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Scion #1
Vástago
My job, when you think about it, isn’t so different from a lot of people’s.
The more old-fashioned crowd do still get hung up on the "killing people" part of it, 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, sure, 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 to crawl out from beneath my debts. But someone’s got to do it.
Luckily, my genetic compatibilities make me really, really good at doing 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.
The more old-fashioned crowd do still get hung up on the "killing people" part of it, 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, sure, 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 to crawl out from beneath my debts. But someone’s got to do it.
Luckily, my genetic compatibilities make me really, really good at doing 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.
Hardcover
First published September 1, 2026
About the author
James Islington
22 books21.7k 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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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.
September 6, 2026
3.25
This was sadly just ok for me... but maybe it's because I just had SUPER high expectations since I LOVE James Islington so much!
First things first, this plot was definitely super fun & SO fast-paced. There was not a dull moment, we're always moving and doing all the things, so no complaints there.
However, it felt like we just didn't dive deeper into... anything? We're dealing with such advanced technology in the story to the point where humans can get "upgraded" and "updated" so much, we start questioning what is the difference between an enhanced human vs just a machine? We get confusion about self-identity and all that good stuff expected in a sci-fi. But it did feel like this book just asked all the questions, and didn't do anything to try and answer them.
Same thing goes for the world building. We had a world with all of this tech, politics, power struggle etc. that was such an interesting starting point. But we never got into why things were the way they were. What are the actual motives of this government, these corporations, and even these individual characters? How did we get to this point in society? How were these systems created? By the end, I was thinking... what is the point of all of this? What does anyone actually want to accomplish? We had maybe some of those questions answered, but not many.
So yeah... fun. Good plot, wonderful humour in our character interactions and banter. There is an unlikely friendship in this book that I enjoyed reading about. But I just wanted more substance behind it all, especially because the Hierarchy series is SO FULL of substance!
Also, a little pet peeve of mine is when books are listed as standalones but end up feeling very open ended and very open to becoming a continuous series.... so there's that :(
This was sadly just ok for me... but maybe it's because I just had SUPER high expectations since I LOVE James Islington so much!
First things first, this plot was definitely super fun & SO fast-paced. There was not a dull moment, we're always moving and doing all the things, so no complaints there.
However, it felt like we just didn't dive deeper into... anything? We're dealing with such advanced technology in the story to the point where humans can get "upgraded" and "updated" so much, we start questioning what is the difference between an enhanced human vs just a machine? We get confusion about self-identity and all that good stuff expected in a sci-fi. But it did feel like this book just asked all the questions, and didn't do anything to try and answer them.
Same thing goes for the world building. We had a world with all of this tech, politics, power struggle etc. that was such an interesting starting point. But we never got into why things were the way they were. What are the actual motives of this government, these corporations, and even these individual characters? How did we get to this point in society? How were these systems created? By the end, I was thinking... what is the point of all of this? What does anyone actually want to accomplish? We had maybe some of those questions answered, but not many.
So yeah... fun. Good plot, wonderful humour in our character interactions and banter. There is an unlikely friendship in this book that I enjoyed reading about. But I just wanted more substance behind it all, especially because the Hierarchy series is SO FULL of substance!
Also, a little pet peeve of mine is when books are listed as standalones but end up feeling very open ended and very open to becoming a continuous series.... so there's that :(
October 13, 2026
If I didn't know that this book was written by James Islington (of Hierarchy fame), would I have finished it? Honestly, no. Disappointed sad face emoji...
Overall rating: 2.75/5 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
That’s a strange thing for me to say about Islington. I’ve really enjoyed both of his fantasy series, never rated one of his books below 4/5, and given a couple of them five stars. I went into Scion with pretty high expectations.
I know this was meant to be something different. Islington says he started writing it as a fun break from the more serious Hierarchy books, and I’m glad he tried his hand at cyberpunk. But I nearly DNF’d it. I kept going partly because I know how good he can be, and partly because this book is so short.
There are bits I liked. Azure is snarky, his back-and-forth with the AI is fun, and there’s a potentially fascinating world here. Most of the time, though, I felt as if I was trying to get into the story while it was already racing away from me.
What’s the book about?
Azure is a cybernetically enhanced assassin. His usual targets are “Lifers”: ultrawealthy people who can extend their lives while everyone else has to make do with limited resources. Then he’s offered a job protecting someone instead. The woman he’s assigned to keep alive is being hunted, and the job may connect to an explosion that killed his friend years ago.
That sounds like a great setup. Chapter one gives us an assassin assassinating. Awesome. By chapter two, he’s a protector. I know that reversal is the premise, but I was still a bit let down. I wanted more time with the assassin side of Azure before the book moved on from it.
Image from The Broken Binding’s Scion special-edition announcement.
The world and its terminology: 2.5/5
I’m a big sci-fi fan, and this world should have been right up my alley. The rich can extend their lives, Azure has cybernetic enhancements, and there are corporations and political forces I wanted to understand. Who built this system? What do the people in power actually want? There’s plenty here to get stuck into.
“…at least in the cities, you don't have to worry about air getting turned off if you don't do as you're told.”
But the world felt a little forced to me. Maybe that’s partly because I’m used to Islington writing fantasy, and this is his first go at sci-fi. More specifically, the opening kept throwing flashy cyberpunk terms at me: LEE satellites, Argos biosecurity, cognitive revs, recog training, a q-com earpiece, neurals, somatics, a plasma blade, a ceramic blade, a volo. And that’s only some of what turns up early on.
I don’t want a wall of text explaining every gadget. Nobody needs that. But I spent so much of the opening trying to decode the vocabulary that I struggled to follow what was happening. Some of the names felt awkward, too, as though fairly ordinary things had been renamed to make them sound more cyberpunk.
Perhaps I’d have settled into it with more time. Here, by the time I felt I was getting a handle on the world, the book was nearly over. Worse, I still wanted to know much more about how its technology, politics and power struggles actually worked.
Image from The Broken Binding’s Scion special-edition announcement.
Story and pacing: 2/5
The chapters are tiny, and the plot moves quickly through one event after another. Some readers will probably love that pace. I kept wishing Islington would stay with things longer. Characters arrive and vanish; developments that could have had real weight are over before I’ve had much chance to care.
