E – elves and orks, or Epic Fantasy

Do you like Epic Fantasy? I have to confess that I don’t – normally (The only exception from this rule are Will L. Hahn’s epic and heroic fantasy stories). It’s not so much because of the creatures or the setting, I love elves, orks, fairies and medieval settings. The problem I face is more related to what I call padding. Often, the descriptions are long and poetic, action is interspersed with lots of internal dialog, and suspense grinds to a halt so the character can determine his/her feelings, examine his/her surroundings, or study another character. For me, there has to be a balance– and I prefer descriptions to be short and to the point. Most Epic fantasy I read doesn’t comply with my needs, and I struggle through 100 pages that take the main character from point A to point B, featuring lots of interesting creatures that will never show up in the novel again. (Wo)Man, I understood that the Main character is a great adventurer around page ten of this epic journey… So, what about you? Do you like epic stories (be they fantasy or some other genre)? Do you think I’m wrong equaling epic with padding?