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The Last Contract of Isako
Not yet published
Expected 5 May 26Get ready to be blown away by this searing standalone space opera where corporate samurai fight beneath merciless stars, and death is always a mere breath away.
Isako is a legendary swordswoman, but every legend has to 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 legacy. But when a competitor offers her a final mission, it's one she can't refuse. Soon, she's thrust deep into a world of corporate espionage, duty-bound duels, and shadowy secrets. What she uncovers will change humanity's existence in the stars forever.
The Last Contract of Isako is the space opera you didn't know you needed: corporate samurai... in space. This is the first adult science fiction novel from the award-winning author of Jade City.
Isako is a legendary swordswoman, but every legend has to 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 legacy. But when a competitor offers her a final mission, it's one she can't refuse. Soon, she's thrust deep into a world of corporate espionage, duty-bound duels, and shadowy secrets. What she uncovers will change humanity's existence in the stars forever.
The Last Contract of Isako is the space opera you didn't know you needed: corporate samurai... in space. This is the first adult science fiction novel from the award-winning author of Jade City.
528 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication May 5, 2026
84 people are currently reading
31662 people want to read
About the author
Fonda Lee
41 books8,325 followersFonda Lee is the World Fantasy Award-winning author of the epic Green Bone Saga, beginning with Jade City and continuing in Jade War and Jade Legacy. Her most recent work is the fantasy novella, Untethered Sky. She is also the author of the acclaimed science fiction novels Zeroboxer, Exo and Cross Fire.
Fonda is a winner of the Locus Award, a six-time winner of the Aurora Award (Canada’s national science fiction and fantasy award), and a multiple finalist for the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award. Her novels have garnered multiple starred reviews, been included on numerous state reading lists, named Junior Library Guild selections, and appeared on Best of Year lists from NPR, Barnes & Noble, Syfy Wire, and others. Jade City was named among the Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time by Time Magazine and has been optioned for television development.
Fonda is a former corporate strategist and black belt martial artist who loves action movies and Eggs Benedict. Born and raised in Canada, she currently resides in Boston.
Fonda is a winner of the Locus Award, a six-time winner of the Aurora Award (Canada’s national science fiction and fantasy award), and a multiple finalist for the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award. Her novels have garnered multiple starred reviews, been included on numerous state reading lists, named Junior Library Guild selections, and appeared on Best of Year lists from NPR, Barnes & Noble, Syfy Wire, and others. Jade City was named among the Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time by Time Magazine and has been optioned for television development.
Fonda is a former corporate strategist and black belt martial artist who loves action movies and Eggs Benedict. Born and raised in Canada, she currently resides in Boston.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
February 21, 2026
It feels so good to have Fonda Lee back! I enjoyed this, but I do think readers may need to adjust expectations for it.
The “corporate samurai” marketing for the book gives the impression (or at least it did for me) that this was going to be heavier on the action and just have a level of high “excitement” to it overall. That’s defintely sprinkled in here, but it’s not the focus at all. The Last Contract of Isako feels more like a careful and slower-paced scifi mystery where the characters just so happen to be samurai. In a lot of ways, the story is more quiet than it is flashy. And while I enjoyed the cast overall, I don’t think this is Fonda Lee’s strongest character work.
At the heart of the story, we follow Isako as she’s trying to unravel secrets about her former apprentice and, in the process, she’s also uncovering secrets about the corporate entity known simply as The Company that governs their planet. Every aspect of the world building here is great- the history of Aquilo, the differing beliefs between reunionists and terraformists, The Company’s divisions, the structure of the Agency and its contractors. All amazing.
My biggest issue here is defintely the pacing, particularly in the first half. Following Isako from place to place as she’s uncovering small leads and trying to unravel the mystery began to feel a bit slow going, but Fonda Lee has earned my full patience and trust (I’ll follow her anywhere atp), so I had no problem hanging in there as the story unfolded.
I don’t think The Last Contract of Isako is going to be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it! This is another hit for Fonda Lee and is a great scifi standalone.
The “corporate samurai” marketing for the book gives the impression (or at least it did for me) that this was going to be heavier on the action and just have a level of high “excitement” to it overall. That’s defintely sprinkled in here, but it’s not the focus at all. The Last Contract of Isako feels more like a careful and slower-paced scifi mystery where the characters just so happen to be samurai. In a lot of ways, the story is more quiet than it is flashy. And while I enjoyed the cast overall, I don’t think this is Fonda Lee’s strongest character work.
At the heart of the story, we follow Isako as she’s trying to unravel secrets about her former apprentice and, in the process, she’s also uncovering secrets about the corporate entity known simply as The Company that governs their planet. Every aspect of the world building here is great- the history of Aquilo, the differing beliefs between reunionists and terraformists, The Company’s divisions, the structure of the Agency and its contractors. All amazing.
