Reviews

Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan

jsdrown's review against another edition

2.0

Utterly disappointed in this one. I have read the hype for this cyberpunk novel for years. The new netflix series getting rave reviews finally motivated me to read it. I found both the science fiction and mystery aspects of the book to be super underwhelming. It also tries to have similar philosophical questions comparable to other cyberpunk works like Neuromancer, Ghost in the Shell, or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? but there just isn't much to chew on here. No, the cyberpunk elements felt like window dressing for the action sequences and sex scenes. I actually can't figure which of those two were more juvenile. There is a moment in a sex scene that actually made me gag in the real world. I wrote my wife and she was pretty revolted. The sexual stuff in this is at a constant stream. Our main character is constantly talking about his swelling penis, masturbating, the figures of every woman he meets(which always happens to be a 5/5 knock out)As far as the action goes? Probably the best thing on display here. That's not to say the action isn't cliche. Richard K. Morgan also loves his guns. He goes into great detail about every single weapon in the book. In fact I think the page or so has our main character playing around with guns. When it's not guns it's samurai swords.

The point is that this book reads like bad Ghost in the Shell fan fiction. I'm sure the show is great. The cinematography and music look phenomenal. This book was all around a bad read for me. I never felt like Takeshi Kovacs came to life for me. I likely wont read any further into the series.

aceinit's review against another edition

3.0

For such a short little novel, there is an awfully lot going on in Altered Carbon, so much that there were times when I felt like I should to be taking notes. There are almost no details in this book that don’t turn out to be relevant somewhere down the line, no matter how many ages ago or worlds away they happened, or how insignificant they seem at the time.

I will admit to being a little disappointed by the ending (I will never understand they the long-lived, cold, calculating, smooth as silk villains suddenly turn into loose-lipped megalomaniacs and irrational hotheads at the end of a story), and I am still perplexed regarding the change of heart in Trepp’s character, who had no discernable reason to change loyalties the way she does. Or, if she does, I certainly didn’t catch it. And I was disappointed that, after such an intricate and complex story, the solution to the murder mystery was really as simple as…well, I won’t give that part away.

down_legends_and_lore's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

pragmapack's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

novabird's review against another edition

4.0

Vivid strong prose leaves lasting imagery.

kcrouth's review against another edition

4.0

OK, now i'm ready to watch the Netflix series based on this book! Altered Carbon is a fast moving murder mystery / action cyberpunk adventure set in a complex and imaginative future in which technology has made immortality a reality - if you have enough money and power to afford it. (sounds a lot like present day healthcare in the U.S.). The future portrayed is both believable and well thought out, and in the style of William Gibson, one of my favs, the reader hits the ground running. Richard Morgan's writing style is engaging, fast moving, and fully immersed in the cyberpunk world he has created. Not only am i looking forward to the Netflix series, but i am looking forward to reading more from this excellent author. I see on Goodreads that there are two more adventures in the Takeshi Kovacs series of books: Broken Angels (Takeshi Kovacs, #2) and Woken Furies (Takeshi Kovacs, #3) .

sassblaster's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

liljatherobin's review against another edition

dark reflective

4.0

kaamezcua2's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

psoglav's review against another edition

3.0

UKUPNA OCENA (overall rating) ★★★✫
Radnja (story) ★★★✫
Likovi (characters) ★★★✫
Pripovedanje (writing style) ★★★★
Okruženje (setting) ★★★★✫

Pozitivno (pros) - cyberpunk okruženje, glavni lik je pravi baja, dosta akcije.
Negativno (cons) - nedovoljno detaljno razrađeno okruženje, podseća na tipičan triler.