I started reading the books after Wizard and Glass came out. Not that long after though. (I can't remember how long it was actually, so in this case 'not long' is relative.) In short I pretty much bought them and read them one after the other, and then underwent the long wait for the last three. Still not as long a wait as those of you who had to wait for this book.

Incidentally,I did consider buying them before W&G came out. I never got further than reading the blurb on the back... then returning it to the shelf though. It was actually an extract in Rose Madder, followed by reading the back of The Waste Lands that prompted me to go ahead. Namely Ludd.