The Will of the Many Length: 23:18 Series: Hiearchy #1
Published by Simon and Schuster on May 23, 2023
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Fantasy / Epic, Fiction / Fantasy / General, Fiction / Fantasy / Historical
Pages: 640
Find the Author: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon
Goodreads
Reading Challenges: 2024 Audiobook challenge, Netgalley BacklistAt the elite Catenan Academy, a young fugitive uncovers layered mysteries and world-changing secrets in this new fantasy series by internationally bestselling author of The Licanius Trilogy, James Islington.
AUDI. VIDE. TACE.
The Catenan Republic—the Hierarchy—may rule the world now, but they do not know everything.
I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned after a tragic accident three years ago, and that good fortune alone has led to my acceptance into their most prestigious school. I tell them that once I graduate, I will gladly join the rest of civilised society in allowing my strength, my drive and my focus—what they call Will—to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as millions already do. As all must eventually do.
I tell them that I belong, and they believe me.
But the truth is that I have been sent to the Academy to find answers. To solve a murder. To search for an ancient weapon. To uncover secrets that may tear the Republic apart.
And that I will never, ever cede my Will to the empire that executed my family.
To survive, though, I will still have to rise through the Academy’s ranks. I will have to smile, and make friends, and pretend to be one of them and win. Because if I cannot, then those who want to control me, who know my real name, will no longer have any use for me.
And if the Hierarchy finds out who I truly am, they will kill me.
Review:
I listened to the audiobook for this one as it is on the longer side, and I have to say a reread with annotation will probably be needed for book two. I got the majority of what went down. We have a child who is an orphan who is taken into an academy where he uncovers a very layered and mysterious world with lots of buried secrets. The Will of Many reminded me of a few books, Hunger Games and Maze Runner, which are divergent but set in more adult-like themes, so there is less romance. It is also all told from one point of view, so there are not a lot of characters to keep track of, which is a blessing. The Will of Many is the first book by this author I have read, though I own others of his. The magic system is not explained well, but there is more to uncover as we read through the series.
About James Islington
James Islington was born and raised in southern Victoria, Australia. An avid fantasy reader for many years, it was only when he read Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series that he was finally inspired to write something of his own. He now lives with his wife and two children on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2024 Audiobook challenge
- Netgalley Backlist
