Read every series in the right order
Hierarchy Books in Chronological Order – Complete Reading Guide
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The Will of the Many Uncovered
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The Strength of the Few: German Edition
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The Will of the Many: Deluxe Hardcover
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Table of Contents
Quick Answer (TL;DR)
Start here, then go there:
- The Will of the Many (Book 1, 2023)
- The Strength of the Few (Book 2, 2025)
Publication order is the same as story chronology, so reading Hierarchy Books in Chronological Order is wonderfully straightforward. Book 1 lays the groundwork in the Catenan Republic—“the Hierarchy”—and Book 2 explodes the canvas into a high-stakes multiverse with three divergent versions of Vis across parallel worlds, broadening the political and personal stakes dramatically.
Introduction
If you’re hungry for a sweeping fantasy that feels at once razor-precise and wildly ambitious, James Islington’s Hierarchy series belongs on your nightstand. It marries Roman-inspired politics, dark-academia scheming, and a uniquely chilling system of power called Will—a literal, transferable life-force siphoned from the many to empower the few. Book 1 is the tightly wound spring: a fugitive with a false name infiltrates an elite academy to solve a murder and unearth buried truths. Book 2 is the release: a daring, reality-splitting escalation that tests identity, loyalty, and destiny across three worlds.
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The Strength of the Few Explained
Insightful take on social dynamics
This book delves into the complexities of power relations and social hierarchies. It offers a profound understanding of societal structures and influences.
Because the second novel builds so specifically on seeds planted in the first, Hierarchy Books in Chronological Order isn’t just neat—it’s necessary. This order preserves the series’ puzzle-box reveals and the cumulative emotional weight of Vis’s choices, friendships, and losses.
Quick Facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Series Title | Hierarchy (planned multi-book saga; Book 1 published 2023, Book 2 published Nov 11, 2025) |
| Core Books | The Will of the Many (640 pp), The Strength of the Few (736 pp) |
| Estimated Series Read Time | ~26–28 hours total (average adult pace, 230–260 wpm) |
| Reading Difficulty | Moderate (layered politics, academy trials, multiverse plotlines in Book 2) |
| Primary Genres | Epic Fantasy, Dark Academia, Political Intrigue, Multiverse |
| Content Warnings | Systemic oppression; ritual draining of “Will”; violence; coercion; grief; emotional manipulation |
| Ideal Age Range | Adults & older teens (16+) |
| Media Adaptations | None announced as of Nov 13, 2025 |
| Signature Mottos | AUDI. VIDE. TACE. (“Listen. See. Be silent.”); OMNE TRIUM PERFECTUM. (“The rule of three.”) |
| World Snapshot | The Catenan Republic (“the Hierarchy”) monopolizes power by leeching citizens’ Will; Book 2 fractures the narrative across three parallel worlds tied to a mysterious device. |
About the Hierarchy Book Series
The Hierarchy novels take a sharp, unflinching look at power—how empires manufacture consent, how elites rationalize extraction, and what it costs to resist. In The Will of the Many, Islington fuses an elite-school survival thriller with a civic nightmare: the Catenan Republic doesn’t just rule; it feeds, siphoning citizens’ Will to empower those higher on the ladder. Into this machine walks a boy with a forged identity and unfinished business.
The Strength of the Few detonates expectations. Without spoiling, it pushes the premise far beyond the academy walls by splitting its protagonist across three simultaneously unfolding realities, each with different dangers, alliances, and responsibilities. The move reframes everything you thought you knew about the setting and the long game of the series—one the author has suggested will span four books. If you love bold swings that still pay off character-first, you’re in the right place.
Hierarchy Books at a Glance
| # | Title | Amazon Buy Link |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Will of the Many | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 | The Strength of the Few | Buy on Amazon |
Hierarchy Chronological Reading Order
1) The Will of the Many — Book 1
Where it begins: The Catenan Republic—“the Hierarchy”—is an empire perfected by extraction. Power isn’t merely political; it’s quantifiable. Citizens cede their Will upward, feeding the elites who govern them. Our narrator, moving under the false name Vis Telimus, enters the Catenan Academy—ostensibly to excel, actually to investigate a murder, track an ancient weapon, and tear away masks no one wants removed. He smiles. He studies. He survives. And he listens, because at the Academy, AUDI. VIDE. TACE. isn’t just a motto; it’s a survival strategy.
