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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Good book and introduction
Someone should tell the honor obsessed twats in the valley that Honor is dead.
Some interesting ideas. It definitely reads a bit too much like playing an RPG, and this gets worse as the book goes on, but I think that’s intentional/standard for the genre. The core concept of a magic system that operates on this number of different levels of understanding was cool to see.
Definitely more in the “beach read” camp, only for fans of fantasy.
Definitely more in the “beach read” camp, only for fans of fantasy.
adventurous
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:
Yes
Picked this up because pretty much every reddit recommendation thread highly recommended this. This is progression fantasy with a twist. Will Wight takes the world of wuxia and gives it a Western interpretation. I saw readers comparing it to Naruto, shounen anime and the like, but I saw a lot of the cnovels I've read in this. Surprisingly, even the tiny details in this novel match the world of wuxia. Progression fantasy is a very new genre to me - it's a type of fantasy where the main characters start off weak and work very hard to progress, much like the way you level up in a game.
Anyway, the first 30-40% of this was a small, self-contained wuxia story about a boy, Lindon, without a strong magical core, and he's treated as lesser because of it. We witness his burning ambition and desire to improve his lot in life, the powerful bullies and obstacles he faces, and the tricks he uses to stay ahead. Around 50% is when the world dramatically expands in scope. Turns out this world he's in is considered a cradle world where civilizations 'start'. Interdimensional travel is possible and there are a group of higher beings who rule over the cosmos with names like archangels. I'm guessing Lindon gets to rub shoulders with them eventually. The novel ends with Lindon taking a gamble to venture beyond the four mountains and he succeeds.
I see a lot of potential in this first book - a lot of setting up was done, with the promise of more exciting plot things happening. The writing is solid and the story is action-packed, with lots of plot twists. There was quite a bit of info-dumping, which was necessary but bogged down the pacing quite a bit. It was with a bit of skimming that I finished the first book. I'm currently on the second book and I'm not sure if I'll finish it - it's pretty slow.
Overall, a solid read for those who like wuxia and progression narratives.
Anyway, the first 30-40% of this was a small, self-contained wuxia story about a boy, Lindon, without a strong magical core, and he's treated as lesser because of it. We witness his burning ambition and desire to improve his lot in life, the powerful bullies and obstacles he faces, and the tricks he uses to stay ahead. Around 50% is when the world dramatically expands in scope. Turns out this world he's in is considered a cradle world where civilizations 'start'. Interdimensional travel is possible and there are a group of higher beings who rule over the cosmos with names like archangels. I'm guessing Lindon gets to rub shoulders with them eventually. The novel ends with Lindon taking a gamble to venture beyond the four mountains and he succeeds.
I see a lot of potential in this first book - a lot of setting up was done, with the promise of more exciting plot things happening. The writing is solid and the story is action-packed, with lots of plot twists. There was quite a bit of info-dumping, which was necessary but bogged down the pacing quite a bit. It was with a bit of skimming that I finished the first book. I'm currently on the second book and I'm not sure if I'll finish it - it's pretty slow.
Overall, a solid read for those who like wuxia and progression narratives.
If you have a presence in any fantasy fiction spaces online, it won’t be long before you stumble across people lauding the Cradle series by Will Wight. I was excited by how some described it as the epitome of ‘progression fantasy,’ wherein the protagonist progresses in strength/magical prowess in incremental and readily understood steps throughout the series, and I was equally intrigued by the length and pace of the series—a now complete collection of twelve novels, released over the course of only seven years.
Given the praise the series has received and the speed at which it was released, I had high hopes going into the first book, Unsouled.
Honour Above All
Set in the ‘Sacred Valley’ inhabited by a Chinese-style culture of honour-bound clans and schools, Unsouled follows a young man named Lindon who, despite a fervour to train in the magical ‘sacred arts,’ is forbidden from training after he is found to be ‘Unsouled’—physically hale yet spiritually crippled—and is unable to contribute to society or, more importantly, become a source of honour for his clan.
The honour and dignity of characters and clans plays an enormous role in Unsouled. Every single action a character takes is ruled by these factors, including Lindon. Interestingly though, Lindon never bemoans this fact. Honour is just as import to him as the Patriarch of his clan, despite him being at the bottom of the social ladder—outclassed in basic feats of magical strength by mere children.
Wight could’ve taken the easier route and have Lindon learn to live without the spectre of such a nebulous concept as honour hanging over his every move. Instead, it remains a unique facet of Lindon’s character throughout the book, helping him stand apart from other fantasy protagonists.
Full review: https://www.kieran-obrien.com/post/unsouled-is-a-strong-start-to-the-ultimate-progression-fantasy-series-novel-review
Full review: https://www.kieran-obrien.com/post/unsouled-is-a-strong-start-to-the-ultimate-progression-fantasy-series-novel-review
Really enjoyed this! Was so much fun and a well needed break from super serious reads! Will absolutely be continuing on
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Yea that was fun. Hook comes in pretty late so it took me ages to get hooked but enjoyed the speed at which everything happened after that. I liked the way Lindon used his cleverness and the fact he killed a jade at foundation does a good job of showing how he’s able to fight well above his level but I think I would’ve liked a little more something around his plans because right before / the very start of when he executed a plan was the place was when I kept putting down the book.
Summary:
Lindon is born to a clan of magical martial artists without the ability to use said magic, at least not well. As power is everything, he is a stain on his clan and his family. After meeting with a 5 tailed fox he learns of a pure madra technique he can use with disrupts the power of other magic. He is able to force a martial artist 2 ranks above him to take a step back in a duel, though he immediately forfeits after. He takes part in a tournament which is crashed by an overpowered martial artist who is stopped by Suriel after Lindon sacrifices himself trying to slow the man down. Suriel was born in Cradle but has long out grown it. She shows Lindon his fated life which ends with a devastating attack on the valley his family lives within. He decides to become powerful enough to stop this, although he is more likely to die than succeed. He is accepted, reluctantly, to a prestigious training school after cheating his way in and finds Yarin the apprentice to the recently killed Sword Sage. They escape the valley together after she aborbs her master’s remenant and Lindon kills a Jade ranked elder in self defense, splitting his core in two in the same fight.
Summary:
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No