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)

Movie sucked compared

The movie butchered this book, It’s way better. So much of the story line is different and well worth the read.

Great Classic

Morgan's first two Takeshi books are great on audio, even better than reading the hard copy. However, when you get to Woken Furies, buy the hard copy, while the story is good as the others, the narration is so bad that I would never have bought his other books if I'd heard that one first.

what's with all the Bass

seriously. you understand that a man is doing male and female parts right? I had to EQ the Bass to nothing so I could just understand it. wow. such a great story almost ruined

excellent in all ways.

I watched the Netflix adaptation then listened to the book. only a few differences between the two. And both are excellent pieces of sci-fi.

Record had way to much bass

Seriously had to change all the levels in the car as it was shaking the frame. Story is techno noir, I just never got hooked

Cyber-pank at its best

Any additional comments?

Best in Kovacs series, very well-narrated. The idea of digitized consciousness nicely played at all levels (ethics, society, interstellar travel) and really catches imagination. The plot is quite good. Violence and sex might be overstressed sometimes but it is a part of the environment here. Overall impression - very good.

Well Written

Just the right blend of future science, characters and plot.

Yes, there is some 'adult' material but its not about that as far as the book goes. The way the author writes demands he put the amount of detail he had in the adult scenes, otherwise glossing over and hiding the technology involved would not make sense, as well as the character's development. It really gave depth to what mankind has always had as a motivation for a lot of his actions anyway. I would say don't let those scenes stop anyone that enjoys a good future vision of life from not listening to this book (or the series), just skip ahead.

The reading was well done and I had no trouble knowing who was talking and when scenes changed.

The author has a unique way of story telling and the his view of the future is very interesting. The whole idea of being able to extend life if very believable despite our lack of technology in doing it any time soon, if ever. Even if it was impossible, he still makes it work.

Already listening to the next one.

the audio is a little too low quality

like the title says. the story was really good though. also some of the characters were read in annoying voices but thats just my opinion

Loved it!!

Loved the book! The show was good but I wish they would have kept the story of the book.

Unique adventure in an advanced technological age

Unnecessarily explicit at times. However, the story is unique and difficult to predict. On a deeper level this book will make you question the morality of future technological advances. In the end, it is a fun adventure and definitely worth a credit.