This is the story of a young nobleman named Andrej Koscuisko. He’s a member
of the nobility on one of the planets of a star empire called the
Jurisdiction. As the name implies, power in the Jurisdiction is held by
the judiciary rather than by an executive or legislative body. The
Bench’s decisions are enforced by the Fleet. Trial for criminal
wrong-doing is by inquisition, accompanied by torture; the point of the
torture is twofold, to elicit confessions and to deter other criminals.
As a result, the Jurisdiction is always in need of skilled inquisitors.

Due to the practical difficulties involved in using torture as a way of
gathering information, it’s required that all inquisitors have medical
training. It so happens that our hero recently graduated first in his
class from the best medical school in the Jurisdiction. His father (for
reasons that are never explained) has insisted that he go to Fleet
Medical Orientation Station, there to learn how to be an
inquisitor/torturer. The book covers the time he spends in training.

I have mixed feelings about this book. It kept me reading, and there are
many interesting, well-drawn characters; Andrej’s personal development
through the course of the book is particularly well described.

But…. there are many extremely unpleasant scenes. This is not a book
for the squeamish. Only my concern for the characters kept me reading.

But…. The folks in charge of the Orientation Station are portrayed as
being kind, thorough, decent men and women who truly care about their
charges, low and high…and yet they have dedicated their lives to
training torturers. Why?

But…. after chapters of extremely painful material, the book just kind
of ends. There’s no satisfactory resolution; young Andrej simply goes
off to be a torturer.

In short, I fail to see the point of this book. It was undeniably
interesting, but after putting up with all the pain I had hoped for a
better payoff. Matthews is an author to watch, but I can’t recommend
this particular book. Unless, that is, you like to read detailed
descriptions of blood and gore.