James Islington first captured fantasy readers' hearts with The Licanius Trilogy, but it's his Hierarchy series that has cemented his place among the genre's modern greats. Combining the political intrigue of ancient Rome with dark academia elements and a mind-bending magic system, Hierarchy has earned starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Kirkus, whilst hitting #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.
If you're looking for your next all-consuming fantasy obsession – the kind of series that makes you think about it constantly between reading sessions – the Hierarchy series demands your attention. Here's everything you need to know.
Content Note: This is a spoiler free review
Hierarchy Series Reading Order
The Hierarchy series currently consists of two published books with at least one more confirmed:
The Will of the Many (Book 1) – Published May 2023
The Strength of the Few (Book 2) – Published November 2025
The Justice of One (Book 3) – No release date announced yet
Note: Islington has mentioned in his blog updates that the series may extend beyond three books – potentially becoming a quartet – though this hasn't been officially confirmed. Regardless of final length, readers should prepare for an epic, ambitious story that continues to expand in scope with each instalment.
What Is the Hierarchy Series About?
The Hierarchy series is set in the Catenan Republic, a civilisation inspired by the Golden Age of the Roman Republic. However, this is no ordinary empire. In Caten, the lower classes must cede a portion of their mental and physical energy – called "Will" – to the classes above them. This creates a rigid hierarchy where a handful of elites can wield the strength of hundreds, enabling them to undertake enormous construction projects, travel vast distances, and maintain absolute control.
Three hundred years before the story begins, an unknown Cataclysm nearly destroyed the world, obliterating existing civilisations and leaving fewer than one in twenty people alive. In the centuries since, the Catenan Republic has conquered what remains of the known world – but with no more territory to conquer, tensions are rising and factions within Caten have begun jockeying for power.
At the centre of this powder keg is Vis Telimus – or so he claims. In truth, Vis is Prince Diago of Suus, whose family was executed when the Hierarchy conquered his island kingdom. Now hiding in plain sight, Vis is recruited to attend the elite Catenan Academy, where he must solve a murder, uncover ancient secrets, and rise through the ranks – all whilst concealing his true identity from the empire that killed everyone he loved.
The Will of the Many (Book 1)
The Will of the Many introduces readers to Vis and the world of the Hierarchy through an immersive first-person narrative. When we meet Vis, he's working as a guard in the brutal Catenan prisons and fighting in underground circuits to earn money for his escape. But when he catches the attention of Magnus Quintus Ulciscor, a powerful senator, everything changes.
In exchange for adoption into Ulciscor's family, Vis agrees to train for the prestigious Catenan Academy and investigate the mysterious death of Ulciscor's brother. What follows is a masterclass in dark academia fantasy – school politics, dangerous alliances, competitive trials, and secrets that could tear the Republic apart.
Library Journal called it "a brilliant and gut-churning masterpiece," whilst Kirkus noted that "fans of Pierce Brown's Red Rising will enjoy this book, but it's darker, deeper, and takes unexpected paths worth traveling." The worldbuilding is exceptionally detailed, the magic system fascinating, and the ending – well, the ending will leave you desperate for the sequel.
Why You'll Love The Will of the Many
Roman-inspired worldbuilding: A fully realised society with complex politics, history, and social structures
Unique magic system: The Will-based hierarchy is unlike anything else in fantasy
Dark academia elements: Elite school, dangerous trials, cutthroat competition
Hidden identity tension: Vis must constantly balance survival with his thirst for justice
Mystery plotting: A compelling whodunit woven throughout the narrative
Mind-blowing ending: A conclusion that opens the series to enormous potential
The Strength of the Few (Book 2)
The Strength of the Few hit #1 on the New York Times bestseller list upon release, and for good reason. This sequel takes the ambitious worldbuilding of the first book and explodes it outward in ways that will leave readers stunned.
Without spoiling the ending of book one, The Strength of the Few shifts from a singular first-person narrative to multiple first-person perspectives across three distinct worlds: Res (the Roman-inspired world we know), Obiteum (Egyptian-inspired), and Luceum (Celtic/Irish-inspired). It's an incredibly ambitious structural choice that transforms the series from dark academia into something far more epic in scope.
Grimdark Magazine declared that "The Strength of the Few is better in pretty much every way than its predecessor. The Will of the Many was a good book – a really, really good book – but The Strength of the Few is a great one." Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review, praising its "evocative prose and nuanced ruminations on the nature of power and sacrifice."
The book juggling three separate storylines is a risk that pays off spectacularly. Each world feels fully realised, each POV character compelling, and the way the threads begin to connect creates multiple jaw-dropping moments. Be warned: the emotional gut-punches hit hard in this one.
Why You'll Love The Strength of the Few
Expanded scope: Three fully realised worlds with distinct cultures and magic systems
Multiple POVs: See events unfold through different lenses simultaneously
Higher stakes: Another Cataclysm looms, threatening all three worlds
Character development: Beloved characters from book one return, changed by events
Emotional devastation: Major character deaths that will wreck you
Science fantasy elements: The series reveals deeper layers of its genre-bending nature
The Justice of One (Book 3) – What We Know
(Content Note: Contains some elements that spoil book 1 and 2)
The third book in the Hierarchy series is confirmed to be titled The Justice of One, following the naming pattern of the previous books. As of late 2025, James Islington has completed approximately 90,000 words of the first draft and has a detailed outline in place.
