THE RELUCTANTS

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Leland strives to get rid of his stutter before going to college.That should be the entire story…

No superpowers. No spamming of portals.No getting beaten to a bloody pulp.No heavy burdens of saving Earth from a relentless alien overlord, and certainly no equally reluctant companions throwing the responsibility around like a ticking time bomb.

But unfortunately, life’s kindness can be quite elusive.

Information

Status: Completed
Year: 2024
Author: Olubean

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.5/ 5.0
Followers: 126
Views: 39,132

Reviews

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Community Reviews(10)

naomi02Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I got to read this book as a beta reader and I must say, it is a very well written piece. The story plot is wonderful; Leland, who possibly is the most normal looking person, that stammers, gains super powers. This book has comedic themes too, and the character development is great.
At some point in the book though, I was starting to feel that the plot was dragging out, as there were new people and powers being introduced. But it was worth is, as everything led to a perfect ending. I must also say though, that personally, I felt like our MC got a hand of his powers far too easily. I was expecting him to struggle at the beginning, and perhaps find someone to teach him how to use and control it, but most times he got an 'eureka' moment where he then knew how to use his powers. But that fortunately, does not affect the flow of the book.
Staress is a character who despite her good intentions, I did not really like. She is brash, a bit selfish I must say, as she never thinks about Leland before pushing him off to do things he isn't ready for.
There are so many other wonderful characters in this book, both human and alien, so you should totally check it out! I definitely recommend this.
Cosmia45Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Before I start I feel I must disclose that I received early access to the full story. I also think I should say that I grew up being fond of superheroes for the most part, but have largely lost interest in the genre recently. So how does Olubean’s new novel The Reluctants hold up for someone without much intrinsic interest in the genre? Pretty well honestly. It is not something I’d think to read under usual circumstances, but I’m glad I went through it regardless. You can probably find stories kinda like this one, but I’m pretty sure you won’t find anything quite like it.
The story mostly focuses on Leland, a young dude whose biggest issue was his stutter until he suddenly has to worry about saving the world. Even as the stakes raise that same stutter still plagues his mind. On one hand his fixation on his stutter can be frustrating. He makes some questionable decisions because of it and it damages some of his relationships. Yet it’s mostly frustrating in a realistic way, so I can hardly call it bad writing. Leland doesn’t always behave in the most likable way, but he’s usually compelling. A solid protagonist.
As for the rest of the cast there’s a strong assortment. None of these folks are all time favorites of mine (unless the later books change that), but I like them. They’ve all got some great witty lines at least occasionally, distinctive personalities, and some substance to them. At least among everyone with a speaking role that’s more than one or two chapters any way. There are admittedly some throwaway rogue gallery types that come and go without leaving much impact. Fortunately that doesn’t apply to the major antagonist, Volengi. Now Volengi’s a dude you do not want to mess with if you don’t have to. Unfortunately for the Reluctants, they do. It’s not a 100% unique setup, but Olubean finds a way to make it interesting. Volengi may inhabit a familiar archetype, but trust me you aren’t ready for what he brings to the table. Who doesn’t love a good underdog sto
Foxheart10Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Thank you to Olubean for choosing me as a beta reader in exchange for an honest review.
This review includes spoilers.
Pros:
The worldbuilding was immersive. The intergalactic civilisations, the different alien species, the customs…
Leland’s character was easy to root for. I felt for his struggles with his stutter and wanted him to overcome his self-hatred. He is also the king of self-sabotaging, which is relatable af, so I give him props for that. We love good character flaws.
The found family dynamic between Leland, Staress, and Cadell was something I didn’t know I needed until now. Oh my god. The BANTER.
I loved the way this whole novel felt like an animated show, especially with the powers and fight scenes.
Cons:
I thought Mark would be a more major character, considering he’s Leland’s best friend, but he kinda just…disappeared. If he’s Leland’s best friend, why was he absent for so much of the book?
I found the pacing odd at times. eg. Mark’s disappearing act + Maggie cutting Leland off was out of the blue. There was no buildup.
The sense of urgency in dire situations was kinda lost later on. eg. When Mark “died” and Leland couldn’t talk on the phone without stuttering, I was terrified. But, later on, events like Leland getting his heart ripped out didn’t phase me.
MagisterLARoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Weird and complicated, but very enjoyable to read. The Reluctants provides a new perspective about grounded superheroes and how they would deal with extraordinary circumstances in the most unexpected way possible, whether through common sense or plain insanity with a hint of reasoning. Like with Staress, she seems so nonchalant and bubbly with everything because of her ability. Sometimes it'll be confusing, but it's fun when it comes to her. It will take more than one reading session to understand the story because of this Solarian Empire in the story. There's so many ET species and concepts in the other worlds the main trio experience that will be somewhat hard to grasp, but it's essential to the story altogether. I connected with the protagonist, Leland, the most. His dislike for his stutter reminded me of how I once felt about my autism, and it was satisfying to see him gradually change. I provided feedback to this story as a beta reader. It was really fun to do so for the author. Give the Reluctants a chance and you'll find a gem.
War TurtleRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Got a copy of this story a month in advance and I was pleasantly surprised when I finished reading it
