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Manifestation #1
Soul Relic
Born with an enormous well of power but no way to regenerate it, Raysha will risk anything to fix herself, even if it means venturing into the unknown with nothing but her brother, an enchanted water bottle, and a stubborn attitude.
Without the ability to cultivate aeon from the world, Raysha has been treated like an outcast her whole life. While she has to ration her power drop-by-drop, others use it as commonly as breathing. In a world where true masters of aeon have slaughtered gods, Raysha's future in her village is limited to babysitting pre-awakened children who inevitably surpass and mock her.
So when her brother visits from the Academy with a dangerous new idea to help her, Raysha jumps at the chance to finally do something. Her brother believes that with three simple things, they might have a cure: an enchanted water bottle, a simple change of scenery, and—-of course-the crystalized heart of an ancient spirit. Raysha is skeptical, but with her refreshing drink in hand, the pair head out into the wider world in search of the impossible.
Without the ability to cultivate aeon from the world, Raysha has been treated like an outcast her whole life. While she has to ration her power drop-by-drop, others use it as commonly as breathing. In a world where true masters of aeon have slaughtered gods, Raysha's future in her village is limited to babysitting pre-awakened children who inevitably surpass and mock her.
So when her brother visits from the Academy with a dangerous new idea to help her, Raysha jumps at the chance to finally do something. Her brother believes that with three simple things, they might have a cure: an enchanted water bottle, a simple change of scenery, and—-of course-the crystalized heart of an ancient spirit. Raysha is skeptical, but with her refreshing drink in hand, the pair head out into the wider world in search of the impossible.
Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
July 10, 2022
A fun new progression fantasy with rich characters and a fascinating world to explore.
What struck me about Soul Relic is Samuel Hinton's attention to detail when it comes to characters. There are four main characters that we primarily follow in the book (Raysha, Vashi, Hlaya, and Octavian), and all of them feel fleshed out with their own distinct personalities and histories. Not only is Hinton great at capturing their individual voices, but the interactions between the characters all feel lived-in and real. Some of my favorite parts of the book were the slower moments, when we'd take a break from the journeying and just sit with these characters for a while listening to them talk and get to know each other more. To me, that was where the book excelled.
Of course, since this is a progression fantasy, these chat sessions oftentimes were punctuated with training and learning about the world's magic system. I admit it was a little hard for me to follow some of the intricacies of the system, which involves channeling aeon and advancing levels and crafting mental Formations and stuff that can then be linked with glyphs. It's possible that was due to my own shortcomings, but I think I got the gist of it anyway and I was never particularly lost, rather I just felt like there was more detail to the magic system that Hinton has worked out than I understood.
The main character, Raysha, has a problem with her body that causes her to not be able to harness magic as easily as her peers, which is the heart of the book's conflict. This is a typical setup for a progression narrative, but what I really appreciated about Soul Relic boils down to Hinton's mastery of his characters again, which is Raysha's reaction to her disability. While it's something that she does strive to overcome, she doesn't let her perceived "shortcomings" rule her life and cause her to wallow in self-pity, nor does she act like it's the be-all end-all if she never figures out a solution to her problem. She even straight up tells someone at some point that if she can't work it out, she'll figure out something else to do with her life, and I found it incredibly refreshing and mature. That one aspect of Raysha really endeared me to her and got me much more invested in her journey.
And speaking of the journey, I also really enjoyed the historical/archaeological angle to the characters' quest in this book. Hlaya has been researching an ancient civilization for decades, and believes that the solution to Raysha's problem may lay in an ancient tomb. I won't get into the details of why, since Hlaya explains that well enough herself, but I thought it was a super clever and unique angle for the book to take on, and it made a ton of sense in-universe. The more we learn about the world and some of its history/creatures, the clearer it is how much thought Hinton has put into his world. We learn a lot about it over the course of the novel, but it's always doled out at a comfortable pace and fits into the characters' conversations pretty organically, rather than feeling like info-dumping.
The one thing I found lacking in the story was information about the gods and other countries, which is somewhat touched upon in the prologue/epilogue and a little interlude in the middle of the book. Obviously since so little of the book was dedicated to that, it doesn't seem like we're necessarily supposed to know what's going on there, but I still found myself wishing for just a little bit more clarity; otherwise, those sections just kind of fell flat because I truly had no context for what was happening. It seems very obvious though that this side of the story will be expanded on in future books, and it promises to set up some intriguing conflicts.
All in all, this is a super solid debut from Hinton, who proves he's adept with both characters and worldbuilding.
What struck me about Soul Relic is Samuel Hinton's attention to detail when it comes to characters. There are four main characters that we primarily follow in the book (Raysha, Vashi, Hlaya, and Octavian), and all of them feel fleshed out with their own distinct personalities and histories. Not only is Hinton great at capturing their individual voices, but the interactions between the characters all feel lived-in and real. Some of my favorite parts of the book were the slower moments, when we'd take a break from the journeying and just sit with these characters for a while listening to them talk and get to know each other more. To me, that was where the book excelled.
Of course, since this is a progression fantasy, these chat sessions oftentimes were punctuated with training and learning about the world's magic system. I admit it was a little hard for me to follow some of the intricacies of the system, which involves channeling aeon and advancing levels and crafting mental Formations and stuff that can then be linked with glyphs. It's possible that was due to my own shortcomings, but I think I got the gist of it anyway and I was never particularly lost, rather I just felt like there was more detail to the magic system that Hinton has worked out than I understood.
The main character, Raysha, has a problem with her body that causes her to not be able to harness magic as easily as her peers, which is the heart of the book's conflict. This is a typical setup for a progression narrative, but what I really appreciated about Soul Relic boils down to Hinton's mastery of his characters again, which is Raysha's reaction to her disability. While it's something that she does strive to overcome, she doesn't let her perceived "shortcomings" rule her life and cause her to wallow in self-pity, nor does she act like it's the be-all end-all if she never figures out a solution to her problem. She even straight up tells someone at some point that if she can't work it out, she'll figure out something else to do with her life, and I found it incredibly refreshing and mature. That one aspect of Raysha really endeared me to her and got me much more invested in her journey.
