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Richard K. Morgan
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Market Forces (Gollancz S.F.) Hardcover – 4 Mar. 2004

by Richard Morgan (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 709 ratings
What do you buy and sell when the global markets reach saturation point? The markets themselves. Thirty years from now the big players in global capitalism have moved on from commodities. The big money is in conflict investment. The corporations keep a careful watch on the wars of liberation and revolution that burn constantly around the world. They guage who the winners will be and sell them arms, intelligence and power. In return for a slice of the action when the war is won. The reward? A stake in the new nation. It's cynical, brutal and it has nothing to do with democracy and the rule of law. So what else is new? The executives in this lethal game bid for contracts, fight for promotion, secure their lives on the roads. Fighting lethal duels in souped up, heavily armoured cars on the empty motorways of the future. Chris Faulkener has a lethal reputation and a new job at Shorn Associates. Has he got what it takes to make a real killing?
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  1. Print length
    400 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Gollancz
  4. Publication date
    4 Mar. 2004
  5. Dimensions
    16.5 x 4.2 x 24.3 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    9780575075122
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0575075122
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Product description

Amazon Review

With his third novel Market Forces, Richard Morgan moves from the far-future SF violence of Altered Carbon and Broken Angels to almost equally extreme corporate violence in the mid-21st century. The hero, or antihero, Chris Faulkner is a rising executive in a Britain where the gap between suits and the underclass is huger than ever. Both promotion and competitive tendering in the cut-throat world of Conflict Investment (arms dealing) are settled by duels to the death: "Road-raging is here to stay."

The action happens in the nearly derelict arena of our motorway system--an executive playground--since the lower orders can no longer afford petrol. Individual drivers or teams manoeuvre to run the opposition permanently off the road in a Mad Max frenzy, no mercy asked or given. At first, Faulkner has a black mark for taking a defeated opponent to hospital instead of finishing the kill. He won't make that mistake again. After all, the latest management status symbol is the exclusive Nemesis-10 handgun.

International business decisions are tough ("Regime change is our worst-case scenario"), and there's no longer any safe distance between boardroom decisions and blood on the streets. As a big deal with revolutionary South American factions goes badly wrong, both careers and lives are on the line. This deadly game still has some rules of conduct, but getting to the top means pushing the envelope. Faulkner pushes hard enough to make you wince.

With terminal stress on his marriage, his battered conscience, and his few friendships, our man seems doomed to become either a monster or a mutilated corpse. Company backstabbing intensifies; the stakes are higher with each new challenge. One chancy way out of the rat race is offered, but maybe it's possible to get addicted to living on the edge?

An ultra-black, ultra-violent and intensely depressing vision of 2049's amoral Masters of the World. Compulsive reading for the un-squeamish; you can almost hear Michael Moore saying "I told you so". --David Langford

About the Author

Richard Morgan was, until his writing career took off, a tutor at Strathclyde University in the English Language Teaching division. He has travelled widely and lived in Spain and Istanbul. He is a fluent Spanish speaker. Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke, John W. Campbell and Philip K. Dick Awards his books are published around the world. He lives in Norwich with his family.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0575075120
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Gollancz
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 4 Mar. 2004
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ First Edition
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780575075122
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0575075122
  • Item weight ‏ : ‎ 751 g
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 16.5 x 4.2 x 24.3 cm
  • Best Sellers Rank: 649,078 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 709 ratings

About the author

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Richard K. Morgan

Richard K. Morgan

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Richard K. Morgan is the acclaimed author of The Dark Defiles, The Cold Commands, The Steel Remains, Black Man (published in the US as Thirteen), Woken Furies, Market Forces, Broken Angels, and Altered Carbon, a New York Times Notable Book that won the Philip K. Dick Award in 2003.

The movie rights to Altered Carbon were optioned by Joel Silver and Warner Bros on publication, and the book remained in feature film development until 2015. It is now being turned into a 10 episode Netflix series by Skydance Media. Market Forces, was also optioned to Warner Bros, before it was even published, and it won the John W. Campbell Award in 2005. Black Man won the Arthur C .Clarke Award in 2007 and is currently under movie option to Straight Up films. The Steel Remains won the Gaylactic Spectrum award in 2010, and its sequel, The Cold Commands, was listed in both Kirkus Reviews‘ and NPR’s best Science Fiction / Fantasy books of the Year. The concluding volume, The Dark Defiles, is out now!

Richard is a fluent Spanish speaker and has lived and worked in Madrid, Istanbul, Ankara, London and Glasgow, as well as travelling extensively in the Americas, Africa and Australia. He now lives back in Norfolk in the UK with his Spanish wife Virginia and son Daniel, about five miles away from where he grew up. A bit odd, that, but he’s dealing with it.

