Review of 'Market Forces'

Market Forces by Richard Morgan

Set in a not-so-distant future large corporations take an active role in foreign conflict with associates engaging in “legal” road-rage “challenges” in order to progress their careers. These massive companies and their employees have a large amount of control in the society with the ability to break any law and get away with it. They live above the rest of society in all senses. The novel starts with Chris Faulkner having just joined one of the biggest “Conflict Investment” companies, Shorn Associates. He quickly becomes engrossed in the high-paced and ultra-violent lifestyle. Will his marriage and morals survive?

This is truly a shocking book and I found it often a bit difficult to follow the digressions in political and economic theory. I would not read this book if you were not able to live with swearing, violence and sex in copious quantities – I found it, at times, almost painful to read in it's descriptions of these things. Of course, fans of Richard Morgan will be use to this by now so I would suggest to them that this is much along those familiar lines.

It is an interesting and very disturbing read. I found it difficult to relate to the digression of the anti-hero throughout the book but found it fascinating…

Rating: “A bit better than average”

Review Date: 2007-10-03


Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: Gollancz

Publication Date: 2004


Other reviewed books by Richard Morgan: