By: Richard K. Morgan Average Rating: Binding: Kindle Edition Format: Kindle Book Label: Ballantine Books Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 560 Publication Date: June 26, 2007 Release Date: June 26, 2007
Product Description: The future isn’t what it used to be since Richard K. Morgan arrived on the scene. He unleashed Takeshi Kovacs–private eye, soldier of fortune, and all-purpose antihero–into the body-swapping, hard-boiled, urban jungle of tomorrow in Altered Carbon, Broken Angels, and Woken Furies, winning the Philip K. Dick Award in the process. In Market Forces, he launched corporate gladiator Chris Faulkner into the brave new business of war-for-profit. Now, in Thirteen, Morgan radically reshapes and recharges science fiction yet again, with a new and unforgettable hero in Carl Marsalis: hybrid, hired gun, and a man without a country . . . or a planet.
Marsalis is one of a new breed. Literally. Genetically engineered by the U.S. government to embody the naked aggression and primal survival skills that centuries of civilization have erased from humankind, Thirteens were intended to be the ultimate military fighting force. The project was scuttled, however, when a fearful public branded the supersoldiers dangerous mutants, dooming the Thirteens to forced exile on Earth’s distant, desolate Mars colony. But Marsalis found a way to slip back–and into a lucrative living as a bounty hunter and hit man before a police sting landed him in prison–a fate worse than Mars, and much more dangerous.
Luckily, his “enhanced” life also seems to be a charmed one. A new chance at freedom beckons, courtesy of the government. All Marsalis has to do is use his superior skills to bring in another fugitive. But this one is no common criminal. He’s another Thirteen–one who’s already shanghaied a space shuttle, butchered its crew, and left a trail of bodies in his wake on a bloody cross-country spree. And like his pursuer, he was bred to fight to the death. Still, there’s no question Marsalis will take the job. Though it will draw him deep into violence, treachery, corruption, and painful confrontation with himself, anything is better than remaining a prisoner. The real question is: can he remain sane–and alive–long enough to succeed?
Nice change of pace from Morgan Ruchard Morgan's SF stuff always satisfies, and this one continues to do so. Great stuff dealing with race and class.
Tedious Good plot drowned in psychological introspection and moralizing. What is wrong with writing a linear timeline. Multiple plots and characters is enough to keep track of without interrupting flash backs.
3 X C 3 L L 3 N T !! This dark cyberpunk novel is another proof that RICHARD MORGAN is the cutting edge of the genre. In a not so distant future, Mars has been colonized and genetic altered humans have been created, used up and then discarded into the margins of society - with prejudice. Hunting down renegade Thirteens (augmented alpha-males that should only choose between exile to Mars or never leaving their reservation) is Carl Marsalis, another Thirteen with an agenda of his own. In the backdrop of a dystopic yet all too human society several paradigm shifts away, this roller-coaster ride starts off with a bang and never slows down.
Ever since his first novel (ALTERED CARBON), Richard Morgan has conjured up a rich world full of images, sounds, scents and tastes that, although is science fiction, it never ceases to be recognizably and timelessly human. His imagination has given this future such depth that allows him to move effortlessly back and forth in time between books. I can only compare him to another titan of the genre : FRANK HERBERT of DUNE fame.
The Agricultural revolution domesticating humans? Highly probable. Together with the emergence of religious predisposition and reduced aggressiveness, the [implied] Social Selection favoring docile humans was a good way for societies to consolidate and thrive. As a NeuroBiologist I was very impressed to find his understanding of evolutionary NeuroSciences on the mark.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
Enjoyed His other books.......not this one I was disappointed with Thirteen, after reading all of Morgans other books i thought this would be better. I never bought into the main characters personalities or overall story. I have a feeling that Morgan just needed to pump out something quickly to satisfy his publisher.
Alpha Females--What A Ridiculous Notion In the introduction to Thirteen Richard K. Morgan makes reference to the fact that he recently lost his mother. Also, that his mother taught him this that and other things. Unfortunately, she did not teach him that if he really believes that the half of the species that beats, tortures, maims and murders children, are actually paragons of non-violence, and that female rulers have never invaded or attacked another country, then she really taught him nothing. There are too many studies, "Odd Girl Out", for one, about bullying and aggression in women, that puts the lie to most of the theories that he puts forth. Thirteen is crap. I could only get through a third of it before I wanted to ask for my money back and put it down, never to pick it up again. There is a very good book, "Warrior Women", that proves that Mr. Morgan, for all his need to extol women, really proves that he is terrified of women. Don't purchase this, why waste the money?
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
