The Will of the Many - Why This Book Lives in My Head

Alright so I finally got around to The Will of the Many by James Islington and… yeah. I have thoughts.

What’s It About

It’s set in this Roman Republic-inspired world called Caten where the lower classes literally have to give up their life force (called Will) to the people above them in the hierarchy. The energy flows upward - so the people at the top are basically superhuman because they’re receiving power from thousands of people beneath them. Pretty dark concept when you think about it.

The main character Vis (his real name is Diago) is a hidden prince - his family got executed when the Catenan Republic invaded his home island of Suus. Now he’s trying to survive in this messed up system while hiding who he really is. He ends up getting adopted by this senator named Ulciscor and sent to the Academy, where he’s supposed to investigate a death while also being blackmailed by rebels. It’s a lot.

My Honest Take

Okay so Vis was easily my favorite part of this book. Watching him navigate all these political games while hiding his identity - that tension carried me through. But I’m gonna be real with you, there were parts of this book where I was kinda bored. Like genuinely struggling to keep going.

Some sections just dragged. I’d be reading and thinking “bro what are you even doing right now” - not in a fun way, just in a “this is slow” way. The pacing isn’t always there.

BUT. The ending? The ending got me. Won’t spoil it but that’s what made me actually want to continue the series. It recontextualizes a lot of what came before and I was genuinely hooked by the time I finished.

The Magic System

The Will system is interesting because it’s not just about combat - it shapes the entire society. The people at the bottom are literally giving up years of their life so the elite can be powerful. That’s horrifying when you sit with it. Islington did a good job making the worldbuilding feel connected to actual power structures.

Final Thoughts

Overall I enjoyed it. Not gonna pretend every page was gripping because it wasn’t, but Vis is a solid protagonist and that ending made me want to pick up book two. I just haven’t gotten to The Strength of the Few yet - it’s on the list.

If you’re cool with slower pacing and like political fantasy with an academy setting, give it a shot. Just know it takes a while to really get going. Solid 3.5/5 for me.