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carol. (not getting notifications)'s Reviews > Altered Carbon
Altered Carbon (Takeshi Kovacs, #1)
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A fun and fast-paced thrill ride, almost impossible for me to put down. Picture a hard-boiled noir, the solitary, weary worldly detective, blunted emotional skills, stepping on toes as he investigates. Merge that plot and character with innovative science fiction–digitized personalities that can be downloaded into new bodies with the right reasons or enough cash, and the result is eminently readable.
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Full review posted at:
http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/0...
AND
http://carols.booklikes.com/post/7738...-
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carol. (not getting notifications)'s review
bookshelves: sci-fi, mystery, friend-recommended, classic, my-library, my-library-trade
Nov 01, 2012
bookshelves: sci-fi, mystery, friend-recommended, classic, my-library, my-library-trade
A fun and fast-paced thrill ride, almost impossible for me to put down. Picture a hard-boiled noir, the solitary, weary worldly detective, blunted emotional skills, stepping on toes as he investigates. Merge that plot and character with innovative science fiction–digitized personalities that can be downloaded into new bodies with the right reasons or enough cash, and the result is eminently readable.
***********************
Full review posted at:
http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/0...
AND
http://carols.booklikes.com/post/7738...-
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Quotes carol. (not getting notifications) Liked
“The personal, as everyone’s so fucking fond of saying, is political. So if some idiot politician, some power player, tries to execute policies that harm you or those you care about, take it personally. Get angry. The Machinery of Justice will not serve you here – it is slow and cold, and it is theirs, hardware and soft-. Only the little people suffer at the hands of Justice; the creatures of power slide from under it with a wink and a grin. If you want justice, you will have to claw it from them. Make it personal. Do as much damage as you can. Get your message across. That way, you stand a better chance of being taken seriously next time. Of being considered dangerous. And make no mistake about this: being taken seriously, being considered dangerous marks the difference - the only difference in their eyes - between players and little people. Players they will make deals with. Little people they liquidate. And time and again they cream your liquidation, your displacement, your torture and brutal execution with the ultimate insult that it’s just business, it’s politics, it’s the way of the world, it’s a tough life and that it’s nothing personal. Well, fuck them. Make it personal.”
― Altered Carbon
― Altered Carbon
Reading Progress
November 1, 2012
– Shelved
January 23, 2014
–
Started Reading
January 24, 2014
–
Finished Reading
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I wondered if it was a one-trick pony... reviews on the second are certainly quite mixed. It did occur to me that this was truly classic noir, elevated by writing style and characterization. So, so many classic elements-loner detective, the bored wife, the distant employer, the intricate dance of antagonism/affection with the police, the small cons, the sex, the whorehouse, the fights, the grieving victims--you are right, the sleeving made it exceptional both thematically and in plotting. I haven't decided if i should read the second or skip to the third, which seems to have better reviews.
Hmm, seems I gave it five stars. My memory rates is more like four. Regardless, I thought interesting genre mash-up. I actually liked the next book better than this.
Heh. Well, that solved it for me, actually--because I was more excited about re-reading the second. I see from my blog that it was a half-star scenario. Ah, the limitations.
Hm, this concept was relatively new to me, but I don't watch much tv. There's body 'sleeving' where one gets downloaded into a new body, perhaps sort of like the Matrix, only it's real. Its a decently thought out concept, I thought, at least to my non-critical sci-fi-ness. Re: blog, at different points in GR history I was not posting full reviews. I do at the moment, but am aware that could always change, so they call go on the blog as well.
I'll read your review right after I finish this book. Very curious about it.
Oh, I just have lots of shows recorded for watching... in the foreseeable future... but I did catch couple episodes of Designated Survivor. Has since stopped. Hard to watch an honest, upright citizen play a good president on TV and the alternative play president in real life. Re blog: yes, know what you mean, but still, thanks for making these reviews available to us.
Alfred wrote: "but I did catch couple episodes of Designated Survivor. Has since stopped. Hard to watch an honest, upright citizen play a good president on TV and the alternative play president in real life. "*sigh.* True.
Caro wrote: "I'll read your review right after I finish this book. Very curious about it."
I'll look forward to your review!
That's a very in depth review! Love it and agree with pretty much everything. :)
Well, you know me. I'll never remember the details otherwise :)
Delicious stuff! Loved every minute. Thank you for the review.
Hi carol. I was wondering if you saw the Netflix adaptation of this book and what you thought of it.
