fantasy literature

As a huge fan of fantasy in all its literary and cinematic incarnations, I'm curious to discover which book, or series of books, most impresses you from a literary perspective and excites your imagination. Which fantasy books, if any, take you back to being a kid again in your mind and "heart"...

Why do so many skeptics like science fiction and fantasy literature? It puzzles me. It just seems odd that people who don't believe in the paranormal or the unscientific should love these genres. Am I missing out? :(

This is my first thread ever on JREF, so please tell if I'm out of bounds in any way. Anyway, I've been intrigued by the discussion on the merits of George RR Martins "Song of..." series, especially the comparisons with Tolkiens books. My point is that Tolkien may well be a founder and vital...