My biggest issue here is defintely the pacing, particularly in the first half. Following Isako from place to place as she’s uncovering small leads and trying to unravel the mystery began to feel a bit slow going, but Fonda Lee has earned my full patience and trust (I’ll follow her anywhere atp), so I had no problem hanging in there as the story unfolded.
I don’t think The Last Contract of Isako is going to be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it! This is another hit for Fonda Lee and is a great scifi standalone.
anticipated-books
December 8, 2025_OMG 📢WE HAVE A COVER 🥶❤️.
my most anticipated book for 2026 😋
📢I NEED THE COVER
my most anticipated book for 2026 😋
📢I NEED THE COVER
March 3, 2026
I received a preview copy of this and ate it up in two nights. Absolutely stunning. Stars a badass samurai in sci-fi world you will root for from the start. Reads like a Bladerunner movie. Grab it!
Want to read
March 28, 2023I will read anything by Fonda Lee 😌
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.75 rounded up. rtc 🔜 closer to pub date per publishers request.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
੭୧ 3 stars . ۫
“ no one has beaten quickblade and strikebreaker together. not yet. ”
overall thoughts — the SHEER amount of energy, mental thinking, and intentionality it must have taken to write this book is so evident. the world-building, the setting, the characters, the plot, the action are all so insanely intricate and carefully woven together that i am in awe. fonda lee, the woman you are. she has said herself that this is her most difficult work yet, and for many reasons i completely agree. although, subjectively, i still preferred jade city, mainly because of the unmatched characters and family dynamics, it would be a lie to deny the apparent level of hard work, intelligence, and precision that went into this novel. the plot twist!! holyfreakingshit. genuinely the gag of the century.
i truly don't think i have ever, in all my years of book reviewing, been this conflicted about what rating to give a book. objectively, this is a five star read. but i read subjectively (always try to be as transparent as possible) and because of that, i find myself wanting to place this in the 3 to 4 star range. let me explain. firstly, i am not the biggest fan of pure sci-fi. however, with the right author, i can be convinced to try, and fonda lee is one of those authors. because of this, i struggled at times to fully enjoy the overarching idea, especially in the beginning, and found myself zoning out during certain parts of the novel. another reason the beginning was so difficult for me was because of how challenging it initially was to grasp the world-building and sci-fi concepts. if you go into this book and feel the same way at first, i urge you to push through. you will NOT regret it. everything eventually clicks into place, starts to make sense, takes form, and suddenly you are having the time of your life.
i also want to add that i didn't immediately click with the characters. relatability is something that is very important to any reader, so having characters mostly in the 40 to 70 age range was new and unfamiliar. but honestly, fuck relatability, because the comfort i ended up finding in these characters mattered so much more. once i got past the beginning, i completely fell in love with isako, martim, kob (not uchi), and their dynamics. the ending deserves its own moment because wow. it perfectly tied everything together and left my heart hurting just a little. i will miss isako and kob. my quickblade and strikebreaker <3
final thoughts — if you enjoy sci-fi even the slightest bit, this book is absolutely for you. fonda lee is one of my favorite authors, but i can also recognize that i might not be the target audience for this particular story. still, i consider myself a sensible person who can appreciate writing objectively, so please do not let my below four star rating dissuade you from picking up this gem!!! this book is also the reason i have such a fear of dnf'ing novels. my stupid hopeful self always believes a book that starts off badly might surprise me, and 99% of the time, that never happens. but this time, it actually did.
“ what freedom can people like us ever really have? ”
thank you to the author and publisher for the arc!
CW: intense/graphic violence, body horror, death, murder, blood
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
finished: 01/28/26
i'm spiraling. this was insane.
pre read: 01/25/26
oh fonda lee how i've missed your writing ☹ been waiting for this book for forever, it's beyond surreal that i get to read it early !! hoping this fills the void in me left by jade city.
“ no one has beaten quickblade and strikebreaker together. not yet. ”
overall thoughts — the SHEER amount of energy, mental thinking, and intentionality it must have taken to write this book is so evident. the world-building, the setting, the characters, the plot, the action are all so insanely intricate and carefully woven together that i am in awe. fonda lee, the woman you are. she has said herself that this is her most difficult work yet, and for many reasons i completely agree. although, subjectively, i still preferred jade city, mainly because of the unmatched characters and family dynamics, it would be a lie to deny the apparent level of hard work, intelligence, and precision that went into this novel. the plot twist!! holyfreakingshit. genuinely the gag of the century.
i truly don't think i have ever, in all my years of book reviewing, been this conflicted about what rating to give a book. objectively, this is a five star read. but i read subjectively (always try to be as transparent as possible) and because of that, i find myself wanting to place this in the 3 to 4 star range. let me explain. firstly, i am not the biggest fan of pure sci-fi. however, with the right author, i can be convinced to try, and fonda lee is one of those authors. because of this, i struggled at times to fully enjoy the overarching idea, especially in the beginning, and found myself zoning out during certain parts of the novel. another reason the beginning was so difficult for me was because of how challenging it initially was to grasp the world-building and sci-fi concepts. if you go into this book and feel the same way at first, i urge you to push through. you will NOT regret it. everything eventually clicks into place, starts to make sense, takes form, and suddenly you are having the time of your life.