Photo by Roberta F. [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
709 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book's story engaging and well-written, with one review noting it moves at a good pace. They appreciate the writing style, with one customer highlighting its visual approach, and consider it a masterful dystopian thriller. The book receives positive feedback for its thought-provoking content and violence level, with one review describing it as a "brilliantly modern take on the cyberpunk genre." The character development and pacing receive mixed reactions from customers.

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Story qualityEnjoymentThought provokingViolence levelWriting qualityPacingBelievableCharacter development
9 customers mention ‘Story quality’8 positive1 negative

Customers enjoy the story of the book, with one mentioning that the plot moves along at a good pace.

"...This is an engrossing story and if you are tempted to think that its can't happen then look not further than books like Sun Tzu's Art of War being..." Read more

"...Book came in good time and have really enjoyed the story line ." Read more

"...He's got a real talent for building believable characters and engaging plots...." Read more

"...His characters are flawed and real, and the story pulls you along unerringly...." Read more

5 customers mention ‘Enjoyment’5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly enjoyable, with one describing it as a masterful dystopian thriller.

"...flawlessly, the plot moves along at a good pace and is sufficiently interesting. Really, there isn't a faltering step...." Read more

"...corruption of the soul hint at hidden depths but at heart this is pure escapism. When I bought this book last year I had low expectations...." Read more

"...Kovacs novels in general, this was still a piece of highly enjoyable Morgan entertainment and is probably begging to be made into a film..." Read more

"Violent 'future shock' and compelling read..." Read more

5 customers mention ‘Thought provoking’5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking, with one customer describing it as a terrific metaphor and another noting its interesting vision.

"...Death Race 2000 as a metaphor of dog-eat-dog capitalism - is terrific as a metaphor but is wholly implausible in the world of the novel...." Read more

"...Not his best book, but easily the most thought provoking.😆..." Read more

"Very well portrayed vision of what may be to come if corporate amorality is left unchecked...." Read more

"Another interesting vision by Morgan. A violent drama in the future...." Read more

4 customers mention ‘Violence level’3 positive1 negative

Customers appreciate the violence in the book, with one describing it as a "future shock" and another noting its brutal elements.

"...Road warrior takes on a whole new meaning! It is a very violent story set in a brutal age where might is right and corporations celebrate the..." Read more

"Another interesting vision by Morgan. A violent drama in the future...." Read more

"Violent and distasteful..." Read more

"Absolutely briliantly modern take on the cyberpunk genre, with action, betrayal and love interest aplenty. Read it and see why." Read more

4 customers mention ‘Writing quality’4 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with one customer noting its visual style and another highlighting the author's expertise in science fiction.

"...That said, there is plenty to like. This is Morgan, so the writing is excellent...." Read more

"...Richard Morgan writes in a very visual way and like Altered Carbon this book plays out like a movie in your mind...." Read more

"...Richard Morgan's writing is very believable and he whirls you along his chosen path at breakneck speed...." Read more

"This is a very well written/edited book. I am a great fan of the Kovach books by the same author...." Read more

6 customers mention ‘Pacing’3 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with one customer praising its brilliant modern take on the cyberpunk genre, while another finds it ultra-violent.

"...dog eat dog corporate machinations in this book and the nihilistic vision of the near future...." Read more

"...Harlan Ellison's short story on the topic of 'Road Rage' the idea seemed somewhat stale...." Read more

"Absolutely briliantly modern take on the cyberpunk genre, with action, betrayal and love interest aplenty. Read it and see why." Read more

"...I wouldn’t call this sci-fi but more nasty dystopianism. I gave up on this book about a third of the way through...." Read more

5 customers mention ‘Believable’3 positive2 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the believability of the book, with some finding it realistic, while others find it implausible.

"...Also, the future portrayed in the book is scarily realistic, which makes me shiver." Read more

"...-dog capitalism - is terrific as a metaphor but is wholly implausible in the world of the novel. That said, there is plenty to like...." Read more

"...not sympathetically drawn yet the fallout from his flawed actions is believable and thoughtfully portrayed...." Read more

"a not so sci-fi fiction..." Read more

5 customers mention ‘Character development’3 positive2 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character development in the book, with some praising the author's talent for creating believable characters, while one customer notes the hero is not sympathetically drawn.

