Daw Books 2013. Hardback with dust jacket, 374 pp
Civil war on the world of the atevi is over but diplomatic disputes and
political infighting continue unabated. Bren Cameron, brilliant human
diplomat allied with the dominant Western Association, has just returned
to the capital from his country home. But his sojourn was anything but
restful, for Bren and his associates have had a small war of their own
to contend with, ending with rebel leader, Machigi, joining the atevi
congress representing the rebels as a member state. Machigi, to Bren's
utter shock, has invoked an ancient law, changing Bren's role as
negotiator for Tabini-aiji, Ilisidi, and other leaders of the Western
Association to that of a specialized, entirely neutral negotiator
between atevi adversaries. Tabini-aiji is enraged to have lost his
personal negotiator, and Bren is becoming embroiled in a development
that could result in his assassination. But there are even more
dangerous things afoot, as a crisis brews inside the immensely dangerous
Assassins' Guild. The recent dustup with the Shadow Guild may be only
the beginning.