i also want to add that i didn't immediately click with the characters. relatability is something that is very important to any reader, so having characters mostly in the 40 to 70 age range was new and unfamiliar. but honestly, fuck relatability, because the comfort i ended up finding in these characters mattered so much more. once i got past the beginning, i completely fell in love with isako, martim, kob (not uchi), and their dynamics. the ending deserves its own moment because wow. it perfectly tied everything together and left my heart hurting just a little. i will miss isako and kob. my quickblade and strikebreaker <3
isako + kobㆍ“ she wanted to bring him back into the edge life; he wanted to bring her out. they tried to save each other. what a couple of idiots. ”
final thoughts — if you enjoy sci-fi even the slightest bit, this book is absolutely for you. fonda lee is one of my favorite authors, but i can also recognize that i might not be the target audience for this particular story. still, i consider myself a sensible person who can appreciate writing objectively, so please do not let my below four star rating dissuade you from picking up this gem!!! this book is also the reason i have such a fear of dnf'ing novels. my stupid hopeful self always believes a book that starts off badly might surprise me, and 99% of the time, that never happens. but this time, it actually did.
“ what freedom can people like us ever really have? ”
thank you to the author and publisher for the arc!
CW: intense/graphic violence, body horror, death, murder, blood
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
finished: 01/28/26
i'm spiraling. this was insane.
pre read: 01/25/26
oh fonda lee how i've missed your writing ☹ been waiting for this book for forever, it's beyond surreal that i get to read it early !! hoping this fills the void in me left by jade city.
Want to read
November 20, 2025So ready for this to possibly be my new Sci-Fi obsession.
Read
November 5, 2025You had me at corporate samurais in space, but add a murder mystery with a surprising twist, effortless worldbuilding on a terraforming colony with a big secret, truly heartfelt characters grappling with duty and honor, and you have a slick space opera that in uniquely Fonda Lee. Fans of The Green Bone Saga are going to eat this up.
Want to read
December 21, 2025Oh she's (Fonda Lee) taking it (my direct deposit as soon as it hits my bank account)! ESPECIALLY WITH THIS COVER!!
ꨄ-remind-me-next-year
November 20, 2025WE HAVE A COVER!!
prepare to be sick of me when this comes out
prepare to be sick of me when this comes out
Want to read
December 6, 2025update 5 (11/21/25): WE HAVE A COVER!!!! the sci fi vibes are SERVING. clearly my most anticipated release of 2026. more genre-bending Fonda Lee with cyberpunk corporate samurais 😩
update 4 (11/19/25): Fonda Lee announcement about this book on her instagram!!
update 3: OH ITS A STANDALONE!!!!! WE HAVE A SCI FI MYSTERY STANDALONE FROM FONDA LEE!!
update 2: [did we get moved to 2026? its okay im okay]
update 1: CYBERPUNK SAMURAIS BY FONDA LEE!!!! p.s. sci fi mystery that’s starring a swordswoman in her 50s…
i am counting down the DAYS. Orbit please love me enough to send an ARC. I am also assuming this is a standalone so... I AM BEGGING
update 4 (11/19/25): Fonda Lee announcement about this book on her instagram!!
update 3: OH ITS A STANDALONE!!!!! WE HAVE A SCI FI MYSTERY STANDALONE FROM FONDA LEE!!
update 2: [did we get moved to 2026? its okay im okay]
update 1: CYBERPUNK SAMURAIS BY FONDA LEE!!!! p.s. sci fi mystery that’s starring a swordswoman in her 50s…
i am counting down the DAYS. Orbit please love me enough to send an ARC. I am also assuming this is a standalone so... I AM BEGGING
February 17, 2026
Another gem from Fonda Lee! Lee creates a world where water & oxygen are precious commodities and humans don’t have a basic right to them. If you can’t contribute to society, then the habitat is unable to support you. This easily could have turned into a rehashed sci fi critique of capitalism or mega corporations but Fonda Lee never disappoints. It felt closer to an exploration of how environment shapes society and society shapes people, although there was plenty of commentary on corporate power structure & personal greed.
My biggest problem with the book was structure/pacing. We experience the first chunk of the book from one characters POV and the tone is almost Agatha Christie murder mystery. The next chunk is from a different POV & is a flashback that fills in any gaps we might still have. Finally we jump back to the present where all our characters converge to try get justice. I was able to guess many of the clues early on so flashing back from another characters perspective often felt unnecessary. I would have been more interested in the dual POV being established from the beginning & switching back and forth each chapter.
