For mix of sci-fi with fantasy elements, you might like to try Simon R Green's "Deathstalker" series.

<font color=orange>Try
George R.R. Martin - As mention above by Memnoch.
J.V. Jones - The Baker Boy series - One of my favs!
Michael Stackpole LOOK HERE</font>

If you were still looking for "The Deed of Paksennarion" it is by Elizabeth Moon. Haven't read it, sorry.

The last great immersive epic fantasy I read was Fred Saberhagen's "Empire of the East." It is all out of print but that's the name of the collected volume. His Swords trilogy and Lost Swords octet follow centuries after EOE.

Just wrapping up Otherland by Tad Williams... all I can say is - WOW! If you're at all into sci-fi or cyber-punk... this book is a must read. It's everything that "Snow Crash" could have been. Strong tech (well concieved and portrayed), GREAT Horror (an unexpected surprise), and a solid and coherent character and story development (which Snow Crash abysmally lacked).

Imo he's a much better sci-fi author than he is a fantasy author... and he's a darn good fantasy author (Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn was an excellent series... better than Jordan or Salvatore IMO, not as good as Martin... but then again, there's noone else alive that's even in his class).

I just finished "Timeline" by Michael Crichton,could not put it down! Very good story.Fiction,and archaelogy,a little travel into the past etc.Not one boring page in it....Michael Crichton also wrote :Jurassic Park,Congo,The Andromieda Strain etc...

Timeline was an entertaining book, IMO Crichton's best novel was "Eaters of the Dead", a great rewrite of Beowolf... although Andromeda Strain is is darn good too.

Michael Criton has some good concepts but I've always thought his books read like a movie script.

I had forgotten about her "Faded Sun" trilogy. This is a story that I have gone back and reread about every 3 years. I've read it about 5 times, so obviously I think it is a great read; which I will now have to dig out and read again.

If you want the grand Sci Fi/Fantasy, go for the classics.
Neuromancer by William Gibson
Dune by Frank Herbert
Anything by Tolkien
There's other stuff, I'll add it if it comes to mind...

One good writer I haven't seen mentioned is L.E.Modessit - he's very thought provoking and does both pure fantasy and sci-fi.

Also not to be missed (suprised nobody else has mentioned this one) is Lois McMaster Bujold and her "Miles Vorkosigan" series. Excellent reads all.

Will McCarthy also writes a good yarn with lots of society-twisting tech presented in innovative ways. If you see Wellstone on the shelf, pick up Collapsium and read it first - they are in the same timeline.

Iain (M) Banks is an excellent choice as well, without the "M" it's a mainstream book, with it's a sci-fi book.