A review by sonnenboy
The Will of the Many by James Islington

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I can't wait for the second book to come out. Holy shit. I love how Vis just puts himself into situations. All of the characters in this book have something going on, it really makes you feel like they are real people with real lives. The system of the world is explained really well is easy to understand without it feeling like the author is dumping exposition on you. The whole story mainly plays out in the upper levels of Catenan society, so there is a lot of political stuff going on and also rich kids being rich kids. It serves as a very effective contrast to Vis' life so far. Vis himself also feels natural. He is very good at a lot of things, but it always has a believable reason, he doesn't gain any skills suddenly just to make sure he can overcome an obstacle. Also, he makes mistakes with real consequences to himself and others. He grows as a person. He struggles with his identity. You will have to decide if he's loveable to you, but it is undeniable that he is a very interesting protagonist with strong convictions. Also there is a little romance in this book but it's the kind that adds to the story and the characters and it doesn't take focus away from the rest of the plot. Ideal for people who are tired of romantasy (like me!) :) 
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