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Scion
Not yet published
Expected 1 Sep 26John Wick meets Blade Runner in this fast-paced cyberpunk thriller by the #1 NYT bestselling author of The Will of the Many.
My job, when you think about it, isn’t so different from a lot of people’s. I have to deal with a ton of boring planning. Inconvenient hours. Some pretty awkward face-to-face interactions. And like most of us, I’m really only clocking in to try and crawl out from beneath my debts.
The more old-fashioned crowd do still get hung up on the ‘killing people’ part, I guess, but that’s a them problem: it’s been perfectly legal to take out lifers for ages. Besides, once ultrawealthy morons realised they had a way to live forever—limited resources be damned—there was only ever going to be one genuinely practical deterrent. So someone’s got to do it.
And luckily, my genetic compatibilities make me really, really good at it.
Still. This next job… I don’t know. It’s something I haven’t had to deal with in years. Kind of the opposite of my regular duties. Strange, that it got thrown my way.
I’m sure it’ll all go totally fine though.
My job, when you think about it, isn’t so different from a lot of people’s. I have to deal with a ton of boring planning. Inconvenient hours. Some pretty awkward face-to-face interactions. And like most of us, I’m really only clocking in to try and crawl out from beneath my debts.
The more old-fashioned crowd do still get hung up on the ‘killing people’ part, I guess, but that’s a them problem: it’s been perfectly legal to take out lifers for ages. Besides, once ultrawealthy morons realised they had a way to live forever—limited resources be damned—there was only ever going to be one genuinely practical deterrent. So someone’s got to do it.
And luckily, my genetic compatibilities make me really, really good at it.
Still. This next job… I don’t know. It’s something I haven’t had to deal with in years. Kind of the opposite of my regular duties. Strange, that it got thrown my way.
I’m sure it’ll all go totally fine though.
240 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 1, 2026
37 people are currently reading
12915 people want to read
About the author
James Islington
10 books19.1k followersJames Islington was born and raised in southern Victoria, Australia. His influences growing up were the stories of Raymond E. Feist and Robert Jordan, but it wasn't until later, when he read Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn series - followed soon after by Patrick Rothfuss' Name of the Wind - that he was finally inspired to sit down and write something of his own. He now lives with his wife and two children on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.
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Want to Read
March 5, 2026Will this be a third series I love by the author 👀
May 9, 2026
˗ˏˋ 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐧 ˎˊ˗
ᯓ scion will be published on september 01, 2026!
⤿ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 4.75 sᴛᴀʀs!! ★★★★★
⤿ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜɪs ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ: ᴄʏʙᴇʀᴘᴜɴᴋ, ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ sᴄɪᴇɴᴄᴇ ғɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ!!
ᯓ {🧪} ⩨ premise:
⤿ Azure is incredibly talented at killing people. It is not like he is particularly fond of the job - but it pays his debts. In this world, Lifers are those that have enough money to practically live forever, and people are not happy. However, when a strange new mission comes in - Azure gets thrown into a new environment where his rules no longer apply and everyone is hiding something from him.
ᯓ {🧪} ⩨ all my thoughts:
⤷ This book is incredibly bingable, filled with action and dark (murderous?) humor. I found myself completely engrossed in this cyberpunk world where all the rules differ from our own.
Despite being an assassin, our narrator, Azure, is surprisingly cheerful. In the beginning of the book, he comes across as a guy who was unlucky enough to be stuck in the position of murder. Azure carries with him a pretty dark sense of humor (I suppose it comes with the job), sometimes I found myself laughing, at other times I stared at my screen in shock.
Speaking of the dark humor, this book gets a little bit gory. Well I say a little bit, but proportional to the length of the book - it is a lot. I think that the consequence of a book written about an assassin is some violence, and people should already know that prior to picking the book up.
The setting is also super fun. I am always up for a cool cyberpunk-dystopia setting, this one was filled with just the right amount of chaos for me.
The length of this book is really nice. There is action on almost every single page and it is super difficult to put down. I was hooked by chapter 2 and I could not let go until the end of the book. (Luckily, it isn’t that long)
This story is told in first-person, which I do know annoys some people. I really enjoyed it - I was able to see into the mind of Azure: his revelations, thoughts, and understandings. It made for a very immersive experience while reading.
Altogether, this is an incredibly enjoyable read. I am definitely intrigued by other books from James Islington - the Will of the Many has my complete interest right now. I hope that this book turns into a series, because I would absolutely devour more of these.
ᯓ {🧪} ⩨ overall thoughts:
Scion was such a fun book to read. It is perfect for those who love cyberpunk, dystopia and murder. The cover is also gorgeous and would look really good with the rest of my science fiction books…
ᯓ {🧪} ⩨ rating:
⤿ 4.75 stars
ᯓ {🧪} ⩨ read if you enjoyed :
⤿ Scythe (Neal Shusterman)
⤿ Red Rising (Pierce Brown)
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Saga Press for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰
{🧪} || ᴘʀᴇʀᴇᴀᴅ:
₊⊹⁀➴ im so happy i received the arc! i know that this doesn’t come out until august - but I’ve been itching for a good science fiction for a while!!
ᯓ scion will be published on september 01, 2026!
⤿ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 4.75 sᴛᴀʀs!! ★★★★★
⤿ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜɪs ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ: ᴄʏʙᴇʀᴘᴜɴᴋ, ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ sᴄɪᴇɴᴄᴇ ғɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ!!
