Fiction Review: Broken Angels by Richard K. Morgan
I've just finished reading Richard K. Morgan's Broken Angels, the second in his Takeshi Kovacs series of novels (the first being Altered Carbon). Overall, I thought that the book was decent. The basis of the book is that human civilization has made leaps in technology and space travel beyond what is normal by evolutionary standards, likely reaching a point where the technology is too advanced for humans to grasp. This leg-up is granted through the discovery of "Martian" outposts, long since abandoned, though with no clear indication of the circumstances. At one point, Kovacs makes an interesting point, that humans and machines/computers are locked into this evolutionary competition, alternating superiority. At one point in time, AI will provide better and faster analysis, but then bio-engineering will advance and thus make humans the better analysts again. There are certain parallels with humans, at least in the foreseeable future (think IDS, log management, etc.).
If you're into Science Fiction, then this series (thus far) may be of interest to you. Be forewarned that the novels tend to get a bit gory and graphic in certain places. I can only imagine what these novels would look like on the big screen. Suffice to say, though, that if you like the notion that humans are just one of the latest evolved life forms in the universe, then you'll undoubtedly find these books entertaining.
» 2008 Goals: April Progress Report from The Falcon's View
"Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like." (Lao Tzu) Goodness gracious, where in the world did... [Read More]
