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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
What an absolute treat. I love the fantasy genre, but even I can admit that sometimes it can be a chore to power though some of the slower bits that flesh out the world and ultimately lead to a satisfying story. Not so with this book.
From start to finish, Unsouled is lightning fast. Knowing what I do about Shonen style anime/manga, it’s easy to see how this book sets up the foundation for what will inevitably be super sayans throwing planets at each other, even if most of this book is our main character punching little children and somehow scraping by despite them being far more powerful than him. It’s honestly hilarious how pathetic they make our hero at the beginning and throughout, and if it wasn’t for my knowledge of the sub genre of power fantasy (I think they call it progression fantasy) I’d probably not be as into it as I am.
Despite the book being as short as it is for the fantasy genre, it’s actually more like 2 books with a defined start, middle and end in both. More like episodes of a tv show. The first half of the story is actually a lot more interesting in my opinion, though the book ultimately closes strongly as well, despite being less interesting.
One thing that’s going to be a turn off for a lot of people is going to be the character progression and development which is far more external than you might be used to in fantasy. Speaking only for this book (I haven’t read the others), the development isn’t about any intrinsic struggle, but more about becoming as powerful as they possibly can be. Is it shallow? Yes. But thats not to say the characters don’t struggle with things and every small victory is absolutely earned. It’s just a different type of growth for a different type of story. Anyone whos watched Naruto or Dragonball or My Hero Academia will be very familiar with this type of character progression.
Speaking of these shows, they all follow a similar style of magic and fighting. Every character more of less seems to have some special ability they can do, either powered by their chi (called Madra) or they have some magical artifact that they build their fighting style around. The magic system is loose enough that there’s a lot of freedom around how these fighting styles look and it can be really fun to discover the mysteries of overcoming each warriors fighting style with tricks and cunning. Having grown up with these shonen style animes, I’m 100% about this. It tickles something in me that no other modern fantasy does. I can see why some people might not like it, but it’s a niche thing that I can’t get enough of.
One thing I’ll say that I didn’t like is some of the actions taken by our main character. Without spoiling anything, he can be a tad disloyal, and in any other story I might actually see him as a villain. He wants power and isn’t afraid to betray trust, steal from allies, and use any kind of tricks to deceive and kill his opponents. The book doesn’t frame him as a villain and gives justifications for his actions, but I can’t help but feel his a little dishonorable at times. There’s one fight scene in particular near the end that was hard for me to read as he’s pretty awful to someone who had shown kindness to him. It makes sense in some ways because most people want him dead or are at the least indifferent to his being killed, but not everyone is. Some people actually look out for him and he doesn’t seem to care about hurting those people just because they’re on the other side of the line he’s drawn in the sand of differing loyalties.
In the end though, I still love the book. If it had ended at the first half, it would have been a solid 5 stars, but with the second half muddying things up a bit, I’d still probably keep it around 4.5 stars. I’m really excited for where the story will go! And last of all, I should mention that I grabbed all the ebooks when they went free on Amazon and paid the extra 2 dollars for each book and bought every audiobook in the series after I got halfway through this one, that’s how confident I was that I would love it (and I didn’t want to miss the sale). And a HUGE thank you to the author for making these books free. My library doesn’t have any copies of them, so I’m going to reach out and see what it would take to get some in circulation, even if I just need to buy some copies from Amazon and donate them.
From start to finish, Unsouled is lightning fast. Knowing what I do about Shonen style anime/manga, it’s easy to see how this book sets up the foundation for what will inevitably be super sayans throwing planets at each other, even if most of this book is our main character punching little children and somehow scraping by despite them being far more powerful than him. It’s honestly hilarious how pathetic they make our hero at the beginning and throughout, and if it wasn’t for my knowledge of the sub genre of power fantasy (I think they call it progression fantasy) I’d probably not be as into it as I am.
Despite the book being as short as it is for the fantasy genre, it’s actually more like 2 books with a defined start, middle and end in both. More like episodes of a tv show. The first half of the story is actually a lot more interesting in my opinion, though the book ultimately closes strongly as well, despite being less interesting.
One thing that’s going to be a turn off for a lot of people is going to be the character progression and development which is far more external than you might be used to in fantasy. Speaking only for this book (I haven’t read the others), the development isn’t about any intrinsic struggle, but more about becoming as powerful as they possibly can be. Is it shallow? Yes. But thats not to say the characters don’t struggle with things and every small victory is absolutely earned. It’s just a different type of growth for a different type of story. Anyone whos watched Naruto or Dragonball or My Hero Academia will be very familiar with this type of character progression.
