Broken Angels
Book Description
A war-torn world where death is just a temporary inconvenience, "Broken Angels" plunges into a gritty tale of survival and betrayal. Former soldier Takeshi Kovacs is thrust back into the chaos, battling ruthless factions and haunting memories as he seeks a powerful secret buried deep within the carnage. Allies are scarce, and enemies lurk in every shadow, each encounter charged with tension and the threat of violence. Loyalties will be tested, and nothing is what it seems in this high-stakes game of power and revenge. Will Kovacs reclaim his lost humanity, or will he become just another broken soul in a city of angels turned to dust?
Quick Book Summary
"Broken Angels" by Richard K. Morgan plunges readers back into the gritty, high-tech future introduced in "Altered Carbon." Takeshi Kovacs, former Envoy and mercenary, becomes embroiled in a brutal corporate war on the planet Sanction IV. As fractured factions vie for control over a mysterious and powerful Martian artifact, Kovacs leads a ragtag team through battlefields, political intrigues, and the merciless realities of a technologically advanced world where bodies can be swapped as easily as clothing. Amidst the dirty dealings and violence, Kovacs faces moral ambiguities, betrayals, and his own haunted past. The story explores the price of survival, the impact of war on the human psyche, and the struggle to retain one's humanity in a universe where death is temporary but loss is eternal.
Summary of Key Ideas
Table of Contents
Identity and Humanity in a Postmortal World
Takeshi Kovacs, now a mercenary on the war-ravaged world of Sanction IV, finds himself swept up in the treacherous politics and violence that dominate the planet. In a world where death is no longer permanent due to technology that allows personalities to be 'resleeved' into new bodies, traditional concepts of mortality and ethics are upended. Kovacs joins a corporate-backed mission to uncover a dormant Martian starship, a discovery with the power to shift the balance of power on Sanction IV—and perhaps the entire system.
Warfare, Betrayal, and Survival
The mission brings together a volatile mix of soldiers, archaeologists, corporate operatives, and criminals. As they travel deep into enemy territory, the group must contend with persistent threats: rebel factions, hostile environments, and the ever-present risk of betrayal by their own allies. The omnipresent possibility of death without real finality breeds cynicism and moral compromise, while the lure of the Martian artifact stokes greed and suspicion among the team.
Alien Technology and Corporate Greed
Battles are as much psychological as physical; Kovacs and his companions become haunted by their past traumas and the desensitization bred by endless conflict. The quest for the alien ship becomes a crucible for examining the cost of survival in a universe where bodies are disposable, but memories and emotional scars remain. Loyalties are fluid and shifting, tested with every decision and encounter in the relentless chaos of war.
The Haunting Legacy of the Past
At the heart of the story is the tantalizing promise of Martian technology—a symbol of humanity's ambitions and deepest fears. The alien artifact represents both hope and danger, reflecting the corrosive influence of corporations that will stop at nothing to control it. Kovacs must navigate betrayals from supposed friends and foes alike, forced to question his own motivations in the high-stakes struggle for ultimate power.
Through violence, loss, and the rare moments of connection, Kovacs continually wrestles with questions about humanity, identity, and the right course in a world where nothing feels permanent—including the self. "Broken Angels" unfolds as a meditation on the dehumanizing nature of war and the glimmering possibility of redemption, even as hope seems out of reach amid the ruins of civilization.
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