My public confession -- I've only ever read the first book, on gleeful and repeated berating recommendation from a friend, and I didn't like it very much. But yes, the setting/the world was the most imaginative and best part, for me -- it made me respect Hamilton, raised her above the "fluff" level, a bit.

(And my heart did sincerely break for Philip, when she raised him and he was all confused... but I think I might have been more into bishounen then... ^__^)

Judging from online excerpts, though, this seems to have gone completely by the wayside, and that's really a shame. The pregnancy scare in particular just bored me to tears, tears I tell you. I can flip on any given soap and see that, what's interesting about that? I wanted more of the unique politics and government and class warfare and crap!!

(Yes, yes, I know, it's not my series, I don't get to decide what it focuses on. *grumbles quietly*)