Speaking of these shows, they all follow a similar style of magic and fighting. Every character more of less seems to have some special ability they can do, either powered by their chi (called Madra) or they have some magical artifact that they build their fighting style around. The magic system is loose enough that there’s a lot of freedom around how these fighting styles look and it can be really fun to discover the mysteries of overcoming each warriors fighting style with tricks and cunning. Having grown up with these shonen style animes, I’m 100% about this. It tickles something in me that no other modern fantasy does. I can see why some people might not like it, but it’s a niche thing that I can’t get enough of.
One thing I’ll say that I didn’t like is some of the actions taken by our main character. Without spoiling anything, he can be a tad disloyal, and in any other story I might actually see him as a villain. He wants power and isn’t afraid to betray trust, steal from allies, and use any kind of tricks to deceive and kill his opponents. The book doesn’t frame him as a villain and gives justifications for his actions, but I can’t help but feel his a little dishonorable at times. There’s one fight scene in particular near the end that was hard for me to read as he’s pretty awful to someone who had shown kindness to him. It makes sense in some ways because most people want him dead or are at the least indifferent to his being killed, but not everyone is. Some people actually look out for him and he doesn’t seem to care about hurting those people just because they’re on the other side of the line he’s drawn in the sand of differing loyalties.
In the end though, I still love the book. If it had ended at the first half, it would have been a solid 5 stars, but with the second half muddying things up a bit, I’d still probably keep it around 4.5 stars. I’m really excited for where the story will go! And last of all, I should mention that I grabbed all the ebooks when they went free on Amazon and paid the extra 2 dollars for each book and bought every audiobook in the series after I got halfway through this one, that’s how confident I was that I would love it (and I didn’t want to miss the sale). And a HUGE thank you to the author for making these books free. My library doesn’t have any copies of them, so I’m going to reach out and see what it would take to get some in circulation, even if I just need to buy some copies from Amazon and donate them.
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is my bad. I didn’t fully understand what a LiTTPG novel is. If I would’ve known I would not have picked this up. This is basically everything I don’t enjoy in a book but I can totally understand why other people like it. I did not care about the protagonist at all or any of the characters in this. There wasn’t a focus on themes, atmosphere or world building. It was just plot at breakneck speed. It’s more like a DND campaign or anime, which are two things I’m not a super big fan of. Especially DND, I really hate DND. If I would’ve known that the book was like that I would not have picked it up.
One of the standout progression fantasy series of all time. A classic feel-good tale. You root for the protagonists in all situations. And are thoroughly entertained by the world, the characters and the entire series. If you start this series, I bet you won't stop until the end. Unsouled is a great first intro to progressive fantasy a genre. But it is also one of the better progression fantasy series out there for pacing, for character development, and for the friends you find along the way. I only wish there was more to read. Not that it's a short series. Just that I want more of the world to read about.
the aelius verdict: 4/5 stars
Before I talk about the book itself, I want to talk about how I met this book. Well, It was because of a friend that recommended me this, and I can say from that point forward that I absolutely enjoyed every single page fully. There were no let downs in this book and you would not see any, mostly because it’s a short book though.
Now onto the book
The way [a:Will Wight|7125278|Will Wight|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1442891069p2/7125278.jpg] crafted this protagonist, was like a mixture of almost everything, you know like that one wizard pouring chemicals and that chemical was labelled: "UNIQUE HUMOUR" and it exploded?
Yea that's basically how you would feel following Lindon on this adventure, its excessive, BUT done so well its not a drag at all and to me its really fresh because this is my first time seeing a protagonist written as humorously underrated as it is. The author doesn't even seem like he is making an effort, which is the beauty of how its written. I absolutely adored and relished every second I spent following Lindon on this journey, and it could be for you too!
Combat Scenes
Besides that, [a:Will Wight|7125278|Will Wight|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1442891069p2/7125278.jpg] also did extremely well in managing to exponentially shoot up the imaginative visual of fighting, combat and set-up scenes. He captures it without breaking a sweat as seen having an obvious point of having a short and sweet book out there. I thoroughly enjoyed these as it was so easy but vigorously engaging to follow and i just love it.
Some authors really try to put one foot out the door to pull out something of a crazy stunt but this is just flat and consistently good, and i just love this style. But then, I wouldn't go as far as saying this is a sustainable style, which I think will change and "cycle" (ehehe) as the story goes along.
Second point to the scenes is that I just LOVE how [a:Will Wight|7125278|Will Wight|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1442891069p2/7125278.jpg] knows how to craft the right build up to show how much difference there is when it comes to Power and Strength in this fantasy world, it gives me the goosebumps sometimes while reading through those and it may be the same for you, i think highly of it!
Weakness
I think the book really need a map, because of how the setting is built up and fans would absolutely enjoy the additional mystical immersion, unless that's in the next book (which i don't think so because i read 10% already while writing this review, yes it's that addictive, ok i'll stop).
UNPOPULAR OPINION / WEAKNESS
Now this is it, this is one book that i dislike when it comes to reading synopsis, because naturally most of the times when people buy books in a store, they peek and read at the synopsis. In this case... reading Unsouled's synopsis is a deal-breaker to enjoy the book in the best way possible.
I personally was recommended this book by a dear friend so i absolute trust his recommendations and went right on ahead. AFTER i read this book i went on to read the synopsis and ohh if i had known, it would be less impactful, still enjoyable no doubt, but less spectacular while reading it.
Before I talk about the book itself, I want to talk about how I met this book. Well, It was because of a friend that recommended me this, and I can say from that point forward that I absolutely enjoyed every single page fully. There were no let downs in this book and you would not see any, mostly because it’s a short book though.
Now onto the book
The way [a:Will Wight|7125278|Will Wight|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1442891069p2/7125278.jpg] crafted this protagonist, was like a mixture of almost everything, you know like that one wizard pouring chemicals and that chemical was labelled: "UNIQUE HUMOUR" and it exploded?
Yea that's basically how you would feel following Lindon on this adventure, its excessive, BUT done so well its not a drag at all and to me its really fresh because this is my first time seeing a protagonist written as humorously underrated as it is. The author doesn't even seem like he is making an effort, which is the beauty of how its written. I absolutely adored and relished every second I spent following Lindon on this journey, and it could be for you too!
Combat Scenes
Besides that, [a:Will Wight|7125278|Will Wight|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1442891069p2/7125278.jpg] also did extremely well in managing to exponentially shoot up the imaginative visual of fighting, combat and set-up scenes. He captures it without breaking a sweat as seen having an obvious point of having a short and sweet book out there. I thoroughly enjoyed these as it was so easy but vigorously engaging to follow and i just love it.
Some authors really try to put one foot out the door to pull out something of a crazy stunt but this is just flat and consistently good, and i just love this style. But then, I wouldn't go as far as saying this is a sustainable style, which I think will change and "cycle" (ehehe) as the story goes along.
Second point to the scenes is that I just LOVE how [a:Will Wight|7125278|Will Wight|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1442891069p2/7125278.jpg] knows how to craft the right build up to show how much difference there is when it comes to Power and Strength in this fantasy world, it gives me the goosebumps sometimes while reading through those and it may be the same for you, i think highly of it!
Weakness
I think the book really need a map, because of how the setting is built up and fans would absolutely enjoy the additional mystical immersion, unless that's in the next book (which i don't think so because i read 10% already while writing this review, yes it's that addictive, ok i'll stop).
UNPOPULAR OPINION / WEAKNESS
Now this is it, this is one book that i dislike when it comes to reading synopsis, because naturally most of the times when people buy books in a store, they peek and read at the synopsis. In this case... reading Unsouled's synopsis is a deal-breaker to enjoy the book in the best way possible.
I personally was recommended this book by a dear friend so i absolute trust his recommendations and went right on ahead. AFTER i read this book i went on to read the synopsis and ohh if i had known, it would be less impactful, still enjoyable no doubt, but less spectacular while reading it.
fast-paced
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Fun and fast paced - a solid, tidy little adventure with more than a few glimpses at a MUCH larger world.
Who doesn't love a plucky, clever underdog? Unsouled is a super quick and enjoyable adventure that quickly has you rooting for our protagonist. I found myself devouring this book much quicker, and caring for our character far deeper, than I thought I would!
I was very impressed at how Wight was able to hint toward a massive universe and create a tremendous amount of intrigue for the far future of the series, while also creating very real stakes that we care about for our much weaker protagonist. I'm super excited to see where this series will go, but also care deeply about our current adventures.
I was very pleasantly surprised by Unsouled, and I'm already planning on jumping into the next in the series!
Who doesn't love a plucky, clever underdog? Unsouled is a super quick and enjoyable adventure that quickly has you rooting for our protagonist. I found myself devouring this book much quicker, and caring for our character far deeper, than I thought I would!
I was very impressed at how Wight was able to hint toward a massive universe and create a tremendous amount of intrigue for the far future of the series, while also creating very real stakes that we care about for our much weaker protagonist. I'm super excited to see where this series will go, but also care deeply about our current adventures.
I was very pleasantly surprised by Unsouled, and I'm already planning on jumping into the next in the series!
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes