The Recommended Reading Order
The Boy Nobody / Unknown Assassin series is a linear, chronological story following a brainwashed teenage operative trained by a shadowy organization called The Program. Because the plot carries directly from one book to the next, you should read them in order of publication.
- I Am the Weapon (originally published as Boy Nobody) (2013)
- I Am the Mission (2014)
- I Am the Traitor (2015)
Title Confusion: Boy Nobody vs. I Am the Weapon
One of the biggest hurdles for new readers is tracking down the first book due to regional title differences. The debut novel was originally released in the UK and select other markets under the title Boy Nobody. For the US release and subsequent paperback editions, the title was changed to I Am the Weapon to better align with the naming conventions of the sequels (I Am the Mission and I Am the Traitor). They are the exact same book, so you only need to read one of them to start the series.
What to Expect from the Trilogy
The series kicks off with the protagonist—a nameless 16-year-old assassin who goes by various aliases like Benjamin—infiltrating a school to eliminate the mayor of New York. As the trilogy progresses through the second and third books, the protagonist starts to reclaim his stolen memories, question the morality of The Program, and eventually goes rogue in a desperate bid to win his freedom. The story is fully contained within these three books, wrapping up its main arc cleanly in the final installment.