My biggest problem with the book was structure/pacing. We experience the first chunk of the book from one characters POV and the tone is almost Agatha Christie murder mystery. The next chunk is from a different POV & is a flashback that fills in any gaps we might still have. Finally we jump back to the present where all our characters converge to try get justice. I was able to guess many of the clues early on so flashing back from another characters perspective often felt unnecessary. I would have been more interested in the dual POV being established from the beginning & switching back and forth each chapter.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5/5 rounded up
I received this arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I very much enjoyed The Greenbone Saga so when I got the chance to read Fonda Lee's take on a cyberpunk samurai standalone I lept at the chance.
Given I didn't know much going in I was pleasantly surprised to find a protagonist who is middle aged or maybe a bit past. An old hero going back for one last mission always appeals to me and this is no different. And what a nice change of pace from the young protagonists we usually get in these books. She's at the top of her game but we don't know for how much longer, and as the book goes on we get filled in on everything that makes our protagonist tick. I was engrossed, but I had concerns that yeah this is a cool mystery with a cool protagonist I'm interested in reading about but what about the sci fi? Is it just window dressing for a story that could be told in almost any setting from Wild West to contemporary thriller? No it definitely is not. Part 2 of this book was a bold choice but a perfect one. It reignited my interest and gave me more than just the run of the mill story I thought I was getting. There were some choices and reveals here that kind of blew my mind and had me recontextualizing everything I had read. This is something I've noticed that I love and a lot of my favorite series and books do that.
The thing I think I need to sit with a little bit more is the third act and ending to this book. It's really not at all what I was expecting but I think what we got made sense. It's interesting to see in the afterword that it seems like Fonda Lee may have changed her mind about the resolution as well during the writing process. At the end of the day though I think I can say I'm on board with the choices she made and it makes sense given the context of what happens. Overall I'm very pleased with the ending and the book overall. I could see this being on my 2026 top 10.
I received this arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I very much enjoyed The Greenbone Saga so when I got the chance to read Fonda Lee's take on a cyberpunk samurai standalone I lept at the chance.
Given I didn't know much going in I was pleasantly surprised to find a protagonist who is middle aged or maybe a bit past. An old hero going back for one last mission always appeals to me and this is no different. And what a nice change of pace from the young protagonists we usually get in these books. She's at the top of her game but we don't know for how much longer, and as the book goes on we get filled in on everything that makes our protagonist tick. I was engrossed, but I had concerns that yeah this is a cool mystery with a cool protagonist I'm interested in reading about but what about the sci fi? Is it just window dressing for a story that could be told in almost any setting from Wild West to contemporary thriller? No it definitely is not. Part 2 of this book was a bold choice but a perfect one. It reignited my interest and gave me more than just the run of the mill story I thought I was getting. There were some choices and reveals here that kind of blew my mind and had me recontextualizing everything I had read. This is something I've noticed that I love and a lot of my favorite series and books do that.
The thing I think I need to sit with a little bit more is the third act and ending to this book. It's really not at all what I was expecting but I think what we got made sense. It's interesting to see in the afterword that it seems like Fonda Lee may have changed her mind about the resolution as well during the writing process. At the end of the day though I think I can say I'm on board with the choices she made and it makes sense given the context of what happens. Overall I'm very pleased with the ending and the book overall. I could see this being on my 2026 top 10.
Want to read
April 6, 2023In the author’s words:
My next novel, The Last Contract of Isako, is a cyberpunk samurai space opera (without the space) that I describe as what you’d get if Akira Kurosawa wrote Dune starring a 50-something give-no-fucks swordswoman on her last job, blended with vibes of Blade Runner plus a touch of John Wick.https://www.fondalee.com/2023/03/anno...
The Last Contract of Isako is the cyberpunk samurai space opera that’s been percolating in my brain for years. It’s a science fiction mystery chanbara story set on a harsh Arrakis-style tundra planet but blend in Blade Runner vibes and a touch of John Wick. I’m very much looking forward to introducing readers to Isako.https://www.orbitbooks.net/2023/03/01...
January 21, 2026
A solid 4 stars! This was such a highly anticipated read for me because I absolutely ADORE Fonda Lee’s Green Bone Saga. There are parts of this book that I had a wonderful time with and parts that didn’t quite work for me.
Things I loved: an older FMC who is a badass but also very in touch with her emotions, matured relationships between characters, a few surprising twists, overall writing style, an intriguing plot line.
Things that didn’t work for me: world building was a bit clunky and some of it was revealed at the end and it would have been helpful to know from the beginning, the pacing and overall structure of the story felt off, and the ending was not satisfying.
This was a very zoomed-in story in a really massive world and I wish we got a more zoomed-out picture.
In the acknowledgements Fonda Lee says she last minute changed the structure and the ending so I wonder if I would’ve liked the original better!
Overall, I did enjoy it but I definitely liked the Green Bone books more!
Things I loved: an older FMC who is a badass but also very in touch with her emotions, matured relationships between characters, a few surprising twists, overall writing style, an intriguing plot line.
Things that didn’t work for me: world building was a bit clunky and some of it was revealed at the end and it would have been helpful to know from the beginning, the pacing and overall structure of the story felt off, and the ending was not satisfying.
