Book Review – A Judgement of Powers by Benedict Jacka
A Judgement of Powers by Benedict Jacka
Fantasy | Adult | 341 pages
Published on 4 November 2025 by Orbit Books
Synopsis
In a world where magic is controlled by wealthy families and vast corporations, one young man will need all the help he can get in this riveting contemporary fantasy from the author of the Alex Verus novels.
Stephen Oakwood’s ambitions used to be simple. Pay his bills, track down his father, and take care of his cat. Maybe study a little magic after work, if he had time.
Now it’s a year later and he’s got everything he wanted. But it’s come with a price.
The Winged, a mysterious group involved with his father, have noticed Stephen, and they want him to join them or else. His career as a corporate locator has hit a dead end. And his new job as bodyguard to Calhoun Ashford is proving a lot more lethal than expected due to assassination attempts from outside the House, and possibly also from within.
To survive, Stephen’s going to need allies of his own. And along the way, he’s going to have to figure out the secret of his own gift, and what it means. The cults, Houses, and corporations of the magical world are locked in an endless battle for dominance, and Stephen is beginning to realise that he’s going to have to pick a side… before someone else picks it for him.
My rating:
Review
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I’m having such a good time with this very readable series. It’s very accessible and I’m enjoying the urban fantasy elements a lot – I really need this genre to reemerge!
Stephen being young and figuring out both his life but the politics of those around him works well as a main character. It’s perhaps a little simplistic in places, but it’s well done in that he’s having to fight or work for everything and there’s lots of moving pieces around him – a lot of which don’t actually revolve around him. I really enjoyed how many people pointed that out to Stephen actually! And in this one he’s spending even more time in his head debating moralities, possibilities and motivations, which isn’t always the most riveting read.
The pacing is fast enough to make it a quick read while getting a lot done. However, I would love to have more in each book, they’re definitely part of a greater whole and the small number of smaller resolutions didn’t really satisfy enough.
By far the best parts were time spent with Colin and Ivy, and to a lesser degree getting a level of resolution about his dad. His friends and their mission was something I could have happily had more of.
Will be looking forward to book, but also hoping it’s a bit longer! 3.5 stars.
Buy A Judgement of Powers by Benedict Jacka from Waterstones or Blackwells.
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