I found the Kushiel books good but you have to have a high tolerance for porn. I decided the first trilogy sounded too smutty for me and skipped to the last three, which I found intriguing. But the first trilogy focuses more on female protaganists.

(Sorry, I don't think I even formally de-lurked on your lj, even though I commented before, so I apologize if I'm being repetitive. Anyway, I found you via friends' friends. :) )