The People's Republic of Haven made a tiny mistake when it announced the execution of Honor Harrington. Now Honor has escaped from the prison planet called Hell and returned to the Manticoran Alliance with almost half a million freed prisoners. Her return from the dead comes at a critical time, providing a huge, much-needed lift for the war is rapidly entering a decisive phase and Honor Harrington, the woman the newsies call "the Salamander", once more finds herself at the heart of them all. But this time, the furnace may be too furious for even a salamander to survive.