The Hierarchy Series

by Thomas L. Saaty · 1991

The Hierarchy Series by James Islington is a dark‑academia epic fantasy set in the Catenan Republic, a civilization modeled on the Roman Republic where lower classes surrender their mental and physical energy, called "Will," to the elite. The series follows Vis Telimus, a prince in disguise, as he infiltrates the prestigious Catenan Academy, solves a murder, uncovers ancient weapons, and navigates a world of political intrigue, class oppression, and a mind‑bending magic system. The first two books, *The Will of the Many* (May 2023) and *The Strength of the Few* (Nov 2025), have earned starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Kirkus, and have been compared to Pierce Brown’s *Red Rising* for their blend of speculative politics and deep world‑building.