Reminds me of the never ending! Shards of Honor, no Warrior's Apprentice debates. Yeesh. It does make a difference, but as demonstrated with Pratchett (and Bujold, too, as I actually read Diplomatic Immunity first and was rather bored until I picked up Komarr on a whim a year later) it does matter where you start, but if it's going to catch a hook in you somewhere, it will regardless.

And yeah, I'll hit you up. May just do that anyway -- haven't seen you in a while. *pout*.