Try free for 30 days

  • Altered Carbon

  • Altered Carbon, Book 1
  • By: Richard Morgan
  • Narrated by: Todd McLaren
  • Length: 17 hrs and 14 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (695 ratings)

1 credit a month to use on any title, yours to keep (you’ll use your first credit on this title).
Stream or download thousands of included titles.
Access to exclusive deals and discounts.
$16.45 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
Altered Carbon cover art

Altered Carbon

By: Richard Morgan
Narrated by: Todd McLaren
Try for $0.00

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $33.99

Buy Now for $33.99

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Publisher's Summary

Four hundred years from now mankind is strung out across a region of interstellar space inherited from an ancient civilization discovered on Mars. The colonies are linked together by the occasional sublight colony ship voyages and hyperspatial data-casting. Human consciousness is digitally freighted between the stars and downloaded into bodies as a matter of course.

But some things never change. So when ex-envoy, now-convict Takeshi Kovacs has his consciousness and skills downloaded into the body of a nicotine-addicted ex-thug and presented with a catch-22 offer, he really shouldn't be surprised. Contracted by a billionaire to discover who murdered his last body, Kovacs is drawn into a terrifying conspiracy that stretches across known space and to the very top of society. Read by Todd McLaren.

©2003 Richard K Morgan (P)2005 Tantor Media, Inc

What listeners say about Altered Carbon

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    437
  • 4 Stars
    187
  • 3 Stars
    50
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    10
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    408
  • 4 Stars
    169
  • 3 Stars
    41
  • 2 Stars
    15
  • 1 Stars
    7
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    403
  • 4 Stars
    165
  • 3 Stars
    51
  • 2 Stars
    12
  • 1 Stars
    5

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • ben
  • 10-07-2018

far better then Netflix

if you enjoy sci-fi absolutely worth the read/listen.
watched the Netflix show before listening, as usual the book is far better.
great sci-fi murder mystery

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great cross genre cyberpunk noir.

I read / listened to the book at least a dozen times before the TV series. Hooray for me!

I can't believe how badly they screwed with the central themes and plot lines to make the TV series.

I love the left wing Marxism ideologies that permeate throughout this trilogy, as well as the alien tech that has both advanced and corrupted human society. The cyberpunk noir style of Altered Carbon is so very cool. If you like this particular sub-genre than I highly recommend George Alec Effinger 'When Gravity Fails' (also available on audible) as it is another great listen and a favourite of mine.

Do I expect anyone to read this review or follow up on the book recommendation, hell no! Writing reviews here is really a bit of a laugh.... perhaps if I wrote this before the TV release it would have counted. Dont you just wish that when they convert a book for TV or a movie they would actually do the book without major changes?

BTW this book is just great but perhaps Richard Morgan does over do the sex scenes a little, ... however not as much as in some of his other books.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

diffrent to the show but just as good

The same old the the book and the show are different but I like them both

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyed after watching the Netflix series

I came to this after watching the adaptation. Really enjoyed the original story and all its differences.
It’s a complex work and it makes me app the skill it took to use it as source material for the adaptation.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Pleasantly suprised

Loved the book.
The reader gave all the female characters essentially the same husky voice which confused me at times but otherwise it was a great listen. Excellent for a return long haul flight.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story and performance, terrible audio quality

This book is expertly written and described vividly. I really enjoyed the story, as (probably like most) I became a fan of the Netflix series first and wanted more backstory. The performance itself was great, however the audio quality is awful. The sound comes through very muffled, so to hear anything you need to turn the volume up until a ‘sh’ sound is pronounced and ruins your hearing.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Volumes is too low

I was flat out hearing the story without noise cancelling headphones. I almost didn’t bother finishing it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

I loved it.

Todd McLaren reads with amazing voice acting. TV show differs from the books, but all the main points are the same.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story - different from the TV Show

I hadn't heard of this series until binge watching the Netflix show but I love science fiction which makes you think. The book is quite different from the TV show but I enjoyed the differences. New twists and characters made it unique. Looking forward to the next one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Better than the show

After watching the show, I had to check out the book. I was not disappointed.
will definitely be listening to the rest of the series

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.