Richard K. Morgan

Okay, Laurell K Hamilton and Jim Butcher are fun, but sometimes you want something meatier, something that will make you think. Or I do, anyway.

Late last year I discovered Richard K Morgan. I can't quite remember what attracted me to him -- basically, I browse the sci-fi/ fantasy section of the library looking for more food for my hungry boys: fat fantasies that belong to series, mainly. I guess it was the fact that there were several books by Morgan on the shelves, and they were a reasonable size. So that was what caught my eye in the first place, but when I read the blurb, it wasn't my sons I thought of. Something about the premise struck me as interesting. So I tried him out.

well, it was another of those 'got to go through all the books by this guy before I can concentrate on anything else' situations. They were dark, and the opposite of uplifting (I don't want to say depressing), and ... totally enthralling. Set in the future, in a universe where people have spread out among the planets, Morgan has thought up some plausible technologies through which he can explore the whole fascinating question of identity, and of the soul. Fascinating and thought-provoking.

Richard K. Morgan has written five novels, of which three concern the same character (Takeshi Kovacs, a highly-trained mercenary in a universe that routinely 're-sleeves' minds into new bodies). But oddly enough (in view of my avowed prejudices) I actually began with the book called Thirteen or Black Man (depending on whether you're reading the US or UK edition), which takes as the hero a "13" -- a genetically engineered clone, designed for violence and dominance (supposedly a throwback to the alpha males of our more primitive ancestors). I didn't always agree with Morgan's take on alpha males, but it gave me and my older son some good conversational material! and it was a great story.

So, highly recommended author, no caveats at all -- except, obviously, not a good choice if you're just looking for light entertainment!