Rating: 
Summary: Good book & every reason to think the sequel will be better.
Review: I'd give this book a higher rating except that I anticipate that the sequel, due out in early '98 will be even better. Tis clear that "An Exchange of Hostages" was primarily laying ground work, and there's every reason to expect that the story is poised to kick into some serious action with the follow-up. It's always kind of fun to try and guess where an author is headed and I believe that the graphic description of physical and psychological brutality, which might on a cursory reading seem to be the focus of the first book, is a red-herring. The protagonist, is portrayed as possessing an extremely rare combination of qualities (or rare, we are told, within the context of Matthew's imagined society): an institutional torturer who has not become desensitized, which makes him more, not less, effective, more of a monster, and far more dangerous; an aristocrat from a family with a tradition of service; an Inquisitor who is as capable of extraordinary acts of healing as of destruction; a man who has earned the wary respect of both his masters and his slaves. The author has introduced us to Koscuisko's adversaries, both in the person of his fellow student, Mergau, (who will likely serve as a catalyst for a wider conflict) and in the very nature of the society that oppresses them all. Given the broad powers of the Writ she has handed her protagonist, Matthews has set the stage (potentially, in any event) to transform Koscuisko into a true revolutionary with the power to shake his society and the grim order of the day to its foundations
Rating: 
Summary: The Torturer as a Hero
Review:
There are a number of plot synopsises above,
so I will just list my opinion of the book here.
Unlike Gene Wolf's central character in "The Shadow of the
Torturer", there is little to redeem Koscuisko. He is simply a
monster with a human face. He cares about his slaves and his victims.
By showing us his human character, Matthews is showing us that the
camp commandant is actually a good family man. Not once in this book
does Koscuisko rebel against the system and refuse to take part in the
atrocity of his world. As I read this book, I kept wondering who the
author was. She writes well. What motivated her to write a book with
such a dark and demented story line? I believe that the sadistic
impulse lives in all of us, but to write this book Ms. Matthews must
have gazed deeply into this dark well. The brief biography on the
back cover of the book describes Ms. Matthews as "an army brat". Did
her upbringing give her a taste for authoritarian societies? The
story line in "An Exchange of Hostages" is unfinished and the
book is clearly the first book in a series. But after wading through
such a dark work, I suspect that few readers may return for more. I
certainly will not.
Rating:
Summary: Flawed but interesting first novel
Review: This was okay... not awful not great. It's set in a distant future, in which an *extremely* unpleasant interstellar society enforces its rule through Inquirers -- carefully trained judicial torturers. The book follows one such student torturer through his course work, to graduation. The student is actually a rather nice fellow who doesn't at all want to be there -- he's been forced into it by his family, as punishment -- but it turns out that he has a real aptitude for the work... Pro, an interesting character study, and an intriguing picture of a good man in a thoroughly unjust world, somewhat reminiscent of Kafka or Dostoevsky. Con, it's about 20,000 words too long; relies on melodrama just a bit too much; and -- dammit -- turns out to be the first book in a series. I HATE it when they do that to us.
Personally I think Gene Wolfe explored this material better in the character of Severian the Torturer in the "New Sun" books. But if someone would edit this woman a little more strongly, she could be good. One to watch.
Rating: 
Summary: Dr. Torquemada M.D.
Review: "An Exchange of Hostages" is technically well written, but flawed in plot and characterization.
The story is set in an intergalactic society with an institutionalized Inquisition. Torture is legal form of evidence gathering. A twist is that only military, medical doctors are licensed as inquisitors.
The story revolves around a brilliant, young doctor consigned to the medical corps by his aristocratic-familial duty, finds he has a Torquemada streak.
In the story, except for the main character none of the other characters resolve themselves. The background society also remains unresolved, despite constant references to political movements and ethnic divisions. The gothic atmosphere of torture, substance abuse, political intrigue, veiled and unveiled homosexuality got boring in their detail.
What really annoyed me, is the story did not end. The book is the first part of a who-knows-how-many installment series. The jacket liner blurbs do not state this. I had a hard time reading the first part, I'm going to save my money when "Dr. Torquemada:Part II" is published..
Rating: 
Summary: Excerpt available
Review: An excerpt from the first chapter of my book is available at avonbooks.com.
"Prisoner of Conscience," which follows "An Exchange of Hostages," is due out from Avon Books in early 1998.
Thanks for stopping by!
Rating: 
Summary: An eerie and compelling read!
Review: A shockingly dark story, shot through with the momentary bright light of human caring and loyalty. If you are tired of the same old stuff, you should read Susan Matthews' An Exchange of Hostages. In addition to an unusual theme and subject matter, you will be treated to intensely realistic characters, capable of surprising you -- and themselves! It includes dialogue that crackles and dilemmas you will thank God you don't have to face. I was intrigued and impressed by this book and hope to see a sequel to find out what happens to these characters . . . and what further darkness Matthews will dig up and lay bare
Rating:
Summary: The beginning of a great career, More PLEASE!
