James Islington on The Strength of the Few, AI in publishing, and what writers can learn
James Islington returns to the Hierarchy with The Strength of the Few on November 11, expanding the scale and emotional stakes of the series. The headline craft challenge: three versions of Vis, each shaped by different experiences, all still the same person at the core.
If you write character-first fantasy or manage multi-thread plots, this book's build process offers a lot to study: broad outlines, flexible execution, and a relentless focus on internal logic.
Process: broad outline, flexible execution
Islington starts with a skeleton: series-level beats, anchor scenes, and core arcs. Then he intentionally leaves space between those waypoints to discover ideas as he goes.
After The Licanius Trilogy, he audited what readers wanted more of by reading thoughtful mid-tier reviews and folding those notes into Hierarchy. He also shifted to first person to stay challenged and keep the voice closer to the character's mind.
- Outline the non-negotiables (endpoints, reveals, theme beats). Leave oxygen between them.
- Mine 3-4 star reviews for actionable insights. Fans who like your work will tell you what can level it up.
- Change POV or form if you feel stale. Constraints force better decisions.
Complexity without time travel
Licanius demanded perfect time logic. Hierarchy trades that precision for a different difficulty: three distinct versions of the same protagonist in Book 2. They diverge based on what they see and survive.
The trick is consistency of motive and theme while letting outcomes vary. That requires discipline in tracking state and empathy for why each version makes the choices they do.
- Character bible, not plot bible: track what each thread knows, believes, and fears.
- Anchor each thread in the same core wound/drive so the voice stays recognizable.
Theme that comes from life (and the times)
Fatherhood is a pillar of this book-drawn from Islington's own season of life. Politics also threads through the story, influenced by the last few years since he started the series in 2019.
Fan notes: Diago the Alupi gets more page time, and Calidus's family steps forward more than planned. Secondary characters matter when they pressure the protagonist in new ways.
Tropes that still hit
He loves the "secretly skilled" setup where only the reader knows what the character can do. He won't blacklist any trope-execution is everything.
- If you use a familiar trope, add a rule and stick to it. Inconsistency kills trust faster than predictability.
- Let tropes carry momentum while character choices carry surprise.
Editions, art, and meeting readers
The Broken Binding's special edition sold out fast. Both Saga and Text produced reversible dust jackets, a detail he pushed for.
Tour plans are in motion for North America next year. UK/EU remains tricky without a local UK publisher, but it's on his wishlist.
AI in publishing: tool, not author
Islington's stance is blunt: prompting a model doesn't make you an author-like ordering off a menu doesn't make you a chef. Still, he sees valid uses as a tool, with big caveats on accuracy.
He's not worried about established writers being replaced; plot and long-form consistency are still weak spots for LLMs. He does worry about new writers getting buried in a glut of AI-made books. If AI ever gets good at catching continuity errors, that's a real win.
- Use AI for spellcheck, summaries, and idea warmups-then verify facts and write the actual pages yourself.
- Create a continuity pass: locations, timelines, physical traits, promise/payoff. If a tool helps flag inconsistencies, great-final judgment stays with you.
- Protect your voice. Draft in your own words; let tools assist after the words exist.
If you're experimenting with AI skills and want structured training that doesn't drown your voice, explore these curated resources: Latest AI courses.
Release details and what's next
The Strength of the Few lands November 11 from Saga Press in the U.S. and Text Publishing in Australia. You can find the book via the publisher here: Simon & Schuster | Saga Press.
Book 3 is underway. Don't expect it in 2026; his optimistic timeline points to finishing the draft by end of 2026 and a release around late 2027. On adaptations, he'd prefer a relatively unknown actor for Vis. No series crossovers planned, though he does intend to write another Licanius book someday.
What writers can lift from this
- Plan like an architect, build like a sculptor: fixed beats, flexible paths.
- Switch perspective or format to keep your craft sharp.
- Theme ages well when it comes from your real life.
- Use tropes as tools, not crutches. Consistency beats novelty.
- Treat AI as a helper for process, not a substitute for authorship.
Expect a wide emotional spread as the three versions of Vis succeed and fail in different ways. If you're mapping multi-thread characters, this is a launch worth studying-on the page and behind it.
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