And speaking of the journey, I also really enjoyed the historical/archaeological angle to the characters' quest in this book. Hlaya has been researching an ancient civilization for decades, and believes that the solution to Raysha's problem may lay in an ancient tomb. I won't get into the details of why, since Hlaya explains that well enough herself, but I thought it was a super clever and unique angle for the book to take on, and it made a ton of sense in-universe. The more we learn about the world and some of its history/creatures, the clearer it is how much thought Hinton has put into his world. We learn a lot about it over the course of the novel, but it's always doled out at a comfortable pace and fits into the characters' conversations pretty organically, rather than feeling like info-dumping.
The one thing I found lacking in the story was information about the gods and other countries, which is somewhat touched upon in the prologue/epilogue and a little interlude in the middle of the book. Obviously since so little of the book was dedicated to that, it doesn't seem like we're necessarily supposed to know what's going on there, but I still found myself wishing for just a little bit more clarity; otherwise, those sections just kind of fell flat because I truly had no context for what was happening. It seems very obvious though that this side of the story will be expanded on in future books, and it promises to set up some intriguing conflicts.
All in all, this is a super solid debut from Hinton, who proves he's adept with both characters and worldbuilding.
July 18, 2023
I am very new to the progression fantasy genre, but I am really enjoying what I am reading so far, so I decided to try another SPFBO progression fantasy novel. “Soul Relic” by Samuel Hinton follows Raysha, who has a large well of magic, but has a disability where she is unable to access it. She decides to go on a journey with her brother, as well as two older mentor type characters to an ancient civilization where they believe the answer lies to solving her magical abilities.
I want to start out with gushing about the writing style of this book. This is so incredibly well written. No clunky dialogue or descriptions, the audio narration was fantastic and this overall just felt extremely polished and well written. I also really enjoyed the sibling relationship in this book, there is a brother sister relationship at the center of this story and I always love reading about siblings and their interactions.
I also enjoyed the magic system, but did find myself a bit lost at times. This is a fairly complicated (in my opinion) rune and glyph based magic system. I definitely appreciated all of the detail involved in the magic system, but it was explained sporadically throughout the story, and I found it so complicated that I was forgetting past details while we were learning new ones. This may have been due to my own intelligence or listening to it on audio instead of physically reading though.
I also enjoyed the world building here, I would consider this almost cozy fantasy, as there was not a ton of action, mainly traveling, learning about the world, shopping/city interactions and explaining the magic system. I wish we had seen more of the Academy that was mentioned, as that was the part I was most interested in. I also found the main character to be a bit whiny and annoying at times, I’m not sure if this was due to the YA age level here or if I just didn’t connect with her, but I think I found myself more interested in the side characters and her brother.
Overall, this was a decent progression fantasy novel, but a bit too mundane, slice of life for me, I do not think I will be continuing, but the writing style was absolutely incredible, so if slice of life progression fantasy is something you are looking for, you found it here.
I want to start out with gushing about the writing style of this book. This is so incredibly well written. No clunky dialogue or descriptions, the audio narration was fantastic and this overall just felt extremely polished and well written. I also really enjoyed the sibling relationship in this book, there is a brother sister relationship at the center of this story and I always love reading about siblings and their interactions.
I also enjoyed the magic system, but did find myself a bit lost at times. This is a fairly complicated (in my opinion) rune and glyph based magic system. I definitely appreciated all of the detail involved in the magic system, but it was explained sporadically throughout the story, and I found it so complicated that I was forgetting past details while we were learning new ones. This may have been due to my own intelligence or listening to it on audio instead of physically reading though.
I also enjoyed the world building here, I would consider this almost cozy fantasy, as there was not a ton of action, mainly traveling, learning about the world, shopping/city interactions and explaining the magic system. I wish we had seen more of the Academy that was mentioned, as that was the part I was most interested in. I also found the main character to be a bit whiny and annoying at times, I’m not sure if this was due to the YA age level here or if I just didn’t connect with her, but I think I found myself more interested in the side characters and her brother.
Overall, this was a decent progression fantasy novel, but a bit too mundane, slice of life for me, I do not think I will be continuing, but the writing style was absolutely incredible, so if slice of life progression fantasy is something you are looking for, you found it here.
January 25, 2023
Ultimately this book wasn’t for me.
The book was fine. A fun read with a cool magic system and likable characters. It’s a slower slice of life story with a deep exploration of magic and world building.
But its not a lot of action and barely any tension throughout the story. I found myself bored or skimming a lot when they were doing a lot of the more mundane things(which was most of the time). There was just nothing here for me to latch on to.
Small rant:
I can tell that the author is a huge fan of mage errant. The general structure of the plot was the exact same as most of those books. Both series have a lot of traveling going into meticulous details of the world building, long stretches of characters sitting around explaining the magic system to each other, some cringy YA dialogue and characters interaction. A few action scenes sprinkled throughout the story then quickly back to the slice of life. Theres even a mentor character who has a far seeing ability. Even the magic system was very similar. They both using imagined glyphs to use their magic. This read like another book in the mage errant series.
So honestly I didn’t end up liking the Mage Errant series so I find it hard to believe I’ll like this series either. I don’t think I’ll be continuing.
The book was fine. A fun read with a cool magic system and likable characters. It’s a slower slice of life story with a deep exploration of magic and world building.
But its not a lot of action and barely any tension throughout the story. I found myself bored or skimming a lot when they were doing a lot of the more mundane things(which was most of the time). There was just nothing here for me to latch on to.
Small rant:
I can tell that the author is a huge fan of mage errant. The general structure of the plot was the exact same as most of those books. Both series have a lot of traveling going into meticulous details of the world building, long stretches of characters sitting around explaining the magic system to each other, some cringy YA dialogue and characters interaction. A few action scenes sprinkled throughout the story then quickly back to the slice of life. Theres even a mentor character who has a far seeing ability. Even the magic system was very similar. They both using imagined glyphs to use their magic. This read like another book in the mage errant series.
So honestly I didn’t end up liking the Mage Errant series so I find it hard to believe I’ll like this series either. I don’t think I’ll be continuing.
September 13, 2024
https://beforewegoblog.com/audiobook-...
SOUL RELIC by Samuel Hinton and narrated by Andrea Emmes is a cultivation fantasy, which is a burgeoning genre that basically means developing your elemental powers along very Eastern martial arts principles. The fantasy world the author has created isn’t necessarily any more Asian than Avatar: The Last Airbender but that doesn’t mean it’s not squarely in the genre either. It is something that I think would appeal to both fantasy as well as sports fans.
The premise is that in this world, it is possible to become trained as an aeon-wielder or elemental magician. Raysha is a village girl who was born with a lot of aeon in her reserves but no way to naturally replenish it. This is actually a fairly serious disadvantage and she is denied a chance at university after finally managing to escape her home. Her brother, Vashi, is determined to help her as well even if it means teaming up with an old archaeologist, Hlaya, to explore ruins of a civilization that once had to deal with people like Raysha.
This is very much a classic coming of age journey but is made all the more interesting because of the fact that Raysha and company are fairly out of the larger politics at work. The God of Knowledge has just slaughtered all of the other gods in the region in a coup but none of this is a concern of Rasyha. She has her own problems to deal with that don’t allow her to even think of such bigger deals.
I really liked this story and the characters involved, Raysha is an adorable heroine who may be a bit whiny about her status but quickly won me over with her snarky can-do attitude. I also liked the supporting cast and am interested in seeing where this story goes. Vashi, Hllaya, and Ocatvian are all a good cast of characters for supporting Raysha and keep her attitude from getting too insufferable.
I found the magic system to be well-designed and the writing to be entertaining throughout. I liked how our heroes also came into the sights of the Big Bad. Too often, it’s destiny or contrived but, no, our heroes ended up killing some of his minions in an encounter and things just sort of snowball from there. I really like that.
The narrator does a decent job of representing Raysha and the various characters. Andrea Emmes manages to do also convey the danger as well as inner resentment the character is suffering. I’m eager to listen to the next book in the series. I recommend the audiobook over the text version in fact because I feel she did such an excellent job.
SOUL RELIC by Samuel Hinton and narrated by Andrea Emmes is a cultivation fantasy, which is a burgeoning genre that basically means developing your elemental powers along very Eastern martial arts principles. The fantasy world the author has created isn’t necessarily any more Asian than Avatar: The Last Airbender but that doesn’t mean it’s not squarely in the genre either. It is something that I think would appeal to both fantasy as well as sports fans.
The premise is that in this world, it is possible to become trained as an aeon-wielder or elemental magician. Raysha is a village girl who was born with a lot of aeon in her reserves but no way to naturally replenish it. This is actually a fairly serious disadvantage and she is denied a chance at university after finally managing to escape her home. Her brother, Vashi, is determined to help her as well even if it means teaming up with an old archaeologist, Hlaya, to explore ruins of a civilization that once had to deal with people like Raysha.
This is very much a classic coming of age journey but is made all the more interesting because of the fact that Raysha and company are fairly out of the larger politics at work. The God of Knowledge has just slaughtered all of the other gods in the region in a coup but none of this is a concern of Rasyha. She has her own problems to deal with that don’t allow her to even think of such bigger deals.
I really liked this story and the characters involved, Raysha is an adorable heroine who may be a bit whiny about her status but quickly won me over with her snarky can-do attitude. I also liked the supporting cast and am interested in seeing where this story goes. Vashi, Hllaya, and Ocatvian are all a good cast of characters for supporting Raysha and keep her attitude from getting too insufferable.
I found the magic system to be well-designed and the writing to be entertaining throughout. I liked how our heroes also came into the sights of the Big Bad. Too often, it’s destiny or contrived but, no, our heroes ended up killing some of his minions in an encounter and things just sort of snowball from there. I really like that.
The narrator does a decent job of representing Raysha and the various characters. Andrea Emmes manages to do also convey the danger as well as inner resentment the character is suffering. I’m eager to listen to the next book in the series. I recommend the audiobook over the text version in fact because I feel she did such an excellent job.
June 18, 2023
Read for SPFBO, this is only my personal opinion, group verdict might differ widely! 💥
Soul Relic by Samuel Hinton is a book that will easily appeal to fans of progression fantasy.
I quite enjoyed the tone of the story, and the main character's voice. It's a quick read that has a lot of action, but also enough slow bits and world building to keep a good balance.
Extra plus points for me were the older female mentor and big powerful warrior, who's also an artist. Siblings at the core also definitely are something I like to see, especially if they have a good relationship with each other!
I found some bits to be too predictable too "standard progression fantasy" to give it a full 5 stars l. These tropes are so popular as people love them, but for me the story and basic idea just wasn't individual enough.
The characters did make up for that though, so overall I really enjoyed the book a lot!
Soul Relic by Samuel Hinton is a book that will easily appeal to fans of progression fantasy.
I quite enjoyed the tone of the story, and the main character's voice. It's a quick read that has a lot of action, but also enough slow bits and world building to keep a good balance.
Extra plus points for me were the older female mentor and big powerful warrior, who's also an artist. Siblings at the core also definitely are something I like to see, especially if they have a good relationship with each other!
I found some bits to be too predictable too "standard progression fantasy" to give it a full 5 stars l. These tropes are so popular as people love them, but for me the story and basic idea just wasn't individual enough.
The characters did make up for that though, so overall I really enjoyed the book a lot!
June 28, 2022
I received an ARC of this book.
A genuinely fun take on progression fantasy. The characters felt distinct and had great dynamics with each other. The magic system was fun even at the beginning level that the main character was at, while giving enough of a sense of where it was going to be exciting. The worldbuilding was in depth enough that we had a good sense of what was going on, while also seeing that we were just seeing a small snapshot of the world.
If you enjoy Cradle, give it a go. It's got a very similar feel, but with a more Western vibe.
A genuinely fun take on progression fantasy. The characters felt distinct and had great dynamics with each other. The magic system was fun even at the beginning level that the main character was at, while giving enough of a sense of where it was going to be exciting. The worldbuilding was in depth enough that we had a good sense of what was going on, while also seeing that we were just seeing a small snapshot of the world.
If you enjoy Cradle, give it a go. It's got a very similar feel, but with a more Western vibe.
