Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

The title was the coolest thing about this book

The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington

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CBR Bingo: Border (characters have to sneak over several country borders, and there is also a threat of invasion due to the weakening of a magical barrier) I really enjoyed James Islington’s The Will of the Many when I read it a few years ago, and I have been eagerly awaiting the follow-up The Strength of the Few. I’ve had the author’s first series The Licanius Trilogy, which starts with The Shadow of What Was Lost, on my TBR for some time now (it’s been on my […]

An impressive example of a first novel

The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington

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I have had this on my TBR for a while but had ended up reading The Will of the Many, the first and only one in the author’s newer trilogy first because I didn’t want to get sucked into binging a trilogy. That’s always the question – go with something that will leave me waiting year to year for the next book, or something that will end up dictating my next few reads. I really enjoyed this one as well (and predictably got sucked into […]

What makes a good leader? A just society?

The Will of the Many by James Islington

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Going in, I was expecting to like this but I don’t think I realized how much and how well it would hit themes that I generally tend to enjoy in fiction. Layers upon layers of intrigue and deceptions? A competitive academic setting? A detailed and intricately thought out magic/power system that is very logic based but doesn’t expect me to do the math behind it to get the gist? In some ways, the easiest comparison might be Red Rising but that’s also lazy and only […]

I loved this one! If you are missing high/epic fantasy, this might be for you.

The Will of the Many (The Hierarchy, #1) by James Islington

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First off, this is one of those books that I am pretty sure when I come back to it later for a re-read, I will be bumping up to five stars (already done as of posting this to CBR). It’s taking up space in my brain, but I’m still processing. Also, I want to see where it goes in book two. If you love high fantasy, magic schools, and intense worldbuilding based on historical civilizations, this will probably be a book for you. The Will […]

Are Your Plans Good Enough To Hold Up to Time Travel and Amnesia

An Echo of Things to Come (The Licanius Trilogy, #2) by James Islington

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Time travel, mind control, amnesia, flashbacks, immortals, stalkers, secret identities, magic swords, and battles; there is a lot happening in this book.  It is not a stand-alone book and you will need to read the first in order to follow the second.  I have to admit, even with reading the first I was a little lost on this one and will probably have to go through it again before the third one is released.  To give you some background of the story there are people that […]

Engaging continuation of an epic fantasy that addresses some of the first’s flaws

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So I have read a few books since my last post but haven’t written anything up–been too busy finishing my PhD thesis. But it’s submitted, and it’s Christmas, and I am determined to at least ‘officially’ make my half Cannonball goal before the year’s end. So I’m going to write up a few reviews. I devoured An Echo of Things to Come, the sequel to The Shadow of What Was Lost, which I reviewed earlier this year. This first book introduced a world where the magic users, […]



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