Outstanding!
Spotonu
08-10-2025
What a great book. The pacing is great and the story is unpredictable!
Refreshing
JCinCincy
15-07-2025
What a great story. Vastly different from your run of the mill fantasy series. Has the feel of a mystery set in a world that uses the life force of other humans to augment themselves. Clever plot line and unique magic system round this excellent story out. Ready for the next one.
A Masterpiece
kissguz
13-07-2025
This booked was simply, amazing.
10/10!!
Thhrffk
22-06-2025
10/10 - amazing! Just read it!
I hate when they do this
amcdavid
27-05-2025
First 90% of the story was so dry and bland it was like reading the Nutrition Facts off a box of granola. The last 10% is where they splash milk on it, and finally it's fit for consumption. Three stars for meh feels about the first 90% and plus one star for how interestingly it ends. The end is redemptive enough that I'm reluctantly going to read the next in the series when it's released.
6 Star
soundcloudgmt
27-05-2025
I’m only able to rank it 5 stars, that’s a bummer but the book is really good favorite characters being Lanistia, Callidus, and Neqauais. Love how the book leaves a lot of questions unanswered it allows me to want to figure them out which should be answered in book 2. Hope this gets turned into….a movie actually idk abt show
Compelling Intro Book
hootang1234567891011
07-05-2025
As a huge fan of the Licanius Trilogy I was excited to give this book a try and it did not dissapoint at all. The main characters is somebody that I naturally want to route for at all times. The world’s history and world building gripped me extremely fast and left wanting to theory craft a million times over after finishing. Also I was very emotionally invested throughout the book with highs and lows of being mad and sad throughout. All in all I think this book is the best thing that James Islington has written so far and am really looking forward to the next book in the series later this year. Thanks for the amazing book and world James !
Simply amazing
ElectricChance
28-02-2025
Impossible to put down, entertaining, and just an overall great book
Absolutely Wonderful! Please Buy!!
Jake177685
19-02-2025
Unique, Familiar, Intimate, lively, epic, personal
Great story and setting
I-love-shoes
22-01-2025
The concept of Will and how it’s presented are very interesting, fitting perfectly into the overall story. One of best books I have read in the past year. Can’t wait for the following book to come out.
Just read it!
Brentm17
20-01-2025
Fresh and mind-blowing! My new favorite series! I couldn’t put it down!
A whirlwind of a book leaving me with many questions
Matthewmatics18
03-01-2025
This book was very well written. Suspense, action, tragedy, this book has it all. I was hooked very early on and couldn’t put it down. The pacing is quite good, making this a great read, despite the ending raising lots of new questions. Can’t wait for book 2
Excellent one of the best!!!
ACapelli80
08-12-2024
I kept seeing this book come up and knew I would probably get to it due to good reviews. Wish I didn’t wait…..just read it!
Read in 2 days
hexgirls
05-12-2024
Couldn’t put the book down normally I skim through parts of a book I don’t like but I didn’t really do that with this book
Just buy it, thank me later
@snowtheebarber
01-10-2024
^
Will of the Many
MacKDaddyRhea
30-09-2024
Amazing read! I couldn’t put it down! 10/10 WOULD RECOMMEND!
Thoroughly enjoyed it
MBCohen99
12-09-2024
Best book I’ve read in quite a while.
Awesome!
Robert8589
04-08-2024
This book was great and super complex.
Fantastic
Grdinic
04-07-2024
Five stars is for life-alerting works, while not quite that this is an astonishing piece of fiction. Well-drawn, likable characters, with consistent and logical motivations. Believable dialogue and colorful world-building. Touching sequences packed with earned moments of tenderness, action that’s never outlandish, and thrilling sneaky sneak sequences. Mostly, smart, constantly changing and evolving plot. What a fantastic read.
Great start to a hopefully long and successful series.
Stef609
15-06-2024
I went into this with no expectations, Vis as a character immediately struck me as interesting. The way it starts, his defiance to the world around him, and his position in life are always enough to nab me. The way he progresses through the story, struggling with his past and now his new life, navigating the risks he must take in order to avoid the unfortunate fate promised to him if he fails. Incredibly delivered by the author, I wished for a little more closure at the end, but nonetheless looking forward to the 2nd book later this year.
The Will of the Many
CooperCT
06-05-2024
Amazing book! When is #2 coming?
Fantasy Esports?
Colin Reid W
29-04-2024
Compelling ideas and setting, frustratingly propelled by silly, video-game-inspired obstacles.
Perfect Start
Plague Bringer99
10-04-2024
From chapter 2 on, I was hooked! The ending probably sealed the 5 star for me!
One of my new favorites for sure
hannahluckow
29-02-2024
I can’t say enough good things about this book. I’ve been struggling to find something to follow this book up with because it was just that good of a read. Finished it within a couple days. The story line is compelling, characters are well-developed, and the world-building is phenomenal. I can rarely find a book that I don’t see the plot twists coming from a mile away, but this book managed to surprise me. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to come out!
Outstanding
Callanish7
17-02-2024
Fantastic sci-fi the way it should be! It is truly inventive and highly intense like the hunger games in Ancient Rome on steroids and even better. So upset with the ending as it was clearly not over… and the next book hasn’t been released yet - I hate that! Hurry up!
Bravo James!
Dangerous Nights Crew
03-02-2024
What an absolutely amazing book, with such a profound story. I am so thankful for your commitment to your fans, this book was such a treat. I implore anyone and everyone to read this book!
Marvelous
RetroGamer385
21-01-2024
After slogging through my last five books that were mediocre to bad, this book was the breath of fresh air I needed. I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend and can’t wait for the next one!
Reading Slump Antidote
Manny W2
16-11-2023
I haven’t read much in a long while and this book jolted me out of that slump. I think fans of Sanderson would love this book. The prose is swift, intelligent, and easy to follow; the main character is relateable and, despite his flaws, easy to root for; and the plot is intriguing enough to keep you turning the page (I devoured this book in less than 48 hours). My only regret is reading this and not having the sequel to immediately dive into.
Unreal
willson14
11-10-2023
I need the next book so badly that I would be afraid of the money I’d spend to get it early
Don’t recommend
eglass.
28-07-2023
Unstoppable protagonist and stupid lore
Wow
ArtLaffer
19-07-2023
If you’re a fan of Brandon Sanderson or Patrick Rothfuss, you will probably like this book. I went in highly skeptical as I DON’T love Sanderson, but found myself absorbed in a way I’ve not experienced outside of my all time favorites. This is a ~700 page book (1060+ on an iPhone) and I ripped through it in 24 hours. The pacing is masterful, the characters are deep, and the world building is novel. This is the best fantasy book I’ve read in the last decade and it’s not close.
Great!
classCreator
15-07-2023
Love it ! Angry at myself for reading it because I can’t wait for all of them to be out
Excellent
GargoyleBlue
01-07-2023
Was on a cruise and couldn’t put it down. Great characters, intriguing magic system, complete settings. Ending got me begging for the next one.
Fascinating World Building
Fastprof
14-06-2023
I found this intricately conceived dystopian world fascinating. It was a unique blend of magic and a sort of witchcraft with ancient Roman culture and institutions. It was a relentless page-turner for me; I looked forward to going back to it each day. The author’s descriptions of this world were lavish and beautiful. My only suggestion would be to include maps. I look forward to the next installment.
Amazing
Bofa01
02-06-2023
This book was simply impossible to put down from start to finish. I am not usually motivated enough to write even a small review, but this book was something special.
