I started the serious way back in the late 90s reading them to my sons. I made it through the first book but I was more than happy to let him read the rest himself. He loved them and they are what started him enjoying reading but while I thought the book was well written I never saw the magic. People keep telling me they get better as the story goes on but my reading list is full of books and I don't need to read a series that gets better in the fourth book.