ᯓ {🧪} ⩨ premise:
⤿ Azure is incredibly talented at killing people. It is not like he is particularly fond of the job - but it pays his debts. In this world, Lifers are those that have enough money to practically live forever, and people are not happy. However, when a strange new mission comes in - Azure gets thrown into a new environment where his rules no longer apply and everyone is hiding something from him.
ᯓ {🧪} ⩨ all my thoughts:
⤷ This book is incredibly bingable, filled with action and dark (murderous?) humor. I found myself completely engrossed in this cyberpunk world where all the rules differ from our own.
Despite being an assassin, our narrator, Azure, is surprisingly cheerful. In the beginning of the book, he comes across as a guy who was unlucky enough to be stuck in the position of murder. Azure carries with him a pretty dark sense of humor (I suppose it comes with the job), sometimes I found myself laughing, at other times I stared at my screen in shock.
Speaking of the dark humor, this book gets a little bit gory. Well I say a little bit, but proportional to the length of the book - it is a lot. I think that the consequence of a book written about an assassin is some violence, and people should already know that prior to picking the book up.
The setting is also super fun. I am always up for a cool cyberpunk-dystopia setting, this one was filled with just the right amount of chaos for me.
The length of this book is really nice. There is action on almost every single page and it is super difficult to put down. I was hooked by chapter 2 and I could not let go until the end of the book. (Luckily, it isn’t that long)
This story is told in first-person, which I do know annoys some people. I really enjoyed it - I was able to see into the mind of Azure: his revelations, thoughts, and understandings. It made for a very immersive experience while reading.
Altogether, this is an incredibly enjoyable read. I am definitely intrigued by other books from James Islington - the Will of the Many has my complete interest right now. I hope that this book turns into a series, because I would absolutely devour more of these.
ᯓ {🧪} ⩨ overall thoughts:
Scion was such a fun book to read. It is perfect for those who love cyberpunk, dystopia and murder. The cover is also gorgeous and would look really good with the rest of my science fiction books…
ᯓ {🧪} ⩨ rating:
⤿ 4.75 stars
ᯓ {🧪} ⩨ read if you enjoyed :
⤿ Scythe (Neal Shusterman)
⤿ Red Rising (Pierce Brown)
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Saga Press for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰
{🧪} || ᴘʀᴇʀᴇᴀᴅ:
₊⊹⁀➴ im so happy i received the arc! i know that this doesn’t come out until august - but I’ve been itching for a good science fiction for a while!!
Want to Read
February 25, 2026Mr. Islington sir we need news on Hierarchy book 3, but I am so sat for this release.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
this is the most three star book ever. because you know what the experience was? words on paper. nothing more, nothing less.
i was so so so excited for this book, because the strength of the few was an absolute six star fantasy book for me (and i liked will of the many, of course), and i loved james islington’s writing and worldbuilding and character development and storytelling and .. well, you get the idea. so enter this sci-fi thriller – a bit out of my comfort zone, but written by him – and i was beyond intrigued!!!
however, it was ... meh. i don’t need to be super emotionally attached or connected to characters in a plot-heavy book, but i do want them to be characters that i can be invested in following along. and they felt pretty one dimensional in here, neither of our two main ones stuck out to me in any way at all. and worse, the worldbuilding was NONEXISTENT. all these terms and tech and politics that aren’t explained at any point. some of them are easy and you can figure it out with context clues and by reading the story, whatever. but i didn’t understand the setup of the world and the different places and the government and the ages and the different tiers of society. and that made me, well, i was going to say check out, but honestly i wasn’t ever really checked in, so.
what i learned from this book is that i really need to stop anticipating new releases because they just keep letting me down i fear. but at least this was bingeable and had its fun moments if nothing else.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc! all opinions are my own.
i was so so so excited for this book, because the strength of the few was an absolute six star fantasy book for me (and i liked will of the many, of course), and i loved james islington’s writing and worldbuilding and character development and storytelling and .. well, you get the idea. so enter this sci-fi thriller – a bit out of my comfort zone, but written by him – and i was beyond intrigued!!!
however, it was ... meh. i don’t need to be super emotionally attached or connected to characters in a plot-heavy book, but i do want them to be characters that i can be invested in following along. and they felt pretty one dimensional in here, neither of our two main ones stuck out to me in any way at all. and worse, the worldbuilding was NONEXISTENT. all these terms and tech and politics that aren’t explained at any point. some of them are easy and you can figure it out with context clues and by reading the story, whatever. but i didn’t understand the setup of the world and the different places and the government and the ages and the different tiers of society. and that made me, well, i was going to say check out, but honestly i wasn’t ever really checked in, so.
what i learned from this book is that i really need to stop anticipating new releases because they just keep letting me down i fear. but at least this was bingeable and had its fun moments if nothing else.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc! all opinions are my own.
April 14, 2026
Azure is a cybernetically enhanced assassin used to taking out “Lifers” in a world where the rich can medically extend their life expectancy, while the poor live in increasingly crowded and bleak conditions with limited resources. But when Azure is convinced to take on a job protecting an ultra-wealthy asset, he quickly finds himself swept up in a dark plot in a world where everyone seems to be out for themselves. It becomes a race to figure out why the woman he’s protecting is being hunted, especially as the answer might also hold the key to uncovering the cause of the mysterious explosion that killed his friend four years earlier…
I loved The Will of the Many and The Strength of the Few, so I was really excited to read Scion. I generally read less sci-fi than fantasy, but James Islington’s writing here still has everything that makes the Hierarchy series stand out.
