3 Stars for Potential
To say I was excited to jump into Scion is a massive understatement. I completely inhaled The Will of the Many—it was stunning and worth every single minute—so my expectations coming into James Islington’s latest were sky-high. Unfortunately, while it has its moments, this one left me wanting more.
Clocking in at just 240 pages, the story felt a bit underbaked overall. The narrative carries a surprisingly lighthearted, witty tone, which creates an odd contrast with the main character’s morally grey choices. While the central plot is engaging and the twists—though predictable—were still satisfying, the short page count really hampered the depth of the book. I struggled to get invested in the setting; the worldbuilding felt underdeveloped, making it difficult to fully visualize the environment or navigate the lore.
Character development suffered a similar fate. I never quite formed a strong connection to the cast, as their relationships and personal arcs needed more breathing room. Because the tone leaned so light despite the heavy circumstances, there was very little tension, making the entire narrative feel far lower-stakes than it could have been. Even with such a brief page count, the pacing managed to lag in places, and the ending left me feeling disappointed by the lack of direct closure (though I assume this is setting up a multi-book series).
That said, I can still see what Islington was striving for here, and the potential is definitely present. I’m giving this book a solid 3 stars, and I will be picking up book two simply to see where the story goes and what choices the characters make next!
