Unsouled

I've been into sf/f for a long while, so I knew a bit about the so-called progression or cultivation subgenre. It didn't seem like it'd be for me, but Cradle was immensely popular and was also in my Kindle library, so why not?

I can see the appeal now. There's a very enjoyable arc in certain video games - mostly RPGs, especially JRPGs and MMOs - where you begin struggling in the dirt and then eventually become so powerful you can (and do) kill God and all his angels in heaven.

Cradle distills that idea into literary form. Wei Shi Lindon is deemed an outcast from the moment of his birth, as he is ‘Unsouled' and thus prohibited from training down a path to get stronger. Like a video game, there are ranks and experience points, and Lindon is essentially level-capped at “Wood” rank, far below the next rank of Copper and beneath the notice of Iron or Jade.

Lindon ekes out a meager existence looking for ways to get ahead that the other, more honorable members of his culture look down on. He eventually discovers a type of exploit of sorts: the Empty Palm. This ability is less an attack and more of a debuff, but it's an ability that is uniquely tailored to his skills and finally gives him the edge he had been looking for.

Events quickly turn sideways and Lindon realizes to equal parts horror and delight that his home - the Sacred Valley - is essentially just a ‘starting zone'. Even the strongest people he knows and fears are nothing compared to the world outside. He soon realizes that it's both possible to leave Sacred Valley and necessary if he wants to gain power and avert future disaster.

I found Cradle to be a clever book, dealing with conflicts and themes in ways that you don't often see in most fantasy books. Lindon is an unusual protagonist in that he has zero interest (or indeed, ability) to do anything the ‘correct way'. Everything he accomplishes is via a trick, exploit, or an outright cheat. I'm reminded somewhat of Cugel from the Dying Earth series.

However, I found it difficult to sympathize or even root for him. He's not a starving street rat or humble farmer - he's from a noble family and is a mix of mage and martial artist. He may at the lowest rung on his particular ladder, but it's miles better than most heroes at the start of their journeys.

His isn't struggling to survive or trying to save his kidnapped love or getting revenge on the person to wrong him; his major obstacle in life is that he wants to get stronger but people won't let him because of the rules. I'm not a stranger to shonen protagonists, but while they are often simpleminded in their pursuits of increasing their power, there's usually some other hook to latch onto. I didn't find that to be the case with Lindon.

About the halfway mark the stakes are raised and his motivations shift, but it's a thin justification. It merely gives him a more noble reason to continue what he was already planning to do.

As a book, it often felt amateurish. There were awkward sentences, chapter transitions never felt right, and the metanarrative didn't quite work for me. I found the character writing to be the weakest part as almost every character had the same voice and extremely similar motivations and ideals.

Overall, I liked it and it exceeded my expectations, though they were already low to begin with. I'm unsure if I'll continue on, but I plan to at least read the sequel to see how the formula is shaken up.