Nearly two years after the release of The Will of the Many, fantasy author James Islington is ready to return to the grand, intricate world of the Hierarchy. The sequel, The Strength of the Few, arrives this November, and it promises to raise the stakes on every front.
Building on the intricate moral and philosophical groundwork of the first Hierarchy book, the sequel expands its scope with new characters, more complex emotional stakes, and as Islington reveals, three versions of its protagonist, Vis.
This week, Winter Is Coming sat down with James Islington ahead of the release of The Strength of the Few to discuss the evolution of his craft, the emotional heartbeat behind the new book, AI in publishing and why he believes no trope is ever truly off-limits.
James Islington opens up on the evolution of his writing process
When asked how his writing process has evolved, Islington reflected on the balance between structure and creative flexibility that has defined his career.
“I’d say the basics have stayed very much the same. I’m kind of a broad outliner. I start with a skeleton of the idea I want to explore, the key points across the series, the general character arcs and the big scenes that are clear in my head from the very start,” he explained. “But I like to leave room between those points to come up with new ideas as I go. The directions certain characters might take. I try to keep that flexible.”
Islington added that while his overall approach hasn’t changed much, his perspective on what readers respond to has sharpened since his debut series, The Licanius Trilogy.
“At the end of Licanius, I did a bit of a self-assessment to figure out what I could improve. I went through the three- and four-star reviews to see what readers who enjoyed the series thought I could do better," he said. "With Hierarchy, I’ve tried to apply those lessons. Of course, Hierarchy is written in first person, which is a different experience. You’re much more inside the character’s head compared to the more zoomed-out third-person style.”
He credits that shift for keeping him creatively engaged:
“I’ve really enjoyed writing in first person; it helped push me forward as a writer. I think if I’d kept writing the same way as Licanius, I could have gotten stuck in a rut, ‘this works, people like it, so I’ll just keep doing it.’ So yeah, things have changed, but overall, the process itself has remained the same.”
The Strength of the Few will see ‘three versions of Vis’
The Hierarchy series builds intricate systems and ideas without relying on time travel like Licanius did, but that doesn’t mean the work has gotten easier for Islington.
“I think it was easier to outline but harder to write,” the author admitted. “Licanius involved time travel, which is very exacting. You can’t make mistakes because one small inconsistency ruins everything. So outlining and hitting emotional beats while keeping the time-travel logic intact was tough."
"[Hierarchy] is complex in a different way, especially in Book 2," he added. That complexity comes from following multiple versions of the same protagonist.
“In Book 2, we’re following three different versions of Vis,” Islington revealed. “Each version experiences things differently. They diverge, they change and that complexity made the book harder to write. You’re still following the same person at heart, but through three different lenses.”
That kind of layered storytelling demanded both discipline and empathy, something readers of Islington’s work have come to expect.
Fatherhood, politics and the heart of Strength of the Few
Beyond craft and structure, Islington pointed to deeply personal influences shaping Hierarchy II. “A big theme in Book 2 is fatherhood,” he said. “I’ve got a 10-year-old and a 7-year-old now, and when I started this series, they were little 2 and 5, I think. So that’s been a huge part of my life, and it naturally found its way into the story.”
He also acknowledged that Hierarchy reflects the changing real-world landscape of the past few years: “Politically, too, yes. I started writing Hierarchy in 2019, and the world’s changed a lot since then. The pandemic, the growing complexity of the world; all of that seeps into the book.”
As for whether readers will see more of Vis’s not-so-cuddly companion Diago the Alupi, Islington laughed before confirming fans’ hopes.
“Yes, absolutely,” he said. “He actually has more page time in the second book than in the first.”
And while some new characters are joining the story, even secondary figures from Book 1 evolved in surprising ways: “Yeah, I think Calidus’s family became more important than I initially expected. They were always part of the story, but as I wrote, it just made sense for them to take on a bigger role.”
