Altered Carbon

By: Richard K. Morgan

Narrated by: Todd McLaren

Length: 17 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

In the 25th century, humankind has spread throughout the galaxy, monitored by the watchful eye of the U.N. While divisions in race, religion, and class still exist, advances in technology have redefined life itself. Now, assuming one can afford the expensive procedure, a person's consciousness can be stored in a cortical stack at the base of the brain and easily downloaded into a new body (or "sleeve") making death nothing more than a minor blip on a screen.

Ex-U.N. envoy Takeshi Kovacs has been killed before, but his last death was particularly painful. Dispatched 180 light-years from home, re-sleeved into a body in Bay City (formerly San Francisco, now with a rusted, dilapidated Golden Gate Bridge), Kovacs is thrown into the dark heart of a shady, far-reaching conspiracy that is vicious even by the standards of a society that treats "existence" as something that can be bought and sold. For Kovacs, the shell that blew a hole in his chest was only the beginning.

Altered Carbon is the first Takeshi Kovacs novel. Don't miss the sequels Broken Angels and Woken Furies.

©2003 Richard K. Morgan (P)2005 Tantor Media, Inc.

Critic reviews

"This far-future hard-boiled detective story is a lovely virtual-reality romp." (Booklist)
"Fast-paced, densely textured, impressive....Morgan's 25th-century Earth is convincing, while the questions he poses about how much Self is tied to body chemistry and how the rich believe themselves above the law are especially timely." (Publishers Weekly)

Almost perfect

Almost everything was great about this audiobook: the story and the performance were top-notch, but the quality of the recording was the worst I’ve heard in a while. I listen to all my books using active noise cancellation headphones, so the sound is extremely clear, but all the audio defects (if present) are also more pronounced. In this audio version, I could hear some background noise throughout the recording. It did get slightly better towards the end, but maybe I just got used to it a bit. Still, it ruined what could have been a perfect listening experience for me.

It’s weird that there are only three separate rating categories: overall, performances and story. Considering how much the quality of the recording may differ, sound quality deserves a category of its own. I reflected my total dislike of the audio quality in the “overall” category.

This is a long complicated story

This is a long complicated story full of superfluous details. My suggestion is this; suffer through it the first time. Give it a while then reread it, fast forwarding through all the superfluous details. Then watch the series on Netflix. This was an intellectual endeavor. Being able to keep track of all the characters, the relevant details related to who did it, why and how. I never felt an emotional connection to any of the characters.

Great book

This is a great Sci-Fi book which I would highly recommend. It's well written and detailed enough that a reader can really be absorbed in the world the author creates. It's told in the first person with a hard boiled detective type tone very reminiscent of Dashiell Hammett. Sci Fi movie fans will note that this combination of futuristic hell-scape and Sam Spade type narration worked well in Blade Runner. The same is true for Altered Carbon.
The novel is also quite thought provoking from a philosophical stand point. Deep questions about life and death and what it means to be human are raised but, appropriately, never fully answered.
The narration is great too. (Although, I have to say the voice of Laurens Bancroft sounds a lot like that of Montgomery Burns from the Simpsons. Odd choice, if that's what the reader was going for.)

I might be crazy

I've never said this before but I liked the show better. the story was just more interesting on netflix and it is leaving with a very unusual feeling in my gut.

One of the best Si-Fi books

Takes a little bit to get into the story but then, very well crafted and thought provoking. Also a great ending. If you have an active imagination you'll love it. I just might listen to this one again.

A masterpiece. Must read.

The first book in the series is awesome and pretty much perfect. Everything you could want in a sci-fi adventure.
Second book has a few flaws but still excellent.
Third book = meh.

Scifi meet a cybernoir detective story

at its best it provided thought-provoking sci-fi scenarios and concepts and at it's worst those very things attempt to doll up an otherwise pretty typical detective story. Rough, cold and edgy protagonist with a smoking problem who is at times distracted by romantic entanglement with sultry suspects, guilt and greed and corruption are sprinkled across a couple of plot twists that keep it interesting, if not a little uninspired. the philosophical and ethical questions around the future technologies, such as sleeving, are some of the most interesting take aways.

Original story

I really enjoyed this story. I first saw show on Netflix and didn't finish the first episode but the book was able to keep my attention. I grabbed this book on sale and loved the world that Morgan created. The futuristic setting was very immersive and I wish there was more to listen to. Recommend to any sci fi or detective/mystery fan.

books tend to be better

I became curious about this story after watching the show based on this story and love both and appreciate what they did to change it to the new medium but the details and world built by the novel really captures the imagination

Huh

This one , I should have read. The recording pauses were too noticeable and disruptive. Lost track of who was what, where, and in which sleeve. Prefer shirt sleeves- thru are cooler.