The Will of the Many by James Islington follows Vis Telimus, an orphaned young man who vows to never let the empire take his Will from him to power their Hierarchy. The story is filled with twists and turns, jaw-dropping moments, and a mix of hope and darkness. Set in a post-Cataclysm world with a Roman-inspired setting, the book delves into moral quandaries, mysteries, and a unique school setup on the isolated island of Solivagus. The protagonist, Vis, is portrayed as determined, sharp, and calculated, with a strong moral compass and a dreamy friendship dynamic with characters like Callidus and Eidhin.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include themes of violence, betrayal, and the complexities of a hierarchical society.
From The Publisher:
At the elite Catenan Academy, a young fugitive uncovers layered mysteries and world-changing secrets in this new fantasy series by internationally bestselling author of The Licanius Trilogy, James Islington.
AUDI. VIDE. TACE.
The Catenan Republic - the Hierarchy - may rule the world now, but they do not know everything.
I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned after a tragic accident three years ago, and that good fortune alone has led to my acceptance into their most prestigious school. I tell them that once I graduate, I will gladly join the rest of civilised society in allowing my strength, my drive and my focus - what they call Will - to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as millions already do. As all must eventually do.
I tell them that I belong, and they believe me.
But the truth is that I have been sent to the Academy to find answers. To solve a murder. To search for an ancient weapon. To uncover secrets that may tear the Republic apart.
And that I will never, ever cede my Will to the empire that executed my family.
To survive, though, I will still have to rise through the Academy's ranks. I will have to smile, and make friends, and pretend to be one of them and win. Because if I cannot, then those who want to control me, who know my real name, will no longer have any use for me.
And if the Hierarchy finds out who I truly am, they will kill me.
Ratings (49)
Incredible (29) | |
Loved It (13) | |
Liked It (4) | |
It Was OK (2) | |
Did Not Like (1) |
Reader Stats (121):
Read It (46) | |
Currently Reading (4) | |
Want To Read (68) | |
Not Interested (3) |
4 comment(s)
Hmmm in the beginning I thought this would be a 5-star read. Full review to come.
Gutting. Loved it.
This was fantastic. I'm going to be thinking about this one for a while, and I'll be reading the second as soon as it's out. It was nothing like the tightly-plotted books I've tended towards lately, but it was a wild ride! The book might have been long but I couldn't put it down.
I've heard
The Will of the Many spoken of as a new fantasy series on par with
The Stormlight Archive,
The Kingkiller Chronicles, and other big names in the genre, and while I wouldn't call it a new favorite, this book undoubtedly deserves the recognition it has received. For one thing, Islington took the plot much farther than I expected from the first book in a series — every time I thought we'd reached a point where other authors might've halted the story, I'd look down to see 50% or more still to go. That was both a positive and a negative (I got a bit burnt out from the book at times), but it was never enough to induce me to put down — or even pause — my reading journey.
Vis (or Diago) was a great protagonist — intelligent, driven, surprisingly kind, and realistically flawed. I don't usually enjoy following royalty in books, however, Vis is so far removed from his heritage in the story that it never became an issue for me, and honestly, if he decided to switch it up and attempt to regain his kingdom in a future book, I wouldn't be mad!
The worldbuilding and magic systems are fascinating, and the repercussions and power dynamics are all so fully fleshed out in this first book that it excites me to see where Islington will take us in the next book. I'm so mad that I have to wait for the sequel with how the finale of this story went, but I have faith that it will be just as much of a rollercoaster ride as this was.
RIP Callidus. You were an invaluable friend to Vis, and I'm sad that we won't see you grow and develop in future books.
What can you read after
The Will of the Many?
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