Broken Angels
Takeshi Kovacs • Book 2
by Richard K. Morgan
Narrated by Todd McLaren
Why Listen to This Audiobook?
Morgan yanks Kovacs out of noir and drops him into a warzone, and the book is meaner, colder, and stranger for it.
- Great if you want: military sci-fi with moral ambiguity and alien mystery
- Listening experience: dense and relentless — war horror meets treasure heist
- Narration: McLaren's gruff, clipped delivery fits the soldier-of-fortune tone
- Skip if: you came for the noir detective atmosphere of Altered Carbon
About This Audiobook
Former UN Envoy Takeshi Kovacs finds himself in a new sleeve and a new profession as a mercenary soldier on the war-torn planet Sanction IV. When a mysterious corporate executive and a rogue archaeologist offer him a chance to abandon his military contract for a far more lucrative venture, Kovacs assembles a team of enhanced soldiers to hunt for a priceless Martian artifact buried in the ruins of a radiation-soaked city. The mission promises incredible wealth, but the ancient alien technology they seek comes with deadly surprises that could reshape human civilization or destroy them all.
Todd McLaren delivers a masterful performance that captures Kovacs' world-weary cynicism and razor-sharp wit with remarkable consistency. His gravelly delivery perfectly embodies the hardened mercenary's voice while maintaining distinct characterizations for the diverse cast of soldiers, corporate players, and alien intelligences. McLaren's pacing expertly balances the story's contemplative philosophical moments with its explosive action sequences, allowing listeners to absorb Morgan's complex world-building without losing the narrative's driving momentum. The narrator's controlled intensity makes every strategic decision and violent encounter feel immediate and personal.
