The Emperor's Edge by Lindsay Buroker

Stuck in a patriarchal society, all Amaranthe Lokdon has ever wanted to do is be a good enforcer (essentially a police officer), doing her job and getting the occasional promotion like everyone else. Easily one of the best enforcers around, Amaranthe finds herself stuck with the rookies. After an impressive display of justice the emperor just happens to see, she suddenly finds herself with the opportunity she needs. All she has to do is complete one simple task: beat the notorious assassin Sicarius at his own game. But with more going on than Amaranthe ever thought possible, it's not long before she finds out who the true enemy is.
The first thing I noticed about this book was the superb writing. It made me realize how long it's been since I've read a really really good book. When I pick a book to read I usually disregard the writing style completely (unless it's absolutely atrocious), so it was a pleasant surprise to see the story unfold with such beautiful writing, and even better: the plot was great as well. The story was incredibly engaging and I stayed up way later than I should have to finish it. The only problem I noticed about the story was that there were almost a bit too many near escapes made on the part of Amaranthe, but she is quick witted enough for this not to be too big of a flaw. My favorite part however was not the writing or the plot, but the characters. Amaranthe is a truly intelligent woman, which made me realize how many of the other books I've read are inconsistant with intelligence level (i.e. when characters figure out a bunch of difficult things and then get stuck on the most obvious bits of all). Buroker also managed to pull of Amaranthe's intelligence level without making it totally unrealistic and making her all-powerful (though it was a bit of a close call with the almost excessive amount of escapes from near death experiences). My second favorite part about Amaranthe is that she is almost OCD. That truly shocked me (and excited me at the same time). I don't usually see authors include such specific character information like that unless it's totally essential to the character (which it was not in this case. She could have made it through the story events without that bit of OCD perfectly fine). But it's not just Amaranthe who Buroker portrays in such depth, it is the majority of the characters. They each have their own distinct personalities that make them so lovable (or hatable). Another thing I admire about the characters: none of them are completely helpless. I appreciated that most in one particular character that I won't spoil for you.
All in all: Fantastic book. I think most people (at least anyone who likes any of the other books I've reviewed) would enjoy this immensely. I only hope I can find another book just as good (of course that's after I read the rest of the books in the series).