Jhereg

Vlad Taltos is a hired killer with a quick tongue. He is human, living on a planet mostly populated by the Dragaerans, sorcerers who are extremely tall and live far longer than he will. He belongs to the Jhereg, the leading criminal organization in Dragaera.

One of the Jhereg's most powerful bosses hires Vlad for a job inside his own guild. Mellar stole millions from the leadership and ran, and Vlad is to kill him.

The thief is protected, though, and the protection puts Vlad in a bind. Finishing the job looks likely to earn him the permanent enmity of a friend, so the contract carries a price beyond the usual risks of the trade.

This is the first book published in the Vlad Taltos series, though it is the fourth in the series' internal timeline. The narration is wisecracking and the tone is that of a criminal-underworld adventure. Along the way the story also reveals more of Vlad's past, in this life and in others.