I started the main series without reading the Hunter books and was confused by the assumed background for one or two of the subplots, but also really intrigued by some of the cultures and the women--it's been a while, so I don't remember details, but IIRC there was a middle-aged lesbian in a segregated woman's section who maintained a lot of social and political power in a society that officially disenfranchised women, and I really enjoyed that she was depicted as powerful in culturally appropriate ways, rather than a contemporary Can/Am feminist plunked down in a completely different culture.

The writing could be clunky, though.