fantasy books with adult main characters

[Gigei]

I will second Half-Made World, which actually features adult and middle aged characters, and doesnt revolve around how pretty or handsome anyone of them are. Plus the book is freaking fantastic.

Thank you, that's what I want. I mean, okay I like YA but anyone can get sick of high school/coming of age stories if that is all that is available.

[murphy]

Dorothy Dunnett. Oh, yes, Dorothy Dunnett. Historical fiction with a little mysticism thrown in. If you don't have a background in romance languages, Lymond can be a bit difficult, since he tends to speak Latin or French when drunk (and, as a Scottish outlaw, he's drunk quite often). Chapter headings in Niccolo are Middle English, but not difficult.

It's pretty clear GRRM has read Dunnett, given that "Lymond" is a favorite minor character name in ASOIAF.

Also, Ellen Kushner's "Swordspoint", for a bit more candy-like reading. Anything is candy after reading 14 Dunnett novels.

Second the Dunnett books with the exception of her Dolly Bird mysteries. It's a wonder to me that Dunnet could write the wonderful Lymond and Niccolo and also the horrible Dolly Bird books.

[Prince Rhaegar Targaryen]

I'd recommend The Sundering by Jacqueline Carey. It is a duology consisting of Banewreaker and Godslayer and is some kind of alternative version of The Lord of the Rings, told from the PoV of the "bad guys". As these are immortals, some centuries old, you won't find any teen drama.

By the way, Mr. Martin himself recommends these:

Where Sauron had his Nine, Satoris has his Three, the foremost of whom, Tanaros Blacksword, is really the hero (antihero?) of the saga, and a damned compelling character. You can't help rooting for him, even though you are uncomfortably aware all the while that you're cheering on the Witch-King of the Nazgul...

[Verboten]

Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay. The youngest main character is in her mid twenties, I believe.

[Gigei]

I've already read Legend and The Sundering by Jacqueline Carey.

Kay is a bit in the middle here. Although GGK's characters are adults I find many of them immature and often one of the themes is growing up and taking charge. In A Song for Arbonne, for example, the main character actually runs away from home and his parent. Then he spends his time with traveling around as a mercenary, with no responsibilities, and nothing to tie him down to any place.

I mean, it's not exactly what I am looking for.

Remember, it's not about chronological age, it's about being an adult with adult responsibilities. People like Bilbo are a good example - they are middle-aged, they own property, they are taking care of their lives in a mature way without whining or being neurotic about it.

[Contrarius]

Hmm....

If you're willing to try UF, you might take a look at the Jesse James Dawson series by KA Stewart. They are not widely known, but they are entertaining. The main character has a wife and daughter, and works in retail. I think it's a refreshing series because the hero is an unabashedly Good Guy without being a Gary Stu.

[Gigei]

I love UF. I'll give that a look.

Just re-read Caught in Crystal by Patricia Wrede and this is exactly the type of book I mean. The main character is an adult woman with children. She also runs her own business.