The Will of the Many (Hierarchy #1)[April 18, 2024]

[Yanique, Thread Master]

This is a Buddy Read for The Will of the Many by James Islington starting on April 18, 2024.


Happy Reading!

[Felina]

Spot!

[Nirkatze]

Thank you!

[Brian]

In

[rudaina]

In! I've been meaning to get to this one.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Picked this up as the Audible Daily Deal, last fall... planning to join this BR...

[Saar The Book owl]

Oh, that's so tempting to join! Hm, still don't know.

[Jo]

I’ve never done a buddy read in here but this sounds intriguing… might make this my first!

[Brian]

Welcome Jo We’d love to have ya join us!

[Nirkatze]

Ditto on Brian, welcome Jo!

[Thomas]

I’m in! Been on my TBR for a while. Also never done a group/buddy read before and am looking forward to other’s insights and takeaways!

[Nirkatze]

Welcome Thomas! This is going to be a fun one, with lots of new folks!

[Cher Vasana]

New to buddy reading and this is on my tbr so I’m interested!

[Nirkatze]

Welcome Chervasana! Excited to see so many new people!

[Felina]

Getting excited about this one.

[Virginie]

Will try to join this one :D

[Thomas]

Hey all, excited to start! This is the first buddy/group read I’ve done and I have some questions. Are there any rules/guidelines? Like I don’t want to spoil anything for anybody. Are we supposed to read certain pages over certain days and then discuss? Any tips are appreciated.

[Virginie]

Thomas Hair wrote: "Hey all, excited to start! This is the first buddy/group read I’ve done and I have some questions. Are there any rules/guidelines? Like I don’t want to spoil anything for anybody. Are we supposed t..."

Hey! Glad to have you :)
There's no particular rules. Just start reading around April 18th, then share your thoughts here. Just make sure to use spoiler tags if you want to discuss anything spoilery (I tend to use them for anything beyond general impressions), and indicate where you are in the book so people know when it's safe to click on them.

[Saar The Book owl]

I've put a hold on it at the library, but it's away until April 24th, so I'll join later.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

yea... spoiler tags are the main rule... the website teaches you some html coding near the comment box on desktop...

[Marie]

Wait a minute, how did I miss this BR o.o

Time to reshuffle my schedule again...

[Marie]

It's not on bookshelves so that's why I missed it...

[Tonari no Emily]

Got my hold from the library only to discover it was an ebook, not audio... Might have to use an audible credit ><

[Rob]

spot. we planned this awhile ago .been looking forward to it :) trying to squeeze in a terry Pratchett before Thursday!

[Tonari no Emily]

Never mind, gonna wait till a couple more books are out in the series I think... Too overbooked!
Enjoy everyone! :)

[Virginie]

Can't find a copy so I'll bow out as well. I hope you all enjoy your read :)

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Tonari no Emily wrote: "Never mind, gonna wait till a couple more books are out in the series I think... Too overbooked!
Enjoy everyone! :)"

I might wait as well... moreso because I'm trying to cut down on books/series I inevitably have to re-read in a few years when later books/finale comes out... trying to get better at waiting to be able to read whole trilogies all at once over 2-3 months instead of 2-3 years... the urge to sign up for everything is a hard one to break...

[Marie]

I go for those unfinished that I believe I will really enjoy because then I wouldn't mind a re-read. I actually had copy of this one on-hold suspended for a while so yeah, need to free my on-hold spots anyways.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

A bunch of us bought this on Audible sale, because it was like $4 audiobook, I think?...

I liked Islington's previous trilogy, but also liked having all 3 to read I think, since it was timey-wimey and interconnected...

Waiting for book 3 is a newer thing for me... half the time it only happens because I didn't know the books existed before, like with Empire of the Wolf...

Reading Truthwitch / Witchlands as they release became a pain when the series started getting long delays... and it's not just a trilogy, it's like 6-7 book series when finished... we tried not re-reading last time a book came out, and it was a disaster... and now we're a book behind, I think, maybe?... I don't even know at this point, need to check...

EDIT: Witchshadow is next year, and it says finale... I think the series might have been condensed and had sales issues maybe?... it felt like there were to be more books, last I remember...

[Felina]

I am also loath to start an unfinished series. This one sounded so good that I made the acceptation but I have been thinking as I fall so far behind in my BR’s this month that I might hold off until it is completed. I’m one of the ones who bought it on audible so I don’t feel a big rush.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Just removes the urge to buy #2 around release day and wait for a similar sale while waiting for #3 release...

[Tonari no Emily]

Oops didn't mean to start a wave xD

[Nirkatze]

Darnit, I really want to read this. I'm staying in, even if I'm the only one... I've heard too many good things about this book from too many quarters...

