What do you think?
Rate this book
Inheritance of Magic #3
A Judgement of Powers
The super-rich control everything-including magic-in this thrilling and brilliant, contemporary fantasy from the author of the Alex Verus novels.
The wealthy seem to exist in a different, glittering world from the rest of us. Almost as if by . . . magic.
Stephen Oakwood is a young man on the edge of this hidden world. He has talent and potential, but turning that potential into magical power takes money, opportunity, and training. All Stephen has is a minimum wage job and a cat.
In this
AN INHERITANCE OF MAGIC
AN INSTRUCTION IN SHADOW
A JUDGEMENT OF POWERS
The wealthy seem to exist in a different, glittering world from the rest of us. Almost as if by . . . magic.
Stephen Oakwood is a young man on the edge of this hidden world. He has talent and potential, but turning that potential into magical power takes money, opportunity, and training. All Stephen has is a minimum wage job and a cat.
In this
AN INHERITANCE OF MAGIC
AN INSTRUCTION IN SHADOW
A JUDGEMENT OF POWERS
341 pages, Audiobook
First published November 4, 2025
250 people are currently reading
6353 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
November 15, 2025
I really enjoy this series. It isn't flashy or full of romantic woes or has a chosen one that is all powerful. What it does have is a really well thought out magic system, strange family dynamics, a deep backstory that we are just getting into and a fight of good against evil (currently really hard to tell who is good and who is evil) with Stephen caught in the middle.
What you need to know. Stephen was raised by his father who disappeared a few years ago mysteriously. Stephen has been looking for him since his disappearance and finally has a lead. His mother was afk during his childhood. When he found her she was remarried with new children and part of a magic well dynasty. Stephen has practiced his entire life to be good at drucraft (this stories magic system). He has had some experiences and is doing rather well in some regards but with no allies he is struggling and there are multiple factions trying to convince him to join them.
The world building in this is fantastic. This world and magic system is set up so well that I feel like I could do the magic, if I practiced enough and really committed. There are plenty of political machinations happening as Stephen's family (on his mother's side) have their internal struggles with Stephen's grandfather and Calhoun the heir to the family dynasty. Beyond that there are powerful factions interested in Stephen. One such faction is the Winged, members of which may have been gifted additional power by demons/diamons (tuh-MAY-toh/tuh-MAH-toh).
Every book Stephen grows a little and learns more about the larger magical world and the players in it. He made some very solid decisions in this book on the future he wants to have and was able to create an alliances with a few characters from prior books to get there. I liked the dynamic with Collin and Ivy and how their plans and alignment of goals came together.
Some of the strongest points of this book it how real most of it feels. Sure there are some big fights with drucraft but they are few and far between, with some cool dynamics of the magical artifacts the casters use. The book also isn't relying on a possible romance to prop it up. Stephen doesn't seem interested in a girl at all, which makes sense since he is just trying to stay alive at the moment. What it is focused on is building a good story. Who is trying to kill Calhoun (the Heir), is it someone in the family or one of their many other enemies? Where has Stephen's dad been all this time and why all the secrecy? How did Stephen get that extra sense that let's him see essentia and if it did come from a spirit what is he supposed to use it for? What faction or side should he choose, if any, and how is he supposed to stay alive and make enough money to live?
The story went by so fast and while we got answers to some of those questions or portions of them there is so much more. Seems like we might be out of the frying pan and into the fryer. I can't wait to discover what else is in store for our main character in this incredibly interesting world.
What you need to know. Stephen was raised by his father who disappeared a few years ago mysteriously. Stephen has been looking for him since his disappearance and finally has a lead. His mother was afk during his childhood. When he found her she was remarried with new children and part of a magic well dynasty. Stephen has practiced his entire life to be good at drucraft (this stories magic system). He has had some experiences and is doing rather well in some regards but with no allies he is struggling and there are multiple factions trying to convince him to join them.
“If you want things that other people don’t have,” I said, “then you have to do things that other people won’t do.”
The world building in this is fantastic. This world and magic system is set up so well that I feel like I could do the magic, if I practiced enough and really committed. There are plenty of political machinations happening as Stephen's family (on his mother's side) have their internal struggles with Stephen's grandfather and Calhoun the heir to the family dynasty. Beyond that there are powerful factions interested in Stephen. One such faction is the Winged, members of which may have been gifted additional power by demons/diamons (tuh-MAY-toh/tuh-MAH-toh).
“He’s not our friend,” I said angrily.
“The Winged are a power. Powers do not have friends. They have interests.”
Every book Stephen grows a little and learns more about the larger magical world and the players in it. He made some very solid decisions in this book on the future he wants to have and was able to create an alliances with a few characters from prior books to get there. I liked the dynamic with Collin and Ivy and how their plans and alignment of goals came together.
Some of the strongest points of this book it how real most of it feels. Sure there are some big fights with drucraft but they are few and far between, with some cool dynamics of the magical artifacts the casters use. The book also isn't relying on a possible romance to prop it up. Stephen doesn't seem interested in a girl at all, which makes sense since he is just trying to stay alive at the moment. What it is focused on is building a good story. Who is trying to kill Calhoun (the Heir), is it someone in the family or one of their many other enemies? Where has Stephen's dad been all this time and why all the secrecy? How did Stephen get that extra sense that let's him see essentia and if it did come from a spirit what is he supposed to use it for? What faction or side should he choose, if any, and how is he supposed to stay alive and make enough money to live?
“Want to know what I think the worst case is now?”
I nodded.
“That we’re all playing pieces on a game board the size of the universe and there are gods looming over us playing a game of death chess where the moves are our lives.”
The story went by so fast and while we got answers to some of those questions or portions of them there is so much more. Seems like we might be out of the frying pan and into the fryer. I can't wait to discover what else is in store for our main character in this incredibly interesting world.
November 7, 2025
4.5 Stars
Stephen Oakwood had been training with his father in the art of drucrafting (sort of magic) until his father went missing. Stephen didn’t know there was a whole world of drucrafters, with a hierarchy, politics, and grabs for more power. He’s learned a lot since the first book and has been settling in more and interacting with his family, the Ashford’s, a lesser family in the hierarchy but still an old and powerful one. Unfortunately, it’s unclear whether he can trust any of them.
After narrowly escaping with his life in the last book, one of Stephen’s main goals is to gain more abilities and power. He makes a plan to accomplish this with some help from his friend Colin and fellow drucrafter, Ivy. Also, Hobbs, his super-cat, one of my favorite characters!
Stephen is now working with his family of House Ashford a bit more, earning money and gaining a bit more knowledge in the process. Members of the Winged still pressuring him to join, but he’s not sure why and they seem less than savory, but putting them off is becoming increasingly difficult.
In A Judgement of Powers the story picks up from the last book and is an exciting tale from page one! Stephan comes up against nefarious characters, his fighting skills, quick thinking serve him well, but these people are powerful and things were tense! After the way things end I’m eager for the next book!
I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.
Stephen Oakwood had been training with his father in the art of drucrafting (sort of magic) until his father went missing. Stephen didn’t know there was a whole world of drucrafters, with a hierarchy, politics, and grabs for more power. He’s learned a lot since the first book and has been settling in more and interacting with his family, the Ashford’s, a lesser family in the hierarchy but still an old and powerful one. Unfortunately, it’s unclear whether he can trust any of them.
After narrowly escaping with his life in the last book, one of Stephen’s main goals is to gain more abilities and power. He makes a plan to accomplish this with some help from his friend Colin and fellow drucrafter, Ivy. Also, Hobbs, his super-cat, one of my favorite characters!
Stephen is now working with his family of House Ashford a bit more, earning money and gaining a bit more knowledge in the process. Members of the Winged still pressuring him to join, but he’s not sure why and they seem less than savory, but putting them off is becoming increasingly difficult.
