Book Series Guide
James Islington

Author guide

James Islington Books in Order

James Islington is an Australian novelist best known for the Licanius Trilogy and the Hierarchy fantasy series. He lives on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia, with his wife and two children.

epic fantasyscience fictioncyberpunk thriller

Catalog record updated .

James Islington's Newest Book

Cover of Scion

Scion

novel · First published 2026

*My job, when you think about it, isn't so different from a lot of people's.* *The more old-fashioned crowd do still get hung up on the 'killing people' part of it, I guess, but that's a them problem: it's been perfectly legal to take out lifers for ages. Besides, once ultrawealthy morons realised they had a way to live forever - limited resources be damned - there was only ever going to be one genuinely practical deterrent.* *So, sure, I have to deal with a tonne of boring planning. Inconvenient hours. Some pretty awkward face-to-face interactions. And like most of us, I'm really only clocking in to try and crawl out from beneath my debts. But someone's got to do it.* *Luckily, my genetic compatibilities make me really, really good at doing it.* *Still. This next job . . . I don't know. It's something I haven't had to deal with in years. Kind of the opposite of my regular duties. Strange, that it got thrown my way.* *I'm sure it'll all go totally fine though.* Fusing the futuristic dystopia of cyberpunk cityscapes like Neuromancer and Blade Runner with the explosive action of manga masterpieces like Ghost in the Shell and Attack on Titan, this cinematic sci-fi thriller will enchant fans of all the classics of the genre - new and old - from Isaac Asimov to Squid Game.

Not sure where to begin?

Start with one of these

Cover of The Shadow of What Was Lost

The Shadow of What Was Lost

The first book in the completed Licanius Trilogy.

Cover of The Will of the Many

The Will of the Many

The first book in the ongoing Hierarchy series.

Cover of Scion

Scion

The first book in a new cyberpunk thriller series.

Read in order

Books by series

novel series · completed

Licanius Trilogy

A completed epic fantasy trilogy involving forbidden powers, prophecy, and a rising evil.

Series guide →
  1. 1
    The Shadow of What Was Lost

    Book 1 · novel · 2014

    It has been twenty years since the god-like Augurs were overthrown and killed. Now, those who once served them the Gifted are spared only because they have accepted the rebellion's Four Tenets, vastly limiting their own powers. As a young…

  2. 2
    An Echo of Things to Come

    Book 2 · novel · 2017

    DARKNESS FALLS ACROSS A LAND IN DESPERATE NEED OF HEROES An amnesty has been declared for all Augurs - finally allowing them to emerge from hiding and openly oppose the dark forces massing against Andarra. However, as Davian and his new…

  3. 3
    The Light of All That Falls

    Book 3 · novel · 2019

    After a savage battle, the Boundary is whole again -- but it may be too late. Banes now stalk the lands of Andarra, and the Venerate have gathered their armies for a final, crushing blow. In Ilin Illan, Wirr fights to maintain a…

novel series · ongoing

Hierarchy

An ongoing fantasy series about loyalty, power, rebellion, and dangerous conspiracies within a corrupt empire.

Series guide →
  1. 1
    The Will of the Many

    Book 1 · novel · 2023

    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…

  2. 2
    The Strength of the Few

    Book 2 · novel · 2025

    The Hierarchy still call me Vis Telimus. Still hail me as Catenicus. They still, as one, believe they know who I am. But with all that has happened—with what I fear is coming—I am not sure it matters anymore. I am no longer one. I won the…

novel series · ongoing

Scion

An ongoing cyberpunk thriller series with each installment designed to feel relatively standalone.

Series guide →
  1. 1
    Scion

    Book 1 · novel · 2026

    *My job, when you think about it, isn't so different from a lot of people's.* *The more old-fashioned crowd do still get hung up on the 'killing people' part of it, I guess, but that's a them problem: it's been perfectly legal to take out…

Frequently asked questions about James Islington

Who is James Islington?

James Islington is an Australian fantasy novelist who was born and raised in southern Victoria. He lives on the Mornington Peninsula with his wife and two children.

Sources: hachette.com.au (opens in a new tab)jamesislington.com (opens in a new tab)

What did James Islington do before becoming an author?

Before pursuing fiction professionally, Islington ran a technology startup. He first self-published his debut novel in 2014 before being signed by Orbit Books.

Source: civilianreader.com (opens in a new tab)

What influenced James Islington’s writing?

He was introduced to science fiction and fantasy through Raymond E. Feist’s Magician and Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time. Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series later inspired him to write a novel of his own.

Sources: civilianreader.com (opens in a new tab)hachette.com.au (opens in a new tab)

Has James Islington won any major awards?

Yes. The Will of the Many won the 2023 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel.

Source: aurealisawards.org (opens in a new tab)

What is James Islington’s literary legacy so far?

He has become an internationally successful speculative-fiction author, with his official biography identifying him as a number-one New York Times bestselling author whose books have sold more than two million copies and been translated into 22 languages.

Source: jamesislington.com (opens in a new tab)