Kel Cheris, with Jedao's memories sharing her brain, is seeking to destroy the greatest threat to the new calendar, which makes exotic effects contingent on the consent of the people targeted. That's the Nerai Hexarch, Kujen, whose immortality depends on maintaining the old calendar. (Yes, third book of a trilogy. Don't start here. Start with Ninefox Gambit; then Raven Strategem. You won't regret it.)
Kujen has created his own Jedao, who doesn't remember anything past age 17, but despite not having his memories, does seem to have the abilities he's told he has. Unfortunately, the fleet and the soldiers he's placed in command have to obey him, but they are free to hate him, because of a shocking massacre he committed but, of course, has no memory of.
Jedao also quickly learns that, outwardly friendly as he seems, Kujen is a brutal tyrant. The more he learns of current conditions, more than four centuries after the last memories he has of his prior life, the more committed he becomes to stopping Kujen, rather than completing the mission Kujen has given him.
Cheris, assorted servitors, and reluctant allies among the Compact forces Cheris is working with, all have a their goal destroying Kujen, also.
The question is, will they wind up working together, or defeating each other, leaving Kujen the victor?
This is an excellent conclusion to the trilogy, and an excellent story in itself.
Unfortunately, I listened to the audiobook.
The narrator has the ability to speak clearly and effectively, in a carrying tone that cuts through background noise, essential in listening to an audiobook in many circumstances. Unfortunately, she does that only with dialog. Much of the book is read very softly, with the result that, in practice, I needed my earpiece in at all times in order to listen to it--which meant I could only listen to it when it was comfortable and convenient to do that. It added a regrettable level of frustration to what was otherwise a very good book.
I bought this audiobook.
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