Books similar to/as good as Altered Carbon?

**beedle** · July 29th, 2011, 07:01 AM

My favourite bit in Woken Furies, and most of the other books, was actually the deComm teams in the Uncleared. I dont know why, but I really enoyed something about that setting, and I wanted to hear more about it.

**runaroundace** · December 6th, 2012, 05:20 PM

I wanted to re-open this thread. I just joined this message board, and it was to ask the same question. I loved altered carbon, but couldn't really get into the 2 sequals. I also loved gridlinked, but I have not read anything else by Neal Asher. I actually havnt read any sci fi in the last few years, but I got the sudden urge to recently. I am hoping that someone could recomend a book or preferably a series that is similar to Altered Carbon or Gridlinked. It could be from any time, but I guess I would prefer something from the last 10 years, or even something brand new. I would prefer the book to have a noir feel to it, but it doesn't have to. It could also be space opera although I am not sure if I have ever read a book that would fit in that catagory. I would prefer lots of action and or violence. Anything Blade Runner inspired would be good.A series that is similar to Jim Butchers Dresdin Files, but Sci Fi instead of Urban Fantasy would even apeal to me. I am open to anything, but those are just my preferances. Any sugestions would be great. Thanks!

**marshal atkins** · December 7th, 2012, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by beedle

My favourite bit in Woken Furies, and most of the other books, was actually the deComm teams in the Uncleared. I dont know why, but I really enoyed something about that setting, and I wanted to hear more about it.

I agree with you on that. It would be amazing if Morgan opened up the decon front to other authers similar to what Niven did with Man/Kzin.

**MMerle** · December 7th, 2012, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by TooNice

I read this not too recently and absolutely loved it, but Morgan's other work left me underwhelmed. I didn't enjoy the alien angle of broken angels or the somewhat...desultory plot direction of woken furies (only way i can describe it really). So could anyone mention something in a similar vein that I might enjoy? I'm not really sure if it was the hard boiled side or the cyperpunk side that made me love Altered Carbon more, the unique combination of the two, or maybe even Takeshi Kovacs himself, but I definitely loved all of that along with the grim tone to it all. I was thinking of getting something like Snow Crash or Neuromancer, but honestly I don't know....I've always been more of a Space Opera kind of guy when it comes to Sci-fi.

I'd third or fourth, or whatever Chasm City; also, The Prefect - both Reynolds. Chasm City is great, very hard-boiled; I didn't enjoy The Prefect as much, but it's making similar moves, i.e. detective/procedural novel set in a high-tech future.

You might like Tea From an Empty Cup by Pat Cadigan... possibly Nova Swing by M. John Harrison, though this is getting into the very noir side of things.

**runaroundace** · December 7th, 2012, 10:51 PM

Thanks for the reply (no I wasn't the OP but I re-opened the thread with a similar question).
I have another question though. It seems everyone is recomending chasm city, which looks good, but I just can't imagine starting a new series with the 2nd book of the series. Shouldn't I start with revelation space, and then read chasm city after? Is there a reason that everyone is saying start with the 2nd book of the series?

I will also look into the other books you mentioned. Thanks for the tips, any other sugestions are welcomed!

**MMerle** · December 7th, 2012, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by runaroundace

Thanks for the reply (no I wasn't the OP but I re-opened the thread with a similar question).
I have another question though. It seems everyone is recomending chasm city, which looks good, but I just can't imagine starting a new series with the 2nd book of the series. Shouldn't I start with revelation space, and then read chasm city after? Is there a reason that everyone is saying start with the 2nd book of the series?

I will also look into the other books you mentioned. Thanks for the tips, any other sugestions are welcomed!

Chasm City is part of the Revelation Space Series timeline, but it does stand alone as a story - you don't need to have read Revelation Space to understand what's going on. And it wouldn't terribly matter if you were to decide to go back and read Revelation Space followed by Redemption Ark etc at a later date. I mean, if you want to read them anyway...then start with Revelation Space; but, if the others don't interest you, Chasm City will stand on its own.