January 21, 2024
Needs more meat on the bones but good flavor overall
This is one of those books where you have to know what you’re getting into. This is not a bad thing you just need to know what you’re getting into. I get the feeling that the journey, for this story really starts after this book. This is all foundational work for the most part. I’ll be honest with you. This could’ve been summoned up in a summary and a few chapters and you’d have the major plot points of this book and could go to the Next. Does that mean it’s a bad book? No it tells a good story it flows well, but, this is about a character developing themselves from the beginning of the book to the end, and it just isn’t much action in this book. Lots of knowledge not enough action. Now there’s nothing wrong with having a book that expound upon how the world works but you have to do that well enough that it’s entertaining you don’t quite get the entertainment value here. It’s a group traveling it’s a group they’re traveling. It’s a group they’re traveling there’s a fight let’s do some more traveling there’s a fight. It’s not as entertaining as it could be, but it shouldn’t be for this book. This book is all about foundation. So anyone reading the book it’s a short read it won’t take long read the book if you get to the point where you say I just want to know what happens next find us synopsis or read the first few chapters until the four main characters pop up skip to page 260. You won’t miss much detail and you’ll get the end which is what you really need so you can get to the next book in the series.
Now a message to the author
Spoilers
Spoilers
. This book could break a series. It’s not a bad book, but it starts out to explore the world and teach you the fundamentals. That’s not entertaining. Someone may literally get 40 pages in the book until you know what this is not hitting. That was me. I literally started this book times. Finally, I said I’m going to stick it through because I saw the potential in the future books. This one did not get to the action right away. Just consider how far we had to go Until the scene with Drake. That’s too far to go without real action. Even after that scene look how far we had to go until the final moments in the book where we saw more action. I understand we had to see the MC get to where she ends up, but you only get one shot at capturing the audiences attention, this book could’ve done a better job of that. It’s not a bad book at all. Excellent work describing the scenery and helping me visualize the world and helping me like the characters but people want action. This did not have enough of it. Now I’m off to read the next book in this series.
This is one of those books where you have to know what you’re getting into. This is not a bad thing you just need to know what you’re getting into. I get the feeling that the journey, for this story really starts after this book. This is all foundational work for the most part. I’ll be honest with you. This could’ve been summoned up in a summary and a few chapters and you’d have the major plot points of this book and could go to the Next. Does that mean it’s a bad book? No it tells a good story it flows well, but, this is about a character developing themselves from the beginning of the book to the end, and it just isn’t much action in this book. Lots of knowledge not enough action. Now there’s nothing wrong with having a book that expound upon how the world works but you have to do that well enough that it’s entertaining you don’t quite get the entertainment value here. It’s a group traveling it’s a group they’re traveling. It’s a group they’re traveling there’s a fight let’s do some more traveling there’s a fight. It’s not as entertaining as it could be, but it shouldn’t be for this book. This book is all about foundation. So anyone reading the book it’s a short read it won’t take long read the book if you get to the point where you say I just want to know what happens next find us synopsis or read the first few chapters until the four main characters pop up skip to page 260. You won’t miss much detail and you’ll get the end which is what you really need so you can get to the next book in the series.
Now a message to the author
Spoilers
Spoilers
. This book could break a series. It’s not a bad book, but it starts out to explore the world and teach you the fundamentals. That’s not entertaining. Someone may literally get 40 pages in the book until you know what this is not hitting. That was me. I literally started this book times. Finally, I said I’m going to stick it through because I saw the potential in the future books. This one did not get to the action right away. Just consider how far we had to go Until the scene with Drake. That’s too far to go without real action. Even after that scene look how far we had to go until the final moments in the book where we saw more action. I understand we had to see the MC get to where she ends up, but you only get one shot at capturing the audiences attention, this book could’ve done a better job of that. It’s not a bad book at all. Excellent work describing the scenery and helping me visualize the world and helping me like the characters but people want action. This did not have enough of it. Now I’m off to read the next book in this series.
December 7, 2023
This is a review for the first three books because it would just be a copy paste job. To put it simply, if you're in the mood for rage bait, this is the series for you. Every time the main character did something grossly incompetent I subtracted a tenth of a star. That's all this series is. A useless MC that, while managing to conveniently fix her problem, never learns how to use her brain. Both in and outside of fights. She probably wins a single satisfying fight per book and either beats up lesser ranks or loses constantly the rest of the time. She intentionally dodges any and all academic knowledge related to her interests or goals in life. She intentionally doesn't ask the knowledgeable adults she knows when she needs advice until forced into it somehow 200 pages later. Just accept that for whatever reason the main character is built to piss you off but still manage to progress because she's written as an overpowered aeon manipulation savant.
February 15, 2023
General: I was immediately interested by the premise. I found that, despite some surface-level similarities to Cradle (an incredibly disadvantaged young magic user learns a complex magic system against all odds… etc), it still felt very unique and fresh—and never like I was reading a book I had read a thousand times before. It kept me engaged straight to the end without ever really finding myself bored. You can call it a lot of things, but generic would not be one of them.
Magic:
Soul Relic uses a cultivation system that has been modified to be quite western, similar to what Virtuous Sons did. However, for Soul Relic, I don’t believe the author even used the word “cultivation” in the story. (Although I might have missed it if it was used). That being said, it still feels like a cultivation story, with constant and consistent increases in power. At the end of the book, the character could easily defeat a version of herself from the start of the book.
The one drawback that I felt wasn’t with the magic system, but with the growth. A lot of Raysha’s growth happens in situations where there isn’t a sense of immediate danger, leaving much of the growth to feel a little underwhelming until you see it in action.
Pacing: Yes, Soul Relic might be a bit too slow-paced for some people’s tastes. I found it to be an enjoyable pace that really gave the characters (and the author’s ability to write them) a chance to shine. However if you’re looking for intense action sequences around every corner, life and death battles every two chapters, and fast progression/leveling, this might not be the book for you.
Characters:
The characters here are the true stand-out, and in the best way possible. Raysha’s relationship with her brother is by far my favourite—it feels like a real relationship that people would have, especially at the age the characters are at. But there are other fun characters and interactions, too, that leave you craving the next character that the author is going to introduce, because you know they will be amazing.
Also, to touch on the main character again. Raysha is a great character who is driven and determined, and her temporary insecurities and weaknesses are used to make her a stronger character, not to mock or belittle her. She is a character that you can’t help but like, but not just on a surface level. Her likeability comes from her willingness to overcome and persevere despite everything working against her, not because of innate strengths.
Writing: The prose is effective and efficient, and mistakes are rare. Nothing else to say here!
Summary/TL;DR: A very solid cultivation novel with incredible characters. If you’re okay with some slightly slower pacing, then I would recommend Soul Relic: Manifestation to you.
Magic:
Soul Relic uses a cultivation system that has been modified to be quite western, similar to what Virtuous Sons did. However, for Soul Relic, I don’t believe the author even used the word “cultivation” in the story. (Although I might have missed it if it was used). That being said, it still feels like a cultivation story, with constant and consistent increases in power. At the end of the book, the character could easily defeat a version of herself from the start of the book.
The one drawback that I felt wasn’t with the magic system, but with the growth. A lot of Raysha’s growth happens in situations where there isn’t a sense of immediate danger, leaving much of the growth to feel a little underwhelming until you see it in action.
Pacing: Yes, Soul Relic might be a bit too slow-paced for some people’s tastes. I found it to be an enjoyable pace that really gave the characters (and the author’s ability to write them) a chance to shine. However if you’re looking for intense action sequences around every corner, life and death battles every two chapters, and fast progression/leveling, this might not be the book for you.
Characters:
The characters here are the true stand-out, and in the best way possible. Raysha’s relationship with her brother is by far my favourite—it feels like a real relationship that people would have, especially at the age the characters are at. But there are other fun characters and interactions, too, that leave you craving the next character that the author is going to introduce, because you know they will be amazing.
Also, to touch on the main character again. Raysha is a great character who is driven and determined, and her temporary insecurities and weaknesses are used to make her a stronger character, not to mock or belittle her. She is a character that you can’t help but like, but not just on a surface level. Her likeability comes from her willingness to overcome and persevere despite everything working against her, not because of innate strengths.
Writing: The prose is effective and efficient, and mistakes are rare. Nothing else to say here!
Summary/TL;DR: A very solid cultivation novel with incredible characters. If you’re okay with some slightly slower pacing, then I would recommend Soul Relic: Manifestation to you.
August 18, 2023
Disclaimer: Read for #SPFBO9. This is my personal opinion and rating only, other Judges opinions are their own. 6.5/10
It took me a couple of attempts to get into Soul Relic, mainly because I found the young female protagonist Raysha extremely annoying and self pitying. She does have every reason to be, considering she is lacking aeon that everyone around her does. Once I realised she was actually purposefully written this way (other characters mention this trait later in the book) and once she'd left her village where she wasn't constantly put down, I liked how she constantly worked on herself to improve as a person. My other reason was because I thought this was going to be another one of those stories with the "academy trope" and I was relieved when it turned into anything but. Raysha is not the type of character I'd expect to do well in a school setting, though her brother Vashi (to whom she looks up to) certainly is.
Soul Relic picks up in pace once Raysha is denied entry to the Academy and this is when I really started enjoying the story. Raysha and Vashi are joined by an enjoyable elderly curmudgeon of a historian called Hlaya and a Warrior called Octavian. Hlya is seeking a lost tomb along with certain rune stones and by taking Raysha and Vashi along with her and Octavian, the 2 elders are also teaching the 2 young people necessary skills along the way.
It is also whilst on their journey they discover what has been happening with their country's "pantheon" (this is when you discover what the strange prologue meant) and their intervention may cause some trouble later on.
Overall I found this to be one of the better progression fantasies I've read, even if the pacing was a bit erratic and with all the tropes. The world building was well done though the many nights at the campfire teaching about aeon, cores and such did pull me from the story every now and then. The highlight of the book for me was Hlya; honestly I would read any book with a grumpy elderly historian/archaeologist in it.
It took me a couple of attempts to get into Soul Relic, mainly because I found the young female protagonist Raysha extremely annoying and self pitying. She does have every reason to be, considering she is lacking aeon that everyone around her does. Once I realised she was actually purposefully written this way (other characters mention this trait later in the book) and once she'd left her village where she wasn't constantly put down, I liked how she constantly worked on herself to improve as a person. My other reason was because I thought this was going to be another one of those stories with the "academy trope" and I was relieved when it turned into anything but. Raysha is not the type of character I'd expect to do well in a school setting, though her brother Vashi (to whom she looks up to) certainly is.
Soul Relic picks up in pace once Raysha is denied entry to the Academy and this is when I really started enjoying the story. Raysha and Vashi are joined by an enjoyable elderly curmudgeon of a historian called Hlaya and a Warrior called Octavian. Hlya is seeking a lost tomb along with certain rune stones and by taking Raysha and Vashi along with her and Octavian, the 2 elders are also teaching the 2 young people necessary skills along the way.
It is also whilst on their journey they discover what has been happening with their country's "pantheon" (this is when you discover what the strange prologue meant) and their intervention may cause some trouble later on.
Overall I found this to be one of the better progression fantasies I've read, even if the pacing was a bit erratic and with all the tropes. The world building was well done though the many nights at the campfire teaching about aeon, cores and such did pull me from the story every now and then. The highlight of the book for me was Hlya; honestly I would read any book with a grumpy elderly historian/archaeologist in it.
April 20, 2023
Help me fund my reading habbit
This book is classified as a cultivation story. Well, it is, but it isn't really. It has cultivation elements, but there's no real advancement, opening gates, growing in levels, or stats, all of the things usually associated with cultivation stories. There is advancement of a sort, in that the constructs the characters can handle increase in complexity, but I'd place this book firmly in the fantasy category, not in the cultivation section, but to each their own I guess.
In any case, the story is decent enough, and I'd have read it anyway, even if I'd known exactly what it was, so no loss there. I like the story so far, and no doubt I'll read more in the series as well. Just need to let LitRPG fans know there's not the typical treatment of litrpg or cultivation most readers have come to expect from such books, so if you're reading it specifically for the cultivation aspects, you're not going to find what you're looking for, though you're still going to get a decent story, and likely be drawn in by the cultivation aspects that aren't really cultivation portions of the story, so it's not a complete write off, even on that front. If you're new to cultivation stories, then just be aware, this is not a typical cultivation story.
This book is classified as a cultivation story. Well, it is, but it isn't really. It has cultivation elements, but there's no real advancement, opening gates, growing in levels, or stats, all of the things usually associated with cultivation stories. There is advancement of a sort, in that the constructs the characters can handle increase in complexity, but I'd place this book firmly in the fantasy category, not in the cultivation section, but to each their own I guess.
In any case, the story is decent enough, and I'd have read it anyway, even if I'd known exactly what it was, so no loss there. I like the story so far, and no doubt I'll read more in the series as well. Just need to let LitRPG fans know there's not the typical treatment of litrpg or cultivation most readers have come to expect from such books, so if you're reading it specifically for the cultivation aspects, you're not going to find what you're looking for, though you're still going to get a decent story, and likely be drawn in by the cultivation aspects that aren't really cultivation portions of the story, so it's not a complete write off, even on that front. If you're new to cultivation stories, then just be aware, this is not a typical cultivation story.
September 2, 2025
The world in Soul Relic immediately felt large and ancient. You could feel the history, the many cultures, and the politics were all deeply developed and actually important into the development of the world and storyline.
Our main character Raysha is a likeable and relatable underdog trying fiercely to overcome the limits she was born with. Her growth is satisfying to read. Her achievements are exciting and heartwarming. Her relationship with her brother is realistic and loving and fun. Her goals and dreams are all ones I came to hope she can achieve.
The fighting in this book is so well done. Everyone’s abilities are unique and well used by themselves. Their power growth is well explained and interesting as we learn more about the power system of the world.
I enjoyed my whole way through. I rushed reading Soul Relic in a day because I just wanted more. The main storyline of Raysha is fantastic. And the overarching side storyline involving the politics of the main players in the world is mysterious and stressful as it crosses over with our main crew.
However my one nitpick is the whole lead up to Raysha overcoming her issues with wielding her power felt a bit lacklustre. There was no sense of trial or tribulation to earn her fix. The drama of them being attacked at the time of her finding the resolution to her problem had nothing to do with her finding it. It was its own seperate storyline. And so when she comes across the power she needs it just feels random/sudden/unspecial. It was like a side thought despite the whole premise of the story being her finding this thing that could fix her.
I’m hoping in book two the main storyline has its chance to shine properly. On to book two!
Our main character Raysha is a likeable and relatable underdog trying fiercely to overcome the limits she was born with. Her growth is satisfying to read. Her achievements are exciting and heartwarming. Her relationship with her brother is realistic and loving and fun. Her goals and dreams are all ones I came to hope she can achieve.
The fighting in this book is so well done. Everyone’s abilities are unique and well used by themselves. Their power growth is well explained and interesting as we learn more about the power system of the world.
I enjoyed my whole way through. I rushed reading Soul Relic in a day because I just wanted more. The main storyline of Raysha is fantastic. And the overarching side storyline involving the politics of the main players in the world is mysterious and stressful as it crosses over with our main crew.
However my one nitpick is the whole lead up to Raysha overcoming her issues with wielding her power felt a bit lacklustre. There was no sense of trial or tribulation to earn her fix. The drama of them being attacked at the time of her finding the resolution to her problem had nothing to do with her finding it. It was its own seperate storyline. And so when she comes across the power she needs it just feels random/sudden/unspecial. It was like a side thought despite the whole premise of the story being her finding this thing that could fix her.
I’m hoping in book two the main storyline has its chance to shine properly. On to book two!
September 29, 2022
Rating: Legendary
Review (By Oscar): I loved this new, exciting progression fantasy book! While reading it, I kept getting reminded of some of my favorites of the genre - Cradle and Mage Errant - which Soul Relic reminds me of immensely. The magic system is a variant of cultivation, and is quite intricate and intriguing, so much having. been shown in only a book so far. Furthermore, we watch as the MC struggles to overcome their cultivation birth defects, adventuring around the world to try to fix themselves. Along for the ride is a lovable, well-written cast of characters, each and every one feeling unique. Some of my favorite interactions would probably have to be between Hlaya - an older women - and Octavian - a child-like, beast of a man. Each and every conversation between them oozes with a familiarity only gained over many years of working together. A reluctant "Yeah, whatever" in response to the other's antics. Still, at the same time, to the MC, Raysha, and her brother they are an unstoppable force, pushing them ever onwards to their goal. While the plot of the first book is primarily focused on their journey, wars, a new ruler, and many other events are going around in the background which in turn effects the characters in a variety of different ways. All in all, I would totally recommend that you read Soul Relic, a book that takes the best parts of Mage Errant and Cradle and runs with it!
If you want to see more reviews like this check out progressionalfantasyreviews.com! I hope this helps!
Review (By Oscar): I loved this new, exciting progression fantasy book! While reading it, I kept getting reminded of some of my favorites of the genre - Cradle and Mage Errant - which Soul Relic reminds me of immensely. The magic system is a variant of cultivation, and is quite intricate and intriguing, so much having. been shown in only a book so far. Furthermore, we watch as the MC struggles to overcome their cultivation birth defects, adventuring around the world to try to fix themselves. Along for the ride is a lovable, well-written cast of characters, each and every one feeling unique. Some of my favorite interactions would probably have to be between Hlaya - an older women - and Octavian - a child-like, beast of a man. Each and every conversation between them oozes with a familiarity only gained over many years of working together. A reluctant "Yeah, whatever" in response to the other's antics. Still, at the same time, to the MC, Raysha, and her brother they are an unstoppable force, pushing them ever onwards to their goal. While the plot of the first book is primarily focused on their journey, wars, a new ruler, and many other events are going around in the background which in turn effects the characters in a variety of different ways. All in all, I would totally recommend that you read Soul Relic, a book that takes the best parts of Mage Errant and Cradle and runs with it!
If you want to see more reviews like this check out progressionalfantasyreviews.com! I hope this helps!
November 27, 2023
A mostly forgettable RPG-style fantasy.
The protagonist was relatable, if self-absorbed. The world-building was mostly unoriginal. It features an interesting rune/circuit-based magic system, although Mana is called something else.
My issue is that the mentor figures, old and wise, take two defenseless students out into the dangerous wilderness, despite there being no time pressure. They could have trained them before leaving but no... defenceless it is. At one point these two geniuses attack a much larger military group, hoping the two students don't immediately die - Plot armor activate!
When the MacGuffin is found, it doesn't feel earned. The only barriers to finding it were those that the two elders created themselves. No one was trying to stop them from achieving their goal. The protagonist didn't have to develop her skills to the point where she could find or activate the Macguffin. She simply found it and made it work. And then all problems went away.
It all felt like a set-up for book two. So despite my misgivings, I'm going to take the plunge. Here's hoping.
The protagonist was relatable, if self-absorbed. The world-building was mostly unoriginal. It features an interesting rune/circuit-based magic system, although Mana is called something else.
My issue is that the mentor figures, old and wise, take two defenseless students out into the dangerous wilderness, despite there being no time pressure. They could have trained them before leaving but no... defenceless it is. At one point these two geniuses attack a much larger military group, hoping the two students don't immediately die - Plot armor activate!
When the MacGuffin is found, it doesn't feel earned. The only barriers to finding it were those that the two elders created themselves. No one was trying to stop them from achieving their goal. The protagonist didn't have to develop her skills to the point where she could find or activate the Macguffin. She simply found it and made it work. And then all problems went away.
It all felt like a set-up for book two. So despite my misgivings, I'm going to take the plunge. Here's hoping.
Want to read
January 4, 2024This is not a full review. I read through the beginning of all 300 SPFBO9 contest entries. This was a book I wanted to read more of.
Prologue. We begin with comic book style violence, and that’s fine. It’s active. There are characters here. Most of them are dead. Most of them are also gods.
The prose reads well. Our MC is appropriately otherworldly, though still seemingly grounded. The descriptions of his power make me feel I’m in good hands.
It is strange to start with a prologue that takes place 8 years AFTER ch1. I almost feel tricked. I wanted the story to go forward from this interesting beginning, but maybe it still will.
The competence of this Greek inspired - Zelazny-esque? - story has me wanting to read more, though. I want to see if a compelling narrative emerges. I’m in.
Prologue. We begin with comic book style violence, and that’s fine. It’s active. There are characters here. Most of them are dead. Most of them are also gods.
The prose reads well. Our MC is appropriately otherworldly, though still seemingly grounded. The descriptions of his power make me feel I’m in good hands.
It is strange to start with a prologue that takes place 8 years AFTER ch1. I almost feel tricked. I wanted the story to go forward from this interesting beginning, but maybe it still will.
The competence of this Greek inspired - Zelazny-esque? - story has me wanting to read more, though. I want to see if a compelling narrative emerges. I’m in.
March 21, 2023
I'm having some trouble rating this one. At one hand the book is well written and builds up a pretty interesting world and magic system. On the other hand very little action happens, there's only 2 fights in the whole book as far as action hoes and a big part is simply describing how they walk from A to B.
It's kind of a shame, there were interesting parts of world/system building along the way, but not much in terms of action/interaction with the world, which made it feel like a drag for large parts of the read. This is a real shame as it's the first part of the series. If it was more active/immersive I probably would have jumped straight in the second book. Now I'm just glad I made it to the end and need something different before considering the next book in the series.
It's kind of a shame, there were interesting parts of world/system building along the way, but not much in terms of action/interaction with the world, which made it feel like a drag for large parts of the read. This is a real shame as it's the first part of the series. If it was more active/immersive I probably would have jumped straight in the second book. Now I'm just glad I made it to the end and need something different before considering the next book in the series.
February 13, 2023
Solid start.
I like that our protagonist isn't directly involved in whatever grand schemes are being cooked up by Atareus at this point.
My biggest concern is that the character's main arc in this book was her sense of inadequacy due to her inability to regenerate power.
But that problem has no been resolved, so what is her character arc going forward?
Power in and of itself may be progression in this genre, but it does not characterize in and of itself.
I'm hoping that the story leans into Raysha's apparent adoration for spirit beasts and her new spirit heart, and potentially (in time) a growing gap between her and people she currently knows as she grows more powerful.
I like that our protagonist isn't directly involved in whatever grand schemes are being cooked up by Atareus at this point.
My biggest concern is that the character's main arc in this book was her sense of inadequacy due to her inability to regenerate power.
But that problem has no been resolved, so what is her character arc going forward?
Power in and of itself may be progression in this genre, but it does not characterize in and of itself.
I'm hoping that the story leans into Raysha's apparent adoration for spirit beasts and her new spirit heart, and potentially (in time) a growing gap between her and people she currently knows as she grows more powerful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2024
CAWPILE SCORE
C-5
A-7
W-6
P-7
I-8
L-7
E-8
TOTAL-6.86/10
Great Prologue, good worldbuilding and I like the way the magic is set up. Interested to see where it goes from here.
Sometimes power levels felt a bit inconsistent, good plot. Nice atmosphere
C-5
A-7
W-6
P-7
I-8
L-7
E-8
TOTAL-6.86/10
Great Prologue, good worldbuilding and I like the way the magic is set up. Interested to see where it goes from here.
Sometimes power levels felt a bit inconsistent, good plot. Nice atmosphere
April 26, 2025
Great Book
This is a good book with well written characters and relationships. The magic system is interesting, somewhat similar to Cradle's, though I found it a bit difficult to track all the stages. The author put a breakdown of the ranks (in order) with a bit of information about each. You learn all the information on that list by around the middle of the book which is where I started referencing it when needed.
The world is interesting and each place and environment is described in great detail. In fact, it might be too much detail for some people. If you've read Mage Errant and enjoyed it, you will be fine.
Overall, a good read!
This is a good book with well written characters and relationships. The magic system is interesting, somewhat similar to Cradle's, though I found it a bit difficult to track all the stages. The author put a breakdown of the ranks (in order) with a bit of information about each. You learn all the information on that list by around the middle of the book which is where I started referencing it when needed.
The world is interesting and each place and environment is described in great detail. In fact, it might be too much detail for some people. If you've read Mage Errant and enjoyed it, you will be fine.
Overall, a good read!
June 23, 2022
I received an free ARC copy of Soul Relic and my review is based on that ARC copy.
Overall an enjoyable book, a strong debut for Mr. Hinton. I will definitely be interested in sequels. The worldbuilding and magic system are enjoyable and easily understood. The pacing is okay, a good mix of faster and slower parts. Character building is enjoyable with depth to the main characters.
There was a bit of a deus ex machina resolution to one major plot point but other than that I would say an overall strong and enjoyable story.