[Marie]

I am doing this one even if I have to sacrifice others. It's high priority.

[Rob]

I'm still here for this too. I heard way too many good things not to give it a go and it's just collecting dust on the shelf otherwise, so I started yesterday and am up to chapter 4. So far it's very intriguing. My complaint about the first series was the HUGE off-camera info dumps. So far there is a lot of mystery, but hoping he just continues to drop the magic system in drips and drabs and not chuck at us all at once later. So far so good. My only complaint is an age thing - The font size in the hardcover is TINY. Gotta grab the spectacles or take out the contacts and wear my glasses. sigh :) I've had it on audible for a while, so I'm listening as well.

[Thomas]

I'm still in! Started yesterday and got through chapter 6. First impression is that it reminds me somewhat of "Red Rising," due to the class system and the Roman influence. I like the little nuggets from the main character's thoughts and how they allude and reveal his history. The numerical aspect to the magic system is also intriguing. What lengths will people go to acquire the Will of others? What lengths will people go to protect their own Will from being acquired? Next up... the "Academy." **Also this is my first time doing a group/buddy read! If I make mistakes in my post I apologize in advance. I was trying to be careful and not divulge any spoilers. I don't think I did. Please advise with tips or suggestions.**

[Sailor]

Thomas Hair wrote: "I'm still in! Started yesterday and got through chapter 6. First impression is that it reminds me somewhat of "Red Rising," due to the class system and the Roman influence. I like the little nugget..."

This is hilarious to me as I've just finished the first three red rising books and now moving on to this... plus this is my first buddy read too haha. I was also thinking how the hierarchy system was really similar to red rising. But the will system is very unique to me and very sad. Especially the sappers. I've made it to chapter 8!

[Cher Vasana]

I’m in still! But did not time this well as I’m reading multiple books and thought about saving this for later. I just read the first chapter though and I’m intrigued. I might be a bit slower but excited to see everyone’s updates! It’s also my first BR, so it looks like MANY of us WILL be learning together 🤓 couldn’t help myself 😅

[Marie]

It seems like popularity OF THE book gave MANY people THE WILL to finally join a BR.

[Tammie]

Marie wrote: "It seems like popularity OF THE book gave MANY people THE WILL to finally join a BR."

😂🤣

[Tonari no Emily]

Marie wrote: "It seems like popularity OF THE book gave MANY people THE WILL to finally join a BR."

Noice lol

[Nirkatze]

Marie wrote: "It seems like popularity OF THE book gave MANY people THE WILL to finally join a BR."

Dittoing all the LOLs. So cool to see so many new folks! Looking forward to joining y'all in a few days.

[Nirkatze]

I started a few days ago. Pretty fast read so far--when I can find time. I'm eye-reading, so slower than audio. Through Chapter 9 so far. (view spoiler)[I'm finding the way things are unfolding pretty interesting--in execution as well as just enjoying the book. Like, the narrative isn't trying to hide at all that Vis is some kind of royalty of a conquered kingdom in hiding... the question is more... Royalty of what? What happened to lead him to this situation? What are his plans? It's interesting NOT having the "secret royalty" thing be a big hidden twist.

Then there's how the world and structure of the magic system is unfolding. I'm finding it very effective--but also easy to analyze from a writing perspective, which is an interesting difference. First chapter--introduce the corruption and dangers in the world, set it up as something to fight against, and reveal magical anomaly in the MC. Next few chapters--get us rooting for underdog MC in a literal underdog fight, more hooks in the story. Next few chapters--introduce what we're supposed to think is going to be the major plot of this entry, Academy infiltration--but throw a little red-herring question wrench in with the local rebels.

I'm having a lot of fun so far! (hide spoiler)]

[Rob]

I'm up to chapter 35 fwiw.

Vis origin (view spoiler)[I believe the country he was prince was Suus which has now been brought in under the hierarchy. His plans for himself seem to have been more "survive/succeed" rather than aggressively acting on them. There are definitely a lot of things to uncover - Vis motives and more about his family background and how people think of his background regardless of whether they link him to it or not. What really is Ulsicor up to. We have some of it explained, but there seems a larger mission that has not. What is the leader of the academy up to - is he a good guy or not? What is going on at the ruins. Given the whole academy is a political place, there's a lot to navigate there. So the further I go along, the more I enjoy the book as relationships unfold and plot
background is given. (hide spoiler)]

General vibes. (view spoiler)[The book isn't without tropes, but who cares? Even some Harry Potter parallels, but they are surface thin really (I hope). Occasionally the not knowing where people stand and who to ally with gives it a Hunger Games vibe as well. So age of the character gives it a bit of a YA feel, but the greater narrative helps pull it out of that, I think. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Gotta catch up to you!