This was a very zoomed-in story in a really massive world and I wish we got a more zoomed-out picture.
In the acknowledgements Fonda Lee says she last minute changed the structure and the ending so I wonder if I would’ve liked the original better!
Overall, I did enjoy it but I definitely liked the Green Bone books more!
Want to read
November 21, 2025FONDA I AM SO SEATED
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Fonda Lee departs from her fantasy roots with The Last Contract of Isako, a standalone sci-fi mystery. Set on the frozen planet of Aquilo, humanity survives under air shields maintained by all- powerful corporations. The corporation elites are guarded by "atiers” – heavily trained warrior-strategists bound by a lethal code of service.
The story follows Isako, a veteran atier whose life is upended when her client unexpectedly retires and her contract is transferred to a perceived enemy. What should be a final mission quickly unravels into a high-stakes web of corporate espionage and murder, forcing Isako to reconcile her personal honor with the corruption of the systems she serves.
If you enjoyed the futuristic ethics of Scythe, the mystery of Artificial Wisdom, or the gritty atmosphere of Fallout, this is the read for you. The action scenes are top-tier, and the characters are interesting and unique.
However, the world-building felt slightly too ambitious for a standalone; the political landscape was dense, and it took a significant amount of time to parse the various factions. Knowing from the author's note that the ending was entirely rewritten, I find myself curious about what the originally intended ending looked like. I’d love to revisit this world in a prequel to get the depth these characters deserve.
Thank you to Orbit for providing an early copy for review. All opinions are my own.
The story follows Isako, a veteran atier whose life is upended when her client unexpectedly retires and her contract is transferred to a perceived enemy. What should be a final mission quickly unravels into a high-stakes web of corporate espionage and murder, forcing Isako to reconcile her personal honor with the corruption of the systems she serves.
If you enjoyed the futuristic ethics of Scythe, the mystery of Artificial Wisdom, or the gritty atmosphere of Fallout, this is the read for you. The action scenes are top-tier, and the characters are interesting and unique.
However, the world-building felt slightly too ambitious for a standalone; the political landscape was dense, and it took a significant amount of time to parse the various factions. Knowing from the author's note that the ending was entirely rewritten, I find myself curious about what the originally intended ending looked like. I’d love to revisit this world in a prequel to get the depth these characters deserve.
Thank you to Orbit for providing an early copy for review. All opinions are my own.
January 28, 2026
The Last Contract of Isako is a slow-burn, layered sci-fi story that’s worth the patience. What starts as a straightforward, character-focused investigation gradually unfolds into something more complex, making you question what you thought you knew about power, loyalty, and identity.
The pacing is on the slower side, but it feels intentional. Tension builds through character choices and the weight of the systems at play rather than nonstop action. Isako is a strong lead — disciplined, weary, and deeply shaped by her sense of duty. She sticks to her code in a world that doesn’t always respect it, and seeing how she navigates that and grows as a character is one of the highlights of the story. It also shows power in action — who gets it, who it protects, and who it ultimately consumes.
This book is about identity and control, especially within corporate and political systems. Overall, this is a character-driven sci-fi novel that unfolds patiently and hits hardest when you least expect it. If you enjoy stories that make you rethink earlier assumptions, this one is absolutely worth your time.
Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit, and Fonda Lee for the opportunity to read this ARC. I truly enjoyed it.
The pacing is on the slower side, but it feels intentional. Tension builds through character choices and the weight of the systems at play rather than nonstop action. Isako is a strong lead — disciplined, weary, and deeply shaped by her sense of duty. She sticks to her code in a world that doesn’t always respect it, and seeing how she navigates that and grows as a character is one of the highlights of the story. It also shows power in action — who gets it, who it protects, and who it ultimately consumes.
This book is about identity and control, especially within corporate and political systems. Overall, this is a character-driven sci-fi novel that unfolds patiently and hits hardest when you least expect it. If you enjoy stories that make you rethink earlier assumptions, this one is absolutely worth your time.
Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit, and Fonda Lee for the opportunity to read this ARC. I truly enjoyed it.
February 6, 2026
3.5
If this were a debut novel, I would be incredibly impressed with both the scope and the writing. Unfortunately, I have already seen Fonda Lee reach true greatness, and this felt more like a step down from the pedestal I had placed her on.
This is not a bad book by any means, but it is also not a groundbreaking one. It reads like an amalgamation of Altered Carbon and Silo with a dash of Fallout. Those stories benefited from not being standalones, which allowed for deeper character work and more immersive world building than Isako ultimately delivers.
I felt very disconnected from Isako as a protagonist. Spending so much time in the head of a corporate loyalist was, at times, genuinely eye roll inducing. While I understood and even loved how honor and loyalty were explored in the Green Bone Saga, seeing those same ideals directed toward a corporation rather than a family just felt icky to me.
I did enjoy the side characters quite a bit, and once the point of view shifts, I found myself more engaged with a stronger emotional connection. That said, it still felt fairly surface level. I would not be crying over any of these characters, that’s for sure.