In A Judgement of Powers the story picks up from the last book and is an exciting tale from page one! Stephan comes up against nefarious characters, his fighting skills, quick thinking serve him well, but these people are powerful and things were tense! After the way things end I’m eager for the next book!
I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my thoughts and opinions.
October 28, 2025
I received a free copy from Berkeley Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Publish date November 4th.
I requested a copy of this title because it's book three of an ongoing series I've been following. In A Judgement of Powers, young Stephen has finally made contact with his missing father in an urban fantasy London where powerful Houses collect power from magic wells. Meanwhile, the secretive order trying to recruit him is increasing the pressure, and his part-time job guarding his aristocratic cousin from his own House is getting more dangerous.
This book is a bit outside my usual taste. It's very much in the line of Red Rising, Will Wight's books, Name of the Wind--centered around Young Man Who Levels Up. The inherent conflict in this style of narrative is that it glorifies a guy who is just so hardworking and talented that he advances to positions of great power--while simultaneously depicting a inherently unfair world where power is clearly not merit based. Jacka is excellent at depicting the minutae of an unfair system--there was a great arc in book two on how the well finding industry sucks in poor people with promises of big windfalls, forces them to buy licenses and finding stones rigged to fail within months, and then sets them loose burdened with debt and competing against armed raiders who steal their finds. Stephen himself grew up poor and spends a fair chunk of each book worrying about making enough money for rent and food.
However, Jacka is also painfully avoidant of making any sort of statement that could be construed as political. With a plot about rival sinister societies who control media and politicians and steer the forces of history, you'd think that they'd have at least some politically relevant ideology, if only to lower taxes for the rich. But Jacka athletically pirouettes over any opportunities for systemic commentary. In Stephen's world, apparently the solution to the trap of grinding poverty is to be smart and special and make it by yourself as an entrepreneur with no bosses.
After spending two paragraphs picking the book apart, I do want to emphasize that I enjoyed it. A Judgement of Powers is compulsively readable, and Jacka has an excellent touch with the pacing. It's clear that he intends to write a book a year in this series for another decade, and the power build is carefully calibrated to keep up the tension. Stephen learns more about magic and gets greater powers--but the deeper in he gets, the more formidable his opponents. Stephen's not always the most politically canny protagonist, but he's persistent, stubborn, and loyal to his friends. The book ends on a relatively climactic battle that provides closure for Stephen's arc in this book while also leaving clear hooks for next year's sequel.
Recommended only if you like Red Rising or The Will of the Many. I do find the books compelling, despite their political spinelessness, and I look forward to reading book 4 next year.
I requested a copy of this title because it's book three of an ongoing series I've been following. In A Judgement of Powers, young Stephen has finally made contact with his missing father in an urban fantasy London where powerful Houses collect power from magic wells. Meanwhile, the secretive order trying to recruit him is increasing the pressure, and his part-time job guarding his aristocratic cousin from his own House is getting more dangerous.
This book is a bit outside my usual taste. It's very much in the line of Red Rising, Will Wight's books, Name of the Wind--centered around Young Man Who Levels Up. The inherent conflict in this style of narrative is that it glorifies a guy who is just so hardworking and talented that he advances to positions of great power--while simultaneously depicting a inherently unfair world where power is clearly not merit based. Jacka is excellent at depicting the minutae of an unfair system--there was a great arc in book two on how the well finding industry sucks in poor people with promises of big windfalls, forces them to buy licenses and finding stones rigged to fail within months, and then sets them loose burdened with debt and competing against armed raiders who steal their finds. Stephen himself grew up poor and spends a fair chunk of each book worrying about making enough money for rent and food.
However, Jacka is also painfully avoidant of making any sort of statement that could be construed as political. With a plot about rival sinister societies who control media and politicians and steer the forces of history, you'd think that they'd have at least some politically relevant ideology, if only to lower taxes for the rich. But Jacka athletically pirouettes over any opportunities for systemic commentary. In Stephen's world, apparently the solution to the trap of grinding poverty is to be smart and special and make it by yourself as an entrepreneur with no bosses.
After spending two paragraphs picking the book apart, I do want to emphasize that I enjoyed it. A Judgement of Powers is compulsively readable, and Jacka has an excellent touch with the pacing. It's clear that he intends to write a book a year in this series for another decade, and the power build is carefully calibrated to keep up the tension. Stephen learns more about magic and gets greater powers--but the deeper in he gets, the more formidable his opponents. Stephen's not always the most politically canny protagonist, but he's persistent, stubborn, and loyal to his friends. The book ends on a relatively climactic battle that provides closure for Stephen's arc in this book while also leaving clear hooks for next year's sequel.
Recommended only if you like Red Rising or The Will of the Many. I do find the books compelling, despite their political spinelessness, and I look forward to reading book 4 next year.
November 11, 2025
This is shaping up to be my next favourite urban fantasy series- certainly the best in a long time. I do love stories featuring an underdog and Stephen fits the bill perfectly. He finally manages to meet his dad and starts to effectively gather his friends and resources. The bigger picture of this UF world is expanding and I’m all there for it. Need the next one stat! Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
December 27, 2025
plot where?
November 5, 2025
6 / 10 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
The Stephen Oakwood series—and to a lesser extent the Alex Virus series before it—features a slow build, which gains momentum til it eventually snowballs into a thrilling conclusion. While a Judgement of Powers does have a decent conclusion, the way there is much more of a slog than previous entries, and the thrill essentially arrives out of nothing. The slow start itself is nothing new either, but between the search for Stephen’s father, the trouble with the Winged, and the endless philosophizing about his powers, the slow start gives way to a slow middle, which gives way to an only slightly quicker conclusion.
The philosophizing is endless. And so annoying. Stephen basically rehashes the same moralizing nonsense over and over, in between rationalizing everything else he does with “well, a man’s gotta eat”. While it’s not inconsistent for his character, it certainly is hypocritical. Doesn’t exactly make for good, entertaining reading, however. Stephen’s constant desire to make lists also begins to wear in this installment, as, by contrast to the proselytizing, almost seemed interesting—and that mostly just annoyed me. The lists should not be THAT interesting.
Where it’s not a great book for Stephen, his friends come to pick up the slack. I particularly enjoyed the exchanges between Colin and Ivy. Those of Johanna and Calhoun are also lovely, but only appear once or twice, and only early on. As for Ivy and Colin, they mainly occupy the latter half of the story, yet have a tendency to disappear whenever the Wings show up. Both provide some genuinely funny and wart warming moments, though neither pop up as much as they should.
TL:DR
All in all, a slow build, a slow progression, a slog unto a comparably good ending. Supporting characters are comparably stronger, while Stephen himself spends too much time in his own head to be very riveting. The philosophizing gets old quickly, and yet refuses to retire. With a plot that’s a bit everywhere, it does little enough to progress the overarching story. Overall, A Judgment of Powers is an interesting entry, but little more. Here’s hoping #4 will be better.
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
The Stephen Oakwood series—and to a lesser extent the Alex Virus series before it—features a slow build, which gains momentum til it eventually snowballs into a thrilling conclusion. While a Judgement of Powers does have a decent conclusion, the way there is much more of a slog than previous entries, and the thrill essentially arrives out of nothing. The slow start itself is nothing new either, but between the search for Stephen’s father, the trouble with the Winged, and the endless philosophizing about his powers, the slow start gives way to a slow middle, which gives way to an only slightly quicker conclusion.