The middle has some interesting bits, and the later reveals raise questions about Azure’s past. But here’s a pet peeve of mine: I really dislike finishing a book and feeling as though I’ve mainly read the setup for the next one. Scion was that to a tee. Being curious about future answers didn’t make this first book feel satisfying on its own.
I don’t need every Islington book to be 600 pages. I would have happily read a short cyberpunk thriller. This one just felt like it was scratching the surface of its best ideas.
Characters: 3/5
Azure kept me interested enough to persevere. He’s capable and snarky, and there are hints of quirks and motivations I’d have liked to explore properly. I enjoyed his conversations with the AI, too. Those exchanges had more life than a lot of the action around them.
The supporting characters were much harder for me to connect with. Some seem to turn up and disappear a few pages later. I kept thinking, Hang on, weren’t we going to do more with that person?
Images from The Broken Binding’s special edition, shared in the announcement thread.
Enjoyment: 2/5
I didn’t enjoy most of Scion. That’s disappointing, especially from an author whose work I’ve liked so consistently. If his name hadn’t been on the cover, I doubt I’d have given this book as much patience.
I should mention that my daughter has been recovering from a broken leg, so sleep and uninterrupted reading time have both been in short supply. That may have made the opening harder for me to follow. I can’t know how I’d have reacted in a better week. But it doesn’t explain away my frustration with the rushed character work or how little this instalment gave me before pointing towards the next one.
I’m pleased Islington wrote something for fun and tried a different genre. I can see the beginnings of a story I might like here. I just wanted a lot more of it before the book ended.
🔹 Who I’d recommend this to: 🔹
If you want a very quick cyberpunk adventure and don’t mind being thrown straight into unfamiliar tech, you might have a better time than I did. If you’re looking for a short sci-fi series with a sharp lead, I’d sooner point you to Martha Wells’s The Murderbot Diaries. It pairs well with Scion as a reading interest, but for me it does much more with its short format.
***********************************************
CURRENTLY READING: First two series were great. Will James Islington be able to write three good series, that is the question??
Overall rating: 2.75/5 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
That’s a strange thing for me to say about Islington. I’ve really enjoyed both of his fantasy series, never rated one of his books below 4/5, and given a couple of them five stars. I went into Scion with pretty high expectations.
I know this was meant to be something different. Islington says he started writing it as a fun break from the more serious Hierarchy books, and I’m glad he tried his hand at cyberpunk. But I nearly DNF’d it. I kept going partly because I know how good he can be, and partly because this book is so short.
There are bits I liked. Azure is snarky, his back-and-forth with the AI is fun, and there’s a potentially fascinating world here. Most of the time, though, I felt as if I was trying to get into the story while it was already racing away from me.
What’s the book about?
Azure is a cybernetically enhanced assassin. His usual targets are “Lifers”: ultrawealthy people who can extend their lives while everyone else has to make do with limited resources. Then he’s offered a job protecting someone instead. The woman he’s assigned to keep alive is being hunted, and the job may connect to an explosion that killed his friend years ago.
That sounds like a great setup. Chapter one gives us an assassin assassinating. Awesome. By chapter two, he’s a protector. I know that reversal is the premise, but I was still a bit let down. I wanted more time with the assassin side of Azure before the book moved on from it.
Image from The Broken Binding’s Scion special-edition announcement.
The world and its terminology: 2.5/5
I’m a big sci-fi fan, and this world should have been right up my alley. The rich can extend their lives, Azure has cybernetic enhancements, and there are corporations and political forces I wanted to understand. Who built this system? What do the people in power actually want? There’s plenty here to get stuck into.
“…at least in the cities, you don't have to worry about air getting turned off if you don't do as you're told.”
But the world felt a little forced to me. Maybe that’s partly because I’m used to Islington writing fantasy, and this is his first go at sci-fi. More specifically, the opening kept throwing flashy cyberpunk terms at me: LEE satellites, Argos biosecurity, cognitive revs, recog training, a q-com earpiece, neurals, somatics, a plasma blade, a ceramic blade, a volo. And that’s only some of what turns up early on.
I don’t want a wall of text explaining every gadget. Nobody needs that. But I spent so much of the opening trying to decode the vocabulary that I struggled to follow what was happening. Some of the names felt awkward, too, as though fairly ordinary things had been renamed to make them sound more cyberpunk.
Perhaps I’d have settled into it with more time. Here, by the time I felt I was getting a handle on the world, the book was nearly over. Worse, I still wanted to know much more about how its technology, politics and power struggles actually worked.
Image from The Broken Binding’s Scion special-edition announcement.
Story and pacing: 2/5
The chapters are tiny, and the plot moves quickly through one event after another. Some readers will probably love that pace. I kept wishing Islington would stay with things longer. Characters arrive and vanish; developments that could have had real weight are over before I’ve had much chance to care.
The middle has some interesting bits, and the later reveals raise questions about Azure’s past. But here’s a pet peeve of mine: I really dislike finishing a book and feeling as though I’ve mainly read the setup for the next one. Scion was that to a tee. Being curious about future answers didn’t make this first book feel satisfying on its own.
I don’t need every Islington book to be 600 pages. I would have happily read a short cyberpunk thriller. This one just felt like it was scratching the surface of its best ideas.
Characters: 3/5
Azure kept me interested enough to persevere. He’s capable and snarky, and there are hints of quirks and motivations I’d have liked to explore properly. I enjoyed his conversations with the AI, too. Those exchanges had more life than a lot of the action around them.
The supporting characters were much harder for me to connect with. Some seem to turn up and disappear a few pages later. I kept thinking, Hang on, weren’t we going to do more with that person?
Images from The Broken Binding’s special edition, shared in the announcement thread.
Enjoyment: 2/5
I didn’t enjoy most of Scion. That’s disappointing, especially from an author whose work I’ve liked so consistently. If his name hadn’t been on the cover, I doubt I’d have given this book as much patience.
