This is one of the compulsively readable books, though in itself I don't think the story is one of the better ones. A little like Elena's major encounter in The Warrior's Apprentice, this is a plot which requires Miles to "just happen" to meet someone with a massive plot impact - in some fairly minor system - not once, but twice. Illyan's attitude toward Miles is also a little drama-convenient, since it really makes no sense for Miles to have not been marked for ImpSec covert activities early on - he has all the qualities Illyan should be looking for as a lone operative (rather than a junior working with a not-particularly-creative rules-stickler senior operative).I still stayed up ridiculously late finishing it though.