The philosophizing is endless. And so annoying. Stephen basically rehashes the same moralizing nonsense over and over, in between rationalizing everything else he does with “well, a man’s gotta eat”. While it’s not inconsistent for his character, it certainly is hypocritical. Doesn’t exactly make for good, entertaining reading, however. Stephen’s constant desire to make lists also begins to wear in this installment, as, by contrast to the proselytizing, almost seemed interesting—and that mostly just annoyed me. The lists should not be THAT interesting.
Where it’s not a great book for Stephen, his friends come to pick up the slack. I particularly enjoyed the exchanges between Colin and Ivy. Those of Johanna and Calhoun are also lovely, but only appear once or twice, and only early on. As for Ivy and Colin, they mainly occupy the latter half of the story, yet have a tendency to disappear whenever the Wings show up. Both provide some genuinely funny and wart warming moments, though neither pop up as much as they should.
TL:DR
All in all, a slow build, a slow progression, a slog unto a comparably good ending. Supporting characters are comparably stronger, while Stephen himself spends too much time in his own head to be very riveting. The philosophizing gets old quickly, and yet refuses to retire. With a plot that’s a bit everywhere, it does little enough to progress the overarching story. Overall, A Judgment of Powers is an interesting entry, but little more. Here’s hoping #4 will be better.
November 21, 2025
I like this world and the mc, but otherwise nothing really happened in this book.
June 5, 2025
One thing I definitely know about this author is that his ability to craft unique universes shine in this series and in this latest. Poor Stephen can’t catch a break, and he has so many avenues for his future, and none of them are a great prospect. His family, a shadow organization, and his path to a career are his only way to freedom, and he is forced at the end to choose one…what a great addition to the series, and I love how Stephen just makes lemonade out of lemons when everything is his world seems to keep him from peace. This is an action-packed, well-written, captivating urban fantasy book at its finest. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
December 27, 2025
I'm just gonna wait until the series is done ... nothing has happened. I wanted to know more about the cult and demons... notta ting... and im starting not to care..=(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2025
I love slipping into the worlds Benedict Jacka creates, and was excited to dive into the third audiobook in the Inheritance of Magic series. Like most urban fantasies, I recommend listening to this series in the order of its release as our understanding of the world develops further with each book and time spent with Stephen Oakwood, who discovers this world of magic along with the readers.
This is the third audiobook in the series, and the pacing and action are slower, but Jacka rewards us with a more in-depth knowledge of the world, Stephen’s magic, his family and more. We see some threads close as the author prepares to take us into the next part of this series.
Like his previous Alex Verus series, Jacka creates this incredible world of magic, and our novice protagonist gains knowledge and skills with each book. This is a world where power is not merit-based and knowledge is power. The disparage between the wealthy and working class is clear throughout as Stephen and his allies struggle to make ends meet each month and the wealthy control most of the profitable magic sources.
Stephen is a likable guy who is proving to be not only smart but a skilled wielder. To survive in this world, you need to be clever, resourceful and to choose your allies wisely. We’ve got warring power families, struggles within family hierarchies and those on the street vying to survive.
The ending is wide open with limitless possibilities. While I feel like I have a sense of where and how this will play out, I am excited to continue the journey. I highly recommend listening to the audio version narrated by Will Watt. He has become the voice of these characters, and the story lends itself perfectly to this format. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
This is the third audiobook in the series, and the pacing and action are slower, but Jacka rewards us with a more in-depth knowledge of the world, Stephen’s magic, his family and more. We see some threads close as the author prepares to take us into the next part of this series.
Like his previous Alex Verus series, Jacka creates this incredible world of magic, and our novice protagonist gains knowledge and skills with each book. This is a world where power is not merit-based and knowledge is power. The disparage between the wealthy and working class is clear throughout as Stephen and his allies struggle to make ends meet each month and the wealthy control most of the profitable magic sources.
Stephen is a likable guy who is proving to be not only smart but a skilled wielder. To survive in this world, you need to be clever, resourceful and to choose your allies wisely. We’ve got warring power families, struggles within family hierarchies and those on the street vying to survive.
The ending is wide open with limitless possibilities. While I feel like I have a sense of where and how this will play out, I am excited to continue the journey. I highly recommend listening to the audio version narrated by Will Watt. He has become the voice of these characters, and the story lends itself perfectly to this format. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
November 29, 2025
Neither Hobbes nor the plot have a lot of screen time in this book. Stephen talks to his dad, Colin, Charles, Calhoun, Father Hawk, and then his dad again. Stephen works one job as a bodyguard for Calhoun before that plot is essentially thrown away (tragic,) only two of many raids are narrated (also tragic,) and we get two power upgrades, one of which happens off screen (extremely tragic.)
This series is so fun because it relies heavily on Stephen gathering information from people he can't trust, but in the past, most of his best information was found through trial and error or by hard work. I think too much of this book's information gathering was done through conversation, especially when the major plot point is that Stephen feels pressured to join a side. Every emotionally distant father figure that Stephen opens up to has a valid understanding of what side they think Stephen should join, and Stephen really just wants to work for himself--but he avoids exploring this option and the key to it, his essentia sight, the whole book. The real interesting information is gathered when Stephen is forced to work with others, like when he and Colin have to figure out how to make Colin a functional magical tech guy, or when Stephen and Calhoun fight together against a common enemy, or when Charles negotiates Well information for Stephen's help working jobs with the family. I wanted more of Stephen teaching Colin and Ivy, more brotherly bonding with Calhoun, and more satisfying uses of essentia sight because these elements of the series are so good.
I think the ending of the book sets up a fun plot for book 4 to explore. I like the idea that Stephen will have to juggle so many secrets and manipulate so many "allies." I look forward to visiting this series again with the next release!
This series is so fun because it relies heavily on Stephen gathering information from people he can't trust, but in the past, most of his best information was found through trial and error or by hard work. I think too much of this book's information gathering was done through conversation, especially when the major plot point is that Stephen feels pressured to join a side. Every emotionally distant father figure that Stephen opens up to has a valid understanding of what side they think Stephen should join, and Stephen really just wants to work for himself--but he avoids exploring this option and the key to it, his essentia sight, the whole book. The real interesting information is gathered when Stephen is forced to work with others, like when he and Colin have to figure out how to make Colin a functional magical tech guy, or when Stephen and Calhoun fight together against a common enemy, or when Charles negotiates Well information for Stephen's help working jobs with the family. I wanted more of Stephen teaching Colin and Ivy, more brotherly bonding with Calhoun, and more satisfying uses of essentia sight because these elements of the series are so good.
I think the ending of the book sets up a fun plot for book 4 to explore. I like the idea that Stephen will have to juggle so many secrets and manipulate so many "allies." I look forward to visiting this series again with the next release!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2025
There really is no growth in the main character and this is the third book. The character keeps putting up with things he shouldn't have to for absolutely no reason.
Let me put this to you, in a scenario where a guy stabs you to near death and you manage to survive,if your would be killer approaches you and asks you to sit down with him for coffee, In what scenario would you allow your self be put in such a situation willingly? There's nothing valuable enough to gain from sitting with this person that is fully willing and capable of killing you, yet Stephen does it anyway, and it's get proven the character "vermilion" could have killed him if he wanted.
The entire back and forth Stephen keeps having with charles Ashford is so exhausting, another thing he doesn't have to indulge in, yet he does, it's established that the man hates the character and thinks him a money grubber and is even more than willing to accuse him of things he didn't do if given the slightest evidence, yet the main character still runs to his office whenever he calls. why?
It's a story, I know it needs it's moments of tension to push the plot but it just reads too juvenile for me, let this character push against the tide a bit, have him mature a little, it's getting too redundant to have him flail all through the book.
Nothing of import was achieved in this work, the answers Stephen sought from his father, we finally got to see it and it was
Stale and uninteresting, the entire wait for this information was totally unnecessary, you could have just told us all that in book 1. I'm really disappointed because I expected more, especially after the way book 2 ended.
The ending was also very underwhelming. All these fights and near death experiences, only for Stephen to still cave to the manipulations of Byron and Charles Ashford, it was a really boring ending.
Let me put this to you, in a scenario where a guy stabs you to near death and you manage to survive,if your would be killer approaches you and asks you to sit down with him for coffee, In what scenario would you allow your self be put in such a situation willingly? There's nothing valuable enough to gain from sitting with this person that is fully willing and capable of killing you, yet Stephen does it anyway, and it's get proven the character "vermilion" could have killed him if he wanted.
The entire back and forth Stephen keeps having with charles Ashford is so exhausting, another thing he doesn't have to indulge in, yet he does, it's established that the man hates the character and thinks him a money grubber and is even more than willing to accuse him of things he didn't do if given the slightest evidence, yet the main character still runs to his office whenever he calls. why?
It's a story, I know it needs it's moments of tension to push the plot but it just reads too juvenile for me, let this character push against the tide a bit, have him mature a little, it's getting too redundant to have him flail all through the book.
Nothing of import was achieved in this work, the answers Stephen sought from his father, we finally got to see it and it was
Stale and uninteresting, the entire wait for this information was totally unnecessary, you could have just told us all that in book 1. I'm really disappointed because I expected more, especially after the way book 2 ended.
The ending was also very underwhelming. All these fights and near death experiences, only for Stephen to still cave to the manipulations of Byron and Charles Ashford, it was a really boring ending.
November 8, 2025
Audiobook read by Will Watt
Stephen Oakwood is looking for his dad. Stephen’s magic use has brought him to the attention of The Winged, a mysterious group who hold the key to his father’s location. This continues directly from the previous two books, so not the place to start with this series. The narration is good. Stephen has taken a job as bodyguard to Calhoun, the heir of the Ashford family, At the same time he's trying to build his magic by raiding wells of power illegally, and making more sigls for himself, for both defence and offence. His long-term quest to find his father is resolved early in the book. He also seems to be finding more favour with his estranged mother and is becoming more involved with the Ashford family generally, though he's still wary of them, and rightly so. The head of the family – his grandfather – doesn’t seem to care much for him and only sees his value in how he can be used. There is a secret magical society, the Winged, alternately seeking to recruit or kill him. He must choose a side, his family or the Winged. He doesn't much care for either. I thought this was going to be the third book in the trilogy, but the ending is - if not a cliffhanger - not really resolved, and it seems as though this is going to be a series rather than a trilogy. To be honest, I'm a fan of Jacka's writing in general, but this was a little disappointing. It reads a bit like a middle book. It meanders, but doesn't really go anywhere. Sure, by the end of it, Stephen's life is moving into a different phase, but he's not settled. Sure, he foils an assassination attempt (on Calhoun) and kicks arse in a major set-piece fight or two, but there are no major wins. Stephen learns a few things, but he still doesn't have all the knowledge he needs. So there's obviously going to be a follow-on. Benedict Jacka's Alex Verus novels were a buy on sight series for me, this series less so. Stephen is not such an engaging main character as Alex, maybe because Alex had made all his coming-of-age mistakes by the time the series started, and in this series we're living through Stephen's uncertainties and missteps.
Stephen Oakwood is looking for his dad. Stephen’s magic use has brought him to the attention of The Winged, a mysterious group who hold the key to his father’s location. This continues directly from the previous two books, so not the place to start with this series. The narration is good. Stephen has taken a job as bodyguard to Calhoun, the heir of the Ashford family, At the same time he's trying to build his magic by raiding wells of power illegally, and making more sigls for himself, for both defence and offence. His long-term quest to find his father is resolved early in the book. He also seems to be finding more favour with his estranged mother and is becoming more involved with the Ashford family generally, though he's still wary of them, and rightly so. The head of the family – his grandfather – doesn’t seem to care much for him and only sees his value in how he can be used. There is a secret magical society, the Winged, alternately seeking to recruit or kill him. He must choose a side, his family or the Winged. He doesn't much care for either. I thought this was going to be the third book in the trilogy, but the ending is - if not a cliffhanger - not really resolved, and it seems as though this is going to be a series rather than a trilogy. To be honest, I'm a fan of Jacka's writing in general, but this was a little disappointing. It reads a bit like a middle book. It meanders, but doesn't really go anywhere. Sure, by the end of it, Stephen's life is moving into a different phase, but he's not settled. Sure, he foils an assassination attempt (on Calhoun) and kicks arse in a major set-piece fight or two, but there are no major wins. Stephen learns a few things, but he still doesn't have all the knowledge he needs. So there's obviously going to be a follow-on. Benedict Jacka's Alex Verus novels were a buy on sight series for me, this series less so. Stephen is not such an engaging main character as Alex, maybe because Alex had made all his coming-of-age mistakes by the time the series started, and in this series we're living through Stephen's uncertainties and missteps.
November 16, 2025
This novel is the book equivalent of the chain that lifts a rollercoaster up to the very peak of the track, only to stop there. I rated A Judgement of Powers as three stars, because its sole purpose was to set up the next act in the series and, not coincidentally, it did not have as strong a plot as one would hope. Still, I enjoyed the time with the characters very much, and I look forward to the next novel, where hopefully the latch clicks off that chain and the rollercoaster speeds down the track heading for the twists and turns before flipping the passengers upside down and over. I think the wait will be worth it.
July 28, 2025
This was a confusing episode in this series. I enjoyed myself, but this felt like so much background material and not much action that moved the story forward in a meaningful way.
There was so much time spent in exploring the history and worldbuilding. If this helped me or the main character Stephen understand better what's going on, it might be forgivable. However, we get SO much background and still are so confused at the end of this book.
I've really enjoyed getting this series as advanced reader copies. I liked this but I didn't love this one.
There was so much time spent in exploring the history and worldbuilding. If this helped me or the main character Stephen understand better what's going on, it might be forgivable. However, we get SO much background and still are so confused at the end of this book.
I've really enjoyed getting this series as advanced reader copies. I liked this but I didn't love this one.
November 9, 2025
Stephen Oakwood lives in a London where magic is powered by essentia and those who can use it are called drucrafters. Powerful and rich drucrafter Houses control most of the wells of essentia, and one of Stephen's jobs is to find them. After the couple of years covered by the first two books, Stephen now has contact with both of his parents and is making a living, but he's also come to the notice of some powerful people.
This is the book where this series "clicked" for me, and I can finally see where the author is trying to take things. Alex Verus (the MC of his previous series) was always an outsider, but he had a strong personality and clear motivations. Stephen, on the other hand, is still quite young and rather than being an outsider, he actually has a foot in just about every camp. His mother's family, House Ashford, respects him and would take him in if he would choose them. Similarly, the powerful magical cult, the Winged, also want to recruit him, and he has something in common with the other adherents of the Winged which comes out in this book. He even has freelance choices if he wants them, and he has a spiritual advisor to help him make a choice.
This is the book where this series "clicked" for me, and I can finally see where the author is trying to take things. Alex Verus (the MC of his previous series) was always an outsider, but he had a strong personality and clear motivations. Stephen, on the other hand, is still quite young and rather than being an outsider, he actually has a foot in just about every camp. His mother's family, House Ashford, respects him and would take him in if he would choose them. Similarly, the powerful magical cult, the Winged, also want to recruit him, and he has something in common with the other adherents of the Winged which comes out in this book. He even has freelance choices if he wants them, and he has a spiritual advisor to help him make a choice.
January 17, 2026
I really enjoyed this book as a third book in the series.
I really like Stephen’s character growth and the growth of his comrades and their relationship.
