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. As at 06/2022 Aside from copyediting, edits are (finally) complete! The word count has been slimmed down to around 240k – the cuts have really helped focus the last couple of areas that needed tightening up – and it’s all really come together well. Discussions around the book cover are underway, and everything is moving forward. Hoping to have an official release date to share very soon! Stop.” I snap out the word in panic, then hold up a contrite hand immediately as Hospius freezes. “My apologies, Sextus, no disrespect intended. It’s just dangerous to get too close. It takes days to prepare a prisoner for a Sapper. Touching it could kill you. And everyone ceding to you.”

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. Vek. I shrug to cover my concern at Hospius’s persistence. “It’s sore, not crippling. And he takes his responsibilities very seriously.” 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.

Vis, the adopted son of Magnus Quintus Ulcisor, a prominent senator within the Hierarchy, is trained to enter the famed Catenan Academy to help Ulciscor learn what the hidden agenda is of the remote island academy. Secretly, he also wants Vis to discover what happened to his brother who died at the academy. He’s sure the current Principalis of the academy, Quintus Veridius Julii, a political rival, knows much more than he’s revealing. Probably nothing. As much as I try to convince myself, after three years, I’m adept at recognising other actors. He says it all carefully, enunciating, but it takes me a second to place the last word. It’s Vetusian. As at 03/2023 A productive beginning to the year, with the first draft of The Strength of the Few now complete at around 235,000 words!

Hospius is silent next to me, no indication whether he is affected by the wretchedness of our surrounds. I want to watch him more closely—something still feels not quite right about him, his presence here, this entire night—but my desire to avoid notice is stronger. Regardless of whether he is all he claims to be, if he spots my suspicion, it will only draw attention. Evidently reaching a similar conclusion, he says nothing and moves closer to the Sapper, into the prisoner’s line of sight. He crouches alongside, so their faces are at the same level. This harry potter and the philosopher's stone, but in ancient Rome! Now, there's nothing wrong with doing a 'magical academy' story, or from taking inspiration from another work, but this hits every beat of that book to an absurd degree. Final review of the text is done and, largely, my part of the process is now complete. There are still some minor tweaks to the cover and blurb as they are currently - for example, the series is currently listed as 'The Hierarchy Trilogy', whereas the actual series name is simply 'Hierarchy' (it may or may not be a trilogy, at this point!) - but those details should soon be updated. I straighten, eyes fixed on the flaccid, bony man suspended above the slab in front of me. I’ve only seen prisoners being released a few times; the managing Septimus is always in charge of end-of-sentence procedures, and other reasons for waking a captive are rare.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. As at 03/2021 Draft 2 is now up to 230,000 words – it’s been a solid run since Christmas! For reference, that’s already a touch longer than The Shadow of What Was Lost.