alicat

Snowy beat me to it. My favorite novel in the epic catagory. Put simply, it is the Arthurian legends but from the perspective of the woman (Guinevere/Morgaine) rather than the men's (Arthur/Merlin). I don't feel the men are simplified or minor players though at all.

My other fave's have been mentioned:

Alaska, James A. Michener

Shogun, James Clavell (watched the original run of the mini-series as a kid, loved Richard Chamberlain, had to read the book as an adult, highly recommend).

Dark Tower series and The Stand by Stephen King (favorite author and quite a few of his novels would count as epic).

__________________
'Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun, The frumious Bandersnatch!'--Jabberwocky, Lewis Carroll

"You cannot do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late."--Ralph Waldo Emerson