I should mention that my daughter has been recovering from a broken leg, so sleep and uninterrupted reading time have both been in short supply. That may have made the opening harder for me to follow. I can’t know how I’d have reacted in a better week. But it doesn’t explain away my frustration with the rushed character work or how little this instalment gave me before pointing towards the next one.
I’m pleased Islington wrote something for fun and tried a different genre. I can see the beginnings of a story I might like here. I just wanted a lot more of it before the book ended.
🔹 Who I’d recommend this to: 🔹
If you want a very quick cyberpunk adventure and don’t mind being thrown straight into unfamiliar tech, you might have a better time than I did. If you’re looking for a short sci-fi series with a sharp lead, I’d sooner point you to Martha Wells’s The Murderbot Diaries. It pairs well with Scion as a reading interest, but for me it does much more with its short format.
***********************************************
CURRENTLY READING: First two series were great. Will James Islington be able to write three good series, that is the question??
Read
March 5, 2026Will this be a third series I love by the author 👀
February 25, 2026
2.5 stars
This was just... very mid. It was short and quick, the plot was nothing super special or unique.. it was sort of run of the mill sci-fi almost? The worldbuilding was lacking and the ending came out of nowhere??
I did like the characters though; the mmc Azure was snarky and I liked his interactions with everyone else.
I didn't hate this and I didn't love it either. I just expect more from James😭
pre-read:
Seen lot's of mixed reviews💔 Don't disappoint me James
This was just... very mid. It was short and quick, the plot was nothing super special or unique.. it was sort of run of the mill sci-fi almost? The worldbuilding was lacking and the ending came out of nowhere??
I did like the characters though; the mmc Azure was snarky and I liked his interactions with everyone else.
I didn't hate this and I didn't love it either. I just expect more from James😭
pre-read:
Seen lot's of mixed reviews💔 Don't disappoint me James
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 ⭐️
Interesting and high-concept premise, but sorely lacking in world-building, depth of the main character, and the existence of other recurring characters.
First of all, the summary is misleading. I went into Scion expecting a futuristic world where a genetically enhanced assassin MC hunts down ultra-wealthy "lifers" trying to live forever. Yes, the MC's an assassin, but the majority of this book is them guarding one person. While we get a brief glimpse at the beginning of their assassin side; the rest focuses on Azure (the MC) as a bodyguard. Protection duties aren't boring per se as his skills are required, but it's definitely not the book I thought I was getting!
There are three characters of note in this entire book:
Azure: The MC. A genetically modified assassin hired to protect a mystery client. Even with the first-person POV, I do not feel as though we get to know this character. They read as really flat—snarky, but with no real depth.
Jasa: The client. The most apt description for this character is "a woman who likes to play God." Unlike Azure, we actually get to know about this mysterious old woman whose every single descriptor circles around her being wrinkly, secretive, and a hard fall from death's door.
Atti: A hyperintelligent AI software assistant to Azure. Brief appearance in the beginning of the book. Reappears for the last quarter.
There were 2-3 other named characters, but they'd appear in a scene, serve their purpose, and fade away from existence. This world feel massive. This isn't a closed-door mystery. There should be more characters that impact the plot rather than simply being plot devices.
To clarify, this is a short book. It's a 240-page story, and its short page count definitely hindered overall enjoyment, as this world wasn't able to be fleshed out properly. Scion is meant to be a futuristic cyberpunk dystopian world setting, yet there was no clear picture of what was going on and why the world had fallen to such straits. For instance, if you're poor, "at least in the cities, you don't have to worry about air getting turned off if you don't do as you're told." This quote is an example of a random yet explosive line that wasn't given any further context. It reads as though we're only scratching the surface of what this world entails.
I will say that the ending got exciting and has obviously left things open for future books! Several revelations were made that upped the ante and changed the trajectory of the book; however, Scion as a whole is still sorely lacking in its world-building and developing Azure, the MC.
Thank you to Netgalley and Saga Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Interesting and high-concept premise, but sorely lacking in world-building, depth of the main character, and the existence of other recurring characters.
First of all, the summary is misleading. I went into Scion expecting a futuristic world where a genetically enhanced assassin MC hunts down ultra-wealthy "lifers" trying to live forever. Yes, the MC's an assassin, but the majority of this book is them guarding one person. While we get a brief glimpse at the beginning of their assassin side; the rest focuses on Azure (the MC) as a bodyguard. Protection duties aren't boring per se as his skills are required, but it's definitely not the book I thought I was getting!
There are three characters of note in this entire book:
Azure: The MC. A genetically modified assassin hired to protect a mystery client. Even with the first-person POV, I do not feel as though we get to know this character. They read as really flat—snarky, but with no real depth.
Jasa: The client. The most apt description for this character is "a woman who likes to play God." Unlike Azure, we actually get to know about this mysterious old woman whose every single descriptor circles around her being wrinkly, secretive, and a hard fall from death's door.
Atti: A hyperintelligent AI software assistant to Azure. Brief appearance in the beginning of the book. Reappears for the last quarter.
There were 2-3 other named characters, but they'd appear in a scene, serve their purpose, and fade away from existence. This world feel massive. This isn't a closed-door mystery. There should be more characters that impact the plot rather than simply being plot devices.
To clarify, this is a short book. It's a 240-page story, and its short page count definitely hindered overall enjoyment, as this world wasn't able to be fleshed out properly. Scion is meant to be a futuristic cyberpunk dystopian world setting, yet there was no clear picture of what was going on and why the world had fallen to such straits. For instance, if you're poor, "at least in the cities, you don't have to worry about air getting turned off if you don't do as you're told." This quote is an example of a random yet explosive line that wasn't given any further context. It reads as though we're only scratching the surface of what this world entails.
I will say that the ending got exciting and has obviously left things open for future books! Several revelations were made that upped the ante and changed the trajectory of the book; however, Scion as a whole is still sorely lacking in its world-building and developing Azure, the MC.
Thank you to Netgalley and Saga Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
September 6, 2026
“My name’s Azure, and I kill rich idiots for a living.”
Scion has one of those premises that made me go, excuse me, WHAT? The ultra-rich have figured out how to live forever, resources are limited, and somebody occasionally has to… make room. Enter Azure: genetically enhanced, very good at his job, and professionally employed to kill wealthy people. Legally.