It’s super fast-paced - there aren’t any chapters, no real breaks, you’re just thrown straight in and carried along on a sci-fi thriller ride! I found this pacing great in that the plot moves quickly and keeps you engaged, although also found the worldbuilding doesn’t always have as much space to develop or fully settle.
I really liked the familiar social commentary you get in Islington’s books. There aren’t really clear good guys or bad guys - just people shaped by their circumstances, all operating in different shades of moral grey-ness.
I really enjoyed the ending, and it sets things up well for future instalments!
With thanks to Orion and NetGalley for the Arc.
I loved The Will of the Many and The Strength of the Few, so I was really excited to read Scion. I generally read less sci-fi than fantasy, but James Islington’s writing here still has everything that makes the Hierarchy series stand out.
It’s super fast-paced - there aren’t any chapters, no real breaks, you’re just thrown straight in and carried along on a sci-fi thriller ride! I found this pacing great in that the plot moves quickly and keeps you engaged, although also found the worldbuilding doesn’t always have as much space to develop or fully settle.
I really liked the familiar social commentary you get in Islington’s books. There aren’t really clear good guys or bad guys - just people shaped by their circumstances, all operating in different shades of moral grey-ness.
I really enjoyed the ending, and it sets things up well for future instalments!
With thanks to Orion and NetGalley for the Arc.
Want to Read
February 24, 2026Thank you Mr. Islington for keeping us fed until
Hierarchy 3🙏🏾
Hierarchy 3🙏🏾
Want to Read
April 9, 2026pre-read notes:
Thank you so much Saga Press for the ARC of this book! I've been loving sci-fi and this sounds absolutely incredible. Especially seeing that little cyberpunk tag, I can't wait! 🤭
🗓️ Expected publication: September 1, 2026
Thank you so much Saga Press for the ARC of this book! I've been loving sci-fi and this sounds absolutely incredible. Especially seeing that little cyberpunk tag, I can't wait! 🤭
🗓️ Expected publication: September 1, 2026
May 6, 2026
A fun, fast paced, thriller book from James Islington. Islington is a top author for me so I was very excited to get to this but I had my expectations lowered. It was action packed following a trained assassin hired to do a job. It was a very simple book which I think was one of my problems because I know he can do so much more with his writing. We needed more depth with our characters, and I would’ve liked a more complex plot. It was definitely worth the read though!
3.75⭐️
Thank you Saga Press for the early copy.
3.75⭐️
Thank you Saga Press for the early copy.
Want to Read
April 25, 2026huge thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
: pre review
no because getting this arc makes me feel super cool and like 🤙🤙
: pre review
no because getting this arc makes me feel super cool and like 🤙🤙
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 🌟 : ̗̀➛ Unexpectedly funny and such a sick take on Sci-Fi????
Scion follows Azure, an assassin who's (annoyingly) tasked with protecting a mystery client for two weeks. An assassin protecting someone? I know, sounds funny. Azure is prepared for a two week vacation until he actually begins his assignment and realises his client is deep in shit.
Now the only book I've read so far by James Islington is TWoTM which is a super serious and intense book that took some damn time to get into but this reading experience was SO incredibly different. For starters, I was pretty much hooked straight away within the first two chapters, and secondly the tone was so light hearted, unserious and humourous. Like can we applaud Mr Islington for the range????? Also the cover is so pretttyyyyy shut your mouth genuinely. The ilustration inside too, oooh yeah baby.
I reaaaaaallly enjoyed the concept. What I found super cool was Islington's Sci-Fi take on supernatural abilities because he gave Azure some wicked genetic modifications that grants him super speed, strength, precognition to some extent and so on! These were called Revs (short for revisions). Then there were also 'Monsters' called Bio's for short, which were kind of robotic creatures that also were quite animalistic in a physical/biological sense? It's hard to explain but I loved the concept.
Azure's relationship with his client was GOLDEN. I swear some of the shit he would say out loud and in his internal monologue had me cackling. He was such a chill-going guy with an ego and a half!! I won't reveal too much but I am excited for how it will develop.
Islington's story telling was great as always. I do believe he could have explained stuff alot more because my dumb ass has never heard of some of these scientific words before and would like some help pls. Especially since the book was only 234 pages, he could have totally squeezed some more words in to explain a little bit more. But honestly, in the end I feel like I was fine without it? Back to the page number- 234 pages?! It didn't even feel that short! It was such a fun ride I didnt even realise I was flying through the book, having fun as conflict, after conflict arose.
There was a variety of characters but hmmm. Maybe there could have been more of a connection between Azure and the others. It quite lacked in that sense, but then again I have no idea if that was intentional because of something we discover near the end... but honestly we needed him to have some more friends ✋ I know romance isn't Islington's forte but I just know a itty bitty subplot would have done wonders especially 'cause of how unserious Azure was so I'm hoping we either get a cute friendship or something cuter in the nextbook.
However the plot twists made up for that because omg?! omg? Genuinely if I was Azure I wouldn't know what to even do anymore. I'd be so lost. He kinda handled it well but we were left hanging on something!!! So I need to know now!!