I’m unsure how I feel about the ending, it gripped me and I read the last half of the book very quickly and the fighting scenes were written brilliantly, however where the story is going I am unsure about… which does make a change to seeing the plot and the story play out in my mind before I even see it on the page!
This read like a book that was intended to move the story forward and it absolutely did that.
I felt the first chapter would have been better placed in the last book and have this one start on chapter 2 but as I did not read book 2 until I had book 3 this didn’t bother me but it might have if I had had to wait in between!
All in all a very nice urban fantasy book written spectacularly and kept me engaged throughout.
Thank you to NetGalley and LittleBrownBookGroup for providing me a copy of this book for an honest review
I really like Stephen’s character growth and the growth of his comrades and their relationship.
I’m unsure how I feel about the ending, it gripped me and I read the last half of the book very quickly and the fighting scenes were written brilliantly, however where the story is going I am unsure about… which does make a change to seeing the plot and the story play out in my mind before I even see it on the page!
This read like a book that was intended to move the story forward and it absolutely did that.
I felt the first chapter would have been better placed in the last book and have this one start on chapter 2 but as I did not read book 2 until I had book 3 this didn’t bother me but it might have if I had had to wait in between!
All in all a very nice urban fantasy book written spectacularly and kept me engaged throughout.
Thank you to NetGalley and LittleBrownBookGroup for providing me a copy of this book for an honest review
November 8, 2025
A Judgement of Powers is the third book in the "Inheritance of Magic" series by Benedict Jacka.
In this one, Stephen Oakwood is still trying to improve his Drucraft capabilities and generally find his place in his astrainged family. Finally finding his father has helped him in that his father has explained a great many things about Stephen's younger years, including why he disappeared for several years. Stephen is also under greater pressure from the mysterious group, The Winged, to join in their cause. All this while trying to be there for his friends and his cat, Hobbs.
Another great read in this series.
In this one, Stephen Oakwood is still trying to improve his Drucraft capabilities and generally find his place in his astrainged family. Finally finding his father has helped him in that his father has explained a great many things about Stephen's younger years, including why he disappeared for several years. Stephen is also under greater pressure from the mysterious group, The Winged, to join in their cause. All this while trying to be there for his friends and his cat, Hobbs.
Another great read in this series.
January 8, 2026
This series is fantastic!
I love this story it’s twisty with a very technical approach to magic that makes it blend well with modern culture. The mash up of crime noir, urban fantasy, and hapless poor guy vs the billionaire is just plain fun! I can’t wait to read the next one.
🎙️: Single narrator (single POV), I love the narrators accent and the way his his dry tones somehow manage to keep the story feeling thrilling and interesting.
Urban Fantasy
Internal Politics
Secret Society
One Man Against the World
Crime Thriller Vibes
Broken Family
Rag Tag Team
❌ romance
I love this story it’s twisty with a very technical approach to magic that makes it blend well with modern culture. The mash up of crime noir, urban fantasy, and hapless poor guy vs the billionaire is just plain fun! I can’t wait to read the next one.
🎙️: Single narrator (single POV), I love the narrators accent and the way his his dry tones somehow manage to keep the story feeling thrilling and interesting.
Urban Fantasy
Internal Politics
Secret Society
One Man Against the World
Crime Thriller Vibes
Broken Family
Rag Tag Team
❌ romance
November 17, 2025
I really liked the Alex Verus series, started a bit hesitant, continued a bit formulaic but the second half of the series was solid, each book a good story and good characters and proper character development.
That is why I am so sorry that this series have none of that imo. The hero is annoying and so horribly whiny. I don't like the other characters and I don't like the style where the narration constantly shifting between sections where something is happening and then a section where it is analyzed and questioned. Much feels so constructed, the underdog perspective is thrust on you by money, power and how everybody treat the hero and everybody likes an underdog, but given all his gifts (a spoiler, read the book) the way out of his problems is stealing mana to get stronger? Is this progression fantasy now?
That is why I am so sorry that this series have none of that imo. The hero is annoying and so horribly whiny. I don't like the other characters and I don't like the style where the narration constantly shifting between sections where something is happening and then a section where it is analyzed and questioned. Much feels so constructed, the underdog perspective is thrust on you by money, power and how everybody treat the hero and everybody likes an underdog, but given all his gifts (a spoiler, read the book) the way out of his problems is stealing mana to get stronger? Is this progression fantasy now?
November 12, 2025
4.25/5 very fun and comforting read. I am enjoying the world building a lot, and I am very curious to see where this goes. I do think the ending was a bit rushed and there were a little too many lectures in too quick a succession but they were minor issues. Looking forward to the next one
November 22, 2025
I've really enjoyed the story in books 1 & 2, so it's really nice that book 3 continues the pace, expands the works building and turned a few of my assumptions on their head. Based on the books so far I would definitely recommend this series. The only thing I would request is more Hobbes in future books please 🙂
November 5, 2025
I have yet again enjoyed this instalment of the series, but yet again been annoyed to get to the end of the book feel like, “wait, that’s it”?
To be honest the plot is just too short. The world building and the dive into Steven’s life is great, but to write books this detailed they really need to be longer books. They feel like the first half of a really good book each time. I listen to the audiobooks (Will Watt is excellent) but at 9 hours it’s too short for the detail - and the narrator is not a speedy one. Make the book 50% longer and with 50% more plot progression/action and I think most readers will appreciate it. There is room to add this easily in Steven’s relationship with his family members, on both sides. They largely get ignored when not central to the plot. The only alleviating factor is that Benedict releases one book in the series a year I suppose, which is pretty quick.
I think Benedict needs to spend a bit more time and make these books a bit longer to pack in a bit more actual content, which will handle most people’s complaints and make this a higher quality series of books.
To be honest the plot is just too short. The world building and the dive into Steven’s life is great, but to write books this detailed they really need to be longer books. They feel like the first half of a really good book each time. I listen to the audiobooks (Will Watt is excellent) but at 9 hours it’s too short for the detail - and the narrator is not a speedy one. Make the book 50% longer and with 50% more plot progression/action and I think most readers will appreciate it. There is room to add this easily in Steven’s relationship with his family members, on both sides. They largely get ignored when not central to the plot. The only alleviating factor is that Benedict releases one book in the series a year I suppose, which is pretty quick.
I think Benedict needs to spend a bit more time and make these books a bit longer to pack in a bit more actual content, which will handle most people’s complaints and make this a higher quality series of books.
December 10, 2025
Another really fun entry in what has become an engaging and entertaining series by Jacka. It still lacks a bit of the edge that the Verus novels have, but it still kept me glued.
December 28, 2025
Very interesting instalment brining several plotlines to the boil much earlier than I expected and opening up some surprising new ones. A lot of fun!
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
July 6, 2025
really a 3.75 ⭐
This series is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Benedict Jacka is offering us a fresh take on the urban fantasy genre. Fans will certainly find a good entry to the series. We finally have closing threads from the first 2 books and the world and story is finally opening up. Astute readers will know where this is going, but Jacka certainly doesn't answer much on what should be coming up next. The pacing was a bit slowler that the last few entries but the action delivered was fantastic. A Judgement of Powers does suffer a bit from middle book syndrome. With the plot being left open towards the end. The direction of the story feels a bit uncertain other than the few clues we are being given. A move probably done on purpose to keep fans wondering, but part of me thinks this may make the series lose some people who want qastronger hook to keep them around.
However, I'm looking forward to see what is coming next for Stephen. Things are shaping up to be very exciting.