"...All the elements work perfectly together - the characters are vivid and plausible, the world (too like our own to really be SF) holds together..." Read more

"...There was not a single pleasant character and I frankly ended up not caring what happened to any of them...." Read more

"...He's got a real talent for building believable characters and engaging plots...." Read more

"...The hero is not sympathetically drawn yet the fallout from his flawed actions is believable and thoughtfully portrayed...." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • A. J. Sudworth
    5.0 out of 5 stars Violent 'future shock' and compelling read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 March 2004
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    This is the third book from Richard Morgan and in many ways is his best - because it is set just a few years from now and many of the business traits we see today are extrapolated to a world where contract negotiations are concluded 'on the road'. Road warrior takes on a whole new meaning! It is a very violent story set in a brutal age where might is right and corporations celebrate the existence of 'small wars'to drive their profit margins (check out the reference list at the back of the book for a clue on the way the story might develop) You can feel the distaste for corporate life that comes from the main character but that does not stop him being brutal to get what he wants - anyone who works for a multi national might feel some of the emotions that he displays.
    This is an engrossing story and if you are tempted to think that its can't happen then look not further than books like Sun Tzu's Art of War being used as a metaphor for business practise.
    And check out the reference to Richard Morgans first book 'Altered Carbon' in the last third of the book - thats another great read as well
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Bertolt
    4.0 out of 5 stars this is a somewhat thin book that feels like a short story stretched out
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 December 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Wow, a Richard Morgan SF novel with only four stars.

    First the negatives: this is a somewhat thin book that feels like a short story stretched out. The plot line is rather too reminiscent of those post-Thatcher TV dramas that supposedly critique rampant capitalism (hyperactive yuppies in smart suits living fast and making millions) but actually drool over it, and so, strangely, seems a bit over-familiar. The central idea - a kind of Death Race 2000 as a metaphor of dog-eat-dog capitalism - is terrific as a metaphor but is wholly implausible in the world of the novel.

    That said, there is plenty to like. This is Morgan, so the writing is excellent. All the elements work perfectly together - the characters are vivid and plausible, the world (too like our own to really be SF) holds together flawlessly, the plot moves along at a good pace and is sufficiently interesting. Really, there isn't a faltering step. It's just that, compared to his other SF books, it's all a bit slight. I do recommend it unreservedly, as it is well worth a read, but it doesn't stack up against works like ALTERED CARBON or, especially, BLACK MAN.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Mr. Peter A. Gilligan
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not one of my favourites from Richard Morgan
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 May 2010
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Much as I like Richard Morgan's work in general - Tadeshi Kovacs trilogy and Black Man which I thought great, verging on genius - somehow Market Forces just didn't quite work for me.

    Perhaps because of having read Harlan Ellison's short story on the topic of 'Road Rage' the idea seemed somewhat stale. Admittedly Ellison's short offering left a lot of room to develop a back story which is what Morgan sets out to do in this novel. The world he described as the context in which formalised Road Duels become socially acceptable just some how didn't quite hang together for me. I couldn't put my finger on exactly what it was. Sadly after having read - devoured - all his other work, this just fell flat for me.

    Still as they say; "You can't please all the people all the time" I am still a big fan of Richard Morgan's work and would strongly recommend his books. But I certainly would rate this offering as just an also ran.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Paul
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 January 2024
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Really like this author but this book was not available in any book stores . Book came in good time and have really enjoyed the story line .
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  • The Steel Remains
    4.0 out of 5 stars Dark hearted, ultra-violent and brilliant fun.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 March 2005
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Now don't go expecting this book to be as original or as clever as Altered Carbon. It isn't. It's not even close. What it is though is cool, fast and very atmospheric. Richard Morgan writes in a very visual way and like Altered Carbon this book plays out like a movie in your mind. The ultra-violence, sex and corruption of the soul hint at hidden depths but at heart this is pure escapism.
    When I bought this book last year I had low expectations. The Amazon score was 2 stars. At the time of writing that has risen to 4. I guess that means you either love this book or hate it but it will provoke a reaction either way.
    To me, Richard Morgan writes like a rabid Iain M Banks. And man, I like that!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Piotr L
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another masterpiece from Morgan
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 March 2023
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    This is my 5th or 6th book by Morgan and so far, every single one was an absolute masterpiece. He's got a real talent for building believable characters and engaging plots. Couldn't put it back really, and enjoyed every single paragraph.