AI and computer technology has a strong presence in this book. Our MC as their own AI called Atti, who has an personality btw and it really reminded me of Ken Liu's most recent book- All That We See or Seem. (great book btw, the character death that happens 60% in actually hurt me so fucking bad) but only in that sense. The characters are not alike LOL.
this was an spontaneous fun read- 3.5🌟
thank you to gollancz & netgalley for the early e-copy in exchange for an honest review xo
Scion follows Azure, an assassin who's (annoyingly) tasked with protecting a mystery client for two weeks. An assassin protecting someone? I know, sounds funny. Azure is prepared for a two week vacation until he actually begins his assignment and realises his client is deep in shit.
"They say money can't buy happiness. They've never seen Jasa de Alwes' accounts."
Now the only book I've read so far by James Islington is TWoTM which is a super serious and intense book that took some damn time to get into but this reading experience was SO incredibly different. For starters, I was pretty much hooked straight away within the first two chapters, and secondly the tone was so light hearted, unserious and humourous. Like can we applaud Mr Islington for the range????? Also the cover is so pretttyyyyy shut your mouth genuinely. The ilustration inside too, oooh yeah baby.
I reaaaaaallly enjoyed the concept. What I found super cool was Islington's Sci-Fi take on supernatural abilities because he gave Azure some wicked genetic modifications that grants him super speed, strength, precognition to some extent and so on! These were called Revs (short for revisions). Then there were also 'Monsters' called Bio's for short, which were kind of robotic creatures that also were quite animalistic in a physical/biological sense? It's hard to explain but I loved the concept.
Azure's relationship with his client was GOLDEN. I swear some of the shit he would say out loud and in his internal monologue had me cackling. He was such a chill-going guy with an ego and a half!! I won't reveal too much but I am excited for how it will develop.
Islington's story telling was great as always. I do believe he could have explained stuff alot more because my dumb ass has never heard of some of these scientific words before and would like some help pls. Especially since the book was only 234 pages, he could have totally squeezed some more words in to explain a little bit more. But honestly, in the end I feel like I was fine without it? Back to the page number- 234 pages?! It didn't even feel that short! It was such a fun ride I didnt even realise I was flying through the book, having fun as conflict, after conflict arose.
There was a variety of characters but hmmm. Maybe there could have been more of a connection between Azure and the others. It quite lacked in that sense, but then again I have no idea if that was intentional because of something we discover near the end... but honestly we needed him to have some more friends ✋ I know romance isn't Islington's forte but I just know a itty bitty subplot would have done wonders especially 'cause of how unserious Azure was so I'm hoping we either get a cute friendship or something cuter in the nextbook.
However the plot twists made up for that because omg?! omg? Genuinely if I was Azure I wouldn't know what to even do anymore. I'd be so lost. He kinda handled it well but we were left hanging on something!!! So I need to know now!!
AI and computer technology has a strong presence in this book. Our MC as their own AI called Atti, who has an personality btw and it really reminded me of Ken Liu's most recent book- All That We See or Seem. (great book btw, the character death that happens 60% in actually hurt me so fucking bad) but only in that sense. The characters are not alike LOL.
this was an spontaneous fun read- 3.5🌟
thank you to gollancz & netgalley for the early e-copy in exchange for an honest review xo
May 1, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
A BANGERRRR. This one is a short, fast paced, sci fi (standalone???)!! You just get thrown into this story and it’s non stop until the very end. There’s no chapters and so fast paced, this is easily bingeable in just a couple of sittings. I also loved the main character so much. I laughed out loud multiple times in this book which I NEVERRR do.
I would highly recommend this book. It is exactly what I needed right now and I’m so glad I picked it up when I did.
thank you to saga press for an ARC of one my most anticipated releases of the year!!
A BANGERRRR. This one is a short, fast paced, sci fi (standalone???)!! You just get thrown into this story and it’s non stop until the very end. There’s no chapters and so fast paced, this is easily bingeable in just a couple of sittings. I also loved the main character so much. I laughed out loud multiple times in this book which I NEVERRR do.
I would highly recommend this book. It is exactly what I needed right now and I’m so glad I picked it up when I did.
thank you to saga press for an ARC of one my most anticipated releases of the year!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
james nails once again with his humor and fast pace story lines, absolutely different in tone compared to the hierarchy series so don't go into this expecting that writing because you won't find it, but this isn't a bad thing. we love versatility.
while i predicted the plot twists easily they're still fun to discover and space operaey enough to make them hilarious.
i think my only gripes are in the connections to other characters, they felt barely scratched and maybe it makes much sense being a series and all we have time to discover more about that but i feel like it's something he could've explored a bit more.
overall truly a fun start of this series and definitely will continue, he's now a must read author
while i predicted the plot twists easily they're still fun to discover and space operaey enough to make them hilarious.
i think my only gripes are in the connections to other characters, they felt barely scratched and maybe it makes much sense being a series and all we have time to discover more about that but i feel like it's something he could've explored a bit more.
overall truly a fun start of this series and definitely will continue, he's now a must read author
May 7, 2026
SO stoked I got this arc.
I know I’ve been into scifi recently, but this was EXCELLENT. I was gripped from chapter one. James Islington gave me The Will of the Many and now this, and I’m obsessed. I’m for sure reading his other trilogy.