I loved how completely different this felt from the fantasy I associate with James Islington. This is futuristic, twisty, darkly funny sci-fi with some genuinely fascinating ideas underneath all the action, immortality, obscene wealth, inequality, who gets access to technology and, ultimately, what happens when humans become rich enough to decide that death is for other people.
Which is exactly the sort of morally questionable rabbit hole I enjoy disappearing down.
Azure was easily my favourite. He has that dry, slightly fed up with everything voice that immediately worked for me. Give me a protagonist doing deeply questionable things while making sarcastic observations about it and apparently I am yours!
And then, of course, he gets a job that isn’t quite like the others. Instead of killing someone, he has to keep them alive. What could possibly go wrong?
There’s a lot happening here, technology, genetic enhancements, conspiracies, action and enough twists to keep me suspicious of basically everybody. But underneath the shiny sci-fi stuff is what interested me most: if we actually found a way to cheat death, would humanity become better… or would the richest people simply buy eternity? I think we all know the answer.
There were moments where the worldbuilding made my little brain work harder than it wanted to, and I occasionally had to mentally yell WAIT, WHO ARE YOU AGAIN?!, but once I settled into the world I had a bloody good time.
Dark, clever, morally messy and just weird enough for me.
Also, I would like it formally noted that if billionaires ever do discover immortality, I have read Scion and therefore consider myself adequately prepared.
My Highest Recommendation!
Thank you Text Publishing and James Islington for my early readers copy.
Available Now!
4.5
Scion has one of those premises that made me go, excuse me, WHAT? The ultra-rich have figured out how to live forever, resources are limited, and somebody occasionally has to… make room. Enter Azure: genetically enhanced, very good at his job, and professionally employed to kill wealthy people. Legally.
I loved how completely different this felt from the fantasy I associate with James Islington. This is futuristic, twisty, darkly funny sci-fi with some genuinely fascinating ideas underneath all the action, immortality, obscene wealth, inequality, who gets access to technology and, ultimately, what happens when humans become rich enough to decide that death is for other people.
Which is exactly the sort of morally questionable rabbit hole I enjoy disappearing down.
Azure was easily my favourite. He has that dry, slightly fed up with everything voice that immediately worked for me. Give me a protagonist doing deeply questionable things while making sarcastic observations about it and apparently I am yours!
And then, of course, he gets a job that isn’t quite like the others. Instead of killing someone, he has to keep them alive. What could possibly go wrong?
There’s a lot happening here, technology, genetic enhancements, conspiracies, action and enough twists to keep me suspicious of basically everybody. But underneath the shiny sci-fi stuff is what interested me most: if we actually found a way to cheat death, would humanity become better… or would the richest people simply buy eternity? I think we all know the answer.
There were moments where the worldbuilding made my little brain work harder than it wanted to, and I occasionally had to mentally yell WAIT, WHO ARE YOU AGAIN?!, but once I settled into the world I had a bloody good time.
Dark, clever, morally messy and just weird enough for me.
Also, I would like it formally noted that if billionaires ever do discover immortality, I have read Scion and therefore consider myself adequately prepared.
My Highest Recommendation!
Thank you Text Publishing and James Islington for my early readers copy.
Available Now!
4.5
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is probably the best Sci-Fi story I've read recently, I had a fantastic time!
It's quick, sharp, funny and action packed. The story seems straight forward at the start, but in its progression the world building and the characters gain a lot of depth.
James Islington's are usually hit or miss for me, but this one is a huge hit. I can't recommend it enough.
It's quick, sharp, funny and action packed. The story seems straight forward at the start, but in its progression the world building and the characters gain a lot of depth.
James Islington's are usually hit or miss for me, but this one is a huge hit. I can't recommend it enough.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
“Welcome, you're about to have a lot of fun.”
-Joe Monti, VP Saga Press
John Wick meets Blade Runner in this fast-paced, action-packed cyberpunk thriller.
Scion is due for release on September 1, 2026.
Azure is the best badass in the game, a cybernetically enhanced contract killer operating out of the Keres Corporation. But his latest mission is anything but routine: he is tasked with protecting Jasa, a wealthy elderly client whose secrets run deeper than her pockets. Who is trying to kill her and why? Jasa is no ordinary woman, and soon Azure finds himself tangled in mysteries that threaten to unravel everything he thought he knew. How does she know so much about him? What truths and information are hidden in the files she dangles before him? Who exactly is Jasa de Alwes, and why has she singled out Azure for this dangerous alliance?
“You have potential, Azure. Depth. I always felt like there was real humanity hiding in there somewhere."
Scion throws you headfirst into a pulse-pounding cybernetic dystopia, filled with non-stop action and a multitude of twists that keep you guessing. Buckle up and hold tight, because this story launches at full throttle and never lets up.
"See you, space cowboy." -Saga Press
A big Thank You to James Islington, NetGalley, and Saga Press for gifting me this advance copy. It was an absolute pleasure to read and review this book.
-Joe Monti, VP Saga Press
John Wick meets Blade Runner in this fast-paced, action-packed cyberpunk thriller.
Scion is due for release on September 1, 2026.
Azure is the best badass in the game, a cybernetically enhanced contract killer operating out of the Keres Corporation. But his latest mission is anything but routine: he is tasked with protecting Jasa, a wealthy elderly client whose secrets run deeper than her pockets. Who is trying to kill her and why? Jasa is no ordinary woman, and soon Azure finds himself tangled in mysteries that threaten to unravel everything he thought he knew. How does she know so much about him? What truths and information are hidden in the files she dangles before him? Who exactly is Jasa de Alwes, and why has she singled out Azure for this dangerous alliance?
“You have potential, Azure. Depth. I always felt like there was real humanity hiding in there somewhere."
Scion throws you headfirst into a pulse-pounding cybernetic dystopia, filled with non-stop action and a multitude of twists that keep you guessing. Buckle up and hold tight, because this story launches at full throttle and never lets up.
"See you, space cowboy." -Saga Press
A big Thank You to James Islington, NetGalley, and Saga Press for gifting me this advance copy. It was an absolute pleasure to read and review this book.
