Review of Thin Air by Richard Morgan

Reading Thin Air by Richard Morgan was a different experience for me.  I love traditional science fiction stories, but this one was anything but “traditional.” The protagonist, Hakan Veil, is a different kind of character.  He possesses a different skill set due to work in the Earth service and knows how to use his genetically enhanced body to full effect.  His relocation to Mars has, of necessity. turned him into a mercenary with lots of desirable skills – all for sale at a price.  He gets pulled into a series of adventures in a place where the traditional mores seem not to exist – even in the police.  Corruption seems to abound everywhere and he has some trouble figuring out who the “friendlies” are although he is not above using his erstwhile enemies to accomplish his goals. 

He was give a charge to protect one of the Earth overseers sent to monitor Mars activities named Madison Madekwe, and she disappears.  Looking for her leads to a set of adventures revolving around a lottery program for return trips to Earth, criminal conspiracies, enemies becoming allies and vice versa. Veil does it because he has a code that if you take a job, in this case to protect Madison, then you do it. The overall impact of the book, is not my personal choice of an enjoyable read,  although I can see how some readers would like it.  It is too convoluted and too much effort is needed to follow the storyline that seems all over the place…Veil is in prison then not in prison; in good standing and then not.  Just too much “drama” for me as a reader.