    Also, the future portrayed in the book is scarily realistic, which makes me shiver.
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  • Roy Brookes
    5.0 out of 5 stars Chillingly possible
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 May 2010
    Verified Purchase
    The kind of world described in this book is all too chillingly possible, and intelligent people looking at what is happening in the World now are already worried. Richard Morgan's writing is very believable and he whirls you along his chosen path at breakneck speed. I love all of his books because they are all so different and anarchistic in a subtle way. I am not going to give away plot details as enough other people have done that already. I prefer to talk about the man's style, and he does have style. If you have never read any of his works, get them, read them, they are worth it. He writes the best science fiction I have ever read, and I have read all the "greats".
    One person found this helpful
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  • G H Sargeant
    4.0 out of 5 stars Thought provoking
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 February 2014
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    I loved the dog eat dog corporate machinations in this book and the nihilistic vision of the near future. Though the premise that led to the 'car wars' concept of promotion seemed contrived to facilitate the physical conflicts that are Morgan's forte, I forgave him this for the sheer velocity of the action. Not quite in the league of altered carbon and the Kovacs novels in general, this was still a piece of highly enjoyable Morgan entertainment and is probably begging to be made into a film (Tom Cruise perhaps)!
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Mr. Roger H. Geyer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A possible extrapolation of recent corporate trends
    Reviewed in the United States on 15 March 2006
    Verified Purchase
    I think this is brilliant work. With much of the gritty feel and the strong emotional draw of the protagonist Kovacs novels, Morgan delves into philosophy and implies some crucial questions about the direction of capitalism in the modern western first world.

    Imagine wanting to comment on where much of the materialism and greed apparent in almost all things corporate in recent years may be leading. Now imagine wanting to pull in some economic and key philosophical commentary. Also, including a tie-in to a simpler time wwll before Toffler's "future shock" concept made establishing lifelong loyalties not only practical, but meaningful.

    Now, this imaginary book would be some dry tome which would put 99% of its audience to sleep and be rarely read, right?

    Well, Morgan has cleverly put this book into novel form, and the result is a fun, engaging read, with the needed tie-ins to the items mentioned above.

    No, this is definitely NOT another Kovacs novel. Yet, any thinking western white collar worker surely HAS to imagine that we are FAR closer to something like the reality portrayed here than we were 20 years ago. And the thought processes the protagonist goes through are eerily similar to what me and my peers at work go through year by year - the opposing pulls of our work, family, and personal lives brought about by ever-growing tidal forces brought on by technology and change.

    The clear analogy of the requirements of the job and the implied loyalty expected (put your life on the line in a corporate-battle driving competition) to the ancient Japanese samurai are striking throughout.

    Just as in the corporate world today, however, the loyalty is certainly NOT symmetrical. For the high pay/high risk jobs, corporations pay for success, expect success no matter WHAT the personal cost, and shove the "bodies" out of the way when they're no longer deemed successful (AKA convenient).

    Though Morgan pays homage to the downside of the financial stratification inherent in modern capitalism (and he makes it completely unambiguous that the fear of landing at the bottom is the primary motivator for the protagonist), he doesn't let this theme dominate or stifle the prose (except for certain needed philosophical passages, of course).

    I'm betting that an honest self appraisal of many western white collar technicians reading this will stir eerie personal life parallels to the conflicts and thoughts brought forth in this engaging novel.

    If all you want is gee whiz techno-geek stuff and action, then this will be a disappointment compared to the Kovacs series. If, however, you think you can appreciate a more philosophical and near-future focus, I suspect you'll find both value and enjoyment here.
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  • Grant Dewar
    4.0 out of 5 stars Not his best, but still a rolling Richard Morgan thriller
    Reviewed in Australia on 30 March 2016
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Didn't reach the heights of Takeshi novels but still an enjoyable read, if a bit predictable in parts.

