In the world of the Ex-Pacifist, The Matsumotos run the largest empire.  All the Matsumoto cousins are trained as ambassadors and their number one rule is that they must not commit any violence, even to protect their own lives.  Vera and her guard are sent on their first mission but it goes very badly by the emperor’s standards and expects to be sentenced to death.

Instead, she and a new guardian, Roman, are sent off to see what happened to her cousin Denise, who disappeared while investigating odd happenings on a planet outside of the empire.  She is given two weeks to find Denise or the fleet will attack the planet and she face a death sentence again.

The book is very well written in a style that I would classify as dystopian sci-fi with young adult characters.  Since the teens have very adult responsiblities, it doesn’t completely feel like a typical YA book.

I look forward to reading other books in the Matsumoto trilogy.