Codex Alera 

A series of novels by Jim Butcher.  To my understanding - supposedly these books sprang from a debate over what was better in a story, great character development or a unique story idea.  Jim Butcher asked for two known story ideas and he said he would make an interesting story out of them using character development.

1) Furies of Calderon (2005)
2) Academ's Fury (2005)
3) Cursor's Fury (2006)
4) Captain's Fury (2008)
5) Princep's Fury (2008)
6) First Lord's Fury (2009)