Andrej Koscuisko is a former Fleet Medical Officer for the enormous totalitarian star empire, the Jurisdiction. But when he served in the Fleet, Andrej’s real job was not medicine, but to act as a torturer. Years ago, he left that life behind. But now The Angel of Death, a savage terrorist organization, means to capture the system he calls home. The only way to bring down an organization that has slain whole systems of men, women, and children is for Andrej to embrace the savagery in his own heart and once again take on the role of Judicial torturer. "A very satisfying entry in a very scary series!"—Janis Ian "Starting with , I Susan R. Matthews 'Koscuisko' novels—all six of them—when they first appeared. Books with this much courage, clarity, and empathy are rare. The Under Jurisdiction series is a remarkable and unprecedented accomplishment.”—Stephen R. Donaldson, best-selling author of the Thomas Covenant series. “[Matthews] brilliantly uses science fiction’s freedom of creation to make a world in which she can explore deep moral conflicts.”— “. . . has a dark energy . . . an extremely compelling read.”— “A chilling and engaging novel of false accusation and the power of personal responsibility.”— on “A tightly woven space opera full of grand heroic gestures and characters strong enough to sustain all the action.”—