Deck, that's why I stopped with Jordan, as I always read the previous volumes before starting on a new one in a series. Usually that's part of the pleasure of reading the new book, but with Jordan it was just too much, and I knew I wouldn't want to read 1-9 again when 10 came out (let along 11 or 12!).
Tinsel, RR Martin is a bit frustrating with the gaps. I hung on as long as I could with the last one, as he said he'd had to split it and the next one should be out soon. But after three months or so of it sitting by my bedside I couldn't resist. And the next volume is still not out!
I agree Kushiel wasn't very good (they went in the last cull), a bit pulpy really. I agree that fantasy writer who borrow too closely from history without using their sources properly are very irritating. I don't like my books to be too obvious.
Woman on the Edge of Time was excellent. I didn't know she did any more.
Re the categories, I would agree high fantasy tends towards Elves and Tolkein type stuff, often it's a bit archaic in language too. Eddings is definitely at the softer end - airport (ie easy) reading type stuff. I like books in between, and also the ones at the border of science fiction, although I do quite like interesting hard sci-fi stuff too (these books tend to be more at the techie, innovative ideas/futuristic end). I really dislike the ones that veer into the occult.