Hi! Nice to hear that :-) Malazan is capturing me so much that I am worried of rushing it! I deliberately take the time to enjoy it at as many levels as I am capable of (e.g. writing style, choice of words etc).

For Iain M. Banks, you can't go wrong. Use of weapons is an incredible book, but maybe I would think it's better to start from Consider Phlebas. UoW punches... And punches hard.