Returning to her Judiciary universe, Matthews tells the story of Andrej Koscuisco and Ragnarok, the Fleet ship he commands. Because of a fatal training accident, part of Ragnarok's crew is in danger of becoming scapegoats for corruption in the Fleet. Andrej, who is also the ship's inquisitor, is returning home to visit his wife and the child he hasn't seen in many years. Ragnarok's acting captain sends the crew on leave with Andrej so they won't be arrested. Meanwhile, she is going to find out what is really going on. Leave with Andrej is anything but quiet, though, as someone was desperate enough to forge a bench warrant for his death. Naturally, he wants to know who. Eventually, matters become entwined, and in-Fleet corruption is brought to the surface in the midst of a power stuggle to elect a new first judge in the Judiciary. A tightly woven space opera full of grand heroic gestures and characters strong enough to sustain all the action. Regina Schroeder
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved