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The Sigilist #1
The Only Way Out Is Up
Not yet published
Expected 29 Sep 26Win a free kindle copy of this book!
13 days and 18:44:12
100 copies available
U.S. only
A small-time scrapper and his pet robot will fight their way out of the junk-heap in a tournament that will either make them richer than gods or rip them apart in the first book of Django Wexler’s lightning paced progression fantasy adventure for fans of Cradle and Dungeon Crawler Carl.
Taj lives in a junkheap, scavenging scrap to keep his family fed and dodging the monsters who live among the wreckage. His only edge is a smart-ass construct named Star he built himself. Taj dreams of winning big with Star in the construct fighting circuits, but victory always seems just beyond his reach and the debt collectors are at the door.
His world changes forever when someone there makes him an offer that seems too good to be true: a chance to fight in the Ascent, the ultimate fighting tournament, for a prize beyond his wildest fantasies. But things that seem too good to be true usually are, and Taj finds his new benefactor comes with plenty of new enemies. As he ventures beyond the only world he's ever known, he discovers it's not just his money on the line in the Ascent -- it's his life.
When you start at the very bottom, the only way out is up…
Taj lives in a junkheap, scavenging scrap to keep his family fed and dodging the monsters who live among the wreckage. His only edge is a smart-ass construct named Star he built himself. Taj dreams of winning big with Star in the construct fighting circuits, but victory always seems just beyond his reach and the debt collectors are at the door.
His world changes forever when someone there makes him an offer that seems too good to be true: a chance to fight in the Ascent, the ultimate fighting tournament, for a prize beyond his wildest fantasies. But things that seem too good to be true usually are, and Taj finds his new benefactor comes with plenty of new enemies. As he ventures beyond the only world he's ever known, he discovers it's not just his money on the line in the Ascent -- it's his life.
When you start at the very bottom, the only way out is up…
384 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 29, 2026
About the author
Django Wexler
54 books3,839 followersDjango Wexler graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh with degrees in creative writing and computer science, and worked for the university in artificial intelligence research. Eventually he migrated to Microsoft in Seattle, where he now lives with two cats and a teetering mountain of books. When not planning Shadow Campaigns, he wrangles computers, paints tiny soldiers, and plays games of all sorts.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
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June 7, 2026Sooooo excited for this one! 🤭
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I ATE THIS UP. Yum yum. I really enjoyed the most recent Django Wexler vehicles, and I also am into a progression fantasy, so this was right up my alley by the description alone. For fans of Dungeon Crawler Carl (which I am not, unfortch, but I get the comp based on the 20% I made it in that book) and I would even say if you liked the Rocky aspect of Project Hail Mary because this one is about robots! Also for fans of Pokemon and Battlebots.
Taj's robot Star is different than all the other robots because of one very important thing: his core sigil. Plus, Taj is also inherently skilled at crafting additional sigils, which provide protection and instruction for Star. In a literally stratified world (this book is not subtle, but that's okay, I don't need subtle), Taj is from what they call the Heap, basically the lowest rung on the ladder. He's fought every day to survive, along with his brother, who operates a bakery and feeds fellow orphans, and sister. When the payment to their local goons gets doubled, Taj has to figure out a way to get that money faster than he can by scavenging wild robot monsters for their bounties. So he decides to sneak into the level above and steal some things. Unfortunately, the house he enters to rob is occupied, by Ky. A series of unfortunate events leads Taj and Ky to team up to participate in the Ascent, a regular fighting competition that could get Taj more than he could ever dream of having and make his family safe forever. Or so he thinks.
A little bit sci-fi, a little bit magic, a little bit found family, a little bit personified companion. I'm annoyed with myself for reading this one so early because it means I have to wait that much longer for the series to continue and I want it all.
Taj's robot Star is different than all the other robots because of one very important thing: his core sigil. Plus, Taj is also inherently skilled at crafting additional sigils, which provide protection and instruction for Star. In a literally stratified world (this book is not subtle, but that's okay, I don't need subtle), Taj is from what they call the Heap, basically the lowest rung on the ladder. He's fought every day to survive, along with his brother, who operates a bakery and feeds fellow orphans, and sister. When the payment to their local goons gets doubled, Taj has to figure out a way to get that money faster than he can by scavenging wild robot monsters for their bounties. So he decides to sneak into the level above and steal some things. Unfortunately, the house he enters to rob is occupied, by Ky. A series of unfortunate events leads Taj and Ky to team up to participate in the Ascent, a regular fighting competition that could get Taj more than he could ever dream of having and make his family safe forever. Or so he thinks.
A little bit sci-fi, a little bit magic, a little bit found family, a little bit personified companion. I'm annoyed with myself for reading this one so early because it means I have to wait that much longer for the series to continue and I want it all.
June 19, 2026
Thank you Orbit for the gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Apparently I’m a progression fantasy reader now? And I’m absolutely happy with that if it means I get to read cool stories like this!
I’m a huge Dungeon Crawler Carl fan so when I saw it was a comp for this, I knew I had to check it out. While it isn’t specifically LitRPG like DCC, the “leveling up” aspects were definitely present but not as in your face as I may have expected. It was very much embedded within the world, natural character development, and plot, making Taj and Star’s “social climbing” journey unexpectedly relatable in a very unique, high-stakes environment.
I was absolutely fascinated by the use of sigils, and how the “magic” of the world was grounded in mechanics and engineering. I also love a good robot companion, and Star brought some fantastic humor to the story while also being a key part of a mystery I’m very excited to see unfold throughout the series. I also really enjoyed how the author organically revealed pieces of the world. The first chapter was a bit disorienting and I had no idea what Taj was referring to about 90% of the time, but after a few chapters I was moving through things more comfortably, answering questions through newly revealed details and discovering new questions I was confident would be answered in time.
I could go on and on about how much I loved this, but honestly the best advice I can give is just try it. You may discover something about your taste in books and find something new to love!
Apparently I’m a progression fantasy reader now? And I’m absolutely happy with that if it means I get to read cool stories like this!
I’m a huge Dungeon Crawler Carl fan so when I saw it was a comp for this, I knew I had to check it out. While it isn’t specifically LitRPG like DCC, the “leveling up” aspects were definitely present but not as in your face as I may have expected. It was very much embedded within the world, natural character development, and plot, making Taj and Star’s “social climbing” journey unexpectedly relatable in a very unique, high-stakes environment.
I was absolutely fascinated by the use of sigils, and how the “magic” of the world was grounded in mechanics and engineering. I also love a good robot companion, and Star brought some fantastic humor to the story while also being a key part of a mystery I’m very excited to see unfold throughout the series. I also really enjoyed how the author organically revealed pieces of the world. The first chapter was a bit disorienting and I had no idea what Taj was referring to about 90% of the time, but after a few chapters I was moving through things more comfortably, answering questions through newly revealed details and discovering new questions I was confident would be answered in time.
I could go on and on about how much I loved this, but honestly the best advice I can give is just try it. You may discover something about your taste in books and find something new to love!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received this e-book ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a review.
Somehow in my reading journey, I got pulled into LitRPG and specifically progression fantasy. And this is a fantastic new addition to that subgenre of fantasy. It's a really interesting world, where Taj lives with his brother and sister in a literal giant scrapyard full of metal and refuse thrown down from above. Scavenging for sellable bits helps put money on the table and gives Taj the ability to create Star, a sentient robot based around a special sigil Taj found one day.
It's a classic in that it's the underdog against the overlords, first of the rings above the scrapyard and ultimately against the Above. But the connection between Taj and Star is the heart of the entire book, and it's beautifully done. Taj is well aware of where he comes from (and the people of Hod don't let him forget they consider him no better than a barbarian), but he's still determined to win and make life better for his family. I like his wry sense of humor about things and his internal voice, though Star has a lot of fantastic lines too!
The book, like a lot of progression fantasies, is fast paced, but it's not overwhelming. It held my attention really well, and I finished it in two days because I didn't want to put it down! I'm really looking forward to the sequel to this.
"People are just people, wherever they come from."
"That's a very uplifting way to look at it."
"Depends how you feel about people."
Somehow in my reading journey, I got pulled into LitRPG and specifically progression fantasy. And this is a fantastic new addition to that subgenre of fantasy. It's a really interesting world, where Taj lives with his brother and sister in a literal giant scrapyard full of metal and refuse thrown down from above. Scavenging for sellable bits helps put money on the table and gives Taj the ability to create Star, a sentient robot based around a special sigil Taj found one day.
It's a classic in that it's the underdog against the overlords, first of the rings above the scrapyard and ultimately against the Above. But the connection between Taj and Star is the heart of the entire book, and it's beautifully done. Taj is well aware of where he comes from (and the people of Hod don't let him forget they consider him no better than a barbarian), but he's still determined to win and make life better for his family. I like his wry sense of humor about things and his internal voice, though Star has a lot of fantastic lines too!
The book, like a lot of progression fantasies, is fast paced, but it's not overwhelming. It held my attention really well, and I finished it in two days because I didn't want to put it down! I'm really looking forward to the sequel to this.
"People are just people, wherever they come from."
"That's a very uplifting way to look at it."
"Depends how you feel about people."
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
thank you to netgalley for the arc!
WHAT TO EXPECT:
> gachiakuta meets battlebots
> sentient robot friend
> boy has a crush
> prep for a robot fighting competition
> oligarchy politics + classism struggles
> trying to ascend the slums
MY THOUGHTS:
In a world where the trash is thrown on the bottom level of the undercity, Taj was born at the bottom, hunting Twisted and scavenging sigils to make his runic, aka a fighting robot, stronger. When the local mafia comes after his family for money, he has to go to extremes to make ends meet. That means entering into the biggest robot fight on the top level to get him out of the undercity. He partners with a girl from the upper floors and gets more than he bargained for as they confront the nature of the undercity.
