A review by walford
An Exchange of Hostages by Susan R. Matthews

4.0

Second reading (I'm not much for rereading: too many new books) and it's as good I remembered. Good, bad, and in-between people struggling to survive in an evil empire. Matthews' affection and respect for her characters shines through always and makes the grimness bearable. Great depth, consistency, and texture to her world.
That said, you will love or hate this series based on how you feel about our protagonist the unwilling/willing torturer and his relationships with the slaves who love and abet him.
For myself, I'm going to reread the whole series.