Haze, a mysterious planet that lives up to its name in more than one way. Set far in the future after a war with Asia that America lost, there is an American who is a Security Agent for the Federation that controls everything and everyone. We get to share a very few of his previous assignments and the personal cost to him of each one. Then comes his assignment to scope out the planet Haze, where he encounters a world and people he never imagined. While I generally dislike books where separate stories are intertwined, Mr. Modesitt manages it seamlessly. A very good read.