The Will of the Many

Holy shit.

This book! When I was reading it, I was ignoring the world, and when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it. It's just so good! And in no way are any questions answered by the end

I went on the hype train with Christopher and it was a hell of a ride. I was hooked from the first chapter and devoured the book as fast as I possibly could, which means I'm currently very sleep deprived so I apologize if this is not the most coherent review.

This book has everything I love in fantasy: interesting magic system with a huge development potential, political intrigue, friendship, betrayals, mystery and a great title. This book reminded me a lot of other books, but if feels original and it was flawlessly executed. James Islington writing is very captivating and I loved how he guides us through the story-line, and how he plants clues and the seeds for future expansion.

I absolutely love the reluctant hero trope and Vis is no exception! He was one of my favorite things in the book and I loved to see everything unfold through his eyes. Although he's a bit of a Gary Sue, he's so instantly likable that I'm prepared to defend his honor to anyone who dares criticize him. I can't wait to keep seeing him grow into the amazing leader we already know he is.

The ending?? It's obviously a cliffhanger but it was incredibly good and I can't wait to see how everything will unfold.

The Will of the Many will live rent free in my brain until the second installment is out (I need it desperately).

This is a MUST read for Fantasy readers and I would advise you to go in as blind as you possibly can.

P.S - I have minor issues with the female characters in this book. I don't think James Islington did a great job describing them... they all have cascading hair (which may be brown, red and probably blond, but I'm not even sure). To be completely honest, they could be interchangeable and read mostly the same to me, except we are supposed to like some more than the others. However, we do have women in the story, and they have roles (albeit limited) besides looking pretty, working in pubs or being SA, so all in all, I can't complain.
I'm curious to know how he's going to develop their future roles as the whole society is highly patriarchal (this is no surprise as it is based on Roman Empire), but the school setting gives as a false sense of equality.

So the setup immediately had my YA alarm bells ringing (17 year old lead who is really smart, strong and is fighting against an unjust and wrong society) but this was honestly really good! The plot and characters are complicated enough that it's not clearly split into good guys and bad guys, so I'm keen to see where this goes next.

Reminds me of Red Rising inasmuch as it is YAish eminently readable fantasy tale. Fast, no frills plot.

Suffers a teensy bit from “Gary Stu Chosen One” syndrome but man that last 1/3rd was incredible! EXCELLENT use of foreshadowing and callbacks to scenes that happened waaaayyy at the beginning of the book. Annoyed I've got to wait probably at least a year for the second one

I loved this book so much!! A lot of people compare it to Red Rising, and even though I can see the similarities, this was so much better in terms of writing, characters and world building (they are really different from each other in this aspect).

I haven't stopped thinking about this book since I finished it, I think it might be now one of my favorite books ever :D

I need the next one

Holy shit! What was that last bit?

TITLE The Will of the Many
AUTHOR James Islington
Genre Fantasy
—
Emotional Impact 8.5
Characters 8.25
Plot 8.25
Worldbuilding / Magic System 8.5
Dialogue / Prose 7.75
Official Rating 8.29
Goodreads Rating 4
Date Started 2/3/2024
Date Finished 2/19/2024
—
NOTES Beginning was a bit slow but the 2nd half picked up immensely, very excited for the next book in the series!!!

TITLE The Will of the Many
AUTHOR James Islington
Genre Fantasy
—
Emotional Impact 8.5
Characters 8.25
Plot 8.25
Worldbuilding / Magic System 8.5
Dialogue / Prose 7.75
Official Rating 8.29
Goodreads Rating 4
Date Started 2/3/2024
Date Finished 2/19/2024
—
NOTES Beginning was a bit slow but the 2nd half picked up immensely, very excited for the next book in the series!!!

This book has caused a major reading slump- nothing has compared since I've read it and I still think about this book every day...

This was good. Don't get me wrong: I enjoyed it. I thought the world-building was carried out agilely and the fantasy elements were intriguing. I found the plot to be well-constructed and well-paced.

But. This was not a great book for me and in spite of the many comparisons, I did not find it reached the level of The Name of the Wind, neither narratively nor artistically. I did not feel it brought anything innovative to the crowded boarding school fantasy sub-genre. And there were some awkward sentences that pulled me out of the reading experience.

The most interesting part of this world for me was the system of Will. I was fascinated by the moral ramifications surrounding the use of Will and I was eager to learn more about the practical workings of this system. But Vis, the protagonist, spends most of the book in a place where the use of Will is forbidden and so that element of the story remained insufficiently explored.

The other frustrating element for me was that although Vis faces many dangerous and difficult obstacles, after the first couple of these, I never felt any tension that he might fail. He seemed invincible and able to best his opponents with little difficulty, even when the odds were stacked against him. I feel Vis would have been a much more compelling character if he had only been a little lass perfect.