**runaroundace** · December 7th, 2012, 11:08 PM

Thanks, I think I will read them in order though, unless someone tells me a reason not to read them in order. I don't know if its just me, but reading a series out of order would just feel wrong. Haha not sure if that makes sense but I think I will read revelation space before I read chasm city.

**MMerle** · December 8th, 2012, 01:08 AM

Originally Posted by runaroundace

Thanks, I think I will read them in order though, unless someone tells me a reason not to read them in order. I don't know if its just me, but reading a series out of order would just feel wrong. Haha not sure if that makes sense but I think I will read revelation space before I read chasm city.

I think Chasm City is set before Revelation Space, if I'm remembering correctly... but it was published between R.S. and Redemption Ark. I think there are some things relating to R.A. in Chasm City (to be honest, they're a little jumbled in my head) so you should read it before that, but otherwise I don't think it would matter if you read it before R.S - someone correct me if I'm wrong...

Personally, Redemption Ark is my favourite, as well as the stories set amongst the Conjoiners...but it, and they, are more Space Opera-y than Chasm City.

**tensai** · December 9th, 2012, 10:14 AM

A bit late to the conversation, but if you liked woken furies, etc, then give The Avery Cates series by Jeff Somers a try.

Same bit of gritty, dark violence in a world political system that has gone... bad, and is rapidly disintegrating. Although they got a little loose near the end of the series (to me), I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend without hesitation.

The Electric Church
The Digital Plague
The Eternal Prison
The Terminal State
The Final Evolution.

**runaroundace** · December 9th, 2012, 01:23 PM

Thank you very much, this Jeff Somers series looks like it may be exactly what I was looking for. One review said it had a Noir Blade Runner feel to it, which is what I am after. Thanks for the recomendation looks very cool.

**Seak** · December 9th, 2012, 10:53 PM

I recently found out about a book called Tears in Rain by Rosa Montero, which I guess is sort of an homage to Bladerunner, but "in a far more overt manner than is typical." Staffer's Book Review

I haven't read it, but justastaffer is a member of this site, so you might want to ask him.

**runaroundace** · December 18th, 2012, 12:47 PM

Random question. If Altered Carbon is considered Cyberpunk, and Leviathan Wakes is considered Space Opera... What is Gridlinked usually considered? Thanks.

**psikeyhackr** · December 20th, 2012, 12:21 PM

I am about 3/4 thru Altered Carbon. It has violence and sex. The characters are not intellectually interesting. I'm bored with it. Might be better as a movie for people that are into that.

I like Captain Vorpatril's Alliance better and it has almost no violence.

psik

**runaroundace** · December 20th, 2012, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by psikeyhackr

I am about 3/4 thru Altered Carbon. It has violence and sex. The characters are not intellectually interesting. I'm bored with it. Might be better as a movie for people that are into that.

I like Captain Vorpatril's Alliance better and it has almost no violence.

psik

Interesting, I found Altered Carbon anything but boring. It is pretty much the book that made sci fi exciting for me, and I continue to search for books that are similar.

**psikeyhackr** · December 20th, 2012, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by runaroundace

Interesting, I found Altered Carbon anything but boring. It is pretty much the book that made sci fi exciting for me, and I continue to search for books that are similar.

It is like we need psychological profiles of readers and books need to be rated in relation to those profiles. So one book might have five or more different ratings. You don't just read a book, the book reads you.

Plenty of people think Red Mars is boring. I think it's great.

In a way science fiction encompasses all other genres. Anything that can be done in any genre can be done in science fiction. It is just a question of whether the writer can make the science relevant to the plot. Lord Vorpatril's Alliance does not really have much to say about science, just that technology needs to be tested thoroughly and may have unforeseen side effects otherwise. Without mind uploading and downloading things in Altered Carbon could not happen, I just don't find them to be very interesting things. It's not like it is as bad as Revelation Space.

Cryoburn has more to say about the social consequences of technology but it is not as entertaining as LVA. But I like Bujold's character creation. I am mostly indifferent to them in Altered Carbon.

Maybe Consider Phleabas would suit you. To me it is somewhat similar to AC but the violence made even less sense to me.

psik