The Strength of the Few is the highly anticipated second novel of James Islington’s Hierarchy saga, published 2 years after The Will of the Many. Fortunately for me and other readers who didn’t quite read book 1 upon its initial publication, the wait after the stunning conclusion to The Will of the Many isn’t so long. That ending of book 1 makes writing a review or discussing The Strength of the Few without spoiling the book a bit of a challenge, so read on as I try to dance around the specifics and give my honest assessment of The Strength of the Few.
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. 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.
Let it never be said that James Islington isn’t an ambitious writer/storyteller. The hook of the series and what he dropped at the conclusion of The Strength of the Few is a paves the way for this second book in a way almost unlike any other fantasy series I’ve read. He shifts the story form a singular first-person narrative, to multiple first-person narratives in a very inventive way.
Not only are readers experience three distinct points of view, these points of view are in entirely different worlds: Res the world we experienced in volume 1, plus the two “new” worlds of Obiteum and Luceum. While these worlds are distinct in their own right, these worlds do have some echoes of each other. Islington crafted a wonderful introduction in the opening salvo, a sense of comfort to readers of fantasy and even dark academia. The comfort is thrown out the door and that level of uncertainty in the novel makes for a very wild ride.
Part of the history of this world places a Cataclysm thousands of years prior to the events of the series. Fortunately for us as readers (and unfortunately for the characters who live in these worlds), another Cataclysm is on the horizon. Some of the characters know this and those who do, place Vis as the savoir, the one who can prevent it from destroying the world again. Well, all three worlds Islington shows to readers are on the brink of a Cataclysm.
Vis is the star character of this book, but Islington brings some of the characters from the last novel and introduces some new supporting characters as well. While Res is the world we have the most “experience” reading, the other two worlds feel fleshed out. Islington does a great job of showing the worlds through the characters as the hero of each of these new worlds encounters the worlds as new themselves. It is a good bit of worldbuilding when a writer can pull off this kind of depth in an effective way that comes across as easily as it does through Islington’s storytelling abilities.
I think reading the first two books back-to-back helped my enjoyment of the second novel immensely, or at least making the story flow seamlessly. However, I was so enthralled with the singular first-person POV in The Will of the Many that dividing my attention between 2 additional, new POVs left me longing for that singular point of view again. I admire what Islington’s ambition and I think his accomplishment just about matches his ambition. For my reading tastes and enjoyment, I found the jumping between worlds and points of view to be a bit jarring. Just as I was getting swept away in one world and point of view, the chapter ended and I had to get into the headspace of a different POV character in an entirely different world.
I also feel like some of the “secrets” of this world, the foundations of the history and the true nature of that “original” Cataclysm are still vague, 1400 pages / 2 books into the saga. There was a little too much left in the dark for my particular tastes. Holding back what feels like important details has a chance to backfire, just look at the TV show Lost. A lot of people were put off by the drawn out mystery and many of the unanswered questions. I personally love the show. As for Islington’s Hierarchy saga; however, I’m still intrigued about where he will go with this series, what lies ahead for the fascinating character of Vis, and what revelations of the past are still to come.
Where does this leave my assessment of The Strength of the Few, ultimately? Conflicted. I was absorbed in the story, fascinated by the journey I was taking through these worlds and with Vis and the other characters. I liked it, but not quite as much as The Will of the Many but I will say, again, Islington’s sheer imagination and ambition to take the series in the direction he showed in this book is very impressive.
Color me cautiously optimistic for this series.
© 2025 Rob H. Bedford
Saga Press | Trade Paperback
November 2025 | 736 Pages (including appendices & miscellaneous back matter)
https://jamesislington.com/
Review copy courtesy of the publisher