Personally, I think this story either needs a prequel or needs to be expanded into a duology or trilogy for me to truly love it. My biggest issue comes down to how shallow everything feels, and I think that is largely a result of it being a standalone.
All that said, this was a very fun book to read. I flew through it and never felt like I was wasting my time. I just do not see myself remembering it when the best of 2026 lists start rolling around.
If this were a debut novel, I would be incredibly impressed with both the scope and the writing. Unfortunately, I have already seen Fonda Lee reach true greatness, and this felt more like a step down from the pedestal I had placed her on.
This is not a bad book by any means, but it is also not a groundbreaking one. It reads like an amalgamation of Altered Carbon and Silo with a dash of Fallout. Those stories benefited from not being standalones, which allowed for deeper character work and more immersive world building than Isako ultimately delivers.
I felt very disconnected from Isako as a protagonist. Spending so much time in the head of a corporate loyalist was, at times, genuinely eye roll inducing. While I understood and even loved how honor and loyalty were explored in the Green Bone Saga, seeing those same ideals directed toward a corporation rather than a family just felt icky to me.
I did enjoy the side characters quite a bit, and once the point of view shifts, I found myself more engaged with a stronger emotional connection. That said, it still felt fairly surface level. I would not be crying over any of these characters, that’s for sure.
Personally, I think this story either needs a prequel or needs to be expanded into a duology or trilogy for me to truly love it. My biggest issue comes down to how shallow everything feels, and I think that is largely a result of it being a standalone.
All that said, this was a very fun book to read. I flew through it and never felt like I was wasting my time. I just do not see myself remembering it when the best of 2026 lists start rolling around.
Currently reading
March 2, 2026I got the arc!!!
Want to read
March 9, 2023unfollow me now this is the only thing i'll be talking about until 2025
February 2, 2026
I loved diving back into Lee’s writing. Her prose is always exacting and purposeful. She writes with precision and often has poignant one liners that stick with you long after you’ve finished the book.
the Last contract of Isako is a sci-fi, dystopian, mystery thriller, cyberpunk story full of corporate espionage and intergalactic secrets. Our main character, Isako, is a contractor working for a firm in which elite level services are contracted out to wealthy clientele who are often found in the corporate world. But that’s only one layer to this gargantuan onion! As we delve into the story, we discover that on this uninhabitable planet large corporations are working to terraform and recreate earth’s atmosphere in an attempt to make this planet a safe place to live and breathe.
The characters felt real and raw. Isako is an atier, a corporate level samurai with highly specialized training in weaponry, risk-cost analysis, body guarding, strategizing, and whatever their client deems necessary. But she is TIRED. She’s incredibly skilled and experienced. She’s given an opportunity for her last contract, which leads to some wild revelations.
My greatest critique is that the world building and lore drops felt too heavy in the initial stages. I would have rather been given digestible bites throughout. There is information provided to the reader at the end that would have been more helpful in the beginning. I also found myself constantly unsure of terms, names, places, and references that were quickly dropped and glossed over. In that regard, I think a glossary would have been nice. I kept thinking, wait, I want more information and background on this! I wish this had been planned as a duology or even a trilogy. The first half felt a bit slow for my preference, but after we changed POVs I was hooked.
Overall, I had a great time and the twists were awesome. I think Fonda Lee is an incredible author and I would be THRILLED if we ended up getting a prequel book after this. Thank you so much to Orbit and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy.
the Last contract of Isako is a sci-fi, dystopian, mystery thriller, cyberpunk story full of corporate espionage and intergalactic secrets. Our main character, Isako, is a contractor working for a firm in which elite level services are contracted out to wealthy clientele who are often found in the corporate world. But that’s only one layer to this gargantuan onion! As we delve into the story, we discover that on this uninhabitable planet large corporations are working to terraform and recreate earth’s atmosphere in an attempt to make this planet a safe place to live and breathe.
The characters felt real and raw. Isako is an atier, a corporate level samurai with highly specialized training in weaponry, risk-cost analysis, body guarding, strategizing, and whatever their client deems necessary. But she is TIRED. She’s incredibly skilled and experienced. She’s given an opportunity for her last contract, which leads to some wild revelations.
My greatest critique is that the world building and lore drops felt too heavy in the initial stages. I would have rather been given digestible bites throughout. There is information provided to the reader at the end that would have been more helpful in the beginning. I also found myself constantly unsure of terms, names, places, and references that were quickly dropped and glossed over. In that regard, I think a glossary would have been nice. I kept thinking, wait, I want more information and background on this! I wish this had been planned as a duology or even a trilogy. The first half felt a bit slow for my preference, but after we changed POVs I was hooked.
Overall, I had a great time and the twists were awesome. I think Fonda Lee is an incredible author and I would be THRILLED if we ended up getting a prequel book after this. Thank you so much to Orbit and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy.
Want to read
December 1, 2024Emily Fox 2025 TBR 🦊
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions!