No release date has been announced yet, though based on Islington's previous timelines, fans are speculating it could arrive sometime in 2027 or 2028. Islington has noted that the series may extend to four books rather than three, though nothing has been officially confirmed.
Given how The Strength of the Few ended, readers are desperate to see how Islington will bring together the threads from all three worlds. The title itself – The Justice of One – suggests we may finally see Vis's long-awaited reckoning with the empire that destroyed his family.
About James Islington
James Islington is an Australian author who first made his mark with The Licanius Trilogy (The Shadow of What Was Lost, An Echo of Things to Come, and The Light of All That Falls). He has sold more than two million books worldwide, and his work has been translated into seventeen languages.
Islington cites Raymond E. Feist, Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, and Patrick Rothfuss as influences on his work. Readers frequently compare the Hierarchy series to Pierce Brown's Red Rising series, though many note that Islington's work is darker and more intricately plotted.
Who Should Read the Hierarchy Series?
The Hierarchy series is perfect for readers who enjoy:
Epic fantasy with intricate worldbuilding
Dark academia and elite school settings
Roman-inspired or historical fantasy
Political intrigue and conspiracies
Unique magic systems
Hidden identity narratives
Series that reward careful reading and theorising
If you loved Red Rising by Pierce Brown, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, or The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson, the Hierarchy series will feel like coming home.
Tropes and Themes
Hidden royalty / secret identity
Dark academia
Found family
Revenge narrative
Underdog protagonist
Tournament / competition arc
Slow-burn romance
Morally complex characters
Class warfare and oppression
Multiverse / parallel worlds (Book 2 onwards)
Final Verdict: Is the Hierarchy Series Worth Reading?
Without question, the Hierarchy series is one of the most impressive fantasy series currently being written. James Islington has crafted something truly special – a story that balances intimate character drama with world-shattering stakes, wrapped in prose that is both accessible and beautifully crafted.
The Will of the Many serves as a perfect entry point: self-contained enough to satisfy whilst laying groundwork for the epic story to come. The Strength of the Few expands the scope in ways that feel genuinely innovative, taking risks that other authors wouldn't dare attempt. If Islington sticks the landing with The Justice of One (and his track record suggests he will), Hierarchy will go down as one of the defining fantasy series of its era.
Whether you're a longtime Islington fan from The Licanius Trilogy or completely new to his work, the Hierarchy series offers something rare: ambitious storytelling that matches its ambition with execution. Start with The Will of the Many and prepare to have your mind blown.
AUDI. VIDE. TACE. – Hear. See. Be silent.
Books Featured in This Article
The Will of the Many
by James Islington
At the elite Catenan Academy, a young fugitive uncovers layered mysteries and world-changing secrets in this new fantasy series by internationally bestselling author of The Licanius Trilogy, James Islington.AUDI. VIDE. TACE. The Catenan Republic—the Hierarchy—may rule the world now, but they do not know everything. I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned after a tragic accident three years ago, and that good fortune alone has led to my acceptance into their most prestigious school. I tell them that once I graduate, I will gladly join the rest of civilised society in allowing my strength, my drive and my focus—what they call Will—to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as millions already do. As all must eventually do. I tell them that I belong, and they believe me. But the truth is that I have been sent to the Academy to find answers. To solve a murder. To search for an ancient weapon. To uncover secrets that may tear the Republic apart. And that I will never, ever cede my Will to the empire that executed my family. To survive, though, I will still have to rise through the Academy’s ranks. I will have to smile, and make friends, and pretend to be one of them and win. Because if I cannot, then those who want to control me, who know my real name, will no longer have any use for me. And if the Hierarchy finds out who I truly am, they will kill me.
The Strength of the Few
by James Islington
Featuring a reversible book cover that matches the original hardcover art design, sprayed edges, and beautifully designed endpapers!This highly anticipated follow-up to The Will of the Many—one of 2023’s most lauded and bestselling fantasy novels—follows Vis as he grapples with a dangerous secret that could unravel history across alternate dimensions. OMNE TRIUM PERFECTUM The Hierarchy still call me Vis Telimus. Still hail me as Catenicus. They still, as one, believe they know who I am. But with all that has happened—with what I fear is coming—I am not sure it matters anymore. I am no longer one. I won the Iudicium, and lost everything—and now, impossibly, the ancient device beyond the Labyrinth has replicated me across three separate worlds. A different version of myself in each of Obiteum, Luceum, and Res. Three different bodies, three different lives. I have to hide; fight; play politics. I have to train; trust; lie. I have to kill; heal; prove myself again, and again, and again. I am loved, and hated, and entirely alone. Above all, though, I need to find answers before it’s too late. To understand the nature of what has happened to me, and why. I need to find a way to stop the coming Cataclysm, because if all I have learned is true, I may be the only one who can.