A review by kierano
Unsouled by Will Wight

4.0

 

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