November 6, 2026
4.5-stars.
For anyone diving in, James Islington's latest novel, Scion, feels like a relentless rocket ride right out of the gate, and is, what I consider, one engaging read.
The story throws us into a slick, gritty future where ultra-wealthy elites seem to cheat death, leaving everyone else to rot in a brutal world. At the core of that rot are "dupes"—engineered copies often treated as disposable trash by the ruling class. Their ruthless exploitation appears to drive the story's moral core, forcing us to face potentially chilling questions about identity and who gets to be considered human.
Enter Azure, a pragmatic protagonist drowning in debt and taking on terrifying high-stakes gigs just to stay alive. Everything explodes when a routine security detail—protecting Jasa, an older woman who has hired Azure for protection—drags them both headfirst into what looks like a sprawling corporate conspiracy. The dynamic between Azure and Jasa tends to anchor the chaos, building a gritty, protective bond of fierce mutual trust under fire.
No slow burns here. The narrative reads like a relentless sprint against a clock where betrayals stack up and past secrets bite back. The personal stakes smash right into a massive anti-establishment rebellion. Every twist hits with absolute precision, keeping the momentum white-hot as Azure blasts through wave after wave of lethal opposition.
In summary, Scion is taut, clever, and wildly fun. Leaving off on such a high note, this first series edition left me itching to find out how Azure's next plan of action might play out.
Highly recommend.
For anyone diving in, James Islington's latest novel, Scion, feels like a relentless rocket ride right out of the gate, and is, what I consider, one engaging read.
The story throws us into a slick, gritty future where ultra-wealthy elites seem to cheat death, leaving everyone else to rot in a brutal world. At the core of that rot are "dupes"—engineered copies often treated as disposable trash by the ruling class. Their ruthless exploitation appears to drive the story's moral core, forcing us to face potentially chilling questions about identity and who gets to be considered human.
Enter Azure, a pragmatic protagonist drowning in debt and taking on terrifying high-stakes gigs just to stay alive. Everything explodes when a routine security detail—protecting Jasa, an older woman who has hired Azure for protection—drags them both headfirst into what looks like a sprawling corporate conspiracy. The dynamic between Azure and Jasa tends to anchor the chaos, building a gritty, protective bond of fierce mutual trust under fire.
No slow burns here. The narrative reads like a relentless sprint against a clock where betrayals stack up and past secrets bite back. The personal stakes smash right into a massive anti-establishment rebellion. Every twist hits with absolute precision, keeping the momentum white-hot as Azure blasts through wave after wave of lethal opposition.
In summary, Scion is taut, clever, and wildly fun. Leaving off on such a high note, this first series edition left me itching to find out how Azure's next plan of action might play out.
Highly recommend.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
”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.”
i’m a huge James Islington fan, so i’m beyond disappointed that i didn’t love his initial approach to a sci-fi story. the biggest issue is really the lack of world building, it was extremely distracting. the mc Azure didn’t stand out to me either, so there was nothing connecting me to the novella as a whole.
idk if it’s cause I’ve read my fair share of sci-fi, but i could tell what direction the story was going in almost immediately. so in return, nothing surprised me.. even when i tend to enjoy the trope that was used at the end. maybe if this one was longer I’d have a different opinion, but i still wouldn’t be against continuing the series since it definitely was an action-packed, fast read.
⟴ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Saga Press for the arc, all opinions are my own.
i’m a huge James Islington fan, so i’m beyond disappointed that i didn’t love his initial approach to a sci-fi story. the biggest issue is really the lack of world building, it was extremely distracting. the mc Azure didn’t stand out to me either, so there was nothing connecting me to the novella as a whole.
idk if it’s cause I’ve read my fair share of sci-fi, but i could tell what direction the story was going in almost immediately. so in return, nothing surprised me.. even when i tend to enjoy the trope that was used at the end. maybe if this one was longer I’d have a different opinion, but i still wouldn’t be against continuing the series since it definitely was an action-packed, fast read.
⟴ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Saga Press for the arc, all opinions are my own.
April 1, 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!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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.
September 9, 2026
Great story, interesting characters, fast-paced, action-packed plot. A bit of a mean, open-ended finish.
What I find lacking is atmosphere.
As the author notes in the afterword, this story was written for his own enjoyment and wasn’t intended for publication, which explains the book’s shorter length and why it probably isn’t quite fully developed.
But it’s wonderfully written.
Maybe it’s a bit like cyberpunk for beginners? I don’t mean that in a negative way. It’s just that after reading some of the darker cyberpunk stories, this one comes across as rather gentle. It’s gory and brutal, but as I said, it lacks atmosphere, and there’s not much world-building overall—but that’s just nitpicking.
I had fun reading it—that’s all that matters.
They understand “really advanced human.” But damn if they don’t get uncomfortable when you start throwing around concepts like being able to sense movement in a memorised location, no matter how far away you are. Or precognition, or retrocognition, or any of the other less … traditional instincts my cogs sometimes impart. 😳
“If you couldn’t arrange for your own survival, you wouldn’t have been much fun to work with.“ 😂
What I find lacking is atmosphere.
As the author notes in the afterword, this story was written for his own enjoyment and wasn’t intended for publication, which explains the book’s shorter length and why it probably isn’t quite fully developed.
But it’s wonderfully written.
Maybe it’s a bit like cyberpunk for beginners? I don’t mean that in a negative way. It’s just that after reading some of the darker cyberpunk stories, this one comes across as rather gentle. It’s gory and brutal, but as I said, it lacks atmosphere, and there’s not much world-building overall—but that’s just nitpicking.
I had fun reading it—that’s all that matters.
They understand “really advanced human.” But damn if they don’t get uncomfortable when you start throwing around concepts like being able to sense movement in a memorised location, no matter how far away you are. Or precognition, or retrocognition, or any of the other less … traditional instincts my cogs sometimes impart. 😳
“If you couldn’t arrange for your own survival, you wouldn’t have been much fun to work with.“ 😂
October 29, 2026
¡VOY A IR DIRECTA AL GRANO😱!
