The Strength of the Few (2) (Hierarchy)

Another win for James Islington! Parts of this book, I liked less than the first. Other parts, I loved even more. For starters, I'm usually a "clean" fantasy reader. I don't like a lot of grit, and I hate sex/sexual violence in books. This one got quite a bit darker and more violent than the first, including gore, and has lots of swearing. BUT, it didn't have any sex/sexual violence, so it was still a win for me. Definitely an adult book, though. I'm so thankful for writers who give these epic, awesome, complex novels without resorting to depictions of SA against women to progress their storyline. My favorite aspects of this book (and, also, the first) are the relationships. I LOVE BROTHERLY relationships. And FATHER/SON relationships. MASTER/SON relationships. I love reading books about the bonds between men. And there's SO MUCH of that in these books. Every time Vis mentions his father (in this book and the last), it just makes me want to wrap him in a blanket burrito, give him a hot cocoa and a hug, and tell him everything is going to be okay. Pulled on my heart strings EVERY TIME. I loved the tenuous relationship between Vis and Ulciscor, Vis's bonds with Eidhin and Callidus, and in this particular book, Caeror. As a fan of male characters, the assortment of male characters in these books, and their bonds with each other, are a huge win for me. There was enough depth and complexity to them (particularly the characters in earlier books) that were a huge win for me. There's also minimal romance, and that's ALSO a huge win for me. I love the intensifying plot A LOT. I'm a huge fan of world-ending plots, and plots that span worlds, and ancient conspiracies, and all that. And since I unfortunately avoid most epic fantasy books because they make sexual violence against women their biggest plot devices, getting this book was a delight. Everything felt new and exciting to me. I also love how the book focuses on one protagonist (three, in this book, technically, but it doesn't feel that way). I love Brandon Sanderson's older books, like Way of Kings, and I think this sort of reminds me of that. Except minus the billions of other character chapters that pop up. It's like that, except Kaladin remains the only POV character. Which I would love. I got so bored of reading about certain other characters in Stormlight Archive, that by the end of that series, I was skipping entire POV chapters because I hated them so much. Just give me one or two characters that I love, and let them carry the story. So the focus on ONLY Vis as a POV character was a plus for me IMMENSELY here. And there wasn't a single chapter I wanted to skip. The downsides for me? The pacing felt too fast in this book, since it was three worlds, and basically three books, going at once. Not as much time to slow down and really spend time with the characters as they process the events of their world. There's a scene between Vis and Ulciscor toward the end that felt like it needed way more time than it got, and I'll leave it at that. Same with Vis and another character in a lake (if you know, you know) that... probably deserved way more time and attention. That particular character, I wish they'd been around for WAY LONGER than the whole 2-3 chapters they got (although I admit those chapters were my favorites in the book). But by those points in the book, the plot was racing so fast that we couldn't really slow down to enjoy those moments that mattered. I'd say the pacing felt the worst toward the end. Partly to keep the tension high, I get it, but it also sort of felt like the author was running out of time to get the book done in a certain word count, so he just started cutting content. Too bad. I would have read a much larger book, with more of the content I loved. I could have stayed in this world for a lot longer and been perfectly content. That was probably my only real complaint. I loved Vis in Res and Vis in Obiteum. Didn't like Luceum as much, until a certain character made an appearance, but I was still happy to keep reading. So even the split worlds didn't bother me, and it was fun as they sort of started tying together. There were some typos throughout the text that made me laugh. Even big-name authors, with fancy-expensive editors, have typos littered throughout their text. It is what it is. Loved this book immensely. And can't wait to see where it goes. I'm am a hardcore fan of James Islington now. Loved Licanius trilogy, and this series is so much better (in my opinion). Highly recommend!

This novel really builds on the first and then blows it away. The quick and sharp writing is better and the story goes from well trodden tropes to independent yet interwoven stories. A really fresh look at a life *spoiler* split in time and space with a shared history. The settings are rich and the supporting cast of heroes and villains (and the uncertainty of which is which) makes for a great read.