There were definitely parts I did like, though. In particular, I loved reading about the friendships that Vis formed and loved watching those friendships grow. I also felt great empathy for Vis when he was forced to confront his past and come to terms with both who he had been in the past and who he was now. The book was also great at keeping me guessing about the true motivations of the different characters and the different factions. I was never sure of anyone's true allegiances and really enjoyed the tense and mysterious ambience that uncertainty produced. Finally, I was completely caught off guard by the epilogue, in the very best way.

In the end, this was a good book, that I enjoyed reading, but was not a mind-blowing read for me. I am curious to know what happens next but will probably not rush to buy the next installment when it is published. Very solid 3 stars.

Really easy to love this book. It's packed with tropes but they're handled so well that they feel fresh. The main character is easy to root for but also flawed enough to be interesting. The rest of the characters were intriguing, and delightfully grey with their own distinct goals and trajectories. The first person perspective keeps you guessing at everyone's motives the whole way through and just like the MC you never know who to trust. It Reminded me of a mix between Name of the Wind and Red Rising in all the best ways. There are a few ridiculously convenient moments near the end (woof woof) that you'll need to suspend disbelief a bit to accept but that doesn't mean you won't be cheering inside. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a book this much. Highly recommend. Can't wait for book 2!

Okay, so this book, OMG, I don't know where I saw it, but I read the blurb and was fascinated, so I added it to my list. There was something about it that I couldn't get out of my head. Even though I have a few books on my list already and wanted to approach my reading systematically this year, I failed. I started a few pages of this masterpiece, then a few chapters, and then I couldn't put it down anymore. It was not a short book, I tell you, but I never felt bored or had a thought that I wanted to pause and do other things first. On the contrary, life was happening, and I wanted it to skip a bit and just go back to this book. It's that good!!! The last time I had this same feeling was when I was reading the The Legend Series, where I couldn't get Daniel Altan Wing out of my head! This time, it was almost all of the characters of this book! From Vis, to Relucia, to Callidus, to Eidhin, to Aequa, ever since Relucia said there was another person in the Catenan Academy who knows who he is, I was on a watchful eye for whoever gave the slightest hint that they are! But until now, I couldn't pinpoint anyone! T_T I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!! IT'S ALREADY AN EARLY CONTENDER FOR MY BEST READ OF 2024 AND IT'S JUST JANUARY!!!

Mystery and magic in a ancient Roman Setting.

This books takes troupes that fantasy book fans love and executes them brilliantly, it even manages to breath life into a magic school. The book then adds a unique setting and magic system to the mix. However the thing that makes this book brilliant is the complex political situation our main character finds himself in. One wrong move could mean his own or others death, who can he trust? How can he keep his promises and protect himself and his friends? Can he get out of this and keep his morality? These questions make every page tense even when slice of life action is happening. I hope Will is busy writing the sequel because I will eat that thing up!

Okay I don't often give a book 5 stars and it wasn't looking like this one was going to be one. But about halfway through I realized how good it was.

Honestly, I think this book is reminiscent of the Hunger Games, Divergent, Maze runner, PJO era of my life. I haven't enjoyed a book this thoroughly in a long time.

The amount of details and background information in this book is insane. It is so well written and thought out. I can't believe how many twists and turns showed up and had me in shock. But they weren't thrown in, they were intentional.

At first I didn't like Vis, I kind of thought he was a brat. But the more I read the more I understand his character. Also, for the people who are saying that he shouldn't be able to do all this stuff because he's a teenager. He has literally been training for these things for what? Like at minimum 12 years?? Also for those saying he is too smart for his age?? His father was a king and he was a prince. He was raised to know about politics and how to act around politicians and playing coy. Give him some credit. Come on now. It's fantasy, how can any of this be happening?

Anywho, I loved this book and can't wait for the next one.

So gripping I didn't want to put it down. Smartly written. Plot points that in a lesser novel would be the focus of the entire book get subverted, and there are plenty of twists.

I'm a huge fan of protagonists like Diagi that get ahead because they're smart and read something obscure. More!

This book blew me away! Seriously, every single page had me hooked, It had me pulling all-nighters, unable to put it down. The suspense was off the charts, and it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. And that ending? It left me craving more, I need the next book ASAP. The protagonist was an absolute joy to invest in and root for! It also helps that this book served up all my favorite fantasy tropes on a silver platter! Hands down, it's one of the best reads I've come across lately.

4.5 - rounding it up to 5 for that ending

I thoroughly enjoy epic fantasy novels, so coming off the heels of the Mistborn trilogy, I had high hopes that The Will of the Many by James Islington would deliver. And boy, did it. In the 30 some odd hours it took me to feverishly read this tome, I felt a range of emotions: amazement at its grandeur, enamored by its complexity, and delighted by the sheer energy of the character journeys. But more than anything, I was in almost constant amazement at its world-building—from the many exciting locations, the scope of the framework, the sparse but extremely effective action sequences, and the way the book rewards you for its seemingly endless setup of the first 30% or so. It will probably come as no surprise that this is probably one of my favorite reads of 2023, and I cannot wait until the next book in the series releases.