    Some good ideas, a few taken a bit far so that suspension of disbelief cracked a little but still very entertaining.
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  • Philipp Nowak
    5.0 out of 5 stars Spannender Wirtschaftsthriller im London der nahen Zukunft
    Reviewed in Germany on 2 November 2005
    Verified Purchase
    Eigentlich habe ich Richard Morgan über seine Takeshi Kovacs Serie ("Altered Carbon", "Broken Angels" und "Woken Furies") kennen- und schätzen gelernt.
    Bei "Market Forces" habe ich zuerst einmal gezögert; zu abgedreht schien mir die Geschichte, einen "Mad-Max" Verschnitt in einem London der Zukunft mit einem Wirtschaftskrimi zu verknüpfe. Auf Amazon-Empfehlung habe ich es dann schliesslich doch bestellt, und wurde nicht enttäuscht. Bei "Market Forces" handelt es sich um einen sehr lesbar geschriebenen Roman, der es durchaus mit der konventionelleren Literatur im Bereich Wirtschaftskrimi aufnehmen kann.
    Die Geschichte ist schnell erzählt: Chris Faulkner hat es geschafft; sein Traumjob ist in Reichweite. Er ist beim Marktführer in Conflict Investment, Shears Associates in London gelandet. Conflict Investment ist die härtere und nicht ganz moralische Variante des Investment Bankings: Vermögensbildung durch Investitionen in Krisenherden und Konflikte weltweit. Falkner muss sich nicht nur mit widerspenstigen Diktatoren rumschlagen, auch die Kollegen in den eigenen Reihen machen ihm das Leben schwer. Und jegliche interne Spannungen werden als Duelle auf den fast vollständig leeren Autobahnen des zukünftigen Londons ausgetragen...
    Mehr möchte ich eigentlich zur Geschichte nicht verraten. Richard Morgan schreibt diesmal nicht aus der Perspektive des Erzählers, was der Handlung ein fast filmhaftes Flair verleiht (tatsächlich hatte er "Market Forces" als Drehbuch konzipiert). So zeigt er zum Beispiel wichtige Details auch von anderen Blickwinkeln, was insgesamt auch den anderen Charakteren eine willkommene emotionale Tiefe verleiht. So ist auch Chris Falkner nach aussen ein sehr extremer Charakter, der zumindest versucht, sein eigenes Empfinden von Ehre und Moral bis zum Ende durchzuretten.
    Auch die Welt ist sehr glaubhaft dargestellt: ein sehr dunkles, endzeitliches London (sozusagen Michael Moores schlimmster Albtraum) steht im starken Kontrast zu einem sozial sehr gerechten Norwegen, das Herkunftsland von Falkners Frau und Schwiegervater. Auch die zynische Einstellung der CI-Spezialisten, die inneren Konflikte im "Büroalltag" und die Exkursionen in das Privatleben der Protagonisten sind excellent portraitiert.
    Ich habe das Buch innerhalb kürzester Zeit verschlungen, es befindet sich zusammen mit den anderen Büchern von Richard Morgan sowie der "Song of Ice and Fire" Saga von George R. R. Martin auf der Liste meiner Lieblingsbücher.
    Sehr zu empfehlen, nicht nur für SciFi Fans, sondern auch für Liebhaber moderner Wirtschafts- und Anwalts-Thriller.
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  • Bob
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read.
    Reviewed in Canada on 8 September 2019
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Great read
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  • B. McEwan
    4.0 out of 5 stars Extreme Capitalism
    Reviewed in the United States on 15 December 2007
    Verified Purchase
    I think Richard K. Morgan is an exceptional writer, principally because of his high concept sci-fi that is often laced with a subtle moral vision. In Market Forces he doesn't disappoint in that regard, as he creates a near-future world that is both absurd in its extreme depictions of free-market capitalism and yet totally believable. That, of course, is the scary part.

    The hero, or more accurately the anti-hero, is Chris Faulkner who, along with all of the other top "zek-tivs" (executives) in this novel, must literally fight for his life every day in order to hold onto his privileged job and economic position in society. The proving ground is the highway, where the partners of prosperous financial firms try to fend off lower-level contenders by crashing their vehicles (called battle wagons) and ensuring their competitors' deaths. A kill is confirmed by bringing back the other person's "plastic," which are the black credit cards used in place of cash.

    Chris's world is highly fractured. There is the executive class, composed mostly of men (and a few women) who finance wars and other negative activities around the globe for profit, and the underclass, which is everyone else. The poor folks are, not surprisingly, a brutish bunch who have to struggle to survive their crime-ridden neighborhoods and who rely for justice on a marginalized political system that has evolved into an essential police state. (Sound familiar anyone?) The executives are every bit as brutish, if not more so, but they deny it to themselves and one another by glossing over what they do with expensive cars, clothes, food and other accessories available only to the rich.

    The materialism of this society is about as extreme as you can imagine and there are darkly funny lines throughout the novel that highlight this state of affairs. For instance, when Chris Faulkner is introduced to one of the oddballs in his new firm, the person says, "No relation to William, I presume." Chris is puzzled and, later, asks his pal Mike Bryant what the oddball meant, since his tone implied humor. Mike, of course, has no idea.

    The plot of Market Forces moves along briskly and, as one might expect, comes to a head in the road duel to end all duels, which changes the course of Chris's life. The great thing about this novel is that it is not too hard to envision something like Chris's world. Sure, some situations and characters are extreme, but given the trajectory of the global economy in 2007 and the almost sacred way in which the current administration reveres "lazier faire," it's a little too believable for comfort.

    Market Forces is a very good read that offers the pace of a page-turner with a bit more substance than those novels usually deliver. Highly recommended.
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