Looking at the economy over the last 18 months, and the cancellations and deferrals of every aviation manufacturer that I have seen numbers on, I suspect the shrinking of the order book has little to do with the 429, and a lot to do with the financial issues faced by the 429's customers.
While I personally wouldn't be thrilled with owning one of the first 50 serial numbers of any new helicopter or turbojet, I have a buddy with a bunch of time in the 429 and he says it is an incredible performer -- as in 4,000 fpm climb.