 Bestselling
British author Richard Morgan had been writing for a long time without seeing
anything of his work in print, but when Gollancz published Altered Carbon Morgan was suddenly a
major star on the spaceship-clogged sky of science fiction literature.
Altered Carbon is a titanium-coated murder mystery, with a
noir, edgy atmosphere similar to the mood found in many works by William Gibson
and Jon Courtenay Grimwood. Introducing protagonist Takeshi Kovacs, who
reappears in other works by Morgan, this novel offers a bleak, violent future
described in a streetwise yet poetic voice. Morgan’s various futuristic
renderings of Earth (and other planets) are typically dystopic, with cruel and
aggressive corporations in control of much of society. In addition, the
merciless tactics and implications of military force are also addressed in many
ways, often from a critical point of view. But while his work features many
elements found in novels that glorify war and violence, Morgan’s work uses his
characters to illustrate the atrocities of brutality from the inside. In that
way, his books are compelling and insightful statements against violence...
The
violence in Altered Carbon is
profoundly vicious, but the high level of brutality is not simply for show; it
serves to emphasise the importance of the narrative and to strengthen the imagined
world.
Altered Carbon was followed by Broken Angels, also featuring Kovacs, and offers deeper insight into
Morgan’s stark universe. Broken Angels is
less of a noir crime novel and more of a standard science fiction book, but
Morgan’s characteristic tone is still recognisable. At times possibly even more
harrowing than his preceding novel, it is as well written and engaging.
Morgan’s
next book, while still SF, is distinctly different and significantly
more political. Market Forces concerns
just what the title implies, and it’s an unforgiving blow in the face for corporate greed, starring a slightly depraved central character who becomes
entangled in a web of business rivalries. Part Mad Max and part Wall
Street, Market Forces is a
fast-paced, fuming read.
Morgan went
on to write Woken Furies, which
according to the author will be the last book featuring Kovacs. Here, many
events and places that have only been hinted at in earlier novels are revealed
and several loose threads are tied into a complex,
sinister knot. Also featuring a spectacular twist right in the opening, Woken Furies is a lashing commentary on
fundamentalist religion, politics, revenge and the essence of the human soul.
Black Man, Morgan’s latest published novel, puts the reader
in a different future. A genetically altered mercenary teams up with an officer
in search of a killer, and during their search a range of questions regarding
sociology, warfare, gender issues and politics is addressed. But while this
may be the most reflective – and subversive – novel from Morgan to date, it’s
by no means soft or compassionate: violence and greed, and their horrific
consequences, are still central themes.
Richard
Morgan is currently working on Land Fit
for Heroes, a fantasy novel.
Written by Erik
Boman of CreativeWallpapers.com, the premier source of original mobile phone
wallpapers and animations on the web. Make sure to check out their SF
animations and backgrounds!
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