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Books like The Wheel of Time
Long epic fantasy with prophecy, huge casts and worlds you can live in.
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
The author who finished The Wheel of Time, writing his own long epic with a huge world and big payoffs.
+ Widely praised for its vast, inventive worldbuilding and Sanderson's creative storytelling.
− Some reviewers found it very long and slow, with heavy exposition and black-and-white characters. (summed up from Wikipedia (reception))The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams
A kitchen boy is swept into an ancient war. A classic, slow-building epic with a farm-boy start like Rand's.
+ Epic traditional fantasy of a high standard: strong, well-rounded characters and an intimate view of Simon's thoughts.
− Nearly 800 pages, and the slow early chapters can be a struggle before the story picks up. (summed up from Fantasy Book Review)Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
For readers who want an even bigger, more complex world with gods, armies and deep history.
+ Critics praise a vast, deeply detailed world with real history and characters who change over the story.
− The complexity can overwhelm, and some found the pacing poor until a strong finale. (summed up from Wikipedia (reception))Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings
A lighter, faster prophecy quest with a likeable group of companions.
+ Classic quest fantasy with modern-feeling dialogue and characters; its archetypes held up better than a returning reader expected.
− Gender roles have aged poorly, and the series casts its villains as sinister peoples from the East. (summed up from Wikipedia (reception))The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington
Young people with hidden power, a fading prophecy and a twisty plot. Often recommended to Wheel of Time fans.
+ Complex magic, political intrigue and a big cast; a confident debut that grew in popularity.
− Some critics found it uneven, short on tension and close to classic epic-fantasy formulas. (summed up from Wikipedia (reception))
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