Too many of the medieval-style sword/sorcery fantasy stuff is just so horrible to read. So much of it is either based on Tolkien, based on a roleplaying game, based on a *computer* game, based on a *card* game or just poorly written. (It's even worse with the fanfic -- and this is coming from someone who used to write fanfic). And they tend to go on forever without resolution.
Actually, there is one series that I did like based on a single book I picked up for 39 cents at a Odd-Job: Ann Marston's "The Western King". It was the second book in a trilogy, but worked well as a standalone book. A few years passed before I thought to get the first book from the library ("Kingmaker's Sword"), excellent book, explained a couple of things in TWK that I missed. By the way, I reread the second book and loved it again.
THen I got the third book in the first trilogy. I couldn't believe the letdown, and not just because the word "First" was inserted before the word "trilogy". It seemed to have been written by an entirely different person. Instead of a third-person account, it went to a first-person narative (who had to comment on events from before she was born and do some of the exposition -- badly and repeatedly). Instead of the action taking place over a period of years (10-20), it happened pretty much in the span of a week. And much of the action happened "off-camera". Very frustrating.
I read the 4th and 5th books, but neither the Brooklyn nor NY Public Libraries have book six, and I'm so disappointed that I won't pay Amazon plus shipping for it.
But if you find the first two books, grab 'em. Good reads.
TS