Book Series Review: Cradle By Will Wight

This next series I am reviewing is by far one of my absolute favorites. And I mean top five of all time favorites, favorites. Yeah, it’s that freaking good. This was another series that was recommended to me. It is similar to LitRPG, but without all the status updates and player progression information. From what I understand, this series called Cradle is a cultivation (I think that’s the word?) or progression book.

Anyways, the series follows the adventures of Lindon who grows up thinking he is unworthy to be a sacred artist, but that’s all he wants to become. His clan, and even his family doesn’t think he has the power to do it (and won’t help him either). He was born unsouled, and can never truly harness the powers of even a low level sacred artist. Lindon doesn’t accept this fate.

After a truly bizarre experience where he nearly dies, Lindon is given the opportunity to change his fate and become a powerful sacred artist. So he makes the decision to leave everything he has ever known behind to do just that. He also knows there’s a looming threat to his clan and family sometime in the far future, and he’s determined to become the best sacred artist he can, so he can stop it.

On his journey, he meets Yerin and Eithan, who are also dedicated to advancing through the stages of sacred artist as fast as possible. And so the three of them race against an unknown clock as they advance, and face surmounting enemies and devastating monsters.

This series has a very martial arts feel to it that reminds me of a kung fu movie, but it certainly has it’s own and unique world. Will Wight really makes the characters and story come to life with his lovely descriptions and well thought out storyline. He had me hooked from the very beginning of book one.

Right now, there are ten books in the series. The titles are…

Unsouled, Soulsmith, Blackflame, Skysworn, Ghostwater, Underlord, Uncrowned, Wintersteel, Bloodline, and Reaper.

I really don’t think I can pick one or even two things that makes this series so great to me. I love the characters, because they are so well written and have so much depth. The storyline is just fantastic. The world building is almost mind blowing. And there’s definitely enough action and suspense to keep you hanging on (and not wanting to stop to do mundane things like sleep, eat, and go to the bathroom).

I will say that as much as I love the main character Lindon, Eithan is by far my favorite. He makes me laugh so much. He’s so ridiculous and over the top that it’s funny as hell. And his bloodline ability to see and hear what everyone around him is doing is just fantastic. It makes for some really fun and interesting scenes and conversations with the other characters that makes this series truly unique.

And that leads me to Reaper. I actually finished the first nine books the spring of this year, book ten Reaper only came out at the beginning of this month. I was so excited to read this book, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. But I will say that the way Reaper ends, it makes me wonder how the rest of the series will go, because a MAJOR reveal happens in the final pages.

I won’t ruin it for anyone who has yet to read the series, but let’s just say, I was in total shock. I should have seen it coming. All the clues where there. I even had a face in palm moment when it finally, truly sunk in. I REALLY should have seen it coming. And I didn’t, which makes reading this series even more fun. In fact, ever since reading Reaper, I’ve caught myself giggling and wondering what the heck Wight is going to do next.

So yeah, when you have moments like that and you can’t stop thinking about a book or series, you know it’s good, real good. So if you are looking for something that’s intense, fun, and on an epic scale, then try out Cradle.