Richard K. Morgan (born September 24, 1965, in London, England) is a British science fiction and fantasy author best known for his gritty cyberpunk debut Altered Carbon and its hard-hitting sequels. With a background in history from Queens’ College, Cambridge, Morgan spent years teaching English abroad before turning to writing full-time.
His breakout novel, Altered Carbon (2002), introduced readers to the world of Takeshi Kovacs—a former elite soldier navigating a future where consciousness can be digitized and bodies are interchangeable. The novel earned the Philip K. Dick Award and became a cult hit, later adapted into a high-profile Netflix series starring Joel Kinnaman and Anthony Mackie.
Morgan followed with two Kovacs sequels: Broken Angels (2003) and Woken Furies (2005), expanding the universe with noir aesthetics, brutal action, and philosophical depth. His writing is known for its anti-authoritarian themes, complex moral landscapes, and uncompromising tone.
Venturing into fantasy, Morgan penned The Steel Remains (2008), the first book of the A Land Fit for Heroes trilogy. With a queer protagonist and unflinching violence, the series was hailed as a provocative, subversive entry into grimdark fantasy. He later returned to science fiction with Thin Air (2018), another dystopian noir set in a future Mars colony.
Morgan’s work combines sharp social critique with explosive storytelling, often exploring identity, corporatism, and transhumanism. He’s also contributed to video games, including Crysis 2, and remains an influential voice in modern speculative fiction.
He currently lives in the UK and continues to write, with ongoing interest in developing original projects for TV and new books across genres.
