Can't help with most, but I will eagerly watch the comments.

I have a memory of a very strong, weird, emotional impression from Norton's Forerunner Foray, and then later going "Ooohhhhh, Andre's a girrrrl!" Didn't read all of the Forerunner series because my public library didn't have it all, and back then that was All There Was. So I don't know whether Foray is the best entry point to the series.