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A battle-worn corporate samurai undertakes one last mission on a merciless planet where death is always a mere breath away, in this standalone dystopian epic from the author of the modern fantasy classic Jade City.
Live by the code. Die by the knife.
Isako is a legendary swordswoman, but every legend must come to an end. When her long-time client unexpectedly retires, she plans to follow—to walk out into the frozen wasteland of their planet with her head held high and her family enriched by her death. But when she's offered a final mission, she can't refuse, especially when she realizes who lies at the center of it all: Martim, her last—and worst—apprentice, who's somehow made his way to the top. As she's thrust into a world of corporate espionage and shadowy secrets, what she uncovers could forever change humanity's existence among the stars.
The Last Contract of Isako is epic science fiction like only Fonda Lee can write it—set in a world where money trumps loyalty, the elite have the power to extend life or end it, and one woman in the twilight of her calling must decide what's ultimately worth living—or dying—for.
"The story stands alone, but readers will be left hoping for future visits to this gorgeously crafted world." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Lee's latest stand-alone is an homage to those lost in the fallout of nefarious capitalist schemes. This complex space opera is a fast-paced ride of espionage and ruthless corporate samurai, featuring a delightful 50-something protagonist." ―Library Journal
"Lee's layered world building and surprising twists in this unusual dystopian setting will keep readers on edge as Isako moves from her years-long, work-obsessed isolation to reconnecting with family and friends prior to her (planned) demise. This standalone samurai sf stands out." ―Booklist
"This is fabulous, a tale mixing Blade Runner cool with crime-noir and Ronin codes of honor and vengeance. Beautifully drawn characters, a stark, chilling new world and a plot that grabs you and drags you from one page to the next, this is a must read. Fantastic in every way." ―John Gwynne, author of The Shadow of the Gods
"A compelling tale of corporate samurai on a terraforming colony grappling with duty, honor and a murder mystery with a hell of a twist. Lee brings effortless worldbuilding and truly heartfelt characters to a visually slick space opera that fans of the Green Bone Saga are absolutely going to eat up. Both action-packed and at turns meditative, I loved every minute." ―Rebecca Roanhorse, New York Times bestselling author of Black Sun
This information about The Last Contract of Isako was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Fonda Lee is an award-winning and New York Times bestselling fantasy and science fiction author. Her modern epic, the Green Bone Saga, has been translated into fifteen languages and was named one of Time magazine's 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time. She is also the author of the novella Untethered Sky and several young adult novels: Zeroboxer, the Exo duology, and, cowritten with Shannon Lee, the Breathmarked duology. Fonda is a winner of the World Fantasy Award and the Locus Award, as well as a six-time winner of the Aurora Award and a finalist for the Nebula Award and the Hugo Award. A former corporate strategist and black belt martial artist, she hails from Canada and the Pacific Northwest and currently resides in New England.
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