This series is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Benedict Jacka is offering us a fresh take on the urban fantasy genre. Fans will certainly find a good entry to the series. We finally have closing threads from the first 2 books and the world and story is finally opening up. Astute readers will know where this is going, but Jacka certainly doesn't answer much on what should be coming up next. The pacing was a bit slowler that the last few entries but the action delivered was fantastic. A Judgement of Powers does suffer a bit from middle book syndrome. With the plot being left open towards the end. The direction of the story feels a bit uncertain other than the few clues we are being given. A move probably done on purpose to keep fans wondering, but part of me thinks this may make the series lose some people who want qastronger hook to keep them around.
However, I'm looking forward to see what is coming next for Stephen. Things are shaping up to be very exciting.
November 18, 2025
A Judgement of Powers is the third in the Inheritance of Magic urban fantasy series. It follows twenty-one-year-old Stephen Oakwood as he grows stronger in drucraft and gets tangled in the power plays of House Ashford, of which he’s a reluctant sort of member due to his long absent mother being a daughter, and the Winged, a powerful group working against the Houses. But Stephen has his own ideas of what he wants. This series and I have always had a rocky relationship. I’m drawn in with all the secrets and power plays with poor Stephen often little more than a pawn, but theres’s so much world building, even three books in, and sometimes it’s a little tedious accompanying Stephen as he works on his drucraft.
At the end of the last book, Stephen was hired by his cousin Calhoun Ashford to be part of his personal security detail. But that job quickly puts Stephen in danger when someone plants a bomb meant for Calhoun, putting Stephen out of a job for the time being. Stephen, though angry, decides it’s time to work on growing stronger to defeat more powerful enemies, like Vermilion from the Winged, who almost killed him in the last book. So he puts together a raiding team, but things don’t quite go as he planned. Meanwhile, Vermilion is keeping a close eye on him, and the Winged and House Ashford see him as a useful, and powerful, pawn since he was a special talent both would like to use.
A Judgement of Powers feels like it can best be divided up into thirds, making a story that actually reads rather smoothly feel oddly episodic. First, there’s Stephen playing out the threads from the previous book, where he found his father and works for Calhoun. Then he’s putting a team together and creating stronger sigls before he’s back to work with Calhoun and having an epic showdown with a couple of vanguards from the Winged. I did like that the story felt logical and ran from one thing to the next with relatively smooth transitions, though the scene transitions tended to be a little curt and jarringly unsmooth, so it was harder to see how the story tended to focus on one thing at a time. I do wish the different parts had been woven together, even if it meant Stephen’s life was in complete upheaval because of it. That might have been entertaining.
I like Stephen. He hasn’t had an easy life lately. He’s just a young adult who wants to lead the life he wants and doesn’t want to be a pawn in anyone’s game. He’s sometimes angry and sometimes very smart and sometimes just trying to do what he can to scrape by. In other words, he’s a normal young adult with some very interesting mentors and powers he’s had to learn how to use on his own. But he also does come off as very young and naive at times. It was almost annoying to be stuck in his head and endless planning loops for so much of the book. I felt like it slowed the story down too much, and I was almost grateful for all the action to break it up, no matter how dangerous it was.
And, yet, I can’t stop reading this series. Despite being the third book, this is clearly not the end of Stephen’s story, but, rather, still close to the beginning. It’s nice to finally start to see glimmers of who he might be when he’s older and more experienced, but, for now, he just reads young. I did enjoy his interactions with his family. They’re definitely a mixed bag, some who like him, some who want to kill him, some who love him, and some who want to make him useful. I also really liked how A Judgement of Powers gave Stephen space to be with, maybe not quite friends, but definitely one friend and some colleagues. I really enjoyed seeing him try to put together a raiding team and learn from it, but I felt like that subplot was dropped in favor of the more interesting plotting of House Ashford and the Winged. Colin and Ivy, two of Stephen’s friends, are fantastic, and I liked the dynamics between them, especially since they don’t all actually know each other extremely well but have to rely on each other.
A Judgement of Powers is, in my opinion, the strongest book in the series so far, despite the episodic feel and the fact that not much actually happens. It does make decent progress in the overarching story while also pushing Stephen to grow and learn, but it also feels like a repeat of the previous books, just in different clothing. The world building still sometimes feels a little heavy handed and I could do without the almost step by step shaping of a sigl, but I like how Stephen is starting to figure himself out and has some allies now. Of course, things are really starting to get complicated for him, but I’m interested to see how all the threads will play out. He’s not a child playing with powers he barely understands anymore, so I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in his story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
At the end of the last book, Stephen was hired by his cousin Calhoun Ashford to be part of his personal security detail. But that job quickly puts Stephen in danger when someone plants a bomb meant for Calhoun, putting Stephen out of a job for the time being. Stephen, though angry, decides it’s time to work on growing stronger to defeat more powerful enemies, like Vermilion from the Winged, who almost killed him in the last book. So he puts together a raiding team, but things don’t quite go as he planned. Meanwhile, Vermilion is keeping a close eye on him, and the Winged and House Ashford see him as a useful, and powerful, pawn since he was a special talent both would like to use.
A Judgement of Powers feels like it can best be divided up into thirds, making a story that actually reads rather smoothly feel oddly episodic. First, there’s Stephen playing out the threads from the previous book, where he found his father and works for Calhoun. Then he’s putting a team together and creating stronger sigls before he’s back to work with Calhoun and having an epic showdown with a couple of vanguards from the Winged. I did like that the story felt logical and ran from one thing to the next with relatively smooth transitions, though the scene transitions tended to be a little curt and jarringly unsmooth, so it was harder to see how the story tended to focus on one thing at a time. I do wish the different parts had been woven together, even if it meant Stephen’s life was in complete upheaval because of it. That might have been entertaining.
I like Stephen. He hasn’t had an easy life lately. He’s just a young adult who wants to lead the life he wants and doesn’t want to be a pawn in anyone’s game. He’s sometimes angry and sometimes very smart and sometimes just trying to do what he can to scrape by. In other words, he’s a normal young adult with some very interesting mentors and powers he’s had to learn how to use on his own. But he also does come off as very young and naive at times. It was almost annoying to be stuck in his head and endless planning loops for so much of the book. I felt like it slowed the story down too much, and I was almost grateful for all the action to break it up, no matter how dangerous it was.
And, yet, I can’t stop reading this series. Despite being the third book, this is clearly not the end of Stephen’s story, but, rather, still close to the beginning. It’s nice to finally start to see glimmers of who he might be when he’s older and more experienced, but, for now, he just reads young. I did enjoy his interactions with his family. They’re definitely a mixed bag, some who like him, some who want to kill him, some who love him, and some who want to make him useful. I also really liked how A Judgement of Powers gave Stephen space to be with, maybe not quite friends, but definitely one friend and some colleagues. I really enjoyed seeing him try to put together a raiding team and learn from it, but I felt like that subplot was dropped in favor of the more interesting plotting of House Ashford and the Winged. Colin and Ivy, two of Stephen’s friends, are fantastic, and I liked the dynamics between them, especially since they don’t all actually know each other extremely well but have to rely on each other.
A Judgement of Powers is, in my opinion, the strongest book in the series so far, despite the episodic feel and the fact that not much actually happens. It does make decent progress in the overarching story while also pushing Stephen to grow and learn, but it also feels like a repeat of the previous books, just in different clothing. The world building still sometimes feels a little heavy handed and I could do without the almost step by step shaping of a sigl, but I like how Stephen is starting to figure himself out and has some allies now. Of course, things are really starting to get complicated for him, but I’m interested to see how all the threads will play out. He’s not a child playing with powers he barely understands anymore, so I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in his story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 23, 2025
2.5 stars
There wasn’t much of an overarching or unifying plot here just a lot of small ones. At one point even Stephen wonders about what his purpose is because nothing was happening in his life. It was frustratingly bizarre given the thrilling cliffhanger of the last book. The beginning of this one wasn’t exciting at all. There were some exciting scenes but I didn’t feel they meshed very well.
