I've read the entire series and found it to be fascinating on a number levels. But it is not a page-turner by any stretch of the imagination. (I ended up getting a copy of a companion lexicon, "Sea of Words," to help with some of the arcane historical language.)

Can't remember at what point I got "hooked," so I can't really provide any insight as to whether the first 100 pages were all prelude to better stuff to come or not. Sorry.