The faraway paladin vol 1 by Kanata Yanagino

Adapted by Mutsumi Okubashi
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In an almost abandoned temple, Will is being raised by three interesting guardians: Gus, a powerful magic user who teaches Will how to use the Words of Creation to cast magic; Blood, a super strong warrior who teaches Will to fight and hone his own physical strength; and Mary, who teaches Will about growing his own food and preparing nourishing meals. All three provide Will with valuable lessons that will keep him alive in this strange world, and all three are undead. At first, we see Will as a small child learning from his three caretakers, but by the end of the volume, he has grown into a man of fifteen, and must make his way in a world full of monsters and vengeful gods.

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This is a more methodical story with a slower pacing that reminds me of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End. Other stories would skip the years of training and go straight to Will’s ultimate test as he turned fifteen, but this story takes the time to build up its hero and supporting characters. The slower pace might turn some readers off, but I would guess that plenty of readers will appreciate watching Will grow up as I did. There are a few fight scenes where we get to see how Will progresses and gains skills during his life, and the sequences are nicely drawn and easy to follow. 

J-Novel rates this for Teen 13+, which I think is appropriate given the pacing might lose younger readers, and the fantasy violence that will most likely become more prevalent in successive volumes.

The version I reviewed is an omnibus containing the first two volumes of the series. The binding on this and all J-Novel books are incredibly sturdy and well glued, especially considering the size of this book.

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 8-12

Publisher: J-Novel Club
Publication Date: August 17, 2021​
ISBN: 9781718359307 (Paperback)

​Tags: Rating: 9/10, Suitability: Middle School, Suitability: High School, Manga, Action Adventure, Fantasy, Family, J-Novel Club