In my opinion both quests and battles are essential to a good story. there cant be an epic battle without something leading up to it (i.e. the quest), and if the story simply ends when the quest, which usually has only a few characters, ends its somewhat unsatisfactory, meaning the story culminates with minimal characters. I believe you need both. lets consider this:
David Gemmell: quests + great battles = great read.
Raymond Feist: quests + great battles = great read.
Mercedes Lackey: quests + great (and very original) battles = terrific read.
J.R.R. Tolkien: quests + great battles.
Although i will admit that sometimes 1 or the other can be very gripping and sucessful, e.g. the fool, or liveship trilogies by Robin Hobb, where there is simply 'the quest'.
But from what i have read it seems that quests and battles go hand in hand with a good book. (at least the great writers of fantasy seem to think so, seeing as thats what they do...)
i would really like to hear thoughts on my opinion, as long as it is constructive critisim...
