The Wheel of Time

[Giant Asian]

Epic saga of too many damn pages.  Started by Robert Jordan (who died while writing the last book), this massive series details the chronicles of three farm boys growing up in a world where male magic users are destined to go crazy and destroy everything around them (literally).  Featuring a cast of boogey men and monsters from ringwraith like "Fades," were-animalescent "trollocs," and the shadowy Forsaken, the disciples of the number one grand high poobah of evil" Shai Tan."  Shai Tan is basically Voldemort, and is generally referred to as anything but Shai Tan, as no one ever refers to him by name, and anyone who does suffers some great calamity.  Anyways, an extremely great series.  The only problem, Robert Jordan died before finishing the last book.  However, they gave his manuscripts to another writer who is finishing the book for him.  However, there are so many loose ends, the last volume is actually being released as 3 books. >8(  Anyways, go read!

[Barbara]

I've actually read one of these. I snitched it from my son and kind of enjoyed it. It was pre-Harry Potter, so I never got the connection to Voldemort, but now that you mention it ...

Three books, huh? Kinda like waiting for George R R Martin's next one, huh? 

[Giant Asian]

Ugh.  You're telling me.  That's another one I should have posted on.  At least I know (fingers crossed) these will be the last 3 books.