Altered Carbon (Gollancz) - Hardcover

Morgan, Richard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0575073217 ISBN 13: 9780575073210

Publisher: SFBC, 2002

Synopsis

Four hundred years from now mankind is strung out across a region of interstellar space inherited from an ancient civilisation discovered on Mars. The colonies are linked together by the occasional sublight colony ship voyages and hyperspatial data-casting. Human consciousness is digitally freighted between the stars and downloaded into bodies as a matter of course. But some things never change. So when ex-envoy, now-convict Takeshi Kovacs has his consciousness and skills downloaded into the body of a nicotine-addicted ex-thug and presented with a catch-22 offer he really shouldn't be surprised. Contracted by a billionaire to discover who murdered his last body Kovacs is drawn into a terrifying conspiracy that stretches across known space and to the very top of society. A new SF writer completely in command of narrative and technology, writing purely readable and enjoyable SF adventure. This is the first book in a series that will take the reader into an unfolding story that will encompass countless thousands of years and unlock the secret of a lost civilisation.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

In the twenty-fifth 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 one hundred eighty 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. . . .

From the Back Cover

“This seamless marriage of hardcore cyberpunk and hard-boiled detective tale is an astonishing first novel.”
—London Times

“AN ASTONISHING PIECE OF WORK . . . A wonderful SF idea . . . Altered Carbon hits the floor running and then starts to accelerate. Intriguing and inventive in equal proportions and refuses to let go until the last page.”
—PETER HAMILTON

“AN EXCITING SF/CRIME HYBRID, with an intricate (but always plausible) plot, a powerful noir atmosphere, and enough explosive action to satisfy the most die-hard thriller fan.”
—SF Site

“AN EXHILARATING AND GLOSSY ADVENTURE . . . What makes Altered Carbon a winner is the quality of Morgan’s prose. For every piece of John Woo action there is a stunning piece of reflective description, a compelling sense of place, and abundant 24-karat witticisms.”
—SFX Magazine

Edition details

• Publisher: SFBC
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0575073217
• ISBN 13: 9780575073210
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 416