Some books shouldn’t be rushed and The Will of the Many by James Islington is definitely a book like that, but unfortunately I had only a couple of days to read it and thus didn’t get the full experience. For instance, I had trouble picturing events in my mind as I didn’t take the time to slowly immerse myself in the descriptions. The only part I couldn’t rush is the beginning. It took all my concentration to get a grasp of the story and the world. The world building could have started off better and included more explanations later on, but the world itself is fascinating.

The Will of the Many is a Roman inspired fantasy / scifi / dark academia novel that follows an orphan called Vis as he’s adopted into a powerful family in order to spy for them in the Academy. The society is based on people ceding their will to the people on the next level in the hierarchy. In the Academy children that are going to be members of the highest levels are taught everything they need to know about willing without actually willing. Vis has a rocky start at the school but does eventually find friends, and some answers - though most questions remain to be answered in the later books.

The Will of the Many has amazing twists and such a cliffhanger ending. It literally ends right before a conversation that’s going to reveal so much. I’m definitely intrigued to continue on, though I wonder if I should wait until the trilogy is finished and then read the whole series back to back. Even if I’m going to pick up The Strength of the Few right when it’s published next September, I’ll want to reread The Will of the Many. And give it the time it deserves.