I’m welcoming you to this week’s post with some good news: I have just finished a fabulous book! For the first time in ages I have been so engaged with a book that I could hardly put it down!

Anyway, here it is…

The book was The Will of the Many by James Islington, #01 Hierarchy series. This is the blurb…

“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.”

And this is my review on the Goodreads website…

The Will of the Many by James Islington
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! What an amazing read! OK, we have seen many of the themes in this book before: teens in a school setting, teens competing in highly dangerous games, and so on. But this book takes these tropes to quite another level. The author’s imagination and writing ability, his ingenious plotting and use of an Ancient Roman style setting is quite incredible.

I haven’t got up in the night to read another chapter for years! And, of course, I am now reading the sequel. I have also purchased other books by James Islington and am so excited to try them all. I have recently been in a kind of reading desert, but am feeling so happy that I have found these books.

Fantastic!

View all my reviews

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Now I am going to finish writing and upload this post and then I can go back to my next book!

Happy Reading to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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