It took a long time for me to "get into" this book! It probably took between 1/3 and 1/2 of it, and I thought about abandoning more than once; but my son was listening on his computer at the same time, and I somehow felt it necessary to continue. It didn't take him nearly as long to get into the story; he started enjoying it shortly after the introduction or the first part. I didn't start enjoying it until the actual plot – the part where Wen (I listened rather than read, so I'm probably not sure about her actual name) started having an active part other than the metals. But then it grabbed me, and I kind of look forward to each subsequent session.
The interactions of the different metals, as described, was intriguing. And the weaving of the different groups of people and the different parts of the war and activities so involved was essential and artful! Now, although originally I had thought probably I wouldn't, I'm looking forward to the second book of the trilogy.