What you’ll feel: The claustrophobic thrill of dark academia; the slow burn of trust formed in hostile halls; the bleak ingenuity of a society that turned exploitation into ritual. The book is a puzzle of whispered alliances, lethal competitions, and hard choices that leave marks.
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The Will of the Many Uncovered
A critical analysis of collective behavior
Explore the dynamics of mass behavior and its impact on society in this engaging read. It’s perfect for anyone interested in sociology and psychology.
Why Book 1 matters first: It seeds the truth about Will, the Republic’s mythology, and the personal fault lines of a boy who has learned to hide in plain sight. By the end, you’ll understand the stakes—political and personal—that make Book 2’s escalation both shocking and inevitable.
2) The Strength of the Few — Book 2
Where it goes: After the crucible of Book 1, Vis faces a reality-shifting consequence: a device beyond the Labyrinth replicates him across three worlds—Obiteum, Luceum, Res—each claiming pieces of his history and hopes. He must fight in one life, heal in another, play politics in a third. He is loved. He is hunted. He is alone—and yet not. Three versions, one consciousness of responsibility, and a catastrophe (the Cataclysm) to avert before it unspools across realities.
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The Strength of the Few: German Edition
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Engage with the German edition of this thought-provoking book, exploring the themes of power and societal structure. A must-read for enthusiasts of the series.
What you’ll feel: The vertigo of a multiverse handled with control and courage; the joy of seeing small skills from Book 1 become lifelines; the ache of different friendships flourishing—or fracturing—depending on which Vis you’re with.
Why it works after Book 1: Without the emotional ledger built in Will, the bold structural gambit of Strength would be fireworks without fire. Read in the Hierarchy Books in Chronological Order sequence to preserve cause-and-effect, character continuity, and the full thematic hit of identity under pressure.
Series Timeline & Character Development
Vis (a.k.a. the boy behind “Vis Telimus”)
- Act I – Mask & Motive: A survivor’s pragmatism guides him through the Academy’s tests; the mask protects a mission that is equal parts justice and self-definition.
- Act II – Skill to Strategy: Competence hardens into leadership; friendships complicate easy choices; power is measured not in rank but in what—and whom—he refuses to sacrifice.
- Act III – Multiplicity: The Strength of the Few literalizes the series’ core question: Who are you when the world splits your paths? Each Vis must reconcile the demands of his world with the obligations he feels to the others—and to the people who anchor him.
Key Relationships (spoiler-light)
- Mentors & Manipulators: Authority figures embody the Hierarchy’s contradictions—some shape him, others sharpen him, a few would shatter him.
- Allies: Bonds formed in the Academy’s crucible aren’t just sentimental; they’re tactical advantages that later determine which Vis survives which trial.
- Adversaries: The Hierarchy’s true believers can be the most terrifying, because they genuinely think the ladder is justice.
Thematic Spine
- Extraction & Complicity: What do you owe a system designed to consume you—and what do you owe the people trapped in it alongside you?
- Identity Under Duress: Book 2’s tri-Vis structure refracts one boy’s heart through three prisms, asking whether character is a constant or a negotiation with circumstance.
Novels Sorted by In-Universe Chronology
- The Will of the Many
- The Strength of the Few
(Chronology matches publication order.)
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The Will of the Many: Deluxe Hardcover
Luxurious edition for collectors and fans
This deluxe edition features quality binding and illustrations, making it a perfect addition to any collection. Ideal for those who appreciate fine books on social theory.
Novels Sorted by Publication Order
- The Will of the Many — published May 23, 2023 (Saga Press), ~640 pp.
- The Strength of the Few — published Nov 11, 2025 (Saga Press), ~736 pp.
| # | Title | Year | Pages | Amazon Buy Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Will of the Many | 2023 | 640 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 | The Strength of the Few | 2025 | 736 | Buy on Amazon |
Companion Works
- Deluxe Edition of The Will of the Many — a premium hardcover with new cover art (Jaime Jones), gold sprayed edges, colored endpapers, a map by the author, foil-stamped case, and bonus material. Ideal for collectors.
