I would say it really started to click for me after the part where the main character fights a duel (events subsequent to it pull the trick for the first time t

I would say it really started to click for me after the part where the main character fights a duel (events subsequent to it pull the trick for the first time that will be repeated many times over the tetralogy of recasting previous events in a new light). If memory serves that's considerably more than halfway through the first book. I am generally bored by "young person who's clearly destined for greatness goes through various adventures around their school/apprenticeship/home town" and so once that part of the book was over I liked it a lot more. By the end I was loving it.