Takeshi Kovacs

Takeshi Lev Kovacs (pronounced "Koh-vach," Hungarian for "Smith"; the same in Slovak (and some other Slavic languages) is the protagonist of the books "Altered Carbon", "Broken Angels", and "Woken Furies" by Richard K. Morgan, which take place several centuries in the future.

A native of the planet Harlan's World, Kovacs is a half-Japanese, half-Eastern European individual who was a teenage gang member before enlisting in the military. After leaving the Envoy Corps, [cite web |url=http://www.scifi.com/sfw/books/sfw9540.html |title=Altered Carbon |work=SCI FI Weekly |date=March 17, 2003|accessdate=2008-10-02] an elite military force, Kovacs returned to criminal life and became a mercenary, and was eventually imprisoned, his cortical "stack" stored without a body for decades at a time as punishment before being paroled or hired out to work high-risk situations. [cite book | last = Andrews | first = Stephen | title = 100 Must-Read Science Fiction Novels | publisher = A&C Black | location = London | year = 2007 | isbn = 0713675853 |pages=p.98 |quote=A former member of an elite military corps, neurochemically treated criminal Takeshi Kovacs operates on Marian's World] cite news|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20051009/news_lz1v09orbits.html |title=It can get dicey when you delve into an AI's id |first=Jim |last=Hopper
date=October 9, 2005 |accessdate=2008-10-02] Kovacs is a former Envoy, a type of futuristic soldier, part intelligence operative and part shock trooper, trained to adapt quickly to new bodies and new environments. Envoys are used by the governing Protectorate to infiltrate and crush planetary unrest and maintain political stability. Envoy training is actually a form of psychospiritual conditioning that operates at subconscious levels. Envoys possess total recall and are able to discern subtle patterns within seemingly unrelated events. They possess a thorough understanding of body language and vocal tonality, such that they can discern intention and manipulate others with ease. They are able to control their physiological and psychological responses, such as fear and anger, at will. Another aspect that figures prominently in an Envoy's training is the systematic removal of every violence-limiting instinct a human is born with. The training is such that, on most worlds, its graduates are instantly forbidden by law to hold any political or military office. The fear the mention of their name can elicit is often used by Kovacs to threaten and intimidate.

References