for manny years I have used and recommended
pdftex (not pdflatex!) for simple books like
novels. Now we have luatex which is similar to
pdftex except for improved and different font
handling. Development occurs at a rapid pace.

My question is this: is there a version of luatex
available in executable forms (linux and Windows)
that can be recommended with a certain amount of
assurance?

If so where can Joe or Jane Doe download this
version?