I loved this book. I loved it so much that I was actively cranky when I kept getting interrupted trying to read it. I think I will actually riot if it doesn’t get picked up by a special edition book box.
It is so, so fascinating to see a space opera that doesn’t even indicate it is one until nearly the end of the book. I’ve never seen that before, and it was the essence of what makes the story so amazing.
Through the first 50% of the book we’re seeing only one POV, Isako, and her journey to complete her last contract. Isako is living on a desolate, unforgiving planet where humans are barely scraping by, where they’re measured by usefulness and expected to willingly walk out onto the barren planet to their deaths otherwise. The scope of the first half of the book is hyperfocused on what Isako is going through and trying to accomplish. There’s a sense she’s being used in some way, but you don’t know how or to what end.
It was about the 70-80% mark that this truly fulfilled the “space opera” status and it did it so, so well. The reveals are everything in this book and what makes it so special. I finished and immediately wanted to do a reread to see what I’d missed.
The world building was excellent, showing just enough without info dumping or leaving the reader completely in the dark. Unlike other space operas such as Dune, this wasn’t a difficult book to start or get into. The ease into the terminology and universe created is seamless and natural.
I could go on and on about this book, and I was stunned that when I reached the acknowledgments the author said they struggled with this book quite a bit. It does not show. I’ll definitely be running to check out The Green Bone Saga now!
I loved this book. I loved it so much that I was actively cranky when I kept getting interrupted trying to read it. I think I will actually riot if it doesn’t get picked up by a special edition book box.
It is so, so fascinating to see a space opera that doesn’t even indicate it is one until nearly the end of the book. I’ve never seen that before, and it was the essence of what makes the story so amazing.
Through the first 50% of the book we’re seeing only one POV, Isako, and her journey to complete her last contract. Isako is living on a desolate, unforgiving planet where humans are barely scraping by, where they’re measured by usefulness and expected to willingly walk out onto the barren planet to their deaths otherwise. The scope of the first half of the book is hyperfocused on what Isako is going through and trying to accomplish. There’s a sense she’s being used in some way, but you don’t know how or to what end.
It was about the 70-80% mark that this truly fulfilled the “space opera” status and it did it so, so well. The reveals are everything in this book and what makes it so special. I finished and immediately wanted to do a reread to see what I’d missed.
The world building was excellent, showing just enough without info dumping or leaving the reader completely in the dark. Unlike other space operas such as Dune, this wasn’t a difficult book to start or get into. The ease into the terminology and universe created is seamless and natural.
I could go on and on about this book, and I was stunned that when I reached the acknowledgments the author said they struggled with this book quite a bit. It does not show. I’ll definitely be running to check out The Green Bone Saga now!
February 6, 2026
i think my expectations for this one were a little too high bc i do love ms fonda lee but idk i wasn’t fully invested in this one and my reading experience was kind of bland because of that. i feel like the worldbuilding was very clunky and not well conveyed; i am used to complex worlds but i just don’t think that the execution of this one was up to par with what i’m used to. the character work was okay, but not as good as the green bone saga imo. i just really wasn’t that interested in any of the characters, and honestly we kept being told how incredible they all were at their jobs but in several instances they made decisions that really didn’t align with that description (particularly isako herself).
i guess im just kind of disappointed? but i will say the politics were really complex, which i expected of fonda and she did not disappoint in that regard; i just wasn’t invested enough in this world to really care what happened.
i guess im just kind of disappointed? but i will say the politics were really complex, which i expected of fonda and she did not disappoint in that regard; i just wasn’t invested enough in this world to really care what happened.
February 7, 2026
4.75 ⭐️ Obviously this was incredible. Fonda Lee can do no wrong! Incredible plot with action, political intrigue, betrayal, complex character dynamics, and so much more. My only critique was that it took me a little while in the first half to really be sold on this story and it being a stand alone but the way everything came together in the last half of the book was amazing. If you’re a Fonda Lee fan this is an absolute must read
Thank you to orbit and NetGalley for an ARC
Thank you to orbit and NetGalley for an ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Corporate samurais in space and it's just as great as it sounds. Excellent characters and fantastic world building that leaves you wanting more, but satisfies you with what you have. Fonda Lee has solidified herself as a titan in both scifi and fantasy.
January 31, 2026
I GOT AN ARC I AM SO EXCITED
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4.5 stars
Fantastic read! I love a unique world, and Fonda Lee delivered. Sci fi is quickly becoming one of my favorite genres, so I’m really excited to have not only picked this up but received it early. The fight scenes were engaging, and the characterizations were fantastic. I really enjoyed following Isako on her last contract where she not only encounters old friends but sort of re-discovers the meaning of life in a way.
I do wish this was a trilogy to flesh out more of the world and characters, but I still think Fonda Lee did a fantastic job wrapping everything up in one book.
This definitely encourages me to finish the Greenbone Saga this year!
