Born to Run novel - Dumpshock Forums

Born to Run novel, I don't get it

Options

JonathanC

Mar 28 2006, 01:03 AM

Post #101

Running Target

Group: Members
Posts: 1,241
Joined: 10-August 02
Member No.: 3,083

QUOTE (ChaLk)

Just putting in my 2 cents....
I feel that the three books are while perhaps not the strongest work from the author, they are a decent (and much needed) addition to the SR library. A lot of people have noted that they're effectively a good introduction for people who don't know the game and in that I believe they succeed admirably. The feel and some of the mechanics/background of the game are dealt with here in these three novels much better than in some of the shadowrun novels I've read (some of which have been pretty poor). Let me put it this way, I'm fairly regularly wanting to introduce new people to shadowrun, and this is a pretty good way to do it. That said, not perfect by any means.
I also think that looking at these three books more as one book split into three parts is a better way to think of it. In fact I'm pretty certain that many of the issues (character depth, etc) would be solved had these books been compressed into one volume.
In all, i'm pretty happy to see new Shadowrun novels coming and want to see more.
(that said, no more Kellan Colt books, at least for a while okay, there's many amazing possibilities for characters so let's explore those a while shall we). :|

I want a Jackie Ozone book. Or maybe G-Dogg. :P

JM Hardy

Mar 28 2006, 02:22 AM

Post #102

Moving Target

Group: Members
Posts: 595
Joined: 12-May 05
Member No.: 7,392

QUOTE (JonathanC)

I want a Jackie Ozone book. Or maybe G-Dogg. :P

Then I should point out that Jackie Ozone plays a pretty significant role in Drops of Corruption. She's not the main character, but she's prominent. Kellen Colt does not appear; G-Dogg has a cameo.

Jason H.

BookWyrm View Member Profile	Mar 28 2006, 02:37 AM Post #103
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,379 Joined: 16-April 02 From: the LI shadows Member No.: 2,607	Well, I'm back from ICON25, and I finally met Steve Kenson. Nice guy. At his panel on gaming in general, he answered the question about what was with his new SR books, and we were right. The contracts had been signed & an outline of the story for all 3 books was already completed before WizKids dropped SR Duels from their line. The books were pretty much in limbo until recently, and FanPro went ahead with it. Steve can explain it better, but he's not going to be back here (in NY or the boards) anytime soon. He's got his obligations at Green Ronin. But it was good to finally meet him. I had worked with him through an APAzine years ago, when SR2 & 3 were new. We'd e-mailed back & forth sporatically, mostly on helping me clarify some stuff from MitS. I don't consider myself a fan (as the term is derived from the root word 'fanatic') of anything. My interests vary. I feel Steve did a good job on these novels, as he's done in the past. Not everyone will be happy, but that's what happens when anything is published.

Adam

Mar 28 2006, 02:39 AM

Post #104

Prime Runner

Group: Retired Admins
Posts: 3,929
Joined: 26-February 02
From: .ca
Member No.: 51

QUOTE

The books were pretty much in limbo until recently, and FanPro went ahead with it.

WizKids. FanPro didn't have anything to do with the novels.

JonathanC

Mar 28 2006, 03:05 AM

Post #105

Running Target

Group: Members
Posts: 1,241
Joined: 10-August 02
Member No.: 3,083

QUOTE (JM Hardy)

QUOTE (JonathanC)

I want a Jackie Ozone book. Or maybe G-Dogg. :P

Then I should point out that Jackie Ozone plays a pretty significant role in Drops of Corruption. She's not the main character, but she's prominent. Kellen Colt does not appear; G-Dogg has a cameo.

Jason H.

Is that book out yet?

Also, re: Steve Kenson, the irony here is that I knew him from his Green Ronin work before I knew he did anything with Shadowrun...I'm a big fan of his Mutants and Masterminds/Freedom City line. And yes, given the sheer amount of time he spends answering official rules questions over on the M&M boards, I'm shocked he has time to travel, let alone post on other boards. :eek:

ATimson

Mar 28 2006, 03:30 AM

Post #106

Target

Group: Members
Posts: 21
Joined: 22-March 06
Member No.: 8,397

QUOTE (JonathanC)

Is that book out yet?

Nope. It's officially a May book, but it should start showing up in late April.

JonathanC View Member Profile	Mar 28 2006, 03:58 AM Post #107
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,241 Joined: 10-August 02 Member No.: 3,083	Ah, cool. Spoiler Warning Speaking of the Kenson books though, has anyone else got an idea of why Jackie Ozone's Cross Technology Johnson wanted to get those bio-weapons into the hands of a Toxic Shaman? I mean, the guy was pretty crazy, so there was no telling where he might strike with it. Seems rather irresponsible, and possibly likely to blow back on them. I don't think this was ever addressed in Poison Agendas or Fallen Angels.

