Yep - you're not the only one who's recced the Administration Series, or Robin Hobb. I'm certainly intrigued by the former, and will keep an eye out for the latter when I next hit the used bookstores in town :).

GRRM has been a favourite of mine before even starting the ASoIaF series - his 'Armageddon Rag' and 'Fevre Dream' were pretty spectacular already.