Si estás en busca y captura de una historia que te mantenga pegada a sus páginas como si no hubiera un mañana y eres de las que aman los giros imprevistos, déjame decirte que hoy es tu día de suerte🍀
Es más, si te flipan las distopías vertiginosas con una mezcla de ciencia ficción y thriller, ya puedes empezar a ponerte las zapatillas y el chándal.
Y, ojito, porque si te enamoran los personajes carismáticos, irónicos y mordaces, nena, ¿qué haces todavía aquí?
Peroooo antes de que salgas corriendo como una posesa a por este libro, te voy a dar tres tips que te vendrán de lujo…😏
PRIMER TIP: Asegúrate de que nadie te va a molestar mientras devoras este libro, porque las miradas as…ni..nas van que vuelan…
SEGUNDO TIP: Prepárate una bebida caliente; a ser posible, un chocolate junto con unas galletas de mantequilla (creéme, me lo agradecerás cuando te des cuenta de que son la una de la madrugada, y las dos… y las tres ((Uy, ¿qué hace Sabina aquí🤭?))
TERCER TIP: Ponte tu pijama más cómodo, desconecta el móvil y… ¡Cuidado, estás a punto de sumergirte en una aventura llena de monstruos cibernéticos, una IA muy especial y un ase..ni.. no a sueldo demasiado peligroso!
Si estás en busca y captura de una historia que te mantenga pegada a sus páginas como si no hubiera un mañana y eres de las que aman los giros imprevistos, déjame decirte que hoy es tu día de suerte🍀
Es más, si te flipan las distopías vertiginosas con una mezcla de ciencia ficción y thriller, ya puedes empezar a ponerte las zapatillas y el chándal.
Y, ojito, porque si te enamoran los personajes carismáticos, irónicos y mordaces, nena, ¿qué haces todavía aquí?
Peroooo antes de que salgas corriendo como una posesa a por este libro, te voy a dar tres tips que te vendrán de lujo…😏
PRIMER TIP: Asegúrate de que nadie te va a molestar mientras devoras este libro, porque las miradas as…ni..nas van que vuelan…
SEGUNDO TIP: Prepárate una bebida caliente; a ser posible, un chocolate junto con unas galletas de mantequilla (creéme, me lo agradecerás cuando te des cuenta de que son la una de la madrugada, y las dos… y las tres ((Uy, ¿qué hace Sabina aquí🤭?))
TERCER TIP: Ponte tu pijama más cómodo, desconecta el móvil y… ¡Cuidado, estás a punto de sumergirte en una aventura llena de monstruos cibernéticos, una IA muy especial y un ase..ni.. no a sueldo demasiado peligroso!
September 18, 2026
This was a fun, action-packed read. Scion drops you right into the middle of the world and doesn’t explain much at all, which I think works great for most of this and keeps things feeling exciting. But there were other times in the book where I felt like I was under reacting to some of the bigger moments/reveals because I had no idea what they meant in the context of the world until later. Had a good time with this overall though, and if there’s going to be a book 2, I’ll definitely read it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A bite-size sci fi book that proves James Islington can bring the twists he’s known for in his fantasy to more genres.
As the Argos tries once again to separate my head from my shoulders, I can’t help but consider the possibility—not for the first time—that I may not have always made the best life choices.
That’s how the book starts and it pretty much sets the tone for the rest.
It’s fast-paced, packed with action, and centres a mildly apathetic guy called Azure who is a gene-boosted, Keres-trained assassin with an attitude.
It, like many sci fi these days (I wonder why) takes on big corporations and unethical secrets. Add in a friendly AI, an old lady, and some sarcastic quips.
“Pain’s important.”
She looks confused. “Are you being deep, right now?” “Sure. But also, it helps you know if you’ve been stabbed or shot.”
I would have liked more depth and description to immerse myself in this futuristic world. Similarly, the characters are fairly one-dimensional.
There are also a few grammatical errors, but this was a very early copy so I’m sure they’ll be corrected by the editing team.
A 3.5 star⭐️ rating rounded up as it was impressive for its length.
Arc gifted by Orion Publishing.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
As the Argos tries once again to separate my head from my shoulders, I can’t help but consider the possibility—not for the first time—that I may not have always made the best life choices.
That’s how the book starts and it pretty much sets the tone for the rest.
It’s fast-paced, packed with action, and centres a mildly apathetic guy called Azure who is a gene-boosted, Keres-trained assassin with an attitude.
It, like many sci fi these days (I wonder why) takes on big corporations and unethical secrets. Add in a friendly AI, an old lady, and some sarcastic quips.
“Pain’s important.”
She looks confused. “Are you being deep, right now?” “Sure. But also, it helps you know if you’ve been stabbed or shot.”
I would have liked more depth and description to immerse myself in this futuristic world. Similarly, the characters are fairly one-dimensional.
There are also a few grammatical errors, but this was a very early copy so I’m sure they’ll be corrected by the editing team.
A 3.5 star⭐️ rating rounded up as it was impressive for its length.
Arc gifted by Orion Publishing.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A slick, action packed cyberpunk thriller, James Islington's Scion wastes absolutely no time getting straight into the thick of it. Packed with assassins, genetic engineering, biomechanical enhancements and enough security to make every locked door feel like a personal challenge, it's gloriously easy to devour.
My thanks to Gollancz for the arc.
Azure's snarky, irreverent attitude and lethal competence make him a ridiculously entertaining protagonist as an assassin for hire forced into the rather less desirable role of guardian and protector. Especially when his employer, Jasa, dangles the answers to his own personal mystery tantalisingly just out of reach. It's a dynamic that keeps the tension high even when the bullets aren't flying
The cyberpunk setting is equally fun, particularly its imaginative take on security mixed with biotech and AI. There's also some intriguing commentary on the social consequences of immortality becoming a luxury reserved for the ultrawealthy. It all adds up to a fascinating world lurking beneath the surface, but Scion is more interested in racing through it than stopping to explore more expansive often allowing familiar cyberpunk tropes to do the heavy lifting.
Instead Scion throws you into explosive action and sharp character dynamics at a breakneck pace. The twists are well executed and the mystery satisfying, but it's Azure's charm and the escalating danger of an assassin forced to become a protector that give the story its spark.
