& he is POWERLESS: #1 nobles who are students & most elders treat him like BARELY useful dirt, use or lie to him.
#2 then step on him even more, when he shows ANY irritation or back bone,
#3 since he got less training & is a surf, he NEVER wins !!!
#4 even his sponsor or SOMWHAT nice teachers DO NOT or barely help him.
#5 this is NOT constant, so the book isn’t COMPLEATLY negative, but it brings the HOLE mood of the book down.
MC is a peasant farmer, with some combat training & he gets into a combat school, their is martial, melee & chi type skills: combat & these are just enough, to keep the book SOMEWHAT interesting.
Mystical powers or chi; their is no REAL level or progression ranking & this makes it VERY hard to tell how powerful the MC is or if he’s REALLY growing. Pre industrial middle eastern setting, where nobles rule & surfs are little better then slaves.
Pace is ok & not slow. Character interplay & story complexity, are barely interesting.
Performance is good: different voices & good inflections