I loved our main character Azure so much. His inner monologue and decision making was hilarious/great. I also loved the relationships he built/showed us along the way.
While I desperately wish this was longer, I have a deep appreciation for how much Islington accomplished in under 300 pages. I cared about the characters and their motivations despite it being a short journey.
I also loved the world building! Again, for such few pages, you’d think I would’ve been left with more questions, but I think Islington did a fantastic job.
5 stars. Highly recommend, especially for those trying to get into scifi.
I know I’ve been into scifi recently, but this was EXCELLENT. I was gripped from chapter one. James Islington gave me The Will of the Many and now this, and I’m obsessed. I’m for sure reading his other trilogy.
I loved our main character Azure so much. His inner monologue and decision making was hilarious/great. I also loved the relationships he built/showed us along the way.
While I desperately wish this was longer, I have a deep appreciation for how much Islington accomplished in under 300 pages. I cared about the characters and their motivations despite it being a short journey.
I also loved the world building! Again, for such few pages, you’d think I would’ve been left with more questions, but I think Islington did a fantastic job.
5 stars. Highly recommend, especially for those trying to get into scifi.
April 15, 2026
I’m starting to get weary of fantasy authors trying their hand at science fiction🫠
The narrative carries a lighthearted, funny tone, which vastly contrasts with the morally grey choices of the main character. The central plot is engaging, and while the twists aren’t entirely unexpected, they’re still somewhat satisfying. That said, I found myself wanting more closure by the end, which left disappointed (although I believe this will be a series)
I also struggled with the worldbuilding. It felt somewhat underdeveloped, making the setting difficult to fully visualize or navigate. I understand the constraints of a 240pg book, but even within that, there were moments where the pacing lagged. ALSO I never quite formed a strong connection to the characters. Their relationships and arcs could have used more depth, as the overall tone leaned a bit too light for the stakes at hand. Because of that, there wasn’t much tension and the story ultimately felt lower-stakes than it could have been. Womp
The narrative carries a lighthearted, funny tone, which vastly contrasts with the morally grey choices of the main character. The central plot is engaging, and while the twists aren’t entirely unexpected, they’re still somewhat satisfying. That said, I found myself wanting more closure by the end, which left disappointed (although I believe this will be a series)
I also struggled with the worldbuilding. It felt somewhat underdeveloped, making the setting difficult to fully visualize or navigate. I understand the constraints of a 240pg book, but even within that, there were moments where the pacing lagged. ALSO I never quite formed a strong connection to the characters. Their relationships and arcs could have used more depth, as the overall tone leaned a bit too light for the stakes at hand. Because of that, there wasn’t much tension and the story ultimately felt lower-stakes than it could have been. Womp
April 9, 2026
Well that was delightful. If you’re looking for a quick, futuristic, cyberpunk sci-fi thriller, this is going to hit.
It’s being marketed as John Wick meets Blade Runner, but I also got some Murderbot vibes as well.
In this world, certain people have revs or genetic revisions that make them more enhanced individuals. And one of the most enhanced is our MC, Azure. He’s basically a mercenary for hire and he’s on a path to kill “lifers” who are basically people who have enough money to ensure they never die.
But then he gets assigned a protection case and that’s where things go off the rails. The sassy old lady that Azure is meant to protect from assassins seems to be keeping secrets and it’s a race to find out the who, what and why.
I had a great time getting lost in this world and I think if you’re missing the world of The Hierarchy and James’ writing then this is going to fill the void in a good way!
Thank you to Saga Press for the early copy!
It’s being marketed as John Wick meets Blade Runner, but I also got some Murderbot vibes as well.
In this world, certain people have revs or genetic revisions that make them more enhanced individuals. And one of the most enhanced is our MC, Azure. He’s basically a mercenary for hire and he’s on a path to kill “lifers” who are basically people who have enough money to ensure they never die.
But then he gets assigned a protection case and that’s where things go off the rails. The sassy old lady that Azure is meant to protect from assassins seems to be keeping secrets and it’s a race to find out the who, what and why.
I had a great time getting lost in this world and I think if you’re missing the world of The Hierarchy and James’ writing then this is going to fill the void in a good way!
Thank you to Saga Press for the early copy!
April 24, 2026
Scion is truly scifi, gory, cyberpunk, and a
certified page turner.
Azure is an assassin-for-hire with enhancements that makes him extremely strong and powerful for the job. In this futuristic world, we have a small group of people who have enough tokens (their form of money) to essentially modify themselves to live forever, called Lifers and his usual targets. However, Azure gets contracted for a strange and special mission to protect instead of kill, where he uncovers lies, hidden knowledge, and honestly corporate malpractice.
The chapters lean episodic, often ending on cliffhangers that force you to keep reading as in you need just one more chapter to get a twisted sense of closure. However, the twists and turns are genuinely shocking and had me GASPING IN PUBLIC. Despite how gory the story gets, Azure brings in dark humor with some very obvious (and well-timed) jokes that balance things out.
My only complaint is that the explanations of the world and the biological modifications come in later than I would’ve liked, which made the beginning a bit harder to fully grasp
This book is incredibly bingeable and being just under 300 pages, you could easily finish it in a single sitting.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Saga Press for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
4.25/5 stars
Azure is an assassin-for-hire with enhancements that makes him extremely strong and powerful for the job. In this futuristic world, we have a small group of people who have enough tokens (their form of money) to essentially modify themselves to live forever, called Lifers and his usual targets. However, Azure gets contracted for a strange and special mission to protect instead of kill, where he uncovers lies, hidden knowledge, and honestly corporate malpractice.
The chapters lean episodic, often ending on cliffhangers that force you to keep reading as in you need just one more chapter to get a twisted sense of closure. However, the twists and turns are genuinely shocking and had me GASPING IN PUBLIC. Despite how gory the story gets, Azure brings in dark humor with some very obvious (and well-timed) jokes that balance things out.
My only complaint is that the explanations of the world and the biological modifications come in later than I would’ve liked, which made the beginning a bit harder to fully grasp
This book is incredibly bingeable and being just under 300 pages, you could easily finish it in a single sitting.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Saga Press for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
4.25/5 stars
April 28, 2026
Scion had me hooked from the beginning! This sci-fi is similar in nature to James Islington’s Hierarchy series, so if you enjoyed The Will of the Many and The Strength of the Few I think you’d enjoy this one too. The book is under 300 pages but packs a lot of action and intrigue within and I didn’t want to put it down. A bit of gore, but it didn’t bother me. Will definitely read future books in this series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Scion is a fast-paced, action-packed sci-fi novel from James Islington, best known for his previous fantasy work. I picked this up purely because of how much I’ve enjoyed his earlier books, and while I expected a similar writing style, this felt surprisingly different. Not in a bad way, just different enough that at times it almost felt like reading a new author. The shift into sci-fi naturally changes the tone, but what really caught me off guard was the humour.
There’s a distinct dark, almost sarcastic humour running throughout that reminded me a lot of The Murderbot Diaries, though with more gore. The story follows Azure, a genetically enhanced assassin navigating a morally complex, futuristic world shaped by immortality and corporate power. It has strong Blade Runner vibes, blended with that Murderbot style tone.
At around 240 pages, it’s a short, punchy read. The brief chapters and constant momentum make it incredibly easy to get through, and it’s the kind of book that’s hard to put down. Despite tackling heavier themes like identity, humanity, and dystopian systems, it keeps things fun with its lighter tone and humour.
That said, I finished the book feeling like we’d only scratched the surface of this world. This feeling is probably due to the shorter length, but it definitely left me wanting more, and I’m excited to see how the series develops from here.
There’s a distinct dark, almost sarcastic humour running throughout that reminded me a lot of The Murderbot Diaries, though with more gore. The story follows Azure, a genetically enhanced assassin navigating a morally complex, futuristic world shaped by immortality and corporate power. It has strong Blade Runner vibes, blended with that Murderbot style tone.
At around 240 pages, it’s a short, punchy read. The brief chapters and constant momentum make it incredibly easy to get through, and it’s the kind of book that’s hard to put down. Despite tackling heavier themes like identity, humanity, and dystopian systems, it keeps things fun with its lighter tone and humour.
That said, I finished the book feeling like we’d only scratched the surface of this world. This feeling is probably due to the shorter length, but it definitely left me wanting more, and I’m excited to see how the series develops from here.
April 27, 2026
This was SO FUN! Needs to be a movie yesterday & the book isn’t even officially out yet. Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc 🫶🏼
Islington does it AGAIN!
John Wick meets Blade Runner meets Constantine, & I am OBSESSED.
A non-stop action thriller with futuristic elements, hard-to-beat enemies, artificial intelligence w/ personality (love you Atti), man-made creatures, & big corp corruption.
There wasn’t a second I didn’t want to be reading this. & the ending?! I WISH IT WAS 300 PAGES LONGER !!!! & I never say that 😂
Islington does it AGAIN!
John Wick meets Blade Runner meets Constantine, & I am OBSESSED.
A non-stop action thriller with futuristic elements, hard-to-beat enemies, artificial intelligence w/ personality (love you Atti), man-made creatures, & big corp corruption.
There wasn’t a second I didn’t want to be reading this. & the ending?! I WISH IT WAS 300 PAGES LONGER !!!! & I never say that 😂
April 29, 2026
james islington has become an auto buy author for me and he hasn’t let me down. this book that follows a contract killer, azure, who is hired to protect a scientist from being assassinated. it’s very different to what i’ve read before and it didn’t feel intimidating at all.
the first few chapters felt a bit slow and didn’t grab me, but once more was revealed about our MC, i was hooked. james does an amazing job at writing complex stories and making them easy to understand. i love his writing and i can’t wait to continue this series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for an early eARC in exchange for an honest review!
the first few chapters felt a bit slow and didn’t grab me, but once more was revealed about our MC, i was hooked. james does an amazing job at writing complex stories and making them easy to understand. i love his writing and i can’t wait to continue this series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for an early eARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 7, 2026
Thank you Net Galley and Orbit for an advanced reader copy!
I'll say up front that I was the perfect audience for this book. Fast paced, witty dialogue, mystery driven with crazy twists in a cyberpunk world. Not mention written by one of my favorite authors. It was a no brainer that I was going to love this book.
I love how fast paced cyber punk is making a comeback. First it was The last contract of Isako and now Scion, such a cool avenue for story telling. This series had more of a focus on bio engineering and physical upgrades and that is so much cooler then different guns and projectile weapons that so many other scifi series opt for.