Overall an enjoyable book, a strong debut for Mr. Hinton. I will definitely be interested in sequels. The worldbuilding and magic system are enjoyable and easily understood. The pacing is okay, a good mix of faster and slower parts. Character building is enjoyable with depth to the main characters.
There was a bit of a deus ex machina resolution to one major plot point but other than that I would say an overall strong and enjoyable story.
April 23, 2023
fortune favors
Mainly staying focused on the trials and tribulations of the MC, there are sufficient chapters and hints of greater political issues to color a larger world. The method of ‘cultivation’ is interesting, with plenty of room for development and exploration.
The motivations of some supporting characters are either thin or not yet revealed. Some readers may be turned away by the lack of maturity and development in the MC, or the seeming ease with which her fundamental issue is resolved.
I am going to buy the sequel now.
Mainly staying focused on the trials and tribulations of the MC, there are sufficient chapters and hints of greater political issues to color a larger world. The method of ‘cultivation’ is interesting, with plenty of room for development and exploration.
The motivations of some supporting characters are either thin or not yet revealed. Some readers may be turned away by the lack of maturity and development in the MC, or the seeming ease with which her fundamental issue is resolved.
I am going to buy the sequel now.
January 24, 2025
Book 1: 3/5
Book 2 3.5/5
Book 3: 4/5
Book 4: 4/5
Book 1 is by far the weakest link in this series, but I'm happy I stuck with it. It took about halfway through book 2 to really get me invested and I binged the rest of the series after that.
So the start got whiffed for me, but after that it turns into a fun adventure-cultivation story. The characters are great and continue being fleshed out. Storyline and writing are generally solid. MC's powerset starting from halfway through book 2 becomes pretty cool.
my main problems:
1. Her early power doesn't feel earned, just given for free
2. The core fix and resulting power were too quick and easy
3. The trauma of childhood with a broken core wasn't established enough, which makes the resulting
character development not work great.
4. "big bad guy" wasn't established enough. We don't really have any reason to hate the guy except
that the author tells us he's the bad guy.
Book 2 3.5/5
Book 3: 4/5
Book 4: 4/5
Book 1 is by far the weakest link in this series, but I'm happy I stuck with it. It took about halfway through book 2 to really get me invested and I binged the rest of the series after that.
So the start got whiffed for me, but after that it turns into a fun adventure-cultivation story. The characters are great and continue being fleshed out. Storyline and writing are generally solid. MC's powerset starting from halfway through book 2 becomes pretty cool.
my main problems:
1. Her early power doesn't feel earned, just given for free
2. The core fix and resulting power were too quick and easy
3. The trauma of childhood with a broken core wasn't established enough, which makes the resulting
character development not work great.
4. "big bad guy" wasn't established enough. We don't really have any reason to hate the guy except
that the author tells us he's the bad guy.
June 23, 2022
Received an advanced review copy of the book. An enjoyable take on a “powerless” MC story. Great dynamic between the MC, her brother, and her mentors. I think that was one of my favorite aspects of the story. They make the story interesting as we follow the MC on her journey to figuring out a way to use her powers.
All in all great story, look forward to reading more from this author and the next book in the series.
All in all great story, look forward to reading more from this author and the next book in the series.
October 28, 2022
Excellent start to a new progression fantasy/cultivation series. Was a little slice-of-life feel to it as MC Raya, her brother and two mentors set off to examine an archeological site with the hope of finding something to fix Raya's core, which can't generate her own aeon. The cultivation magic system with lots of runes and formations was interesting. The action was very good and the worldbuilding solid as well. Just a great read
November 8, 2022
It was ok beginning. What I liked was system that was flexible power system, adventure and hero who came from nothing but didn't forget to dream about something bigger. What I didn't like is internal juvenile monologues, childish behaviour and deus ex machina solution to her core weakness. This book should be classified into young adult category in my opinion. All in all there wasn't that much progression and I hope that it will come in second book.
November 14, 2022
It is nice to see a often used trope of a MC being unable to cultivate in progression novels and then being treated badly by everyone around them is turned on its ear with this MC having a great caring and supportive family. Of course, the possible solution is a lot more difficult and dangerous than they first expect--but there wouldn't be a story if that wasn't true.
A good story with lots of action and shows of strength that aren't always about using power...but that also helps.
A good story with lots of action and shows of strength that aren't always about using power...but that also helps.
January 30, 2024
It’s giving sci-fi version of Crown of Midnight and Heir of Fire from the Throne of Glass series. The training montages is what gives me the main flashes of it.
I love Raysha! She’s an intelligent, head strong, gifted, and caring individual. Favorite scene: for sure when she saves her brother after getting angry. That’s how it always works and I’ll always be here emotions helping to unlock power.
I love Raysha! She’s an intelligent, head strong, gifted, and caring individual. Favorite scene: for sure when she saves her brother after getting angry. That’s how it always works and I’ll always be here emotions helping to unlock power.
February 2, 2024
Generally enjoyed this but there's nothing too remarkable here.
Uses the progression fantasy framework but this first book is really more of a 'before' story detailing our protagonists path to being able to access her powers. The book is mainly an adventure story/travelogue of tracking down some ancient ruins and seeing if they contain anything worth discovering.
Interesting world although the motivations of the villains are kept a bit too vague so there's nothing to really hook you there.
Uses the progression fantasy framework but this first book is really more of a 'before' story detailing our protagonists path to being able to access her powers. The book is mainly an adventure story/travelogue of tracking down some ancient ruins and seeing if they contain anything worth discovering.
Interesting world although the motivations of the villains are kept a bit too vague so there's nothing to really hook you there.
February 25, 2025
It's OK, just ok and nothing more. The setup is progression fantasy like, but it doesn't really follow through. There's power levels but not really a way to get there, unless you're the mc who's basically a huge generational talent because of a disability that's apparently quite easily solved. So now infinite power is hers to take?
I still might try book 2, but I'm not sure yet. It could get better...
I still might try book 2, but I'm not sure yet. It could get better...
August 10, 2022
A very solid first book, the magic system was interesting (maybe a little vague/soft but plenty of room to grow), the world building was good and importantly it had a well rounded set of characters. The only real downside was the plot, in just this book it was a little railroaded and the main character found a super convenient power up at the two times when she really needed one.
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