One a day, plus iron

I've read the Risen Empire duology by the same author -- I'd categorize it as New Space Opera, the same sort of genre as Stross or Reynolds. Space battles, nanotechnology, crazy genetic stuff, also some screwy palace intrigue. Aggressively strange societies and characters, but definitely well-crafted novels.

I recall being kind of disappointed Westerfeld was going to focus on YA novels for the foreseeable future as opposed to straight science fiction, but my understanding is that they drove a dump truck full of money up to his house.