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nice_frogboy's reviews
626 reviews
The Will of the Many by James Islington
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-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? No
4.75
this is a really interesting book that i enjoyed a lot. there's a lot of influences here, but one thing in particular i'm seeing is the similarity to Pierce Brown's Red Rising series -
in an empire inspired by ancient Rome, a member of an oppressed/conquered group of people with one or more tragic deaths in the family undergoes intense training to become a student sleeper agent at the most perfect Roman Empire school. the protagonist uses their training and unconventional skills to beat the conquerors at their own game, while making friends with the outcasts, and struggling with the implications of their dual life. despite an unexpected betrayal from a fellow student, they triumph in the deadly, Hunger Games style wilderness competition in order to become the Most Perfect Student. the book ends with them choosing an unexpected berth in society, leading the reader to wonder whether they are going out of the frying pan and into the fire.
i have no problem with this, because it's a great setup, and the book builds on the premise substantially. in particular, i enjoyed the magic system for how on-the-nose it is - a "vote-based" manifestation of the will of a community that is bent into a system of oppression. that's just a great idea.
i have no problem with this, because it's a great setup, and the book builds on the premise substantially. in particular, i enjoyed the magic system for how on-the-nose it is - a "vote-based" manifestation of the will of a community that is bent into a system of oppression. that's just a great idea.