Sharpe's Sword is definitely the one that got me hooked on the books. It's also the one I give other people to get them hooked, and seems to have worked so far!

it doesn't *matter* whether it's platonic or what cos it's just so damn *something*

Totally. I love those kind of deep friendship stories, it's even kind of irrelevant whether they're sexual or not.

one of the worst things about bitch!Jane is that Sean Bean married her.

I am strongly of the opinion that the less I know about the actors' personal lives, the better. These days I'm all about preserving the illusion. ;)