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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
97 people are currently reading
28903 people want to read
About the author
Fonda Lee
40 books8,188 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.
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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
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.
Want to read
November 20, 2025So ready for this to possibly be my new Sci-Fi obsession.
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!
੭୧ㆍcontent warnings: 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
੭୧ 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!
੭୧ㆍcontent warnings: 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.
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
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...
Want to read
November 21, 2025FONDA I AM SO SEATED
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!
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.
Want to read
March 9, 2023unfollow me now this is the only thing i'll be talking about until 2025
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.
Want to read
December 1, 2024Emily Fox 2025 TBR 🦊
Want to read
January 20, 2026I got the arc!!!
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.
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.
January 31, 2026
I GOT AN ARC I AM SO EXCITED
—
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.
—
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!
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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.
January 28, 2026
Many thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this wonderful story in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Fonda Lee delivers a grim murder-mystery tale of Isako, a corporate samurai who is part henchman, part assassin, and part business advisor. Did I mention the samurai part, where our lead character is famous for her fast-draw knife technique?
The Last Contract of Isako feels corporate cyberpunk, a view into a unique society, where life comes fast, and death is always around the corner.
Cut off from Earth, the planet Aquilo becomes a corporate dystopia, with rival factions fighting for influence. Life is brutal for the wagemen who work for the company, and even more so for the contractors who are truly expendable. When someone loses their utility to society, they are expected to resign, which, in this case, means walking outside onto the still-terraforming world.
This story centers on Isako, whose career and knees are running out of time. Isako is so competent in her role that she has a nickname like those of the famous warriors of old. She is an atier (the best of the best). The book doesn’t say, but this likely comes from A-Tier, which we find in many manga-inspired works. Isako’s career is wrapping up, and she is negotiating a package to support her college-aged daughter. Things take a turn, and Isako is coerced into taking one final contract before walking into the void.
What follows is corporate espionage, backstabbing, and navigating a political minefield that morphs into a murder mystery when one of her former apprentices turns up missing.
At the midpoint of the book, we switch viewpoints to one of Isako’s former apprentices. We stick with him, and his wild ride serves as a director’s atier despite barely being competent at the knife-work.
What the story does well:
Atmosphere. Which is ironic in case one is pressured to resign. Swords, well-trained people acting from a code, in a society only a little bit more technical than ours.
Action. People will be stabbed. Few people have guns, which means combat is up close and personal.
Setting. A plausible, yet different, culture and world extrapolated from our own. This is the corporate world gone mad, in a world where you have to stay in domes as the planet is trying to kill you.
What kept it from being a full five stars:
POV Swap. Switching mid-book to another POV was a bold, perhaps imperfect, story structure. I found myself missing Isako while we had the low-combat version of a demanding boss and the underling who gives all for them. The Isako parts are likely 5-star for me, the apprentice is closer to 4.
The story wraps up nicely, and the main and side characters are solid and relatable.
4 1/2 stars total. My tops of January.
A note on my scale: To get to 5 stars, a story needs to resonate beyond the read. This is a fine story, but only time will tell if it gets the boost to 5 stars.
Fonda Lee delivers a grim murder-mystery tale of Isako, a corporate samurai who is part henchman, part assassin, and part business advisor. Did I mention the samurai part, where our lead character is famous for her fast-draw knife technique?
The Last Contract of Isako feels corporate cyberpunk, a view into a unique society, where life comes fast, and death is always around the corner.
Cut off from Earth, the planet Aquilo becomes a corporate dystopia, with rival factions fighting for influence. Life is brutal for the wagemen who work for the company, and even more so for the contractors who are truly expendable. When someone loses their utility to society, they are expected to resign, which, in this case, means walking outside onto the still-terraforming world.
This story centers on Isako, whose career and knees are running out of time. Isako is so competent in her role that she has a nickname like those of the famous warriors of old. She is an atier (the best of the best). The book doesn’t say, but this likely comes from A-Tier, which we find in many manga-inspired works. Isako’s career is wrapping up, and she is negotiating a package to support her college-aged daughter. Things take a turn, and Isako is coerced into taking one final contract before walking into the void.
What follows is corporate espionage, backstabbing, and navigating a political minefield that morphs into a murder mystery when one of her former apprentices turns up missing.
At the midpoint of the book, we switch viewpoints to one of Isako’s former apprentices. We stick with him, and his wild ride serves as a director’s atier despite barely being competent at the knife-work.
What the story does well:
Atmosphere. Which is ironic in case one is pressured to resign. Swords, well-trained people acting from a code, in a society only a little bit more technical than ours.
Action. People will be stabbed. Few people have guns, which means combat is up close and personal.
Setting. A plausible, yet different, culture and world extrapolated from our own. This is the corporate world gone mad, in a world where you have to stay in domes as the planet is trying to kill you.