There will be spoilers. What a book! This took world building to another level. This is basically 3 books in 1, and I’m completely impressed by James Islington’s imagination. It’s such an interesting story and I was blown away by the imagery of the worlds. The Will of the Many was so fast paced and I couldn’t get enough. I loved all the characters. This book had me coming to a halt every couple of chapters with the time jumps and alternating worlds. I was missing the characters from Res and didn’t really connect with the new characters. Maybe because the book was moving so quickly and in different worlds there wasn’t as much room for character building. I was already more invested in Res (obviously) and pretty much loved all of those chapters. Obiteum was very cool and I really enjoyed the story there. Luceum, however, was pretty boring up until Fornax. In the end, I felt just a little underwhelmed by this book, and I wasn’t expecting to feel that way. Don’t get me wrong, it was still great! Just way more complex and I just don’t like where the end left me. Some questions were answered but now there’s SO many more…and a possible villain Vis? I’m here for this journey! I also just want to say I think that the way James Islington writes about death and grief is beautiful. Super cool story and I’m excited to see where it continues to go. Audiobook 🎧⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fantastic narration once again! It had me feeling pumped up, had me feeling creeped out, & had me crying in some parts.

I have been waiting excitedly for this, and it did not disappoint. It throws you into the world(s) face first, letting you figure things out right alongside Vis. The variations of the magic system was beautifully executed, the new characters engaging (both ones to love and ones to hate), and the arch of this book was epic (yet again)! And I have to mention the frustratingly awesome cliffhanger of an ending! Now I’m even more impatient for the third book than I was waiting for this one!

An excellent follow up to the Will of Many. It explores the magic system like a mystery novel investigates a crime scene, dropping the stuff one might be comfortable with any magic being capable of early on, and giving you more and more esoteric details as it goes. A strong showing from Islington, and I can't wait for the trilogy.

This second installment of Hierarchy was a riveting and engrossing. The Vis we know and love has been split into three persons on three different worlds. It was fascinating to see the individual character development of each of them throughout the story, even though they're the same person! The scale of this book is so vast, and Islington captures the stakes and grandeur of Vis's situations impeccably. I laughed, cried, and smiled through each of Vis's pair of eyes. I can't wait for the third book. My next read will be a direct re-read of the Strength of the Few, because I'm not ready to leave Res, Obiteum, or Luceum yet!

Overall this Kindle eBook is great. This Kindle eBook is also engaging. I like the detailed descriptions, the characters, the dialogue, the pace, and most of the complex original plot in this novel. I like that the copy of Vis trapped in Luceum became practical. I like that the author typed Vis’ thoughts in italics. Some of the sentences in this novel aren’t grammatically correct. The author didn’t capitalize the first letter in the first word in three of the sentences in this novel. I rate this Kindle eBook four out of five stars.

One of the best fantasy books. A must read. The end is crazy. Thank you very much, James! Wow! Just awesome

Great story! Excited for the next one.

If The Will of the Many pulled me in, The Strength of the Few strapped me in and refused to let go. James Islington delivers once again, raising the stakes and momentum in a way that makes this sequel feel even more intense and unputdownable. This instalment is an absolute ride. The scope widens, the tension sharpens, and the story becomes increasingly intricate—yet it never feels overwhelming. There’s a lot happening, but it’s handled with such confidence that every turn feels purposeful, keeping me constantly guessing and eager to see what would happen next. What impressed me most was how effortlessly the book maintains its pace. It’s a true page-turner, packed with moments that demand “just one more chapter,” and before you know it, you’ve devoured far more than intended. The narrative is bold, ambitious, and relentlessly engaging, proving that this series isn’t just sustaining its quality—it’s building on it. I have no idea how many books this series will ultimately span, but if this instalment is anything to go by, I am more than ready for whatever comes next. A flawless continuation of an already outstanding epic fantasy series, and an easy recommendation for anyone who loves high-stakes, immersive storytelling.

There are several problems with the file I got from the amazon store on my kindle device. When I purchased and downloaded the book, I couldn’t move past the « catenan rankings » page. The book going in a loop from title page, table of contents and the picture if the rankings. From table of contents I was able to click on part I. I got to chapter 1 but the problem is the layout now. The text is not aligned correctly on both sides. The dialogues are not separated from the plain text. It’s unreadable. I tried tinkering in the settings on my reader but nothing changes. I removed it from my device, restarted, reinstalled the book… I got the same result as previously. I am really disappointed because I really enjoyed the fist book and wanted to pursue my reading and now I can’t and I don’t know what to do. The ebook cost 13€, which is already quite expensive and it’s not even readable… what a scam!

Loved this. Because of the different POVs, it was a bit difficult to get into. But the setting, the story, and the magic system(s) are all great. One of the best books I read this year.