I also really loved the MC. He was funny in a deadpan way. The emotional throughline of the book really worked for him. I don't want to go too much into spoilers but the focus on his emotional intelligence and desire to explore that deeper felt unique and interesting. He was an asshole but in the best way possible. Same goes for our smart ass granny.
Overall the book was fun and felt intricately woven into a world that was lived in and ripe for sequel. I'd be shocked if there isn't a sequel book soon.
Easy 4.5/5
I'll say up front that I was the perfect audience for this book. Fast paced, witty dialogue, mystery driven with crazy twists in a cyberpunk world. Not mention written by one of my favorite authors. It was a no brainer that I was going to love this book.
I love how fast paced cyber punk is making a comeback. First it was The last contract of Isako and now Scion, such a cool avenue for story telling. This series had more of a focus on bio engineering and physical upgrades and that is so much cooler then different guns and projectile weapons that so many other scifi series opt for.
I also really loved the MC. He was funny in a deadpan way. The emotional throughline of the book really worked for him. I don't want to go too much into spoilers but the focus on his emotional intelligence and desire to explore that deeper felt unique and interesting. He was an asshole but in the best way possible. Same goes for our smart ass granny.
Overall the book was fun and felt intricately woven into a world that was lived in and ripe for sequel. I'd be shocked if there isn't a sequel book soon.
Easy 4.5/5
April 27, 2026
Thank NetGalley for the early read! I had a fun time with this one. My brain flashed to “what if driving miss daisy” was cyberpunk! This story follows a cybernetic enhanced assassin on a mission to protect an old lady genius from a would be killer in the hopes of learning about his own past. It is a classic cyberpunk story with fun banter and non stop action. I enjoyed it and can’t wait for the next installment. I hit 95% completed and knew we wouldn’t be getting a story resolution in the volume!
April 20, 2026
**4.25 Stars** Dang, this book made me chuckle a lot more than I expected. Islington infused the perfect amount of dry wit, sarcasm, and absurdity into this cyberpunk sci-fi world of assassins. Azure was a great main character to follow, with a good balance of smarts and adaptability for the increasingly ridiculous and deadly scenarios he found himself in. For such a short book, I also felt like the side characters were all very well fleshed out, and felt believable in the story, and how they fit with Azure. My main critiques would be the lack of explanation for some of the world-specific terminology, which may just be more of a staple in sci-fi that I’m not as used to. There was also generally a minimal amount of world-building outside of the immediate surroundings of the story. But I think for the scope of this book and the story that was being told, I got just enough to make it all work while still leaving me curious to know more. Would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, surprisingly amusing sci-fi read.
May 2, 2026
Phenomenal Cyberpunk entry story. I loved the world. It hit the ground running and the blend of tech and organics made me absolutely enjoy the philosophy behind this story. Gritty and dark. My first Islington book.
Want to Read
February 24, 2026New James Islington book while we wait for Hierarchy #3 alert!!! Releasing Sept 1, 2026.
Want to Read
February 27, 2026So excited - preordered already and cleared my schedule for when it comes out, lol
March 19, 2026
Pleasantly surprised
April 19, 2026
This book was so much fun (albeit brutal)! It’s giving Murderbot Diaries meets John Wick.
April 5, 2026
Pretty fun cyberpunk assassin story! Short, action-filled, and some solid relationships built. I enjoyed my time, but had it been much longer, it would’ve probably been too much. Enjoyed the mystery and should’ve seen the answer coming.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
ARC provided by the publisher—Gollancz—in exchange for an honest review.
Scion is a fast-paced and action-packed cyberpunk novel about freedom, justice, and identity.
It doesn’t matter what the genre is; if James Islington is writing it, I’m reading it. That’s the simple formula. I was excited by the prospect of Scion since I learned about it last year. If you have read The Licanius Trilogy or The Hierarchy series, then you should know science fiction elements undeniably exist in all of Islington’s books. Because of that and how much I love all five books from him I have read to date, I have always been curious to see Islington’s take on a huge-scope science fiction or space opera novel/series. Now, Scion isn’t that epic science fiction I wanted. But this is not a bad thing. It is more rooted in cyberpunk and thriller. And for the page-turning, fast-paced reading experience it seeks to achieve, I’ll conclude the narrative—eventually—did its job wonderfully.
Initially, when I was reading the first quarter of Scion, I felt a bit apprehensive about the quality of the storytelling. To give a bit of context… Last year, All That We See or Seem by Ken Liu, one of my favorite authors of all time, was published. Although the book isn’t a negative experience, I maintain my point that I wouldn’t be able to tell the book is written by Ken Liu if I didn’t know his name is attached to it. The writing style felt so different compared to The Dandelion Dynasty or his collection of short stories. Scion, for a while, felt that way. For such a short novel, it took its time to find its strong footing. But once we hit the 35% mark, I managed to read the rest of the novel in one sitting.
