Well into the Administration series, the muted, every day terror of the dystopia in which Toreth and Warrick live is abruptly changed. A successful revolt against the Administration leaves Toreth beaten and waiting to die in one of the very cells he used to put his own prisoners in. Through cleverness and sheer stubborn will, Toreth and Warrick manage to survive the machinations of those who would put an end to I&I. Rooting for the sociopath torturer and his sociopath friends against liberal resistors feels uneasy, and Francis never makes it easy for the reader. Lots of twists, turns, manipulation and narrow escapes, plus further deepening of the trust between Toreth and Warrick.