Scion doesn't try to reinvent cyberpunk. It just makes it a hell of a good time.
My thanks to Gollancz for the arc.
Azure's snarky, irreverent attitude and lethal competence make him a ridiculously entertaining protagonist as an assassin for hire forced into the rather less desirable role of guardian and protector. Especially when his employer, Jasa, dangles the answers to his own personal mystery tantalisingly just out of reach. It's a dynamic that keeps the tension high even when the bullets aren't flying
The cyberpunk setting is equally fun, particularly its imaginative take on security mixed with biotech and AI. There's also some intriguing commentary on the social consequences of immortality becoming a luxury reserved for the ultrawealthy. It all adds up to a fascinating world lurking beneath the surface, but Scion is more interested in racing through it than stopping to explore more expansive often allowing familiar cyberpunk tropes to do the heavy lifting.
Instead Scion throws you into explosive action and sharp character dynamics at a breakneck pace. The twists are well executed and the mystery satisfying, but it's Azure's charm and the escalating danger of an assassin forced to become a protector that give the story its spark.
Scion doesn't try to reinvent cyberpunk. It just makes it a hell of a good time.
September 12, 2026
2.75 stars // I think I’ve figured out why this book is getting mixed reviews.
You’re thrust into the middle of this story with no context, no background or world building. It felt like a small section of a much larger book. It’s solely about a “super advanced human” character arriving at this fancy most scifi house you can think of to make sure this old woman doesn’t die from unknown assassins. That’s it. It’s super straight and simple.
Though there is a flaw with this, there are moments where something is revealed to the main character who reacts completely bewildered, shocked and ‘how is this possible??’ but to the reader, it’s nothing. Because we have no idea why we’re supposed to be shocked with no context and lore. We can’t react the same as the main character.
I’m a bit disappointed but the later half does get better.
You’re thrust into the middle of this story with no context, no background or world building. It felt like a small section of a much larger book. It’s solely about a “super advanced human” character arriving at this fancy most scifi house you can think of to make sure this old woman doesn’t die from unknown assassins. That’s it. It’s super straight and simple.
Though there is a flaw with this, there are moments where something is revealed to the main character who reacts completely bewildered, shocked and ‘how is this possible??’ but to the reader, it’s nothing. Because we have no idea why we’re supposed to be shocked with no context and lore. We can’t react the same as the main character.
I’m a bit disappointed but the later half does get better.
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
FULL REVIEW
4.5 stars, rounded up for Goodreads
My Quick Takes:
- 4.5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
- Genre 📚 Scifi
- Language 🤐 mild/moderate
- Spice ❤️🔥 none
- Content 🤔 on page graphic killing/violence
This was a super fun reading experience.
Fast paced, short chapters, single point of view. I read most of it in one sitting and am so excited this is going to be a series 👏🏼 it felt like a very approachable scifi! I didn’t have any issues with the world building or lack thereof. After reading Mistborn, it didn’t feel too far off the mark from the minimal world building clues you get from The Final Empire. The plot hooked me immediately,
So glad I preordered the physical copy, excited to add another James Islington to my shelves.
4.5 stars, rounded up for Goodreads
My Quick Takes:
- 4.5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
- Genre 📚 Scifi
- Language 🤐 mild/moderate
- Spice ❤️🔥 none
- Content 🤔 on page graphic killing/violence
This was a super fun reading experience.
Fast paced, short chapters, single point of view. I read most of it in one sitting and am so excited this is going to be a series 👏🏼 it felt like a very approachable scifi! I didn’t have any issues with the world building or lack thereof. After reading Mistborn, it didn’t feel too far off the mark from the minimal world building clues you get from The Final Empire. The plot hooked me immediately,
So glad I preordered the physical copy, excited to add another James Islington to my shelves.
Want to Read
February 24, 2026Thank you Mr. Islington for keeping us fed until
Hierarchy 3🙏🏾
Hierarchy 3🙏🏾
September 8, 2026
A fast paced page turner coming in at a tight 225 pages, Scion is a quick and exciting read perfect for a vacation carry-on. The tech-based populist dystopian setting feels all to plausible in today's world, as assassin Azure takes crowd-funded contracts to kill the uber-wealthy for living beyond their allotted span of years.
May 2, 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.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Thank you to Edelweiss+ and S&S/Saga Press for giving me a digital copy of this book.
This was a super fun, quick read. Humorous and also quite violent. I really liked the tone and voice of the lead character, Azure, who is an assassin/hitman. The world was interesting - there are very rich people who take a drug that lets them live forever, but if you take that drug it’s legal to kill you - but very cliche cyberpunk. If there was a cyberpunk trope, it was going in this book. Understandable given than you've got to use genre conventions if you want it to read as cyberpunk, but I would say this is a good version of cyberpunk, but not anything super unique.
You are basically thrown into this world in media res and just have to figure out the world building as you go along. I really enjoyed this aspect to the story and it kept me reading to find out more. While I enjoyed this first book, I am more excited for eventual sequels, where hopefully the world will be fleshed out even more!
This was a super fun, quick read. Humorous and also quite violent. I really liked the tone and voice of the lead character, Azure, who is an assassin/hitman. The world was interesting - there are very rich people who take a drug that lets them live forever, but if you take that drug it’s legal to kill you - but very cliche cyberpunk. If there was a cyberpunk trope, it was going in this book. Understandable given than you've got to use genre conventions if you want it to read as cyberpunk, but I would say this is a good version of cyberpunk, but not anything super unique.
You are basically thrown into this world in media res and just have to figure out the world building as you go along. I really enjoyed this aspect to the story and it kept me reading to find out more. While I enjoyed this first book, I am more excited for eventual sequels, where hopefully the world will be fleshed out even more!
September 10, 2026
A fun, quick read that feels like a precursor to something much bigger. It almost reads like a prologue, and when you think of it that way, it’s easier to forgive the rushed pacing and stunted world building. More than anything, it does exactly what it needs to do: gets you excited for whatever comes next.
September 3, 2026
Very good! Super fast-paced, literally finished this within a day. This was my first Islington book and I was not disappointed.
