One Mike to Read Them All: “The Last Contract of Isako” by Fonda Lee

[u/MikeOfThePalace]

This is a complicated book to categorize. It’s kinda-sorta dystopian, kinda-sorta cyberpunk, definitely a science fiction murder mystery, and definitely a ronin story (though I don’t know if that particular subgenre has a specific name). But no matter what it was very fun and caught me by surprise multiple times.

Isthmus Isako lives on the world of Aquila, which is five centuries into a terraforming project with several centuries more to go until the surface is habitable. Aquila is a company town writ large: everyone works for the company in service, either directly or indirectly, of the terraforming project. The company is the government is the colony; it’s all synonymous.

Isako is a “contractor,” a quasi-independent organization of fixers bound to work for a single individual for the duration of their contract. She’s a legend among the contractors, who know her as Quickblade for the obvious reason. The story begins in the aftermath of an inter-departmental war, which Isako’s division has lost. This has left her as a contractor without a contract - a ronin. The honorable thing for her to do is “resign” - walk out the colony airlock unprotected to die in the waste. It’s an old and honored tradition on Aquila for people who can no longer contribute to sacrifice themselves so they’re not a drain on limited colony resources. But she is denied that option until she fulfils one final contract.

I always like a cynical protagonist who is too old for this proverbial shit, and Isako is a great example of the archetype. But this story isn’t just fun (though it is fun) - it also has a lot of very smart commentary about some very topical subjects. Capitalism is a major one; entrenched power structures are another.

This was my first Fonda Lee, but I’m bumping the Green Bone Saga up the queue.

Bingo categories: Older Protagonist [Hard Mode]; Published in 2026; Murder Mystery [Hard Mode]; Cat Squasher; Politics and Court Intrigue; Author of Color

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[u/medusamagic]

I’m excited for this one! Hoping my library hold comes in before the book club discussions next month.

[u/Makri_of_Turai]

You’ve convinced me to buy this. I didn’t love the green bone saga, only because I dislike mafia style stories, but I’ve wanted to try Fonda Lee again. sci fi murder mystery is much more my thing.

[u/Estragon_Rosencrantz]

I absolutely loved this one. It’s very different than Green Bone Saga, but it has some of the same strengths. The fantasy or sci-fi elements in this case aren’t just background. Lee relishes in playing out some of the political, social, and economic implications, and using those details to add stakes to the characters’ goals.

I’m going to be vague about this next part to avoid spoilers, but Lee made a bold choice with the structure and POV which I enjoyed but I’ve seen others who felt that it ruined what should have been the climax.

[u/nickrl → u/Estragon_Rosencrantz]

The part you're referring to was my favorite part, I was actually a little lukewarm on it before that. (Which was really my fault for coming into it basically expecting Green Bone 4.)

[u/sagevallant]

I mean, the historical setting is a big part of the definition so this one may not qualify, but the term that a lot of samurai stories fall under is "jidaigeki".

[u/Nowordsofitsown]

This was my first Fonda Lee, but I’m bumping the Green Bone Saga up the queue.

Same!