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By Source, Fair use

Altered Carbon - Richard Morgan [Review]

Altered Carbon is the debut novel from Richard Morgan. A SciFi noir detective novel, we follow Takeshi Kovacs, an off-world ex-military hard man who, having been sent away for a long spell in prison, is given an opportunity to win his freedom. But first he has to solve an unsolvable crime.

The novel is set hundreds of years in the future, where many planets are now inhabited, and an Earth-based UN Protectorate keeps order throughout these planets - often through brutal force.

Takeshi Kovacs is a former member of these elite military units, one of the most highly trained individuals alive. It is these skills that leads to his offer of work, coming from one of Earth's wealthy elites.

At over 300 years old, Laurens Bancroft has the wealth to take advantage of the incredible technological breakthroughs that have occurred. Including the ability to be 'resleeved' - to have one's consciousness (which are now stored on computer chips at the base of the skull) moved to new and younger 'sleeves' (bodies).

Laurens Bancroft appears to have killed himself. An odd thing for a 300 year old who effectively cannot die to do. But all the evidence is pointing to that being what happened. Kovacs is tasked with the job of proving Laurens Bancroft did not commit suicide and was in fact murdered, and find out who it was. And he will need all of his elite skills to complete the mission. Even just to stay alive.

Dealing with political intrigue, incredible and powerful new technologies, and deal making of both a sexual and physical nature (where humanity is still trying to deal with the ramifications of these newer technologies), Altered Carbon is a darker novel, fast paced, and highly inventive. It is a well developed universe that has been created, and the story weaves it way through this as we learn of Kovacs' past and how both he and this future universe came to be the way they are.

It is towards the Cyberpunk end of SciFi, and would suit fans of these genres, as well as those who like noir type novels. This is the second time I have read it, so for me it is well worth the time.

Altered Carbon won the Philip K Dick award in 2003, and has been made into a Netflix series to air in February 2018.

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