The Last Contract of Isako, Fonda Lee
The Last Contract of Isako, Fonda Lee
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The Last Contract of Isako

Author: Fonda Lee

Narrator: Mary Robinette Kowal, Dillon Sickels

Unabridged: 17 hr 13 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Orbit

Published: 05/05/2026


Synopsis

A battle-worn corporate samurai undertakes one last mission on a merciless planet where death is always a mere breath away, in this standalone dystopian epic from the author of the modern fantasy classic Jade City. 

LIVE BY THE CODE. DIE BY THE KNIFE.

Isako is a legendary swordswoman, but every legend must come to an end. When her long-time client unexpectedly retires, she plans to follow—to walk out into the frozen wasteland of their planet with her head held high and her family enriched by her death. But when she's offered a final mission, she can't refuse, especially when she realizes who lies at the center of it all: Martim, her last—and worst—apprentice, who's somehow made his way to the top. As she's thrust into a world of corporate espionage and shadowy secrets, what she uncovers could forever change humanity's existence among the stars.  

The Last Contract of Isako is epic science fiction like only Fonda Lee can write it—set in a world where money trumps loyalty, the elite have the power to extend life or end it, and one woman in the twilight of her calling must decide what's ultimately worth living—or dying—for.
 

About Fonda Lee

Fonda Lee is the author of Exo, which was a Junior Library Guild selection, and Zeroboxer, which was an Andre Norton Award finalist, a Junior Library Guild selection, and an ALA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. After spending years as a corporate strategist for Fortune 500 companies, she is now a writer and black belt martial artist living in Portland, Oregon. You can visit her online at www.fondalee.com.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Felicia on March 03, 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!......more

Goodreads review by Maeghan 🦋 on April 04, 2026

Huge thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc! 3.25✨ The last contract of Isako was a slow paced story about a corporate samurai in a sci-fi setting. With the premise, I admit I expected more action than what was included. This novel was more philosophical than anything el......more

Goodreads review by Sidney on April 14, 2026

this is more like a 3.5 or a 3.75 rounded up. i'm honestly conflicted on if i want to round up or round down, but for now i'll leave it how it is. overall i did enjoy it but there's a lot that worked for me & a little that didn't. i liked that our MC was a fifty year old badass samurai with bad knee......more

Goodreads review by bee on March 18, 2026

I'm a big fan of Fonda Lee — I think she's a talented writer, and I enjoyed The Green Bone Saga, so I went into this with high expectations. The premise is interesting, and explores themes such as honour, loyalty, corporate power/corruption, and the search for legacy. I liked Isako and appreciated th......more

Goodreads review by Patrycja on March 23, 2026

I liked it, but it’s not the same kind of love I had for The Green Bone Saga. I felt like there was a bit too little Isako in "The Last Contract of Isako". ------------------------------------------ "The Last Contract of Isako" by Fonda Lee is a strong, engaging novel that shines in its intriguing wor......more


Quotes

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

“This is fabulous, a tale mixing Blade Runner cool with crime-noir and Ronin codes of honor and vengeance. Beautifully drawn characters, a stark, chilling new world and a plot that grabs you and drags you from one page to the next, this is a must read. Fantastic in every way.”—John Gwynne, author of The Shadow of the Gods

“A compelling tale of corporate samurai on a terraforming colony grappling with duty, honor and a murder mystery with a hell of a twist. Lee brings effortless worldbuilding and truly heartfelt characters to a visually slick space opera that fans of the Green Bone Saga are absolutely going to eat up. Both action-packed and at turns meditative, I loved every minute.”—Rebecca Roanhorse, New York Times bestselling author of Black Sun

“Dazzlingly inventive and pure fun, this Rashomon-esque story of a jaded corporate swordswoman kept me guessing until the last twist. Highly recommend!”—Shannon Chakraborty, NYT bestselling author of The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi

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

“Fonda Lee has once again written a tale full of intrigue, nuanced characters, unexpected surprises, and action that keeps you on the edge of your seat!” —P. Djèlí Clark, Nebula, Locus, and Alex Award-winning author of A Master of Djinn

"Fonda Lee has outdone herself. The Last Contract of Isako is totally gripping—the work of a master at the top of her game." —Sarah Gailey, Hugo Award-winning author of Just Like Home

"The Last Contract of Isako proves yet again that Fonda Lee is an author at the top of her game. Flawed, hardscrabble characters stalk across a harsh landscape, through an intricate plot that twists and turns with deft precision. An absolute masterpiece!" —Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

“Superb. Fonda Lee is one of the best SFF writers working today.” —Richard Swan, author of Grave Empire

"Like the best scifi should, The Last Contract of Isako holds up an incisive mirror, with a world where life is the Company and a person's value lies in employment. A corporate space samurai twist to the classic hero on one final mission, this sleek, action-packed mystery asks: who do you choose to be with the last job of your life? No one brings blades to a boardroom like Fonda Lee. I was hooked till the end."—Wen-yi Lee, author of When They Burned the Butterfly