First published 1992
Gabriel commands absolute authority as one of the Aristoi, the ruling elite who govern a vast interstellar civilization with power that surpasses any ancient despot. Their glittering culture spans the stars, maintained through their unquestioned dominion over human space. When assassins strike down a fellow Aristoi, Gabriel discovers cracks spreading through the very foundations of their society. The murder exposes something far more dangerous than political upheaval. Gabriel learns that his own position, and perhaps the entire structure of their civilization, may be built upon the most massive deception in human history. To protect himself and preserve the interstellar order from collapse, Gabriel must abandon the comfort of his privileged position. His quest drives him into regions of barbarism and chaos, far from the refined centers of Aristoi power. There, stripped of his usual advantages, Gabriel faces the ultimate challenge of recovering his own lost humanity, the very thing his class may have sacrificed to maintain their rule.
Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, adventure, political-thriller
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Aristoi, Human Space
Period: Interstellar
448 pages · Hardcover · Tor Books