From experience I would suspect a lot of his style was lost when it was translated (which is why I usually prefer to read the original version).
To answer your questions:
Yes, I read them both and I enjoyed them a lot. They were a tad slow, but the world and the characters were worth it. Especially the ending - it's not that it was unexpected, but the way he wrote it touched me. Though I have to admit it's been a few years and I mostly remember the ending.