The story is mostly just him going through life, trying to increase his power, learning new things, and figuring out how to steal essenture (sp? I listened to the audiobook.) One of the people who helps acts as his conscience but he doesn’t listen to her and justifies his stealing because it’s a big corporation rather than a person. He feels a little guilt at India point but not for long. While I have no love for big business, I still have a problem with stealing. In my mind it’s amoral but that’s just me.
It didn’t endear me any more to him than I had in the last book. I wasn’t really that enamored of any of the characters. My favorite was actually Charles. We’re not supposed to like him, I think we’re supposed to hate him, but I enjoyed his scenes. It wasn’t that I liked the man—he was a dick—but I enjoyed his dry wit and intelligence and how he reacted to Stephen’s immaturity. Charles wasn’t exactly an enemy, but not a good guy either. The narrator’s portrayal of him probably helped me like him.
I felt Stephen wasn’t right somehow. He didn’t always react in ways that made sense to me. He’d get upset at something that didn’t seem like a big deal and then be fine with other things. For example, someone put him in a situation where he very likely would be attacked and probably killed and he was angry at being manipulated but never really got to the fact that he hadn’t been warned at all.
He also wasn’t acknowledged as having probably saved people’s lives on two occasions for noticing something others, including a bodyguard, didn’t but what he got was actually negative consequences. He didn’t stand up for himself at all. Yet he would attack that same person, really pushing it until he was lucky that person didn’t do anything awful to him right then and there.
As was true in the earlier Alex Verus novels, this is really sexist. The women aren’t nearly as prevalent or as powerful as the men. They are mostly dislikable. His group of friends is all men. One of the two people who work with him is female but she’s not part of his friend crowd nor is she (or the other guy) very powerful and she makes a dumb decision that don’t cost both of them their lives. His sister is nice but a typical teen. I haven’t forgiven his mother and he isn’t that fond of her and she’s not very powerful but very politically power hungry.
Stephen of course adores his dad even though he left his life, too, and the man is very magically powerful. I think that just leaves the betrothed of the very politically and magically powerful heir to the House. She’s nice but has no power of her own except in her marriageability.
Oh, that leaves the other very power hungry—political and politically—second in line to the heir. She could be heir but she’s awful and only the bad guys like her. She succumbed to joining the dark side awhile ago. All the many others, both bad and good with all kinds of power including physical are men: doctors, bodyguards (even magic ones), leaders, adepts, security guards, etc. are all men. There aren’t very many non-whites either although there are a couple, and no other diversity.
The world-building is great. The idea of drucrafting, the wells, the power structure all work well and are interesting to me. I guess I just am not fond of political machinations which I felt was the backbone of everything that happened. It was all about rival organizations trying to get power by controlling the wells and the people who could help them find and use those wells and the essenture that came from them.
And I just didn’t like any of these people, even Stephen, very well. It’s a sad state of affairs when I enjoyed multiple characters we weren’t supposed to like more than I did the heroes.
I don’t know if I’ll read the next one when it comes out. Maybe if I need it for a challenge.
The narrator, Will Watt, was back to being really good. He’d be amazing if he’d just use more varied voices. Most of the young people, even the young females sounded the same. Only their one friend with an accent sounded different. By contrast, Charles had his own distinct voice, Vermillion had his own way of speaking and both were perfect. Watt used inflection and tone to perfectly portray the former’s dryness and the latter’s flippancy perfectly. I could listen to either of those characters for hours. Watt’s emotional range and expression, as well as the way he verbalizes visually exciting scenes, is impressive. I just wish he would vary those voices!
There wasn’t much of an overarching or unifying plot here just a lot of small ones. At one point even Stephen wonders about what his purpose is because nothing was happening in his life. It was frustratingly bizarre given the thrilling cliffhanger of the last book. The beginning of this one wasn’t exciting at all. There were some exciting scenes but I didn’t feel they meshed very well.
The story is mostly just him going through life, trying to increase his power, learning new things, and figuring out how to steal essenture (sp? I listened to the audiobook.) One of the people who helps acts as his conscience but he doesn’t listen to her and justifies his stealing because it’s a big corporation rather than a person. He feels a little guilt at India point but not for long. While I have no love for big business, I still have a problem with stealing. In my mind it’s amoral but that’s just me.
It didn’t endear me any more to him than I had in the last book. I wasn’t really that enamored of any of the characters. My favorite was actually Charles. We’re not supposed to like him, I think we’re supposed to hate him, but I enjoyed his scenes. It wasn’t that I liked the man—he was a dick—but I enjoyed his dry wit and intelligence and how he reacted to Stephen’s immaturity. Charles wasn’t exactly an enemy, but not a good guy either. The narrator’s portrayal of him probably helped me like him.
I felt Stephen wasn’t right somehow. He didn’t always react in ways that made sense to me. He’d get upset at something that didn’t seem like a big deal and then be fine with other things. For example, someone put him in a situation where he very likely would be attacked and probably killed and he was angry at being manipulated but never really got to the fact that he hadn’t been warned at all.
He also wasn’t acknowledged as having probably saved people’s lives on two occasions for noticing something others, including a bodyguard, didn’t but what he got was actually negative consequences. He didn’t stand up for himself at all. Yet he would attack that same person, really pushing it until he was lucky that person didn’t do anything awful to him right then and there.
As was true in the earlier Alex Verus novels, this is really sexist. The women aren’t nearly as prevalent or as powerful as the men. They are mostly dislikable. His group of friends is all men. One of the two people who work with him is female but she’s not part of his friend crowd nor is she (or the other guy) very powerful and she makes a dumb decision that don’t cost both of them their lives. His sister is nice but a typical teen. I haven’t forgiven his mother and he isn’t that fond of her and she’s not very powerful but very politically power hungry.
Stephen of course adores his dad even though he left his life, too, and the man is very magically powerful. I think that just leaves the betrothed of the very politically and magically powerful heir to the House. She’s nice but has no power of her own except in her marriageability.
Oh, that leaves the other very power hungry—political and politically—second in line to the heir. She could be heir but she’s awful and only the bad guys like her. She succumbed to joining the dark side awhile ago. All the many others, both bad and good with all kinds of power including physical are men: doctors, bodyguards (even magic ones), leaders, adepts, security guards, etc. are all men. There aren’t very many non-whites either although there are a couple, and no other diversity.
The world-building is great. The idea of drucrafting, the wells, the power structure all work well and are interesting to me. I guess I just am not fond of political machinations which I felt was the backbone of everything that happened. It was all about rival organizations trying to get power by controlling the wells and the people who could help them find and use those wells and the essenture that came from them.
And I just didn’t like any of these people, even Stephen, very well. It’s a sad state of affairs when I enjoyed multiple characters we weren’t supposed to like more than I did the heroes.
I don’t know if I’ll read the next one when it comes out. Maybe if I need it for a challenge.
The narrator, Will Watt, was back to being really good. He’d be amazing if he’d just use more varied voices. Most of the young people, even the young females sounded the same. Only their one friend with an accent sounded different. By contrast, Charles had his own distinct voice, Vermillion had his own way of speaking and both were perfect. Watt used inflection and tone to perfectly portray the former’s dryness and the latter’s flippancy perfectly. I could listen to either of those characters for hours. Watt’s emotional range and expression, as well as the way he verbalizes visually exciting scenes, is impressive. I just wish he would vary those voices!
December 19, 2025
Third books are where series either settle into comfort—or sharpen their teeth. A Judgement of Powers firmly chooses the latter. Stephen Oakwood has already survived his introduction to magic, scraped together a fragile independence, and learned that power is never freely given. Now, Benedict Jacka pushes his protagonist into deeper waters, where every decision carries consequences and neutrality is no longer an option.
