I love most of those that I've read. Like many above, I'd take Privilege of the Sword over Fall of the Kings, and I'd take The Stratford Man over By the Mountain Bound. I'd add Susannah Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mister Norrell.

I enjoyed the Karl Schroeder while I was reading it, but it failed the Bechdel test in some ways I found really annoying. (I have less patience for Level 3 failures than Level 1 and 2 failures.)