I've read five chapters of Embers Ad Infinitum and it's just isn't clicking does it get better fast or do I have trudge through some more for the pay off.
Similar to Lord of the Mysteries, Embers Ad Infinitum will require you to trudge through the early section first before it becomes an amazing read
around what chapter did it start to pay off for you? I read hundreds of chapters and still ended up stopping.
Well it's different for everyone. I remember also temporarily shelving it since I'm not really a fan of post apocalypse stories, but I think it was around the time they met the guy that charmed everyone or the mechanical monk. Since that was when the more supernatural aspects of the story started to appear. And when they went out on their second expedition, I felt that the world building started to really come together with the various belief systems and cultures that they encounter.
Since I know it will have a slow start due to the author's worldbuilding and character introduction, I only read until I got bored and continue it when I feel like it, maybe in the next hour or the next day. And you really won't notice it once the story progresses fast and only realize that you already got caught up to the latest translated chapter. As for the story, it's good, above average, the quality is there.
Embers first chapters are really just world building and might be a bit of a slug for people. It truly at it's best when the gang is travelling around the wasteland and trying to uncover the past. Supernatural and more mysteries are slowly revealed after the first major excursion arc is over. For me, the novels best read in short binges rather than in a daily manner
Personally it was Shang Jianyao's personality that sold me on the novel... the fact that it's actually rather interesting is also great