The Last Contract of Isako

★ AN INSTANT USA TODAY AND INDIE BESTSELLER! ★

A battle-worn corporate samurai undertakes one last mission on a merciless planet where death is always a mere breath away, in this standalone science fiction 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.

★ “Fonda Lee is a master of genre-bending adventure, and I couldn’t wait to see where she'd take this mix of high stakes corporate gamesmanship and space colonization. I wasn't disappointed. The Last Contract of Isako may be her best work yet.” —James S. A. Corey, New York Times bestselling author of The Expanse series

★ “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. I loved every minute.” —Rebecca Roanhorse, New York Times bestselling author of Black Sun

★ “A knife-sharp intense dystopian ride—this is Fonda Lee at her very best. A gritty, heartfelt, and explosive masterpiece.” —Tasha Suri, World Fantasy Award-winning author of the Burning Kingdoms trilogy