The Will of the Many Audiobook By James Islington cover art

The Will of the Many

Hierarchy, Book 1

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The Will of the Many

By: James Islington
Narrated by: Euan Morton
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At the elite Catenan Academy, a young fugitive uncovers layered mysteries and world-changing secrets in this new fantasy series by internationally best-selling 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 civilized 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.

©2023 James Islington (P)2023 Audible, Inc. Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Historical Suspenseful
About the Creator - James Islington

About the Creator

James Islington was born and raised in southern Victoria, Australia. His influences growing up were the stories of Raymond E. Feist and Robert Jordan, but it wasn’t until he read Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series that he was finally inspired to write something of his own. He now is the internationally bestselling author of the Licanius Trilogy, comprising The Shadow of What Was Lost, An Echo of Things to Come, and The Light of All That Falls. Islington lives with his wife and two children on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.
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About the Performer

Actor and singer Euan Morton is an Earphones Award–winning narrator. He is best known for his role as Boy George in the musical Taboo, which earned him a Laurence Olivier Award nomination. He reprised the role on Broadway, earning him the Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut, as well as nominations for the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League awards. His other stage performances include Sondheim on Sondheim, Hamilton, and Cyrano De Bergerac.

Critic reviews

"Islington’s worldbuilding is exceptionally detailed and thoughtful, making suspending disbelief effortless. Perfectly balancing character development and plot momentum, this will have fantasy fans clamoring for more.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

"Fans of Pierce Brown's Red Rising will enjoy this book, but it’s darker, deeper, and takes unexpected paths worth traveling. Trust that the author will get you there in the end." (Kirkus, starred review)

“Ancient Roman politics, dark academia, and epic fantasy coalesce in this brilliant and gut-churning masterpiece from Islington.... This is powerful storytelling at its finest, and the mind-blowing ending opens the series to so much more potential.” (Library Journal, starred review)

Dear Listener,

What am I excited for you to discover in this story
"Plenty! I’m probably most excited, though, for you to get to know Vis, the main character of this series, who I’ve had such a great time writing. I’ve always loved characters who are smart, proactive, and driven (without being “perfect”), and I definitely think he qualifies. Plus, working from a first-person perspective required me to put an extra dose of thought and emotion into creating his story, which means you’ll get to see so much more of his inner thoughts and struggles, and (I trust) connect with him on a deeper level as a result.
I’m also very much looking forward to you reaching the finale of The Will of the Many and finding out where this series is headed! But for obvious reasons, I can’t say too much more about that..." - James Islington, writer of The Will of the Many

Editorial Review

The perfect mix of fantasy and diplomacy
I don’t know about you, but when a story combines epic world-building, political intrigue, and teenagers, I’m immediately hooked. And The Will of the Many provides ample opportunity to be absorbed by a masterfully crafted universe—the production is more than 28 hours long! I completely lost myself in this dark, profound, and winding tale that left me both completely satisfied and starving for more. Themes of rank, fate, power, revenge, and societal conformity will keep you on your toes, but it’s the rich character development and gradual emergence of a terrifying and magical world dictated by rules and restrictions that propel this exhilarating plot. I will be coming back to this one over and over again as I eagerly await the next installment in the series. —Esther B., Audible Editor

Intricate Plot • Unpredictable Twists • Excellent Narration • Unique Magic System • Immersive Worldbuilding
Highly rated for:
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due to some reviews I thought it would be like red rising but this story is unique and deals with completely different concepts. love the magic system. it's set in a magic academy setting for part of the story but as more and more is revealed you realize that it's a small part of what truly is going on. Great book. must read. book of the year so far.

Better then expected

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It was a slow building start. I was also influenced by a review I read comparing to Red Rising. The first third is a slow but work of world building that might seem similar to Red Rising but quickly blooms into something much more. Characters and motivations build to create a “magic” system that was new and exciting. The school setting seemed much more like a character building exercise than the normal trope. The climatic ending was perfectly paced and left me more questions than answers but in a good way. It leaves me wishing for more and I cannot wait for the sequel. Islington didn’t disappoint and shows his improvement and growth as an author!

Very different from Red Rising

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I'm not one to leave reviews but this is a book of the year contender for me. I was captivated in a world that wasn't simple or complex it was simply perfect and flawed in all the best ways. I cannot wait for his next works from now until forever. read this.

Never has an epilogue floored me like this one!

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One of the best books I've ever read! From start to finish, I could not put this book down. The plot is world class, the characters are great, and the world is fascinating. I cannot praise this book highly enough. It was simply fantastic.

For anyone wondering, this is leaps and bounds better than Licanius, which was already a pretty good series.

Amazing!

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The entire story kept me on the edge of my seat! Many aspects were tied together so fluently that I realize I haven’t read a book with such cohesion and flow in a long time. The performance was spectacular with the voices being distinct and filled with emotions when necessary. This is a must read/listen and I’m already excitedly awaiting the next instalment!!

Amazing!

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I have hundreds of fantasy titles in my audible library. After reading fantasy stories for some time, it can become difficult to find outstanding stories with new concepts. Some of my favorites fantasy authors are Joe Abercrombie, Patrick Rothfuss, Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, Aleron Kong, Matt Dinnamen (Dungeon Crawler Carl series specifically), and now James Islington. His first series, of which it’s series title escapes me now, was also excellent! I can whole heartedly say that between that series and this, he has easily made my list of favorite authors! Don’t miss out on this one! Don’t hesitate! It’s well worth the cost!

Easily one of my favorite fantasy authors!…

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The character is quite good, mysteries are slowly working their way into the story and getting bigger. Ends on a note that makes me excited for the next in the series

Good story, pacing, and narration

Fun and interesting

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What a crazy ride! It was a little hard to first to get in to, but about 1/4th the way in you’ll be addicted. The Roman-like names are a bit hard to get used to and remember, but it eventually clicks. Performance bugs can be found in a few spots, but overall really good! Islington’s last series is my favorite trilogy out there, so he set the bar very high for this one. It’s worth listening too, not sure it will be as full of twists as his last trilogy, but still good! Imagine Rome had a Hogwarts, Potter was a closet-prince, and his adopted parents were double-agent spymasters. There you go!

Mystery, Adventure, Fantasy Power Punch.

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Personally loved the story. I was upset when it ended because there were some loose ends that were not tied up, but that's what's gonna keep me on the edge of my seat waiting for book 2!

AMAZING START

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great book!!
the story is different from the usual, the "magical" system and the whole hierarchy is so interesting!
I haven't finished it yet, but I love following the main character's adventure, the narrator does a great job

edit: just finished it, can't believe I'll have to wait for months now to know what happens next T_T

can't stop listening

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