Okay, I've finished book one and I have...no particular feelings, sorry to say. It's fine? I am unimpressed with MXTX's prose style--not my style at all--but it's not so bad that it's putting me off reading more.
But I am really going on trust in y'all's taste, here! If I just read this one on my own without knowing how in love with it y'all are, I would probably not continue!
As it is, I'll probably take a break and read something else before I pick up book 2.