestions myself :)

I would suggest the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. It is lighthearted and fun. Technically, it is a kid's series but I really loved all the books.

Lilith's Brood by Octavia Butler.

Fantasy/science fiction. Brilliant

Kristin Cashore   =  Awesome books

The Hunger Games is a good book. It's young Adult but it didn't read that way too much. I haven't read the other two books in the trilogy but I am eager to find out what happens to Katniss.

I am reading A Song of Ice and Fire right now. I am on the fourth book A Feast for Crows and the whole series is pretty darn good. I have only been reading them for about 2 months and

the are all over a thousand pages. So the go pretty quick. 

Earthsea Trilogy by Ursula K. LeGuin

Mist of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

The Shape-changer's Wife by Sharon Shinn

Terry Goodkind is a fabulous fantasy writer.  Also, if you like urban fantasy, Vicki Peterson writes a series called the Zodiac series which is excellent!  :)