Hierarchy Series by James Islington
AUDI. VICE. TACE.
The Catenan Republic-the Hierarchy-may rule the world, but they do not know everything.
I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned three years ago, and that only good fortune has got me into their most prestigious school. I tell them that, when I graduate, I will allow my strength and drive-what they call Will-to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as everyone must do.
I tell them that I belong, and they believe me.
But the truth is that I have been sent to the Academy to solve a murder. To search for an ancient weapon. To uncover secrets that may tear the Republic apart.
And that I will never cede my Will to the empire that executed my family.
To survive, though, I will have to rise through the Academy’s ranks, and win. Because if I cannot, those 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.
For the Reading Challenge(s):
2026 52 Book Club Reading Challenge
(Prompt #5: Featuring a conspiracy and #14: Includes a character list)
The Reason
A friend talked about these books recently and I got curious!
The Quotes
“Silence is a statement, Diago. Inaction picks a side. And when those lead to personal benefit, they are complicity.”
“There comes a point in every man’s life where he can rail against the unfairness of the world until he loses, or he can do his best in it. Remain a victim, or become a survivor.”
“They know the system is wrong, but they choose not to think or speak up or act because they ultimately hope that in their silence, they will gain. Or at the very least not have to give more than they have already given.”
“They ask something small of you. A thing you would prefer not to do, but is not so terrible. You think you are working your way up, but in fact they are changing you. Moulding you into what they think you should be, one compromise at a time.”
The Narrator(s)
Euan Morton. He did an amazing job for both books! I loved the narration and the different voices for each character. It was very immersive.
My Thoughts
Book 1 – The Will of the Many
It reminded me a lot of Red Rising to an extent. Vis was a little bit of a Gary Stu character, to be honest, but it’s also somewhat understandable because of his background and I’ll accept it and hold my suspension of belief. I love the worldbuilding and the concept of the hierarchy magical system. I also love the bromance between Vis and Eidhin. Those were my favorite parts. I find it difficult to trust anyone else in the book for Vis at this point, but I’d trust Eidhin with my life. I do feel like the story was trying to do too much; there were too many things happening and not enough follow-through, but hopefully these are things that will be addressed in future books. Overall, I’m loving the story and characters.
Book 2 – The Strength of the Few
This book was a little confusing to listen on audio because now there are several different worlds to follow, and I found it difficult to keep track of them. It got better later into the book once I got a clearer idea of who, what, and where, we were reading about. There were a lot of exciting moments, the chariot scene was so thrilling, but again, I’ll state that we are in danger of Vis becoming too much of a Gary Stu. I also didn’t like the hypocrisy of his actions no matter his justification. Everyone has their justification on why it’s okay for them to do the things, and it doesn’t make it right, much less for Vis. As with the first book, a lot happens and it’s a bit overwhelming. I don’t know where this story is going and how many more books there’s going to be, but a lot of the plot seems overcomplicated at this point. I still really loved the story and I’m still curious about how the story’s going to go, but I may or may not finish the series depending on what comes next.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.
Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?