This book left me with a lot of feels at the end, and I’m looking forward to book 2. The classism themes alone make it worth the read. It’s giving a critique of capitalism where Taj is the exploited working class revolution that is coming to overthrow the bourgeoisie.
HERES A QUOTE:
“What’s he saying right now?”
[Instruction: tell her I am impressed with her ability to murder her opponents efficiently.]
“He’s, um, really happy to meet you.”
[Displeasure: you have failed to convey the nuance.]
“Aw, I’m glad to meet you, too.”
WHAT TO EXPECT:
> gachiakuta meets battlebots
> sentient robot friend
> boy has a crush
> prep for a robot fighting competition
> oligarchy politics + classism struggles
> trying to ascend the slums
MY THOUGHTS:
In a world where the trash is thrown on the bottom level of the undercity, Taj was born at the bottom, hunting Twisted and scavenging sigils to make his runic, aka a fighting robot, stronger. When the local mafia comes after his family for money, he has to go to extremes to make ends meet. That means entering into the biggest robot fight on the top level to get him out of the undercity. He partners with a girl from the upper floors and gets more than he bargained for as they confront the nature of the undercity.
This book left me with a lot of feels at the end, and I’m looking forward to book 2. The classism themes alone make it worth the read. It’s giving a critique of capitalism where Taj is the exploited working class revolution that is coming to overthrow the bourgeoisie.
HERES A QUOTE:
“What’s he saying right now?”
[Instruction: tell her I am impressed with her ability to murder her opponents efficiently.]
“He’s, um, really happy to meet you.”
[Displeasure: you have failed to convey the nuance.]
“Aw, I’m glad to meet you, too.”
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
I was completely drawn in by the premise and that gorgeous cover! The atmosphere and the concept were honestly incredible—a solid 5/5 for the idea alone. The setting of this giant junkyard where trash is dumped from above hooks you instantly. The robot battles immediately reminded me of Real Steel, and the junkyard vibe gave me major Astro Boy feels. The mental bond between the protagonist and his sentient partner is a trope I absolutely adore, and it honestly carried the book for me.
It’s an easy, fast-paced read, and the first half went by so quickly.
However, by the finale, the spark was kind of gone... Even though the characters felt real, the only one I actually formed an attachment to was the robot. But I definitely still recommend it!
1 POV, and a hint of romance
3.5/5
I was completely drawn in by the premise and that gorgeous cover! The atmosphere and the concept were honestly incredible—a solid 5/5 for the idea alone. The setting of this giant junkyard where trash is dumped from above hooks you instantly. The robot battles immediately reminded me of Real Steel, and the junkyard vibe gave me major Astro Boy feels. The mental bond between the protagonist and his sentient partner is a trope I absolutely adore, and it honestly carried the book for me.
It’s an easy, fast-paced read, and the first half went by so quickly.
However, by the finale, the spark was kind of gone... Even though the characters felt real, the only one I actually formed an attachment to was the robot. But I definitely still recommend it!
1 POV, and a hint of romance
3.5/5
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"People are just people, wherever they come from"
This story for most of the book seemed like a light read, not to much depth to the main character but this was a trap. Upon starting the last quarter of the book I realized that everything was just a slow set up for a big twist, character development, and bring the whole underdog story together all at once.
If you like unique power structures, a magic system thats not quite magic but not not quite magic and an underdog you actually want to root for. This ones for you.
This book lays out a tiered system that just keeps growing and growing and by the time you get a handle on the layer your on its time to go up. I almost wish that I had waited to read this book because the ending was so good, I want to immediately read the second one and now I have to wait for the first one to come out AND the second one!
This story for most of the book seemed like a light read, not to much depth to the main character but this was a trap. Upon starting the last quarter of the book I realized that everything was just a slow set up for a big twist, character development, and bring the whole underdog story together all at once.
If you like unique power structures, a magic system thats not quite magic but not not quite magic and an underdog you actually want to root for. This ones for you.
This book lays out a tiered system that just keeps growing and growing and by the time you get a handle on the layer your on its time to go up. I almost wish that I had waited to read this book because the ending was so good, I want to immediately read the second one and now I have to wait for the first one to come out AND the second one!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’d been eyeing Dungeon Crawler Carl but hadn’t managed to read it yet, so when this book fell on my lap (kindle) I decided to give it a shot. It’s outside my usual genre, but I ended up enjoying it a lot. Fast-paced, fun, and easy to get into.
I received this book from NetGalley. Thank you to Django Wexler and Orbit Books. All opinions are my own.
I received this book from NetGalley. Thank you to Django Wexler and Orbit Books. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Solid progression sci-fi with Wexler's usual dry sarcastic wit. The ending was.......obvious but also felt earned enough that it didn't bother me as much as it should have. Also, frankly, I want a book exclusively from Star's perspective.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews