Sunday January 09, 2005 Broken Angels
Broken Angels - Richard K. Morgan (2003)
*** (out of 5)
In Altered Carbon (2002), Richard Morgan describes a world 400 years in the future where human consciousness can be digitally stored and 'decanted' into cloned bodies (or 'sleeves'), bringing immortality within close reach to those wealthy or valuable enough to afford it. Morgan also introduces Takeshi Kovacs, a deeply cynical and conflicted ex-U.N. envoy (a sort of special ops super-soldier) now turned detective.
Takeshi Kovacs is back in Broken Angels, set 30 years after the events of Altered Carbon. In this novel, he has been resleeved and hired as a mercenary. Early in the novel, he is offered the opportunity to take part in a mission that figures to earn him a lot of money and his freedom from the rigors of war. The mission goal: to reclaim an ancient Martian warcraft with the help of a hand-picked band of resurrected soldiers. Of course, Kovacs agrees, goes AWOL, and is soon engaged in one dangerous situation after another.
I found Altered Carbon to be oddly compelling. I was impressed by the way that Morgan blended cyberpunk science fiction and gritty noir mystery. I felt that this, and the characterization of Kovacs as unwilling 'anti-hero', more than compensated for some of the more formulaic aspects of the novel. Unfortunately, I cannot claim the same for Broken Angels. Broken Angels is a somewhat interesting page turner (hence the 3 stars) but it is even more formulaic than Altered Carbon and lacks much of its cleverness.
In short, I would readily recommend Altered Carbon to fans of 'dark' science fiction - particularly cyberpunk fans. By contrast, I would only recommend Broken Angels to someone that loved the first book and is looking for a good 'beach read'.
( Jan 09 2005, 06:44:45 PM PST )
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