Review: Woken Furies, by R. K. Morgan

     Woken Furies (2005) is the third installment in the action packed Takeshi Kovacs series by Richard Morgan, and is a clear step up over its predecessors. 

The Setup

     While Woken Furies can easily be read as a standalone, you need to read both Altered Carbon and Broken Angels to truly appreciate the depth of the revelations presented. That said, Woken Furies remains a great read in which Mr. Morgan maturing style and skillful character construction will leave you begging for the next installment. 

     Takeshi Kovacs is back on Harlan's World, his onetime home, waging a campaign of indiscriminate slaughter against the priests who killed his one time love. As per usual, a fairly innocuous fight in a restaurant ends up pushing Kovacs straight into the arms of a woman who is none other than a mythical rebellion leader. This time around, other Envoys are involved and the situation promises to get gory, and Mr Morgan promptly delivers.

     Not only is Kovacs set to collide with other Envoys on his moralistic journey, but a re-sleeved, younger copy of himself is out to get him as well. If that isn't enough, well, wait till you see how the Martian technology Kovacs discovered in Broken Angels is put to use. Cunningly orchestrated, Woken Furies is a battle ground for both seething historic forces and morality. If you enjoyed Altered Carbon or Broken Angel's, I'll bet you a book that you will like Woken Furies even more. 

My Take in Brief

     Woken Furies is a definite improvement over its predecessors, both in terms of style, plot, and philosophy. More than at any other point in the series, Takeshi Kovacs comes off as complex and likable. Previously, Mr. Morgan painted himself into a stylistic corner where he was forced to constantly up the suspense and violence to keep the plot ball rolling. I attribute this to the way the author's characters are constructed; they are the embodiment of an inherent contradiction, of competing interests and themes. Somewhat ironically, these inner conflicts are always resolved through outward acts of violence. In Worken Furies Mr. Morgan discovers, to good effect, that its okay to resolve these conflicts internally.

     Beyond the usual acts of gratuitous violence and suspense driven plot, Woken Furies presents the reader with two substantial developments in the context of the series. These are first a refinement of the overarching Quellist philosophy, and second the promise of future interaction with the mythic lost Martian civilization. In my opinion, Woken Furies sets the foundation for a move from the tight focus of military science fiction towards a more complex and compelling space opera. If Mr. Morgan ever decides to shift away from the tight focus on Takeshi Kovacs, he has surely set up what promises to be an epic continuation to the series.

Highlights

• Takeshi Kovacs facing off against none other than... himself.
• A refinement of the socio-political dynamic.
• Boom, squish, whack, crunch, and kerrrplunk.

Lowlights

• Falling back on a few of the same literary tricks. 
• An open ending that promises so much in the next installment.

Your Take

     I am honestly curious to see what people think about the Takeshi Kovacs series as a whole at this point. In my estimation Morgan has really developed as a writer, and I am inclined to wonder if you guys and girls see it that way. I haven't picked up The Steel Remains yet, but I am excited to see what his transition to fantasy looks like.

Ratings and Links

Amazon: 4/5

B&N: 3.75/5

My Rating: 4.25/5

A neat review of Woken Furies over at the Wertzone.

Piqued Your Interest?

Woken Furies, the third installment in the Takeshi Kovacs series, is not to be missed. If you enjoyed Altered Carbon and Broken Angels, then this book is not to book is a must read.

Giveaway

Want this book for free? Done. Just follow these simple giveaway instructions for your chance to win (giveaway runs for five days from the date of posting):

1) E-mail me your name and address with the title of the book as the subject. Snarky comments increase your chances of winning.
2) Sign up for site updates either in RSS or with Friend Connect on the side. This will also let you know about future giveaways; typically 2-3 per week.
3) Think happy thoughts.
4) (OPTIONAL) Share or link to any post on my blog--this earns you brownie points as well as increasing your (if you have made it this far) already significant odds.

Review: Market Forces, R. K. Morgan

      Market Forces (2005) by Richard K. Morgan is a standalone thriller set in the near future, and published by Ballantine Books. If you are familiar with his action packed style, then Market Forces won't disappoint. As a standalone corporate adventure, it marks a definite improvement over both Altered Carbon and Broken Angels.

The Setup

     Think Mad Max minus the post-apocalyptic backdrop, and throw in a little corporate world domination just for kicks. Market Forces showcases the corporate gladiator like you have never seen him before. In a global political reality where "small wars" are harnessed as investments and promotions are earned behind the wheel of supped up cars, the one and only rule of the road is success.

     Meet Chris Faulkner, once part of the seething masses of the impoverished, he has fought tooth and nail to earn his place in Conflict Investment in the corporate world. Now, working for Shorn Enterprises, the most ruthless of them all, he must push the envelope even further to succeed. Corporate rivals, military warlords, and assassination are sown throughout Chris' climb to the top, and once there he has to decide if he wants to keep what's left of his humanity, or take an even bigger share of the profits.

My Take in Brief

     Market Forces is a clean break from the previous Takeshi Kovacs novels and the reader is presented with a much improved style on the part of Mr. Morgan. What felt hard edged and unpolished in Broken Angels is clean and sleek this time around. It is clear to me that his writing has matured, as have his tricks for character development and a plot construction. 

     In Market Forces every character is the embodiment of a contradiction cunningly used to showcase a society that is imprisoned by the excesses of capitalism. The poor are sequestered in the squalor of 'the zones' while the rich lead a life of reckless abandon. Far from dominating though, these political themes discreetly assemble to form a backdrop for a compelling and deeply personal story. Cunning and artful deception on the part of Mr. Morgan leave the reader guessing at every turn, and ultimately propels the protagonist towards a conclusion that is everything but typical. 