A World That Keeps Evolving
One of the things I appreciate most about Jacka’s writing is how grounded his magic feels. A Judgement of Powers drops you right back into modern London, but this is not our world alone—magic here is expensive, political, and tightly controlled by powerful Houses, secret cults, and corporations. It’s a setting where paying the rent and dodging assassination attempts can, somehow, go hand in hand.
Our protagonist, Stephen Oakwood, has come a long way from his humble beginnings. A year after achieving some of his personal goals—finding his father, staying afloat financially, and learning to use magic—Stephen’s life is far from stable. Now a bodyguard for Calhoun Ashford, he’s thrust into lethal politics far beyond his comfort zone and pursued by the mysterious Winged, a shadowy group intent on recruiting or destroying him.
The Heart of the Story: Growth and Choice
At its core, A Judgement of Powers is about choices—which side to pick, who to trust, and how much of yourself you’re willing to give up for power or independence. Jacka guides Stephen into murky territory that keeps the tension alive: the closer he gets to answers, the more uncertain his footing becomes.
Jacka’s magic system—built around essentia and sigils—is as intriguing as ever, and he deserves credit for never oversimplifying how it works. You feel the physics of this world as much as the politics, and that adds layers to what could otherwise be a straightforward urban fantasy adventure.
What Works — and What Might Not
What I loved:
* Jacka’s signature blend of the mundane and the mystical — from rent checks to ritual battles.
* A magic system that demands respect and careful study
* A protagonist who feels real in his doubts and small victories.
What might divide readers:
* Slower pacing that feels more connective tissue than climactic thrust.
* Some repetition and introspection can weigh down forward momentum.
* A narrative that resolves one thread only to tease the next—great for series fans, less satisfying for stand-alone pleasure.
Final Thoughts
A Judgement of Powers doesn’t just move the story forward—it deepens it. There’s an earnestness to Stephen’s journey that’s hard to ignore, and Jacka’s world continues to feel lived-in and dangerous in all the right ways. Anyone who loves urban fantasy with political magic, ethical ambiguity, and a hero trying to stay true to himself will find much to enjoy here.
But be warned: this book feels like the beginning of something larger. If you’re in for the long ride—where growth, conflict, and discovery spread across volumes—then A Judgement of Powers is a richly textured step in a promising series. A judgment of powers is not the end of the story; there's more, and it's exploding off the pages of this book.
A World That Keeps Evolving
One of the things I appreciate most about Jacka’s writing is how grounded his magic feels. A Judgement of Powers drops you right back into modern London, but this is not our world alone—magic here is expensive, political, and tightly controlled by powerful Houses, secret cults, and corporations. It’s a setting where paying the rent and dodging assassination attempts can, somehow, go hand in hand.
Our protagonist, Stephen Oakwood, has come a long way from his humble beginnings. A year after achieving some of his personal goals—finding his father, staying afloat financially, and learning to use magic—Stephen’s life is far from stable. Now a bodyguard for Calhoun Ashford, he’s thrust into lethal politics far beyond his comfort zone and pursued by the mysterious Winged, a shadowy group intent on recruiting or destroying him.
The Heart of the Story: Growth and Choice
At its core, A Judgement of Powers is about choices—which side to pick, who to trust, and how much of yourself you’re willing to give up for power or independence. Jacka guides Stephen into murky territory that keeps the tension alive: the closer he gets to answers, the more uncertain his footing becomes.
Jacka’s magic system—built around essentia and sigils—is as intriguing as ever, and he deserves credit for never oversimplifying how it works. You feel the physics of this world as much as the politics, and that adds layers to what could otherwise be a straightforward urban fantasy adventure.
What Works — and What Might Not
What I loved:
* Jacka’s signature blend of the mundane and the mystical — from rent checks to ritual battles.
* A magic system that demands respect and careful study
* A protagonist who feels real in his doubts and small victories.
What might divide readers:
* Slower pacing that feels more connective tissue than climactic thrust.
* Some repetition and introspection can weigh down forward momentum.
* A narrative that resolves one thread only to tease the next—great for series fans, less satisfying for stand-alone pleasure.
Final Thoughts
A Judgement of Powers doesn’t just move the story forward—it deepens it. There’s an earnestness to Stephen’s journey that’s hard to ignore, and Jacka’s world continues to feel lived-in and dangerous in all the right ways. Anyone who loves urban fantasy with political magic, ethical ambiguity, and a hero trying to stay true to himself will find much to enjoy here.
But be warned: this book feels like the beginning of something larger. If you’re in for the long ride—where growth, conflict, and discovery spread across volumes—then A Judgement of Powers is a richly textured step in a promising series. A judgment of powers is not the end of the story; there's more, and it's exploding off the pages of this book.
November 4, 2025
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
I really enjoy the style, characters and worlds created by Benedict Jacka. It's easy to root for Stephen as an underdog, mostly on his own without resources. He is having to make some difficult choices to support himself. There are those who want his services but he wants control over his own destiny and it feels like any of the possibilities take away his independence.
Stephen does come in contact with his father, finally. His father helps him understand why some things that happened and offers some truth and perspective. His mother seems to be trying to pull him into the Ashford family. He is working for Calhoun a bit to fund his life and personal pursuits.
His choice to move forward for most of the book is on his own, forming his own team with just Ivy and Colin. They work together to raid wells which is not legal. There are high risks if caught. It's frustrating because while Ivy is a good locater she isn't a manifester. Colin is even less skilled in drucraft. But he teaches them some things and they help him. Stephen wants to make a new weapon, not lethal, to take down his opponents long enough to get away.
A Judgement of Powers is steady and suspenseful. Stephen is in a balanced limbo, trying not to throw in with any faction. He learns a bit more, and things which he couldn't do at all a year ago seem almost too easy for him now. There are many less deadly action battles.
In the end, Stephen is forced to a side and it remains to be seen if it is at all safe, and whether he will have any independence. I hope he is able to make a difference in reducing the violence of the factions. I will eagerly await more over the next year.
Narration:
Will Watt is Stephen for me now. We are in Stephen's point of view and with him all the time. The voices and accents feel appropriate for the characters and kept me in the story. I listened at a newer 1.6x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
I really enjoy the style, characters and worlds created by Benedict Jacka. It's easy to root for Stephen as an underdog, mostly on his own without resources. He is having to make some difficult choices to support himself. There are those who want his services but he wants control over his own destiny and it feels like any of the possibilities take away his independence.
Stephen does come in contact with his father, finally. His father helps him understand why some things that happened and offers some truth and perspective. His mother seems to be trying to pull him into the Ashford family. He is working for Calhoun a bit to fund his life and personal pursuits.
His choice to move forward for most of the book is on his own, forming his own team with just Ivy and Colin. They work together to raid wells which is not legal. There are high risks if caught. It's frustrating because while Ivy is a good locater she isn't a manifester. Colin is even less skilled in drucraft. But he teaches them some things and they help him. Stephen wants to make a new weapon, not lethal, to take down his opponents long enough to get away.
A Judgement of Powers is steady and suspenseful. Stephen is in a balanced limbo, trying not to throw in with any faction. He learns a bit more, and things which he couldn't do at all a year ago seem almost too easy for him now. There are many less deadly action battles.
In the end, Stephen is forced to a side and it remains to be seen if it is at all safe, and whether he will have any independence. I hope he is able to make a difference in reducing the violence of the factions. I will eagerly await more over the next year.
Narration:
Will Watt is Stephen for me now. We are in Stephen's point of view and with him all the time. The voices and accents feel appropriate for the characters and kept me in the story. I listened at a newer 1.6x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews