2023, Literature & Fiction, Action & Adventure
WISE Score
Amazon
Gladiator meets Red Rising in a Roman-themed school where 'paying it forward' means literally giving your soul to your boss.
4.7
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This is one of the best fantasy novels of the last few years. It avoids the 'chosen one' tropes and replaces them with a protagonist who has to out-study and out-hustle everyone around him just to stay alive.
It's perfect for the kid who finished Harry Potter years ago and wants something with more teeth. It isn't 'light' reading, but it's incredibly rewarding if you can keep up with the pacing. If your teen likes high-stakes competition and complex mysteries, buy this immediately.
Best for 14 and up. The vocabulary and political maneuvering are dense, and the themes of systemic oppression are better suited for high schoolers and adults who can handle a bit of grit.
The story is built on a foundation of systemic exploitation and revenge. While the protagonist has a strong moral compass, the world itself is intentionally bleak and survival-focused.
The 'Will' system—where power is literally transferred up a social pyramid—is a brilliant, tangible metaphor for hierarchy. The Roman-inspired setting feels lived-in rather than just a costume.
It's a book for older teens and adults. Expect violence, mentions of execution, and some moderate profanity. It's not 'shock' value for the sake of it, but it doesn't pull punches regarding its brutal world.
Excellent for dissecting social structures, meritocracy, and the ethics of power. It forces readers to think about what they’d sacrifice for stability versus what they'd do for freedom.
If your teen is tired of protagonists who win because of a secret prophecy or a magical birthright, they’ll find Vis incredibly refreshing. This isn't a story about a "Chosen One." It’s a story about the smartest person in the room who is also willing to work twice as hard as everyone else. Vis has to navigate the Catenan Academy by out-thinking, out-studying, and out-maneuvering classmates who have been groomed for this their entire lives.
There is a deep satisfaction in watching a character solve problems through sheer intellectual grit. It makes the stakes feel earned. When Vis wins a physical or political fight, you know it’s because he spent the previous three chapters preparing for it. This makes the book a great pick for kids who gravitate toward "competence porn"—stories where the main draw is watching someone be exceptionally good at a difficult task.
The most frequent comparison you’ll hear for this book is Red Rising. That’s a fair shout. Both involve a low-born protagonist infiltrating the elite to tear a corrupt system down from the inside. However, The Will of the Many feels more grounded in its Roman-inspired setting. It trades the high-flying space opera vibes for the claustrophobia of a high-stakes boarding school.
If your kid liked the "Institute" portion of the first Red Rising book, this is essentially an entire novel dedicated to that specific brand of academic and physical survival. It’s also a perfect bridge for readers who have outgrown Harry Potter or Percy Jackson and are looking for something with more political complexity and actual consequences.
The "Will" system is the standout piece of world-building here. In this society, people literally cede their physical and mental energy to those above them in the social hierarchy. It’s a literalized version of systemic exploitation.
This isn't just "magic" for the sake of cool fight scenes. It’s the engine of the entire plot and the source of the book's moral friction. It forces the reader to think about what they would be willing to give up for the sake of a stable, safe society. It’s a heavy concept that moves the book from a standard adventure into something much more thought-provoking.
This is a dense read. James Islington doesn't hold your hand through the political maneuvering or the Latin-heavy terminology of the Hierarchy. The first hundred pages require some focus as the world is established. If your teen prefers fast-paced, "brain off" action, they might find the early chapters a bit of a slog.
The payoff, however, is massive. The final third of the book moves at a breakneck speed, and the ending is the kind of cliffhanger that makes you want to immediately check the release date for the sequel. It’s a big book, but for a reader who enjoys getting lost in a complex world, it’s a gold mine.
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