Sci fi assassin type of books to recommend?

**Eokaeloki** · October 13th, 2012, 07:53 AM

Im thinking of SPACE/sci fi type of assassin style of novels. or even mercenary. it has to be in space, or just really futuristic. kinda like dues ex but in space and less cyberpunk. are there such titles around??

Ive been reading space opera books like enders game and old man's war, and now im looking for something of smaller scale, like some skilled assassin/mercenary or even thief story which revolves around the characters and setting, instead of big epic battles.
The main character could be an assassin/mercenary/thief/bounty hunter. for example, the upcoming star wars game, 'Star Wars 1313' features a bounty hunter adventure and trying to uncover a truth to a criminal conspiracy. is there any books out there similar to this? but not star wars? or like kasumi goto from mass effect, a master thief in space!

thanks guys! Im new here btw..

**JimF** · October 14th, 2012, 11:29 AM

The first thing to jump in my mind are the classic Stainless Steel Rat books by harry harrison. Well the early ones any way. Not really an assian, more like a none violent master thief. For something more recent have a look at sone of the military SF put out by baen books. They have a great free library and you can download a lot full books to try an author. Recently I read Destiny's Forge by Paul Chaffe, Set in Niven's Man-Kzin war series. It can be read as a stand alone book.

Jim

**Eokaeloki** · October 14th, 2012, 11:43 AM

thanks for replying! im beginning to think the thread will die off. D: stainless steel rat looks like a decent book that fits my description. i'll definitely check it out.

For something more recent have a look at sone of the military SF put out by baen books. They have a great free library and you can download a lot full books to try an author.

there are way too many authors/titles on baenbooks, could you shortlist some books youve read from there? thanks again!

**JimF** · October 14th, 2012, 02:12 PM

I read a few by John Ringo, There will be Dragons was interesting. and the read the Prince Roger series by Ringo and David Weber. Although that series had an almost never ending series of escalating battles each bigger than the next. I really enjoyed Hell's Gate and Hell hath no fury by Weber and Linda Evans. Although that series is unfinished. (I want more!)

But check out what's on the free library. http://www.baen.com/library/authors.asp.

I also liked the Vatta's War Series by Elizabeth moon, but that is published by Del Rey. Not really an Assain/bounty hunter story, but the story of a young woman who fights to rebuild her family's trading empire after it is attacked and destroyed. There is lots of intrigue and more than a little spying.

**Pub** · October 24th, 2012, 06:56 AM

Richard k morgan takashi kovacs is a good set of books not exactly what your after but should be right up your alley by the sounds of it

**Vandervecken** · October 25th, 2012, 01:51 PM

You could try Use Of Weapons by Iain Banks. Follows a Special Circumstances agent, covering two separate narrative streams. One of my favourites by that author.

**penguinpete50** · November 14th, 2012, 09:47 AM

Try Friday by Robert Heinlein. She's more of a secret agent but she considers assassination as a sub-specialty and then becomes a merc. I won't tell you what she ends up as.

**Eokaeloki** · November 14th, 2012, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by Vandervecken

You could try Use Of Weapons by Iain Banks. Follows a Special Circumstances agent, covering two separate narrative streams. One of my favourites by that author.

hey thanks for the recommendation. but must i read Consider Phlebas to understand use of weapons??

keep the recommendations coming!! thanks alot people.

**cohelian** · November 18th, 2012, 10:09 PM

The term 'assassin' I think, is why you're getting so few responses: someone who hires out to commit very specific murders for profit. I can't recall even one book that focuses that closely on assassination. It's usually a small part of a wider story, but there is a series I read a long time ago that you might find you'll like.
The Paratwa series. Liege Killer, Ash Ock and The Paratwa. I enjoyed them.

**Vandervecken** · November 22nd, 2012, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by Eokaeloki

hey thanks for the recommendation. but must i read Consider Phlebas to understand use of weapons??

Not really. Culture novels are generally stand-alone novels in a shared universe setting. I'd read three or four by the time I got round to Consider Phlebas, including Use Of Weapons.

Noting the comment earlier about John Ringo, the Cally's War books co-written with Julie Cochrane are more or less assassin / cloak-and-dagger mission based but I'd struggle to read those without the background information provided by the main Posleen War sequence (straight military SF, not spy or assassin) which precedes it.