Up through Chapter 19 and really enjoying it still. (view spoiler)[I feel like I can breathe a little easier now that the rebel leader is revealed to be someone Vis knew... that the string they hold on his actions may be emotional rather than just threatening... the string is still there, but it... doesn't cause me as much anxiety. Like, Vis is going to come a crossroads at some point, where he is going to have to decide between his new father or the rebels or the neighboring Quartus or come up with some brilliant idea and do his own thing--but the major threat of identity reveal has been somewhat ameliorated, and I like the idea that the choice will be his own, uncoerced...

I've been enjoying the training sequence at the house--wondering if the tutor was in love with the Quintus's brother... what does she know that makes her so sure he didn't commit suicide? She & Quintus'd better share before Vis is sent off to school... he needs to be forewarned... Then again, his being able to claim ignorance was useful with the Quartus's daughter....

Random note--there's a point when Vis thinks that his tutor "isn't even looking" at him--made me think his editor should have pointed that out--Vis knows she's blind and doesn't use her eyes to see, so it felt incongruous for him to be thinking that way. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Through Chapter 20--ok, it's bad that I'm laughing (view spoiler)[during a chapter when so many people die, but I'm thinking about what I wrote in the previous comment and boy, that came faster than I was expecting! Though I guess the final decision isn't obvious yet at this point, but the book did not wait at all to drive a wedge between Vis and the people it seems he would be most likely to ally with... Probably have yet another rubber-necking-twist in the next chapter... (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Chapter 22--(view spoiler)[I like that it seems as soon as I wish for something, or some information, it is delivered. That says good pacing to me.

Though Vis is coming across a bit dense these chapters--perhaps its his lingering illness? It took him too long to figure out that the woman who had been horribly injured was his tutor, and he thinks Sedonia will be upset with him for the leader's death--which I suppose is possible, but doesn't he realize that the leader (Merior? Esteban? I'm so bad with remembering names) wouldn't have committed suicide in that way if it wasn't part of the plan? To make Vis into a hero, so he would have an easier path at Valedictorian.... whether Sedonia was in on the plan or not is a question, but it was obviously with purpose... I'm not entirely convinced he is dead though--power to teleport in, teleport gladiators en masse out (it seemed like teleportation?) project images... maybe it was some alchemist's dummy or paired clone or something--we don't know everything that is possible in this world yet, and now there's hints of pre-cataclysm powers... (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Finished Book I--(view spoiler)[And onward to the Academy!

The connections forged with Lanista and Kadmos during this training period... comparing it to the threats and massacre by the Angius... but I keep thinking Vis is going to have to choose another path that forsakes them all, in the end...

I'm enjoying the unfolding of the culture too--"Birthright" and the taxes on unmarried folks or people without children--and how this increases the incentive to adopt. Was adoption as common among normal Roman citizens as it was for Emperors? It must have been... I'm very curious to meet Ulsicor's wife. (hide spoiler)]

Book II: "Deus Nolens Exituus"--"results, god unwilling"--"get results, whether the gods like it or not."

Hm. Now I want to know what Book I is... "Imperium Sine Fine"--"imperium without end"

[Nirkatze]

Through Chapter 29 (view spoiler)[I'm really liking how the story is going so far. An entertaining entrance, straight into school politics, with multiple layers--how much did the Principalis engineer? All of it, I expect...

Also not sure if this will be revisited, but when Vis was first brought to the Principalis's office, the exchange with the doctor--a bet? Which the Principalis lost? And thus is going to be covering one of the doctor's shifts?

I'm glad that even with Vis moving up a class, he hasn't lost connection with Callidus. Though I'd like to see him drag Callidus up with him... and very curious to see how Vis manages to rank out of Sixth... against a most likely hostile Praeceptor...

I'd actually really like to see Vis start tutoring Eidhin. That comment about him barely speaking the language--I thought the earlier choppiness in conversation was due to pain from his nose, but apparently not. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Chapter 32 (view spoiler)[The plot, or rather the numbers, thicken...

Principalis's hint about the Labyrinth. What rules doesn't Vis know? What is he setting up? What is he setting up Vis for?

Eidhin's history. How did a Cymrian end up at the Academy? The way Callidus talks about the Hierarchy, it feels like Vis could potentially be finding allies for the future here--people to re-write the world.

Callidus's numbers... and Ulciscor's wife works on census data collection... I bet this is a factor in his investigation already... (hide spoiler)]