"The Silmarillion" by J.R.R. Tolkien

This is easily the greatest book of fantasy ever written. The Silmarillion is the very definition of epic fantasy against which all other fantasy authors dare not compare themselves. I find it impossible to categorize this book with any other work of fantasy, as there are no others like it. I love the style that Tolkien has chosen in which to tell this story. Most fantasy is written from the perspective of the main characters. Fantasy, like most novels, is more about the relationships between the characters than the world. The Silmarillion is quite the opposite. The writing style is more akin to the Bible than any other novel. Tales that could have been told by whole books themselves are condensed to a few pages. The result is a sweeping history concerning which one must constantly remind oneself that it is a novel rather than some ancient mythology from a long extinct religion. It is the Iliad of the 20th century.