Thank you to orbit for allowing me to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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4.5 stars
Fantastic read! I love a unique world, and Fonda Lee delivered. Sci fi is quickly becoming one of my favorite genres, so I’m really excited to have not only picked this up but received it early. The fight scenes were engaging, and the characterizations were fantastic. I really enjoyed following Isako on her last contract where she not only encounters old friends but sort of re-discovers the meaning of life in a way.
I do wish this was a trilogy to flesh out more of the world and characters, but I still think Fonda Lee did a fantastic job wrapping everything up in one book.
This definitely encourages me to finish the Greenbone Saga this year!
Thank you to orbit for allowing me to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I NEED A MOMENT TO GATHER MYSELF.
i can't believe i got an arc of my MOST anticipated release of the year. i'm still in awe that i was already able to read this. and you know what? yeah, my queen did it once again. this time, she did it sci-fi standalone instead of a series. this packed a goddamn punch to my solar plexes and i have yet to catch my breath.
fonda has created a world - literally a brand new planet, aquilo - with a functioning society that has managed to survive on the planet's harsh freezing temperatures through technological advancements despite having been cut off from communication with earth centuries ago. on this planet, everything is controlled by the companies that fuel the society with energy and tech, who have been in a constant power battle for who will be the best of the best, using whatever means necessary to make sure they come out with victor. our main character, isako, is an elite atier which is the highest level of corporate samurai/assassin you can reach. she's known as "quickblade", a legendary swordswoman in her industry, revered and highly respected. the client she's been contracted to for the past few decades, one of the big guns of these companies, has decided to retire without having told her his plans.
this catapults the story into an ever bigger scheme than isako could have every imagined. she receives one last contract to serve out a final mission to her boss' biggest rival, before her own resignation. this mission takes her on a journey she never thought possible where shocking secrets are unraveled, she must navigate the complexities of corporate espionage, fight against shadow forces trying to kill her, and confronting a system that has been seeped with corruption.
characterization was everything in this book. i loved isako as a main character because she was an older character (in her 50's!) and she stood her ground when it came to her beliefs. she made logical decision but was humble enough to admit her wrongs. she felt like a real person - fonda excels at creating true and raw characters and this was no exception. isako would complain about her joint pain having fought for eyars and nearing the end of her career, she had regrets when it came to how she handled things with former friends and colleagues, she yearns to connect more to her daughter after committing to her duty for so long. she was such a flawed and complex character but again, felt like such a real person to me.
to have created such a rich and vibrant world with dynamic characters and a plot that slowly unravels with twists and turns, fonda is a true master at her craft. this is already one of the best books i've read for the year, and without a doubt, my new favorite sci-fi book.
a must read!!!
thank you to netgalley and orbit for providing an e-arc!
i can't believe i got an arc of my MOST anticipated release of the year. i'm still in awe that i was already able to read this. and you know what? yeah, my queen did it once again. this time, she did it sci-fi standalone instead of a series. this packed a goddamn punch to my solar plexes and i have yet to catch my breath.
fonda has created a world - literally a brand new planet, aquilo - with a functioning society that has managed to survive on the planet's harsh freezing temperatures through technological advancements despite having been cut off from communication with earth centuries ago. on this planet, everything is controlled by the companies that fuel the society with energy and tech, who have been in a constant power battle for who will be the best of the best, using whatever means necessary to make sure they come out with victor. our main character, isako, is an elite atier which is the highest level of corporate samurai/assassin you can reach. she's known as "quickblade", a legendary swordswoman in her industry, revered and highly respected. the client she's been contracted to for the past few decades, one of the big guns of these companies, has decided to retire without having told her his plans.
this catapults the story into an ever bigger scheme than isako could have every imagined. she receives one last contract to serve out a final mission to her boss' biggest rival, before her own resignation. this mission takes her on a journey she never thought possible where shocking secrets are unraveled, she must navigate the complexities of corporate espionage, fight against shadow forces trying to kill her, and confronting a system that has been seeped with corruption.
characterization was everything in this book. i loved isako as a main character because she was an older character (in her 50's!) and she stood her ground when it came to her beliefs. she made logical decision but was humble enough to admit her wrongs. she felt like a real person - fonda excels at creating true and raw characters and this was no exception. isako would complain about her joint pain having fought for eyars and nearing the end of her career, she had regrets when it came to how she handled things with former friends and colleagues, she yearns to connect more to her daughter after committing to her duty for so long. she was such a flawed and complex character but again, felt like such a real person to me.
to have created such a rich and vibrant world with dynamic characters and a plot that slowly unravels with twists and turns, fonda is a true master at her craft. this is already one of the best books i've read for the year, and without a doubt, my new favorite sci-fi book.
a must read!!!
thank you to netgalley and orbit for providing an e-arc!
Want to read
December 20, 2025જ⁀➴ pre-release:
‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧ Corporate Samurai In Space ‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧
shut. up. and. take. my. freaking. money.
‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧ Corporate Samurai In Space ‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧
shut. up. and. take. my. freaking. money.
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