Scion

by James Islington

First published 2026

The narrator kills people for money, and the law is on their side. In a world where the ultrawealthy can live forever, assassinating "lifers" became legal long ago. Someone has to keep the population in check when immortality meets limited resources. The narrator's genetic modifications make them exceptionally skilled at this work, just another professional trying to pay off crushing debts through awkward meetings, tedious planning, and inconvenient schedules. The killing part doesn't bother them, even if it troubles others. But this next contract is different. Years have passed since they faced anything like it. The job runs counter to their usual duties, and they can't understand why it landed on their desk. They assure themselves everything will work out fine, but uncertainty creeps in. In this cyberpunk world where immortality creates new forms of inequality, one enhanced killer must navigate a contract that challenges everything they know about their profession.

Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, crime, cyberpunk

Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: anti-hero, morally-ambiguous-protagonist

240 pages · Hardcover · S&S/Saga Press

Content warnings: violence

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