A story that starts off with slice-of-life and personal conflicts forming the foundation of the story which gradually morphs into a grand and ambitious hero tale, showcasing strong world building and a protagonist who undergoes a unique journey of development alongside a varied and engaging supporting cast
Hoping for more grounded parts in the continuation
BeanieTayoRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
Happy to have been chosen as a beta reader! Man, this book really drew me in from the start. The world where people have different psychic powers and compete in tournaments sounded so cool. I loved the main character Leland too.
The tournament setup kept things super intense. You never knew what was coming next. Some of the side characters really stood out too, like the super strong Staress and the mysterious Psyche. It was also great to have an villain like Volengi, who you totally understood why he was doing what he was doing even if it was wrong.
A few parts felt a little forced because they relied on big coincidences happening. Overall though, the action kept things exciting as the story rolled on. I could tell the author put a lot of work into creating this whole imaginative world too. With more details about how everything worked, it would have felt even more real.
Some of the other characters could have been explored more too. It would have been interesting to get deeper into their heads. The main guy Leland's motivation changed a bit throughout, so clearing that up could help. Also a few times he survived things that seemed impossible.
But man, his struggles to fit in and find his confidence despite all the chaos going on hit me. A lot of people can relate to that. Fans of psychological drama and high-intensity battles will dig this one for sure. Definitely left me wanting more!
Alice SnowbelleRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
To start, this is the first action-themed book that I've read and to be honest I didn't know how to read it in the first place. But when I started reading this, I somehow managed to get hooked on it because I find Leland's character and the 4th wall breaks to be entertaining, which grabbed my attention. I was amazed that he still managed to be "human" with flaws despite being a hero, unlike other typical heroes who seem perfect.
However, for me, his nationality is quite blurry. I was confused if he was Japanese because he once said the word "sensei" and the setting made me think that he was British until it was mentioned that He's Nigerian, which gave me amusement because it gives variety- I never recognized a Nigerian hero before. I think you can also work on how to make his power clear in terms of its versatility and limits. The last thing that caught my attention was his connections.
For me, Maggie's role and Leland's shared burden with Cadell and Staress had an impact on how Leland viewed himself, which made him grow in his character development as a hero and also as a human.
Leland's character development got me cheering so hard! Especially when I read the part where he got into college and he initiated the conversation by himself, I felt so proud even tho he's a fictional character.
[email protected]Royal Road
★★★★ 4.0
It’s a fun read with quirky characters. I sometimes get lost in the dialogue but I think that fits the balance of character personality within this narrative. I really like the kind of comedy on normal superhero tropes and the inner dialogue of the characters at times. It adds a lot to the overall story and connection for the characters. It was an overall enjoyable read and I recommend it to anyone looking for something quirky and unique to read.
Nika24Royal Road
★★★★ 4.0
The Reluctants is a superhero novel I had the pleasure to beta read with a very relatable main character called Leland, who struggles with his stutter and transforms into a completely different person over the course of the book.
The other characters who appear in the book are also well thought out, and even though Staress, a singer-slash-heroine, was a little annoying at first, she quickly grew on me the more I read of the novel.
The third one of the trio, Cadell, seems like the most untouchable character, but like with the other two, further in the novel you get to see a glimpse of his personal struggles as the novel progresses, which makes him very likeable.
The villain of The Reluctants, Volengi, is a great antagonist with his own personal problems, trying to maintain his reputation but failing time and time again to get rid of that annoying slug planet called Earth. He does everything he can to achieve his goal, and the four of them clash quite often.
The worldbuilding in the book is very extensive with descriptions of different planets and species, but in my opinion, the most interesting part of the novel is the tournament arc in which all characters get involved with each other.
To sum it up, I would warmly recommend The Reluctants to anyone who loves Marvel and superheroes with a little twist and enchanting world-building.
Garnet and EggsRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
Note: Olubean shared the full book with me. (Thank you!)
I really liked the story overall. I especially liked how the whole Maggie thing turned out.
There were a few things that left me with more questions than answers, but they're definitely things that could be explained in more detail in a future book, like where
Staress' crown came from, and Cadell's infection.
Also, I was under the impression that since Volengi's tongue was blue and he bled purple through his nose, his flesh would keep being blue and his blood purple, so when he had crimson flesh and was bleeding blue when he
transformed in front of Leland,
I was a little confused.
As for the main characters, Leland is a realistic and relatable character personality-wise. He's so self conscious about his stuttering that he self sabotages his relationships with other people, and it's great to watch him grow.
Cadell and Staress are both still mysterious even after finishing. They're very different characters though. Cadell likes to keep to himself, while Staress has a lot of connections. Staress was a big driving force for the story. She gets things done.
Volengi is my absolute favorite character. He was serious and aggressive to the point where I ended up thinking he was really funny. Even though he had a plain appearance, I knew he was supposed to be intimidating because of his abilities, and he was, but then he was put into ridiculous situations that he couldn't really deal with even with his abilities. I also felt kinda bad for him since other aliens were being douchebags about him not being able to
destroy a planet that they also wouldn't be capable of destroying.
Hypocrites. So l absolutely rooted for him every time he
killed someone.
They had it coming. Probably.