     I picked up Market Forces thinking it was another Takeshi Kovacs novel. To my initial disappointment, it was not, but my opinion quickly changed by the end of the first chapter. As tends to happen with most books that I really enjoy, I finished this in under two days and was mightily impressed. The book marks, in my opinion, a great improvement over its predecessors, so if you enjoyed those you are going to love Market Forces. 

Highlights

• A future that isn't necessarily so far off the truth.
• Dynamic and compelling characters.
• A subtle blend of real politik and actual political theory. 
• Road-warrior action scenes that put Mad Max to shame. 
• Mr. Morgan uses the takeaway quite artfully, promising a neat Hollywood ending and instead delivering one of his signature conclusions.

Lowlights

• Honestly, nothing comes to mind here. Mr. Morgan hit the nail on the head given the limitations of the genre. The SFSite review of Market Forces phrases this a bit differently, so I thought it deserves a mention:

  The book has one serious flaw. The social and economic conditions that Morgan envisions are a result of picking several trends and following them all to their worst-case conclusions. The technique works in that it allows the reader to step inside a world that is demonstrably insane; its inhabitants have lost the ability to discern right from wrong. The few characters who do question the status quo are presented as either ineffectual idealists, arrogant meddlers, or simply disappear by the end of the novel. The playing field is so tilted that Morgan is required to continually increase the levels of tension and violence in order to keep the reader from stopping and seeing the holes in the character's thinking.

Your Take

     Some bloggers and reviews out there are uncomplimentary and I find this difficult to understand. You know what you are getting when you go with Morgan, so don't read it if you don't like his style. Its straightforward, brutal, and feels somewhat like mainlining adrenaline. If that isn't what you are looking for... then don't read it. That said, Market Forces definitely has more depth than its predecessors, and is thus more vulnerable to criticism. 

Ratings and Links

Amazon: 3.25/5

B&N: 3.75/5

My Rating: 4/5

An interview with Richard Morgan at Scifi.com. This covers his previous work and up to Market Forces.

A neat review of Market Forces over at Resolute Reader. 

Piqued Your Interest?

     If you didn't enjoy Altered Carbon or Broken Angels, don't bother. If you did though, I can guarantee that you will really enjoy Market Forces. I am addict at this point. 

Giveaway

Want this book for free? Done. Just follow these simple giveaway instructions for your chance to win (giveaway runs for five days from the date of posting):

1) E-mail me your name and address with the title of the book as the subject. Snarky comments increase your chances of winning.
2) Sign up for site updates either in RSS or with Friend Connect on the side. This will also let you know about future giveaways; typically 2-3 per week.
3) Think happy thoughts.
4) (OPTIONAL) Share or link to any post on my blog--this earns you brownie points as well as increasing your (if you have made it this far) already significant odds.

Review: Altered Carbon, by R. K. Morgan

    

Altered Carbon (2002) is Richard K. Morgan's debut novel and begins the Takeshi Kovacs series. It is a high adrenaline dystopian science fiction novel that promises to leave you breathless.

Humanity is flung out among the stars, and instead of traveling from planet to planet, people instantly needlecast their conviousness and memories to a new body, at their destination. Death has been eliminated, through resleeving, if you can afford it, or if someone can afford it for you.
Takeshi Kovacs, once a member of the most elite intergalactic force (the Envoys), is needlecast to Earth to serve as a private investigator in the apparent suicide of an immensely powerful man. Violence, sex, and torture mark Takeshi's adrenaline filled journey to the truth, and what a journey it is. Yet, despite his fierce training and penchant for violence, readers will invariably find themselves hooked to Mr. Kovacs, and will be left demanding more.

Before the end of the prologue I was sold, hook, line, and sinker. Altered Carbon is a brilliant mix of military science fiction, and space opera, eloquently framed in a dystopian future earth. Maybe a bit heavy on the tech talk, Richard Morgan nevertheless manages to weave a monumentally compelling tale that demands to be finished the day it was picked up. This book is so gritty, so in your face that it actually hurts. I'm not even talking about the torture scenes -- just the gratuitous violence sequences are enough to make you clench your teeth and give you a sore jaw.
 It is difficult to shake the impression that you are running away from something just as Takeshi Kovacs is running towards his goal. Regardless, this is a work that will thrill just as much as it will raise important theological and theoretical questions. Regardless of your bent and experience with science fiction, I would call this a must read.

Highlights

• An action packed adrenaline roller-coaster that leaves you breathless.
• Compelling characters with realistic motivations.
• A concise gritty and dystopian vision.
• AIs, drugs, immortality, and chemically/mechanically enhanced bodies.
• Great prose that gets you right into the action.

Lowlights

• The torture scenes can be a bit too intense.
• A few too many fortuitous encounters and discoveries.
• A few glossed descriptions of the tech.

Your Take

I understand that this series has a lot of fans and few detractors. It is difficult, maybe impossible not to get sucked into the action and the unforgiving pace. Then again, some of you might have put Altered Carbon down for the simple reason that it was too much. Had you been reading a comfy little fantasy novel prior to this, I can easily understand that impulse.
My one question is whether or not some of the scenes, especially the torture scenes went too far for you -- then again, maybe it was the sex scenes. I know I would be hesitant to recommend this book to anyone under the age of eighteen.

Links

A fun interview with Richard Morgan by Infinity Plus.
A theme based interview on the Failures of Capitalism by io9.
A great in depth review of Altered Carbon by A Dribble of Ink.

Piqued Your Interest?

If you enjoy military science fiction or space opera, this is a must read. I don't doubt that once you have read Altered Carbon you won't be able to stay away from the rest of the Takeshi Kovacs novels.