Our reticent hero is a teenager who resides in an orphanage and earns his mettle by battling foes in an arena and by keeping a watchful eye over prisoners in a dark, dank prison. (do not touch those sappers!)

After a seemingly positive interaction with a Quintus, Vis is plucked from the orphanage and enrolled in a prestigious, albeit infamous, academy. But before he embarks on his epic quest, he must endure the training of Lanistia. A quick-witted and even-tempered character that is tasked with helping Vis go from zero to hero in a few short weeks.

The training consists of all the regular superfluous studies you come to expect, including fighting, book smarts, magical concepts, passion, socialization, and immense puzzle solving. It's all here, and Vis will need to channel all these teachings in order to succeed at Hogwarts the Academy.

At its heart, the book is a coming-of-age story, and I applaud the minimalistic approach to the actual ‘scene setting'—think broad brush strokes instead of illimitable detail. Typically, I usually champion equal parts detail and substance, but this book gives you just enough to flesh out the blueprints for yourself.

The plot deepens and the extensive amount of setup begins to come to light when Vis enrolls in the academy and begins to uncover some of the murky truths surrounding the institution.

But he does not go at it alone. The tone quickly changes from a fish-out-of-water scenario to being thrown into the deep end of the pool. As Vis moves up the class ranks, acquires more knowledge, and gains more friends, he learns that the tense puzzle games the students play may not be operating ‘above board' and that the staff members might not be all that trustworthy.

From here on out, it's a cohesive collection of Enders Game sensibilities, anime puzzler-like twists, a tad bit of Battle Royal, a dash of Red Rising, a pinch of Maze-Runner, and last but certainly not least, a whole lot of fun!

Bottom line is that it's engaging, and the characters are deep and well-rounded. The groundwork is set for more clever bits of story telling, and I will be first in line to get my eyes on the sequel.

4.5

I'll come back to this once I've gathered my thoughts, but damn, I can't wait for the next one.

Ohhhhhh wowwwwww that ending?????

Ijinkan aku mengenalkan teman-teman pada salah satu buku fantasi terbaik yang aku baca tahun ini. The Will of The Many adalah mahakarya Mr Islington, kombinasi dari suspense, misteri dan fantasi yang terinspirasi dari Romawi, mengingatkanku pada seri Red Rising & An Ember in The Ashes.
Republik Catenan atau dikenal dengan sistem hierarkinya, merupakan pemimpin dunia. Cerita ini mengikuti seorang yatim piatu bernama Vis, yang tinggal di panti, yang kemudian jalan hidupnya berubah total.
Bagian I mengenalkan pembaca pada tokoh Vis. Vis tadinya adalah seorang bangsawan dari negeri bernama Suus yang telah diinvasi oleh yang kini dikenal sebagai Republik Catenan, yang berdiri dengan sistem hierarki. Diluar dugaan Vis - yg tinggal di panti asuhan - diadopsi oleh seorang anggota senat, Ulciscor Telimus, dengan posisi kelima dari hierarki. Rupanya Ulciscor memiliki tujuan tersendiri, Vis dimaksudkan untuk mencari kebenaran misteri kematian saudara laki-lakinya, Caeror yang kala itu masih berstatus siswa di Akademi Catenan. Sebelum masuk akademi Vis dilatih oleh Lanistia, orang kepercayaan Ulciscor.
Memasuki bagian II, dimana Vis memulai pendidikannya di Akademi Catenan. Di sekolah inilah fokus sebagian besar cerita dan plot. Ada misteri yang sangat penting yang disembunyikan oleh akademi, dimana semua pihak sekolah melakukan apapun supaya tidak terungkap. Misteri inilah berhubungan dengan kematian Caeror dan hilangnya penglihatan Lanistia.
Secara keseluruhan buku ini seru, sungguh pengalaman yang menegangkan melihat Caten & hierarki dari sudut pandang si cerdas Vis. Bagaimana Vis mengakali para Praetor juga memainkan psikologis teman sebayanya hingga dia bisa mencapai kelas yg diinginkan oleh Ulciscor, juga mencapai reruntuhan untuk mencari kebenaran yang disembunyikan oleh akademi.

There comes a point in every man's life where he can rail against the unfairness of the world until he loses, or he can do his best in it. Remain a victim, or become a survivor.

I honestly picked up this book because I was simply captivated by the cover and the title. Even went ahead to get the audiobook. No regrets!! The entire storyline was paced well and captured my attention with every event and Vis's action as he climbed up the Academy and encountered various situations. And that ending!! Can't wait for the next book to find out more!!

Will definitely pick up Islington's Licanius Trilogy soon!