Richard Morgan is an English science fiction and fantasy author.
Born in London, and brought up in the village of Hethersett, near Norwich, Morgan studied history at Queens' College, Cambridge. After graduating he started teaching English in order to travel the world. After 14 years and a post at the University of Strathclyde, his first novel was published and he became a full-time writer.
Morgan's books are generally set in a post-extropianist dystopian world. Morgan described his "takeaway" of one of his books as
Society is, always has been and always will be a structure for the exploitation and oppression of the majority through systems of political force dictated by an élite, enforced by thugs, uniformed or not, and upheld by a wilful ignorance and stupidity on the part of the very majority whom the system oppresses.
“I’m stacked, backed up and I’m fifth dan
And I’m not afraid of the Patchwork Man”
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 23 (p. 295)
“Kristin, nothing ever does change.”
I jerked a thumb back at the crowd outside. “You’ll always have morons like that, swallowing belief patterns whole so they don’t have to think for themselves. You’ll always have people like Kawahara and the Bancrofts to push their buttons and cash in on the program. People like you to make sure the game runs smoothly and the rules don’t get broken too often. And when the Meths want to break the rules themselves, they’ll send people like Trepp and me to do it. That’s the truth, Kristin. It’s been the truth since I was born a hundred and fifty years ago, and from what I read in the history books, it’s never been any different. Better get used to it.”
Epilogue (p. 524)
Altered Carbon (2002)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 23 (p. 300)
Context: “The human eye is a wonderful device,” I quoted from Poems and Other Prevarications absently. “With a little effort, it can fail to see even the most glaring injustice.”
Epilogue (p. 523)
Altered Carbon (2002)
“We are, after all, evolved to relate to the physical world.”
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 17 (p. 227)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 11 (pp. 136-137)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 15 (pp. 184-185, quoting the fictional work Things I Should Have Learned by Now, Volume II, written by story character Quellcrist Falconer)
Richard Morgan (2002) in: "Never Mind the Cyberpunks: An Interview with Richard Morgan" at SaxonBullock.com, published by SlateMagazine.co.uk, 2002
Morgan discussing his "take away" of his novel Altered Carbon
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 29 (p. 371)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 18 (p. 236)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 30 (p. 377)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 14 (p. 182)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 25 (p. 319)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 16 (p. 215)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 37 (p. 439)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 32 (p. 394)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 25 (p. 321)
Epilogue (p. 524)
Altered Carbon (2002)
“The past is relevant only as data.”
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 18 (p. 242)
“Money doesn’t automatically mean taste.”
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 21 (p. 276)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 41 (p. 493)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 28 (pp. 354-355)
“The essence of control is to remain hidden from view, is it not?”
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 25 (p. 318)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 2 (pp. 24-25)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 22 (p. 287)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 16 (p. 217)
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 21 (pp. 280-281)
“I’d rather you didn’t smoke in here.”
“Kawahara, I’d rather you died of an internal hemorrhage, but I don’t suppose you’ll oblige me.”
Source: Altered Carbon (2002), Chapter 25 (p. 319)