- World Guides & Glossaries — the author maintains character/location glossaries and pronunciation guides, helpful for quick refreshers between books.
- The Licanius Trilogy — not part of Hierarchy, but if you love intricate plotting and timey-wimey reveals, this earlier trilogy scratches a similar itch.
Editions & Formats (hardcover, collector, audio)
The Will of the Many (Book 1)
- Hardcover & Paperback: Standard U.S. Saga Press edition (≈640 pages).
- Deluxe Hardcover: Features include sprayed edges, colored endpapers, new art, a map, foil-stamped case, and added material—perfect for shelf-showpieces.
- eBook: Kindle and other major platforms.
- Audiobook: Available on major audio retailers; check your region.
The Strength of the Few (Book 2)
- Hardcover & Paperback: U.S. Saga Press hardcover (≈736 pages). Regional paperbacks (e.g., Text Publishing in AU/NZ) show similar page counts; always confirm the ISBN.
- eBook: Kindle and other e-retailers.
- Audiobook: Available via major audio platforms (Audible, etc.).
Collector’s Note: Waterstones/indie storefronts may carry sprayed-edge or special jackets on limited runs; verify the exact listing details before purchase.
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Why Read Hierarchy Books in Chronological Order?
Sticking to Hierarchy Books in Chronological Order maximizes:
- Mystery Payoff: Book 1’s academy intrigues plant the clues that make Book 2’s reality-split resonate rather than confuse.
- Character Continuity: Watching Vis learn to lead in one world illuminates his fractures—and strengths—when he’s forced to be three.
- Thematic Momentum: Extraction → resistance → identity under multiversal pressure. That’s the arc. Change the order and you blunt the trajectory.
Author Spotlight: James Islington
James Islington is the internationally bestselling author of the Licanius Trilogy and now the Hierarchy series. The Will of the Many launched in 2023, gained massive momentum with #BookTok readers, and set the stage for The Strength of the Few, released November 11, 2025. He lives on Australia’s Mornington Peninsula with his family. Expect meticulous plotting, escalating stakes, and endings that feel both surprising and earned.
Fun to know: In fresh interviews around Book 2’s launch, Islington described the sequel as a deliberate “big swing”—a planned expansion into multiverse storytelling that he’d mapped for the series from the start, with the saga expected to run four books.
Media Adaptations (films, TV, radio)
There are no officially announced adaptations of the Hierarchy novels as of November 13, 2025. The premise has drawn speculation about TV potential, but nothing formal has been confirmed by the author or publisher. If that changes, we’ll update this guide.
FAQs
Do I have to read The Will of the Many before The Strength of the Few?
Yes. Strength presumes you know the Academy, the Will system, and the alliances forged in Book 1. Reading in Hierarchy Books in Chronological Order preserves the surprises and the emotional through-lines.
What kind of fantasy is this?
Epic fantasy with dark-academia vibes in Book 1 and high-concept multiverse stakes in Book 2—tied together by political intrigue and a uniquely grim power economy.
Is the multiverse confusing?
It’s ambitious, but the narrative keeps a firm grip on character so you always know which Vis you’re with and why it matters. Islington architected the shift from the beginning.
How many books will the series have?
While plans can change, recent coverage indicates the Hierarchy saga is expected to span four books.
Any special editions worth hunting?
Yes—The Will of the Many has a Deluxe Edition with gold sprayed edges, new cover art, endpapers, a map, and bonus material—catnip for collectors.
Is there an audiobook?
Yes for both entries—availability varies by region/retailer; check your local storefront.
What’s the best age for these books?
Adults and mature teens. Themes include systemic oppression, violence, and coercion.
I’m a lapsed reader—are these long?
Ballpark: ~640 pages for Book 1 and ~736 for Book 2. Budget ~26–28 hours total at an average pace.
Final Thoughts
The Hierarchy series is that rare fantasy: intricately engineered yet viscerally human. Book 1 teaches you the rules of an empire that eats its young; Book 2 asks whether one heart can hold together three lives long enough to stop a catastrophe. Read Hierarchy Books in Chronological Order—first The Will of the Many, then The Strength of the Few—and let the series reveal itself the way its architect intended: piece by piece, world by world, choice by choice.
