Artemis McIvor is a stone-cold killer and a bibliophile. Raised on the library planet of Rebus, she has a love of books in a future where reading is a lost art. But unfortunately, her story doesn't end there. Artemis has been sentenced to incarceration for multiple murders and she's innocent of these, but guilty of many more which haven't yet come to light. Within days of arrival Artemis is planning her escape, but behind this is a darker strategy. She needs freedom to take revenge on those who have wronged her - and her vengeance is mighty indeed.

Yet when she is recaptured, she is faced with a surprising choice that turns out to be no choice at all. She'll have her liberty if she becomes a guerrilla warrior, fighting rebels targeting Earth. Despite being part of a motley crew of criminals and psychopaths, she'd be one of the good guys for the very first time, fighting a war that is all that stands between civilization and depravity. Or if she says no, it'll be the last decision she ever makes.