I assume most readers will approach and read this after loving the hell out of The Hierarchy series. This is good. However, it is absolutely crucial to remind yourself that this is vastly different in tone and execution from The Hierarchy series. The only similarity the book has is that it is written in a first-person present-tense narration as well. That’s it. Plus, as I said, Scion is a short novel. At roughly 200 pages and 60,000 words long, Scion is not designed to have a huge sprawling and intricate world-building. The main story is centered on Azure and his mission. It is much more straightforward and meant to be a quick read. Islington wrote Scion during his downtime from writing the insane complexity and ambitious narrative in The Hierarchy series. It will benefit readers to open the pages of Scion with the correct expectations. Although not exactly similar, judging from the voice, tone, and themes available in Scion, the later books in The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells—in my opinion—are the closest comparison.
To wrap-up this review, rather than recommending Scion to fans of The Licanius trilogy or The Hierarchy series, I believe it is more proper to recommend this short novel to fans of cyberpunk, thriller, or The Murderbot Diaries. Scion is the first installment in a series. It has heart. The action scenes were fun. I had a great time reading it, and I look forward to reading the sequel when it is ready. Similar to how Islington wrote the book during his downtime, Scion works incredibly well as a palate cleanser and lighter read amidst my usual heavy fantasy doorstopper reading. Here’s hoping Azure’s story will pleasantly surprise you.
You can pre-order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Andrew. S, Arik, Arliss, Barbara, Ben, Benjamin, Cade, Chris, Crystal, Cullen, Dan, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Erich, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Gary, Gregory, James, Jason, Jeff, Johnny, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kim, Kristina, Lara, Leigh, Lourdes, Melinda, Mike, Mike S, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Radiah, RCT, Sally, Samuel, Sarah, Scott, Sean, Shawn, Shawna, Stephanie, Trish, Tyler, TS, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zachary, Zammar.
Scion is a fast-paced and action-packed cyberpunk novel about freedom, justice, and identity.
It doesn’t matter what the genre is; if James Islington is writing it, I’m reading it. That’s the simple formula. I was excited by the prospect of Scion since I learned about it last year. If you have read The Licanius Trilogy or The Hierarchy series, then you should know science fiction elements undeniably exist in all of Islington’s books. Because of that and how much I love all five books from him I have read to date, I have always been curious to see Islington’s take on a huge-scope science fiction or space opera novel/series. Now, Scion isn’t that epic science fiction I wanted. But this is not a bad thing. It is more rooted in cyberpunk and thriller. And for the page-turning, fast-paced reading experience it seeks to achieve, I’ll conclude the narrative—eventually—did its job wonderfully.
Initially, when I was reading the first quarter of Scion, I felt a bit apprehensive about the quality of the storytelling. To give a bit of context… Last year, All That We See or Seem by Ken Liu, one of my favorite authors of all time, was published. Although the book isn’t a negative experience, I maintain my point that I wouldn’t be able to tell the book is written by Ken Liu if I didn’t know his name is attached to it. The writing style felt so different compared to The Dandelion Dynasty or his collection of short stories. Scion, for a while, felt that way. For such a short novel, it took its time to find its strong footing. But once we hit the 35% mark, I managed to read the rest of the novel in one sitting.
“I feel everything and it aches in my chest, and it is wonderful. Ten minutes, is all it lasts for. Ten minutes of humanity. Ten minutes of genuinely feeling like I know I’m supposed to feel, like what everyone else says they feel. Ten minutes of shame and anger and sorrow and confusion and real connection with the rest of the world. And then it wears off. Fades, an almost physical sensation. The lack of caring returns. I am, once again, completely fine. And I wipe a few tears from my eyes, and take a breath, and tap the q-com back on.”
I assume most readers will approach and read this after loving the hell out of The Hierarchy series. This is good. However, it is absolutely crucial to remind yourself that this is vastly different in tone and execution from The Hierarchy series. The only similarity the book has is that it is written in a first-person present-tense narration as well. That’s it. Plus, as I said, Scion is a short novel. At roughly 200 pages and 60,000 words long, Scion is not designed to have a huge sprawling and intricate world-building. The main story is centered on Azure and his mission. It is much more straightforward and meant to be a quick read. Islington wrote Scion during his downtime from writing the insane complexity and ambitious narrative in The Hierarchy series. It will benefit readers to open the pages of Scion with the correct expectations. Although not exactly similar, judging from the voice, tone, and themes available in Scion, the later books in The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells—in my opinion—are the closest comparison.
“Kind of seems like the question here is whether you want to try and live in peace, or be at peace. One of them’s probably going to be a hell of a lot harder than the other, though.”
To wrap-up this review, rather than recommending Scion to fans of The Licanius trilogy or The Hierarchy series, I believe it is more proper to recommend this short novel to fans of cyberpunk, thriller, or The Murderbot Diaries. Scion is the first installment in a series. It has heart. The action scenes were fun. I had a great time reading it, and I look forward to reading the sequel when it is ready. Similar to how Islington wrote the book during his downtime, Scion works incredibly well as a palate cleanser and lighter read amidst my usual heavy fantasy doorstopper reading. Here’s hoping Azure’s story will pleasantly surprise you.
You can pre-order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Andrew. S, Arik, Arliss, Barbara, Ben, Benjamin, Cade, Chris, Crystal, Cullen, Dan, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Erich, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Gary, Gregory, James, Jason, Jeff, Johnny, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kim, Kristina, Lara, Leigh, Lourdes, Melinda, Mike, Mike S, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Radiah, RCT, Sally, Samuel, Sarah, Scott, Sean, Shawn, Shawna, Stephanie, Trish, Tyler, TS, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zachary, Zammar.
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