Justin's Notes
Feb. 25, 2026
Vis, orphaned after his family is executed by the Hierarchy, finds himself thrown into the Academy, a prestigious school for some of the Hierarchy's elite students. With his future and life on the line through every step, Vis must find out what the Academy is hiding, what has happened to the lives lost there, and what powers are at stake. All without anyone finding out who he truly is.
This book is great. First thing, I have to say how many similarities I found between this book and Name of the Wind (NotW), Red Rising, and maybe even some Mistborn. So many moments where Vis finds himself in a situation and I think to myself, "Dude, what are you doing?" just like I do with Kvothe in NotW. Pair that with the class hierarchical systems punishing those below, just like Darrow in Red Rising. Vis, like Vin in Mistborn, an orphaned child who just seems to be in right place at both the right and wrong time, yet is seemingly unstoppable. These similarities drew me into this story, and if Islington actually did take inspiration from these stories, I think he took that inspiration to create something impressive, unique, and grand on its own.
I loved the world-building in this story. It did take a bit for me to grasp it, but the magic system and the technologies built upon it, the Roman-inspired locations and scenery, and the mix between both an advanced and historic feeling civilization all contributed to quite a captivating world. I especially loved the Academy. Its own hierarchical system is at play, driving students up and down the ladder. The friend and foe relationships that feel both so stereotypical out of an academic setting and yet so comforting. For me, the pacing picked up about a third of the way through (though the first third was still great). I appreciated that his pacing didn't always have to depend on intense action but instead was often built with character development and overall plot reveals. Islington easily kept me engaged no matter what was happening.
If you like fantasy, I am confident you will enjoy this. Honestly, if you don't read fantasy but are interested in trying the genre, and especially if you haven't read any epic fantasy, I actually think this is a great place to start. Don't let the size scare you.