(I'm not Carol) ... but ...David, I enjoyed the Netflix series, and it started well but couldn’t keep up with the pleasures of the book. The realisation of the future world was fabulous, though!
Yeah, I liked the Netflix series to some extent. I agree that the realization of that world was excellent and substituting Poe for Hendrix and then expanding that character's role worked out real well (Thank you Hendrix estate for saying no). I also like the actors' portrayals of Kovacs and Ortega (and her expanded role). But I didn't like the major changes made to Kovacs' background: particularly the role of the Envoys, his personal and familial relationships, and the sect leader. I also didn't like the way the Bancrofts were handled, nor the identity of the antagonist who was confronted at the climax.I have book 2 on my kindle and plan on giving season 2 a chance, primarily because I like Anthony Mackie, who is slated to be Kovacs' next sleeve.
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carol. (not getting notifications)
(last edited Jul 28, 2019 12:33PM)
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rated it 4 stars
Hm, interesting. I generally don't do great with television, although just recently sprung for Netflix in the hopes of weaning my mom off cable and for those rare instances I do want to watch something. When I was in my 20s, I was convinced that television (and movies) could never do books justice, and that has almost always been true, except for perhaps The Color Purple and The Princess Bride. I haven't really changed my mind since, and a recent watch of Netflix' Longmire (from Kindness Goes Unpunished) only convinces me that's still true. I don't know how far in advance series do their writing, but I can tell you that the continuity issues and logic mistakes make me bananas.
I was convinced that television (and movies) could never do books justice, and that has almost always been trueOh yeah, I'd agree with that.
My wife enjoys watching sci-fi but not reading it, so I always hope for "good enough" interpretations for us to watch together. Netflix's version of Altered Carbon was a bit of a disappointment. However, I think that the TV version of the Expanse series is really good, particularly in the handling of the third book. And I preferred the TV version of the Walking Dead over the graphic novels. But in general, these are exceptions to the rule.
David wrote: "But I didn't like the major changes made to Kovacs' background: particularly the role of the Envoys, his personal and familial relationships, and the sect leader. I also didn't like the way the Bancrofts were handled, nor the identity of the antagonist who was confronted at the climax."Yes, I agree fully.
Oh, yes; The Walking Dead, another partial option of improvement in the screen. I've heard the Expanse is good.
carol. wrote: "Oh, yes; The Walking Dead, another partial option of improvement in the screen. I've heard the Expanse is good."The Amazon "The Expanse" (formerly SyFy channel) has yet to be seen, except preview trailers.
The SyFy "The Expanse" is really very good, with the occasional dull segment. It's certainly the best "hard science" fiction series in a very long time. Very exciting, and the CGI of the ships in space are quite incredible (and accurate!)
William: It looks like we agree on a few things. :)
Thanks, Bibi. I haven't re-read it, so I'm not positive what I'd think any more. I tried a couple episode of Altered Carbon, but it really didn't grab me as much as the book.
The book's definitely better, but the series kind of caught the atmosphere well. On the other hand anyone who copies Blade Runner kind of does...
I think the flashbacks didn't really work for me. Or the current timeline? Still have to watch the latest Blade Runner. Since I grew up with the Rutger Hauer one, it's kind of imprinted.
Flashbacks and the fact that they turned it into some kind of soap opera (the sister thing etc). The book was way cooler anyway. As for the latest BR - I watched it just last summer. Right after rewatching the RH one. And... I must say aesthetically it was very pleasing. Soundtrack extremely well done. Some ideas very interesting too, Ryan
As much as I didn't need Prometheus and Covenant xD
I agree with Caro about the Altered Carbon TV series. I didn't like most of the major changes that they made. Poe substituted for Hendrix as the hotel AI was a good one, although they were forced to do it as the Hendrix estate didn't like the violence and didn't want to have Jimi's likeness associated with it.Haven't bothered to watch season 2 (probably won't) and Netflix has already canceled it.
I, too, really enjoyed Blade Runner 2049. But it was Ryan Gosling, not Reynolds.
OMG right, thanks for correcting, David :D What can I say, it was a long day at work today :D
I liked it at 5-stars too, but didn't get very far into the second in the series before losing interest. Is this a one-trick pony? One could claim this genre chimera is derivative in each of its elements. But it sure feels like a fresh package. But his whole detective approach is so dependent on the personality sleeving by digital shipping of his self, it's a challenge to have other books in the series without technology that loses its novelty zing.