Azure has a normal job. Or at least, a legal one in a world where the rich can live forever. He is an assassin, hired to kill the rich who fall out of the public's good graces (killings are crowdfunded?). Because however awesome it sounds to live forever, if everyone did that, we'd have quite the resource problem. But then he's hired to protect someone. Not his typical job and the last time he did, well... let's just say it didn't go well.
I loved how the tone of voice made me immediately think of Carl, from Dungeon Crawler Carl. I'm sure if they met, they'd be instant friends (or kill each other, you never quite know). Islington throws you into the story, in a Sanderson-esque "I'm not telling you about the world, you figure it out" kind of way. And I don't mind it - it made me want to keep reading and I basically devoured the book that way.
My only gripe is the ending. Really, James? Was that absolutely necessary? You better write a sequel now because I have questions.
Azure has a normal job. Or at least, a legal one in a world where the rich can live forever. He is an assassin, hired to kill the rich who fall out of the public's good graces (killings are crowdfunded?). Because however awesome it sounds to live forever, if everyone did that, we'd have quite the resource problem. But then he's hired to protect someone. Not his typical job and the last time he did, well... let's just say it didn't go well.
I loved how the tone of voice made me immediately think of Carl, from Dungeon Crawler Carl. I'm sure if they met, they'd be instant friends (or kill each other, you never quite know). Islington throws you into the story, in a Sanderson-esque "I'm not telling you about the world, you figure it out" kind of way. And I don't mind it - it made me want to keep reading and I basically devoured the book that way.
My only gripe is the ending. Really, James? Was that absolutely necessary? You better write a sequel now because I have questions.
September 6, 2026
I've generally had a some really good experience with fantasy authors trying their hands at SF, so this book was pretty much a no-brainer for me.
As it is, I won't say it's a ground-breaking story, but it IS very fast-paced and it has some twisty-twisty paths to keep us on our toes. Lots of tropes, easy to follow, easy to enjoy.
Like assassins? Clones? Shady shit? Old, irascible women and snarky OP dipshits? I'm sure you'll get along well with this novel.
If it's going to be a series, I don't see myself ignoring it. If it's a standalone, I might wind up feeling a bit disappointed. But as it is now? I would consider it a GOOD START. I'd love to have a good long story based on this.
As it is, I won't say it's a ground-breaking story, but it IS very fast-paced and it has some twisty-twisty paths to keep us on our toes. Lots of tropes, easy to follow, easy to enjoy.
Like assassins? Clones? Shady shit? Old, irascible women and snarky OP dipshits? I'm sure you'll get along well with this novel.
If it's going to be a series, I don't see myself ignoring it. If it's a standalone, I might wind up feeling a bit disappointed. But as it is now? I would consider it a GOOD START. I'd love to have a good long story based on this.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First of all HUGE shoutout to Saga Press who provided me an ARC of Scion through Net Galley. I have to admit I was a huge fan of Islington's Will of the Many book, so was elated to have early access to this title.
When I had originally looked into Scion, I imagined it would be a sci-fi version of the book Scythe, with immorality plaguing a society. Scion takes a different approach, where only the richest can afford immortality, often secretly, and society crowdfunding contracts to exterminate these lifers. This story focuses on one of the bounty hunters, who is on a mysterious contract to protect a key executive.
A super fun and fast paced novel, it would be easy to completely consume this book in just a few days time. It was easy to fall in love with the Blade Runner type setting, but with the pacing and feel of the Will of the Many. This book would be great for someone who loves Sci-Fi, unique and fast world building, and those who love themes of control vs freedom, government control, and corporate power.
If there were any criticism, it would be that I was able to predict most of the main plot points in the conclusion of the book, but I won't elaborate for the sake of spoilers. The ending was satisfying, and tied off loose ends, but left me wanting more.
I think I read somewhere this was a standalone novel, which, if true, is a bummer because I would totally spring for a book 2. Definitely worth picking up this story!
When I had originally looked into Scion, I imagined it would be a sci-fi version of the book Scythe, with immorality plaguing a society. Scion takes a different approach, where only the richest can afford immortality, often secretly, and society crowdfunding contracts to exterminate these lifers. This story focuses on one of the bounty hunters, who is on a mysterious contract to protect a key executive.
A super fun and fast paced novel, it would be easy to completely consume this book in just a few days time. It was easy to fall in love with the Blade Runner type setting, but with the pacing and feel of the Will of the Many. This book would be great for someone who loves Sci-Fi, unique and fast world building, and those who love themes of control vs freedom, government control, and corporate power.
If there were any criticism, it would be that I was able to predict most of the main plot points in the conclusion of the book, but I won't elaborate for the sake of spoilers. The ending was satisfying, and tied off loose ends, but left me wanting more.
I think I read somewhere this was a standalone novel, which, if true, is a bummer because I would totally spring for a book 2. Definitely worth picking up this story!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
huge thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
🌱🔷🔸
happy release day!
so here's the thing, i probably had way too high of expectations for this book and then they got completely skewed halfway through. because at the start, i think i was having a good time. azure and his employee x boss old lady dynamic was genuinely fantastic and his humor was great for the vibes. and then everything went downhill. like the plot was there and i felt as if the ending was like we slightly forgot the rest of the book. i wish i could chalk it up to this not being my genre but i've been more into cyberpunk thrillers lately and i fear it was just this book. i do think james islington's writing in this was good but the will of the many's writing was better. it is a very fast read though! just a fast read with a dubious ending.
: pre review
no because getting this arc makes me feel super cool and like 🤙🤙
🌱🔷🔸
happy release day!
so here's the thing, i probably had way too high of expectations for this book and then they got completely skewed halfway through. because at the start, i think i was having a good time. azure and his employee x boss old lady dynamic was genuinely fantastic and his humor was great for the vibes. and then everything went downhill. like the plot was there and i felt as if the ending was like we slightly forgot the rest of the book. i wish i could chalk it up to this not being my genre but i've been more into cyberpunk thrillers lately and i fear it was just this book. i do think james islington's writing in this was good but the will of the many's writing was better. it is a very fast read though! just a fast read with a dubious ending.
: pre review
no because getting this arc makes me feel super cool and like 🤙🤙
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