I've tried reading the first book in the series at least 3 times - because I keep hearing people tell me how amazing it is - and I never manage to get more than 100 pages in before I just get frustrated by the fact that it doesn't even try to keep me interested. The fact that there's no solid ground to the story, that there's no real explanation of what the hell is going on or who any of these people are, leaves me ice cold. I'm fine with a slowly unraveling narrative, a bit of mystery as I'm introduced to the world and the characters, but I really need to have some grasp on just what the hell it is I'm reading if the author expects me to keep going. I just end up feeling like there are chapters missing from my copy or something. And if you can't hook me in 100 pages, odds are good I'm not going to enjoy the next 5000+ pages of the series.
I might try again in a few years, when the last book is out and the series is officially ended. Or after the author dies, where there's no chance of him revisiting/milking the series again. Because something tells me that, with the way he writes, even if I manage to get into the books, I don't want to wait too long between reading each one or I'm going to end up lost and confused and frustrated all over again.
