Hour of Judgment

Jurisdiction #4

by Susan R. Matthews

As Chief Medical Officer aboard the Jurisdiction Fleet Ship "Ragnarok, Andrei Koscuisko's duty is to care for his shipmates; as Inquisitor, to extract confessions and administer punishment. But while the doctor takes pride in his healing skills, the torturer knows only guilt and self-loathing. For years, Andrei has walked the razor's edge, struggling to hold the two sides of his nature apart -- and himself together.

As the "Ragnarok's crew readies the planet Burkhayden for the arrival of its new governor, the brutal attack on a Nurail slave woman by a ship's officer sets in motion a chain of events that culminates in murder. Summoned at first to minister to the injured woman, Andrei is soon pressed into duty as Inquisitor of the prime murder suspect: a gentle and unassuming Nurail gardener who had both motive and means to avenge his kinswoman. But Andrei is surrounded by powerful enemies, including two intelligence specialists who take a most unwelcome interest in his private affairs. In this minefield of intrigue and deception, where a single misstep means death, Andrei's always precarious equilibrium will be strained to the breaking point -- and beyond.

At once a rousing military adventure, a murder mystery, and a sophisticated portrait of one man's struggle to survive in a culture where duty and honor are irreconcilable, "Hour of Judgment confirms the arrival of Susan R. Matthews as a major SF talent.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Space Opera

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

After earning an undergraduate degree in psychology, Susan R. Matthews was commisioned into the United States Army, where she was the operations and security officer for a combat support hospital specializing in nuclear, biological, and radiological warfare. Currently working as an auditor for an aerospace manufacturer, Susan lives with her partner in Seattle, Washington.

Reviews

[Kelly (Maybedog) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have to say I didn't try very hard. I read the first chapter or two and then gave up because it was incredibly confusing, despite the fact that I'd read the first two books. But I'm kind of glad because I kind of hate myself for liking this series so far.

The book claims to be denouncing torture. The protagonist, Andrej, the torturer himself, believes this as the narration says blatantly on page 15, "Torture is terrorism." There is some discussion of the horror of torture. But the books aren't about torture. There's a murder mystery in here. Which is just disturbingly mundane when something so horrific as institutionalized torture is occurring. The books are also about what torture does to the torturer who opposes torture to an extent. Except that he hates it until he starts doing it and then he enjoys it and he hates this about himself. And then he emotionally punishes himself. Poor torturer. Somewhere (I can't find it now) someone says he is as tortured or more so than the souls he punished. Hunh, really? How about the ones he tortured at level 10 (the highest) which is to the death? This is institutionalized torture, with levels and protocols requiring the torture to go through levels before getting to the top level and death. Even the lower levels usually take days. Oh yes, much better to be the one on the rack, right?

There's no doubt in my mind that Matthews is a gifted storyteller and that she writes well and creates a convincing future world. It's a horrible universe, one that has no redeeming value that I can see. There isn't any hope, no real uprisings, no one going against the regime. And that makes a very bleak world to read about. The people are mostly icky, too, self-serving and power-hungry with the exception of Andrej's slaves, who pretty much worship him. (He's very wealthy but not allowed to buy out their bonds.)

So this time, for the first time, she tries to have some comic relief by inserting an elderly bat-like creature who has a gift for cunning. She doesn't really do aliens as well as some other things. And the humor is just not appropriate or maybe not appropriately applied. The subject is just too heavy for this humor to work. The moments with this creature felt like fan fiction, an oddity in this work that uses a very formal voice to fit the very formal environs.

It is frustrating that, even for SF, there is too much not explained in the first chapter to get more than a general idea what's going on. Many times I had to reread passages to even follow what was happening and I was still confused when I stopped.

The book probably does improve as you get into the mystery and figure out what they heck they're talking about. But frankly, I just don't want to give time to this awful world and this horrible situation. We got the point in the first book. More were unnecessary.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite good.

[Jamie Collins · Rating 1 out of 5]

This third book in the Jurisdiction series is poorly written. I skimmed over large, dull portions of it. It felt as if Kosciusko was hardly in it, and every scene suffered from his absence.

[Jason Bleckly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Under Jurisdiction series. The first two books focus on the use and abuse of power, this book takes a different tack. It’s central theme is law versus justice and how they are not the same thing, but it still has the underlying theme of abuse which is central to the Under Jurisdiction worldbuilding. A secondary theme, which started in the previous book but becomes more evident in this, is on colonialism and oppression of indigenous peoples. In the Under Jurisdiction universe humanity has evolved into a number of sub-species with the Nurail being a clear analogy of Native Americans.

This book takes another significant jump into the future. The protagonist, Andrej Koscuisko, Chief Medical Officer and Fleet Torturer, is now assigned to the Ragnarok and at the end of his eight year Fleet enlistment. A medical emergency gets Andrej sent to the planet Burkhayden to use his medical skills rather than his torturers skills. The planet is in transition from Jurisdiction control to corporate control without any local considerations, hence the colonialism theme.

But the central plotline is around two murders and how the Rule of Law and justice. The murders are justice, but against the Rule of Law. This creates psychological conflict amongst the various characters as they try to navigate the contradiction inherent in events of the plot.

I’m absolutely loving this series. It’s a masterclass in character analysis and motivation. The general storyline is a space opera/military SF hybrid. Each book since the first has been slowly expanding the Under Jurisdiction universe and increasing it’s complexity. In this book we also meet a new type actor called Bench Intelligence Specialists. They work direct for the Judicary in an extra-Judicial capacity. They are the loophole the Judiciary has as the Fleet controls all the Torturers.

[Juushika · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the one hand, this seems to begin the overarching plot of rebellion that I imagine will continue in the next book(s); on the other, the immediate plot concerning a Jurisdiction-committed crime and its well-deserved vengeance is surprisingly neat, even feel-good (within an admittedly warped context). But there's room for a shorter, neater book within a series--and if it doesn't do anything new with the protagonist's moral engagement with his flawed world, it's at least a tipping point for his commitment. The outside view of him through supporting characters is also interesting, although the villains are as hammy as ever and some of the PoVs could be dropped. A slight installment, but not unpleasant.

[AncsaT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kedvenc inkvizítorunk megint szenved egy sort, de mintha már kellően rutinos lenne, így nem annyira a lelkiismerete, mint inkább az aggodalom kínozza. Mondjuk a szituáció is egyértelműbb, nem kell gondolkodnia rajta, mi a helyes lépés, az annyira egyértelmű, hogy még az is egyetért vele, akinek őutána kell nyomoznia.
Ez le is vesz egy keveset a feszültségből, és majdnem azt mondanám, hogy kevésbé beteg, mint az előzőek, de a problémát kiváltó incidensben amit egy nővel tesznek..., nem teljesen értem, miért olvasok én ilyeneket, de valahol mégiscsak jól van megírva, mert a 4 csillagot minden lelki (és gyomor) háborgásom ellenére megérdemli szerintem.

[The Book Coyote · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series of books. This one wasn't quite as good as the others - for some reason it was a little confusing, and there were slow parts, but when it finally got down to what it was doing about halfway through, it was really great, and redeemed itself a lot.

I just wish these books were easier to find...I can't find them at my local library or at Barnes and Noble...

[Yves · Rating 3 out of 5]

Complex, compelling, but ultimately the moral flip-flops written up as futurist and oligarchy-family influences just crossed the line for me … the line defining a human being.

Still a good read but when the reader is made to disbelieve, the story becomes contrived.

The author still good, no question, so no negatives on the story. The reader here - me - stopped agreeing with the construct.

[Kirk Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a somewhat engaging read, but not as invested in ethical difficulties as the first two books; at this point I started to feel a little self-loathing for not reading something more literary, but I was addicted.

[Lisa Feld · Rating 3 out of 5]

Matthews has a tough row to hoe with this book. On the upside, a lot of characters who are going to be important to the story meet for the first time, and certain essential plot points are introduced. But the first book involved the total shattering and rebuilding of the main character's psyche, and the second focused on genocide and insurrection. It's hard not to see this quieter book as a let-down after that. But I think it's important to have smaller stakes for a story where Andrej comes up against his limits: what he will and won't do, given the desires and rules that make up his everyday life.

[ambyr · Rating 3 out of 5]

In which someone is murdered for revenge, someone tortured in an attempted cover up, and a third person killed to close the case. And that's just what the good guys do.

I know this is dark book, but on reread, I couldn't help laughing most of the way through. It's such a perfect storm of bad judgment and wrong place, wrong time, the irony burns. Come on: the protagonist seriously contemplates killing all of his friends and loved ones to keep them "safe"--before he belatedly realizes he can just kill the person threatening them. How can you not laugh?

[Skaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a series for the faint of heart. I read this book without reading the first two, which made it a little confusing.

The main character is an interrogator in a future world where torture is part of the judicial process. He is caught between the two halves of himself - the man of conscience who hates torture and his darker half who enjoys it. His struggle makes him a sympathetic character as does his efforts to do the right thing, but the torture makes it difficult to read. Still, he is a compelling protagonist and one day I will probably read the whole series.

[Annii · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series of books. This one wasn't quite as good as the others - for some reason it was a little confusing, and there were slow parts, but when it finally got down to what it was doing about halfway through, it was really great, and redeemed itself a lot.

I just wish these books were easier to find...I can't find them at my local library or at Barnes and Noble...

[Annii Frazer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series of books. This one wasn't quite as good as the others - for some reason it was a little confusing, and there were slow parts, but when it finally got down to what it was doing about halfway through, it was really great, and redeemed itself a lot.

I just wish these books were easier to find...I can't find them at my local library or at Barnes and Noble...

[Aine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series of books. This one wasn't quite as good as the others - for some reason it was a little confusing, and there were slow parts, but when it finally got down to what it was doing about halfway through, it was really great, and redeemed itself a lot.

I just wish these books were easier to find...I can't find them at my local library or at Barnes and Noble...

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly compelling plot, simply couldn't put it down. This one is less character driven and more plot driven. Loved this quote: "a woman's knees stopped flexing quite so nimbly somewhere between knowledge and wisdom."

[Ann-catherine Mörner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read it more than once. I am sorry it wasn't published 25 years earlier.

[Juliana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this series, strange as it is.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good as always; Susan R. Matthews is a terrific writer and an original thinker.

[Rachel]

Shockingly moving????? I really like the worldbuilding, some things mentioned in book one only now in this one explained... could do with less white people and evil gays. I like the bat alien.