The Will of the Many (Hierarchy #1)

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

This thread is to discuss The Will of the Many, the first book in the Hierarchy series by James Islington.

Pages: 639 pages

Length: 1 month (June)

Participants: SarahKat, Dominique, Cordelia

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Here are some questions to help get the conversation started! Feel free to look up discussion questions specific to this book or come up with your own. Just make sure any questions that contain spoilers are under spoiler tags.
Discussion questions are not required but may be a fun way to talk about the book and get to know each other!

Prior to starting:
What prompted you to join this buddy read?
Have you read this author before? What do you think of their other books?

Mid-read:
What character or ideas do you relate to the most and why?
Do you have any favorite quotes or scenes?

After reading:
What was enjoyable or not-so-enjoyable about this book?
Did this book change your perception about anything, either within the book (character development) or in real life?

[Allison]

I’ve debated back and forth if this is a book for me….maybe I will try and see if I can get a copy from my library :)

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

It would be good to have you Allison!!

I've started this but it's slow-going so far, just because I've been very busy. I'm really liking the story! Will update when I come to a good stopping point.

[Zach]

I was looking at this book last night and was contemplating picking up the alternative cover copy. This might be the motivation I needed :)

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

Welcome Zach if you decide to join!

I've finished Part 1: (view spoiler)[A LOT happened in just the first 100 pages or so of this very long book. The opening was very interesting with the prison and sappers. Vis is a prince of Suus just trying to survive, but Ulciscor adopts him to use him a spy in the academy. And the Anguis (rebels) want to use him too.

The entire section at the naumachia was crazy. Estevan killed thousands of people by... psychically exploding them? All the characters are intriguing. I also love that all the names are Latin, or similar, so I can look up the words and get clues about who they are or what their purpose is. This is how I named characters and accounts when I was in high school haha. In fact I still use a lot of those. (hide spoiler)]

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

Through Part 2: (view spoiler)[Again, a ton of stuff has happened. It's almost hard to remember everything especially in chronological order. Relucia is Ulciscor's wife and the leader (?) of the Anguis who want Vis to spy for them.

He made it to class four but only after a lot of strife getting out of six because of the Praeceptor. The fight between him and Iudux was intense. I was worried he was going to kill him and just get kicked out.

Aequa thought he was cheating with Will and now she's on the outs with the Fourth Praeceptor.

Then of course the terrifying ruins with dead people and puzzles. What is all of it?? There is SO much going on! (hide spoiler)]

I really am loving this book.

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

I finished this a few days ago and it was amazing. New favorite book!

[Allison]

I still haven’t been able to get this from my library and says it’s still weeks away. Bummer.

[Dominique]

SarahKat wrote: "I finished this a few days ago and it was amazing. New favorite book!"

I didn't reread it since l'm waiting for the next one to come out. It became one of my favorite. The ending was a Wow surprise. (view spoiler)[ Callidus's death was not what I expected but really looking forward on how Vis relationship with Callidus's father will be (hide spoiler)]