What kept it from being a full five stars:
POV Swap. Switching mid-book to another POV was a bold, perhaps imperfect, story structure. I found myself missing Isako while we had the low-combat version of a demanding boss and the underling who gives all for them. The Isako parts are likely 5-star for me, the apprentice is closer to 4.
The story wraps up nicely, and the main and side characters are solid and relatable.
4 1/2 stars total. My tops of January.
A note on my scale: To get to 5 stars, a story needs to resonate beyond the read. This is a fine story, but only time will tell if it gets the boost to 5 stars.
Want to read
November 20, 2025i am s simple girl: fonda lee writes, i read.
January 31, 2026
First things first, would I recommend this book? Yes.
I am rating this a 4.2
Now that you know that I liked this book and would recommend this book here’s the thing.
I can’t really recall being so of two minds about a book. Many of the reviews for this book will tell you that the beginning feels clunky. And that is true. Fonda Lee gives you lots of new words to represent new and unexplained elements in this world. It’s clunky not because she doesn’t hold you hand but because sometimes it takes awhile to actually understand what a Kith-thing is (or CTH) and this goes on for about 10-15% of the book.
If this were the only issue this would be a five star book. But it’s not. The first 52% of the book follows just one character the titular corporate assassin/spy badass Isako. And this part of the story is fine. I think that Isako as a character is fine- you’ll find that she’s not even the most interesting character in her own book. Through her eyes our antagonist just feels like “the bad guy”
However at that 52% mark a switch gets flipped and we get a new POV. And this POV should have been EITHER the actual MC of the book or spread out and expanded through the book.
If the front half of this book was fine, back half was fire.
Hoisted on the back of a far more interesting POV. Through this new POV the antagonist takes on far more complexity and menace, you get a better idea of the stress of being an atier, and their story is far more interesting.
The good news is that once the fire starts burning it doesn’t stop. I will say that in a good way, the book takes the information you think you know and really finds a way to keep you on your toes.
Ultimately, this was a good book and the second half of it was great.
I was given an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you to Orbit books and Net Galley.
I am rating this a 4.2
Now that you know that I liked this book and would recommend this book here’s the thing.
I can’t really recall being so of two minds about a book. Many of the reviews for this book will tell you that the beginning feels clunky. And that is true. Fonda Lee gives you lots of new words to represent new and unexplained elements in this world. It’s clunky not because she doesn’t hold you hand but because sometimes it takes awhile to actually understand what a Kith-thing is (or CTH) and this goes on for about 10-15% of the book.
If this were the only issue this would be a five star book. But it’s not. The first 52% of the book follows just one character the titular corporate assassin/spy badass Isako. And this part of the story is fine. I think that Isako as a character is fine- you’ll find that she’s not even the most interesting character in her own book. Through her eyes our antagonist just feels like “the bad guy”
However at that 52% mark a switch gets flipped and we get a new POV. And this POV should have been EITHER the actual MC of the book or spread out and expanded through the book.
If the front half of this book was fine, back half was fire.
Hoisted on the back of a far more interesting POV. Through this new POV the antagonist takes on far more complexity and menace, you get a better idea of the stress of being an atier, and their story is far more interesting.
The good news is that once the fire starts burning it doesn’t stop. I will say that in a good way, the book takes the information you think you know and really finds a way to keep you on your toes.
Ultimately, this was a good book and the second half of it was great.
I was given an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you to Orbit books and Net Galley.
January 24, 2026
Fair review provided in exchange for advanced reader copy from the publisher.
A cyberpunk inspired samurai mom on a final corporate espionage job that turns into a murder mystery on a stranded space colony world is a wild premise, and Fonda Lee absolutely knocks it out of the park. This book has been on my radar for a long time after hearing this hook and reading her excellent work on the Green Bone Saga, and the standalone “The Last Contract of Isako” totally delivers.
Characters are wonderfully mature and complex, with very human interactions even amidst action packed spectacle and navigating a distant world from our own that still feels evolved in a believable way. Even badass bounty hunters have aching knees or Mondays at work, and artificial bodes piloted by human brains in their second stage of life display humanity in a totally inhuman situation. Lee continues to be a master at crafting relatable and nuanced characters even in fantastical settings, and the primary cast of the novel is engaging and fully realized.
The worldbuilding is also excellent, with enough history, language, and culture permeating the story to give the standalone novel the feel of a much lived in world one would expect from a latter book of a series. The plot is paced very well with the structure of the book enhancing the twists and reveals along the way (proud to say I figured out one key part early). The prose is descriptive and excellent at both inserting the reader into a character’s head or painting an otherworldly vista.
Overall the novel is fantastic, an easy 5/5 for me, and I can’t wait to see where Fonda Lee brings us next.
A cyberpunk inspired samurai mom on a final corporate espionage job that turns into a murder mystery on a stranded space colony world is a wild premise, and Fonda Lee absolutely knocks it out of the park. This book has been on my radar for a long time after hearing this hook and reading her excellent work on the Green Bone Saga, and the standalone “The Last Contract of Isako” totally delivers.
Characters are wonderfully mature and complex, with very human interactions even amidst action packed spectacle and navigating a distant world from our own that still feels evolved in a believable way. Even badass bounty hunters have aching knees or Mondays at work, and artificial bodes piloted by human brains in their second stage of life display humanity in a totally inhuman situation. Lee continues to be a master at crafting relatable and nuanced characters even in fantastical settings, and the primary cast of the novel is engaging and fully realized.
The worldbuilding is also excellent, with enough history, language, and culture permeating the story to give the standalone novel the feel of a much lived in world one would expect from a latter book of a series. The plot is paced very well with the structure of the book enhancing the twists and reveals along the way (proud to say I figured out one key part early). The prose is descriptive and excellent at both inserting the reader into a character’s head or painting an otherworldly vista.
Overall the novel is fantastic, an easy 5/5 for me, and I can’t wait to see where Fonda Lee brings us next.
January 28, 2026
4.5: l'Il admit it took me a minute to really sink into this book. The dense corporate ethics and boardroom jargon were initially daunting. But once it hits the second half, this story absolutely pops off. I could not put it down. The twist surrounding the murder genuinely blindsided me, and the payoff was more than worth the slow burn. The characters are mature, layered, and morally complicated, and the economic logic behind terraforming the planet feels both chilling and believable. By the end, I was fully locked in. This is corporate sci-fi at its sharpest and coldest
Want to read
November 2, 2025You're telling me this is a standalone space opera, featuring corporate samurai, IN SPACE!?
I am ready to pounce on this the day it's published like a 4am Black Friday shopper.
I am ready to pounce on this the day it's published like a 4am Black Friday shopper.
February 1, 2026
Fonda Lees Greenbone saga is one of my favorite series of all time. Probably top 3 honestly. So I had very high expectations for this standalone cyber punk John wick-esk story. That’s what the blurb will have you thinking. But this novel hits on much bigger themes than its leading on. Also this book has a pretty bleak overall tone to its ending. And I honestly appreciate how much of a big swing this choice was for her to make. I could see it being a divisive book on this alone.
Firstly. Fonda Lees prose is just magnificent imo. She has a way of writing that feels fresh and descriptive. Her character work always impresses me along with her world building. I can always envision these worlds and characters she creates. Isako is a great character and it was nice to have one in a mature age range. One that on the back end of her career. Martim was one I wasn’t super impressed with at first but wow did she really make me invested into his character also. Some of the secondary characters that I did enjoy a lot of were Uchi, Thea, and Kob.
We have our main Plot line of following Isako and her journey but Lee doesn’t just stop there. This book has moments of exploring the exploitation of the working classes, duty, honor and legacy. Would you break code for the greater good? We also get the discussions about what happens after we die. Who will remember us. Will we be lost to the records of time. I also like that Fonda Lee doesn’t just give us the answers. The “antagonist” are fleshed out and nuanced just as our protagonist are.
This book is absolutely incredible and I hope Lee has more in the works for this world she has created. But if not. This is a book that has a lot of depth to explore and discuss. I hope it gets the attention it deserves.
I’m absolutely not articulate enough to properly give this book justice but these are my initial thoughts after reading this book. Maybe I’ll edit to add more but absolutely give this book a read. It’s worth your time.
Special thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for this advanced readers copy. This has not affected to my scores. 100% honest opinions.
Firstly. Fonda Lees prose is just magnificent imo. She has a way of writing that feels fresh and descriptive. Her character work always impresses me along with her world building. I can always envision these worlds and characters she creates. Isako is a great character and it was nice to have one in a mature age range. One that on the back end of her career. Martim was one I wasn’t super impressed with at first but wow did she really make me invested into his character also. Some of the secondary characters that I did enjoy a lot of were Uchi, Thea, and Kob.
We have our main Plot line of following Isako and her journey but Lee doesn’t just stop there. This book has moments of exploring the exploitation of the working classes, duty, honor and legacy. Would you break code for the greater good? We also get the discussions about what happens after we die. Who will remember us. Will we be lost to the records of time. I also like that Fonda Lee doesn’t just give us the answers. The “antagonist” are fleshed out and nuanced just as our protagonist are.
This book is absolutely incredible and I hope Lee has more in the works for this world she has created. But if not. This is a book that has a lot of depth to explore and discuss. I hope it gets the attention it deserves.
I’m absolutely not articulate enough to properly give this book justice but these are my initial thoughts after reading this book. Maybe I’ll edit to add more but absolutely give this book a read. It’s worth your time.
Special thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for this advanced readers copy. This has not affected to my scores. 100% honest opinions.
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