Warchild Series by Karin Lowachee

The merchant ship Mukudori encompasses the whole of eight-year-old Jos's world, until a notorious pirate destroys the ship, slaughters the adults, and enslaves the children. Thus begins a desperate odyssey of terror and escape that takes Jos beyond known space to the homeworld of the strits, Earth's alien enemies. To survive, the boy must become a living weapon and a master spy... moreThe merchant ship Mukudori encompasses the whole of eight-year-old Jos's world, until a notorious pirate destroys the ship, slaughters the adults, and enslaves the children. Thus begins a desperate odyssey of terror and escape that takes Jos beyond known space to the homeworld of the strits, Earth's alien enemies. To survive, the boy must become a living weapon and a master spy. But no training will protect Jos in a war where every hope might be a deadly lie, and every friendship might hide a lethal betrayal. And all the while he will face the most grueling trial of his lifebecoming his own man. less

From the author of the acclaimed and bestselling debut novel Warchild comes a new action-packed adventure about a young man's journey into adulthood amid interstellar war.

At age four, Yuri Kirov watched his home colony destroyed by the alien enemy. By six,he was a wounded soul, fending for himself in a desolate refugee camp, and still a child when the pirates found him. Now 24, Yuri is a killer, a spy, a blackmailer, and a pirate captain doing life in prison. That is until Earthhub Black Ops agents decide to make Yuri their secret weapon in a covert interstellar power grab. Released from jail, but on a leash to the government, Yuri is more trapped than ever... moreAt age four, Yuri Kirov watched his home colony destroyed by the alien enemy. By six,he was a wounded soul, fending for himself in a desolate refugee camp, and still a child when the pirates found him. Now 24, Yuri is a killer, a spy, a blackmailer, and a pirate captain doing life in prison. That is until Earthhub Black Ops agents decide to make Yuri their secret weapon in a covert interstellar power grab. Released from jail, but on a leash to the government, Yuri is more trapped than ever. Controlled by men even more ruthless than the brigands hes ordered to betray, Yuri is back again in deep space where his survival depends on a dangerous act: trusting a strangers offer of help. less