We know you’ve all been patiently waiting for this one! We are so excited to unveil our special edition of The Strength of the Few by @islingtonjames in association with @sagapressbooks 🏛️ pic.twitter.com/Q5EdJdHHuA
— The Broken Binding | Bookstore (@binding_broken) October 6, 2025
Islington talks special editions, tours and timeless tropes
For readers looking to add The Strength of the Few to their shelves, Islington confirmed that The Broken Binding has done a special edition for the book, which was so well-received that it quickly sold out.
“The main [special edition] so far is The Broken Binding edition. It’s beautiful, though I believe it’s already sold out,” he said. “We’ve talked about more special editions, but nothing specific to announce yet. I’m really happy that both Saga and Text made reversible dust jackets for the hardcover — that was something I really wanted.”
He also shared what fantasy tropes still thrill him and which ones he’d never rule out entirely: “I love the trope where someone is secretly skilled, when only the reader knows, and everyone expects them to fail, but then they surprise everyone. I never get tired of that.”
“As for [a trope] I’d never read again, I don’t think there is one. Every trope exists for a reason; it’s about execution. Licanius itself came from me being frustrated with poorly done time travel. I love time travel stories, but I hate when they’re inconsistent.”
As for meeting fans in person, international readers may have to wait a bit longer:
“At the moment, there’s nothing confirmed,” he said. “There’s talk of a North American tour next year, and I’d love to visit the UK or EU, but it’s complicated because Hierarchy doesn’t have a local UK publisher… Hopefully someday, though, I’d love to do it.”
“It’s like ordering off a menu and calling yourself a chef”: Islington on AI in publishing
Eventually, the conversation with Islington turned to AI and its growing influence in creative industries. Islington didn’t hold back on where he stands.
“It’s tricky. Personally, I don’t consider work written by AI to make someone an author,” he said. “It’s like ordering off a menu and calling yourself a chef.”
That said, the author wasn’t entirely dismissive of the technology. “I think there are legitimate uses for AI, as a tool. Research, maybe; though it’s often inaccurate. Spellcheck is a tool too, after all," he said.
Islington expressed more concern for emerging writers than for established ones. “I’m not too worried about it replacing established writers. LLMs aren’t great at plot or consistency yet. But I do worry for new writers. I self-published The Shadow of What Was Lost, and I was lucky, the self-pub scene was growing but not oversaturated. Now, with AI-generated books flooding the market, it’s harder for new voices to be discovered.”
Still, he admitted there’s one potential upside that would genuinely help authors: “If AI ever gets good enough to catch continuity issues, like noticing a character’s hair color changes between chapters, that would be genuinely helpful. But right now, it’s not there yet.”
When to expect Hierarchy III (and 'another Licanius' book teased?)
Even with The Strength of the Few yet to hit shelves, fans are already asking when they can expect Book 3, and Islington has an answer.
“It definitely won’t be 2026,” he said with a laugh. “I’m about halfway through the first draft now, and realistically, but optimistically, I expect to finish by the end of 2026, which means a release around late 2027.”
He also touched on the possibility of adaptations and other worlds, making it clear he values keeping the universes of Licanius and Hierarchy distinct. When asked if he has a dream cast for Vis in mind, Islington said, “I get asked that a lot, but honestly, I don’t. Vis is younger, and I think if there ever were an adaptation, I’d want a relatively unknown actor. There are so many talented people out there... I’d trust the casting director for that one.”
“As for crossovers [between my series], probably not," he added. "Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere is the gold standard for interconnected universes, but it comes with risks… So I’d rather keep my series distinct. That said, I do have plans for another Licanius book, just not a crossover.”
Finally, when asked what readers should expect to feel as they close the final page of Strength of the Few, Islington summed it up simply:
“Hopefully a wide range,” he said. “Each version of Vis experiences different things, they succeed and fail in different ways. So I hope readers feel that full emotional spectrum.”
With his trademark intricacy and heart, James Islington continues to prove why he’s among the most compelling voices in modern epic fantasy and why fans will be counting down the days until Hierarchy III.
The Strength of the Few releases November 11th from Saga Press in the U.S. and Text Publishing in Australia.