Review: As with the rest of the reviewers, I too was repelled while being compelled to keep reading. The character development is stunning. The detail is incredible. The casual way the rest of this world construct is mentioned shows deep research and many more books of information tucked away inside Ms. Matthews notebooks or her head. (New paragraph)
I am reminded of the White Gold Wielder, a character well draw, an anti-hero but the author did not make me like him, no matter what good he did. Ms. Matthews made me care about this young noble man and his servants, and even his teachers. I look forward to other adventures, other books, other characters of this misguided culture.
Rating:
Summary: The story is the reverse of "Young Hero" folk tales
Review: An Exchange of Hostages by Susan R. Matthews
( New Paragraph )
Before anything else I must say this is a very, very good book. . Its well written, clean, and clear. It tells a straight forward, well defined story with a clear beginning and a clear end. The author tells the story from many different viewpoints: the protagonist and no less than five supporting characters. Each of these people are clearly distinct and real individuals; with their own goals, priorities and background. ( New Paragraph )
I spent more time analyzing why I liked this book, then I did in reading several lesser novels. This book is nearly a complete reversal of the "Young Hero" story, where an obscure youth becomes a great champion. The hero of the story, Andrej Ulexeievitch Koscuisko, is more like a young Alexander, destined for greatness. He is the eldest son of a Ranking Prince, due to inherit control of a major corporation. ( New Paragraph )
The Fleet school for ship surgeons is also a reversal. It does not create responsible, conscientious, disciplined healers, but callous sociopaths. A Ship's Surgeon's main responsibility is not healing but torturing. ( New Paragraph )
Andrej finds himself nearly as trapped in the system as a bond-involuntary. Andrej is pledged to serve the Fleet for the next 8 years.
We see Andrej's changes and experiences through not only his eyes, but that of his Tutor, two of the Fleet's slaves, a fellow student, and a doctor. ( New Paragraph )
Despite the setting and the premise, the story is fascinating. Its rich in detail and believability. There have been several other torturers in Science Fiction books, but this one is the most three dimensional. ( New Paragraph )
This book calls out for a sequel, but I'm afraid of where it will lead. Will our hero continue his fall from the heavens? Or break into gibbering pieces? Or cause the death of millions, and the destruction of order?
Rating:
Summary: You won't want to come up for air!
Review: This is an AMAZING book! This is one of those books that keeps you reading till four in the morning, one of those books that draws you in so deep that NOTHING but reading it matters. DO NOT start reading this book until and unless you've got the time to dive in--because once you enter these strange, dark waters, you won't be coming up for air. You won't want to.
Susan R. Matthews has managed to create a most impossible hero, one who is, by circumstances, forced to engage in the most dreadful deeds (this book is not for those with weak stomachs), one who learns that he, like so many of us, has a gift for doing dreadful deeds. And yet, with every terrible step, this protagonist has the intelligence, strength and grace to remain a true HERO. This is an incredibly well written book, an exploration of the blackest, darkest and, simultaniously, paradoxically, brightest realms of human psychology. READ THIS BOOK!
Rating:
Summary: A review about a book you will hate to love.
Review: All good stories make their readers regret reaching the last page. However, the best stories produce daydreams about their characters long after the last page is turned; daydreams about how these imaginary companions would behave if placed in fantasies created in a reader's head. "An Exchange of Hostages" presents a conundrum to its readers. Why? Because this story will make its readers delight and revel in the character development and training of a professional torturor and will then make the reader want more. Susan Matthews has managed to create a bizarre "coming of age" novel about a young surgeon forced by the dictates of family honor and pride to serve in an intergalactic military fleet which has more need for his skill in inflicting pain rather than his skill in alleviating it. This novel examines pain in depth; the mental pain of the one learning to enjoy inflicting pain and the physical pain of the one who must submit to it. Like Dante's Inferno, the reader is taken one level at a time towards more and more extreme acts of controlled violence until a horrendous destination within the human psyche is reached. Matthews guides each step with an unerring eye upon the delicate balance between fascination and revulsion. Her main character, Andrej Koscuisko, is as introspective as any Russian character in any Russian play and Matthews pulled no punches when she wrote of his physical and mental reactions to his admittedly vile training. She has managed to keep the character sympathetic by juxtaposing his reactions to the even viler reactions of those undergoing the same training. The end of the novel coincides with the end of his training and leaves the reader wondering how young Koscuisko will make use of his newfound talents in the big, wide, nasty universe. This reader hopes that Matthews' second novel will be just as disturbing as the first, even though there was a tinge of self disgust present for enjoying the first novel so much
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