Great thread spaz! I've been thinking about starting something something along the same lines and may actually do it now.
I am currently reading The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett recommended by my wife (and I believe Oprah
). I really enjoyed Sailing to Sarantium by Guy Gavriel Kay and my wife thought that it was in a similar vein. Maybe similar but, in my opinion, Sailing to Sarantium was better written.