Paul View Member Profile	Mar 28 2006, 04:01 AM Post #108
Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,001 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Michigan Member No.: 1,514	Steve has answered all of my PM's, and I've seen him and a few other freelancers poke around here. I'll give the FL people credit man-no matter what my opinion of their work, they always give me and others (as far as I know) time of day.

BookWyrm View Member Profile	May 9 2006, 07:37 PM Post #109
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,379 Joined: 16-April 02 From: the LI shadows Member No.: 2,607	Drops of Corruption is out. Check your local Borders or Barnes & Noble bookstore.

Garland View Member Profile	May 10 2006, 06:06 PM Post #110
Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 527 Joined: 30-January 04 Member No.: 6,043	The thing that irked me about Poison Agendas is that the only piece of cyberware in it was a pair of cheap cybereyes on an unimportant character who gets killed. If I didn't already know anything about SR, I simply wouldn't know that cyberware is a big part of the setting. Too much magic all around. The team was mostly awakened, the threat was awakened... the mundane (I assume he's mundane) dwarf was just sort of there, dressed in his dwarf getup with an axe. Way too one-sided with regards to the setting.

SL James View Member Profile	May 10 2006, 06:16 PM Post #111
Shadowrun Setting Nerd Group: Banned Posts: 3,632 Joined: 28-June 05 From: Pissing on pedestrians from my electronic ivory tower. Member No.: 7,473	I'm shocked.

Bigity

May 10 2006, 11:36 PM

Post #112

Shooting Target

Group: Members
Posts: 1,840
Joined: 24-July 02
From: Lubbock, TX
Member No.: 3,024

QUOTE (Cheops)

Just got it on Monday and finished it this morning. Very short read. Wasn't too bad. Definitely went back to the punkish roots of cyberpunk. A good primer manual for getting people interested in general. Not worth the $10+sales tax canadian that I spent but Chapters has very loose return policies so I'm not overly concerned.

What I don't get is why it is set in SR3? Maybe this is why I work in baseball and not game development but it seems like you'd want your supporting products to support your main product. I.e. the new edition you just released. The world presented in this book and the world presented in SR4 are different enough to cause problems. I was expecting a book that'd give an idea of the flavor that FanPro was going with for AR but alas! Not so. Instead it's set sometime in early 2060 (not 2053 like the back of the book says unless Fuchi happened to suddenly collapse earlier than in the rpg). Probably has to do with the fact that it was released so fast that the author didn't have time to work with the new material. Oh well...mine is going back and will more than likely be sent back to the publisher.

Don't get me wrong...it's a good read if you set aside a whole afternoon or day to read it. I'd recomend getting it from the library however.

It sucked, period. What a crap piece of literature to attempt to reuse material that already failed (Duels).

I won't be buying any more Shadowrun novels, barring a couple of authors that can write interesting stuff. Sorry Kenson, nothing personal, but I felt it was horrible.

ATimson

May 10 2006, 11:43 PM

Post #113

Target

Group: Members
Posts: 21
Joined: 22-March 06
Member No.: 8,397

QUOTE (Bigity)

It sucked, period. What a crap piece of literature to attempt to reuse material that already failed (Duels).

I'd like to point out that the novels were originally written to accompany Duels, back before the failure; future novels weren't written then, as Jason Hardy said above, but were written as SR3 novels within the last year.

Bigity View Member Profile	May 10 2006, 11:45 PM Post #114
Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,840 Joined: 24-July 02 From: Lubbock, TX Member No.: 3,024	Yup I did just read that and was incorrect, about that part. It's all personal opinion though (what I said).

BookWyrm View Member Profile	May 17 2006, 02:40 AM Post #115
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,379 Joined: 16-April 02 From: the LI shadows Member No.: 2,607	I'd like to take a moment to post ths quote, from a freind's dad; "There is no such things as a Bad Book, you learn something from everyone. It may be poorly written, but it was published and you are reading it, so find something to enjoy and learn in it."

SL James View Member Profile	May 17 2006, 04:32 AM Post #116
Shadowrun Setting Nerd Group: Banned Posts: 3,632 Joined: 28-June 05 From: Pissing on pedestrians from my electronic ivory tower. Member No.: 7,473	Or don't read it in the first place.

fistandantilus4.... fistandantilus4.0 View Member Profile	May 17 2006, 04:44 AM Post #117
Uncle Fisty Group: Admin Posts: 13,891 Joined: 3-January 05 From: Next To Her Member No.: 6,928	"but then ya' won't learn nothin'!"

BookWyrm View Member Profile	Jul 5 2006, 03:53 AM Post #118
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,379 Joined: 16-April 02 From: the LI shadows Member No.: 2,607	OK, I finally finished Drops of Corruption today. Yes, it's been a while, a few stopgaps had to be taken (thanks Real Life!---NOT), but I thouroughly enjoyed this novel. Much kudos to JM Hardy. :smokin:

JM Hardy

Jul 5 2006, 04:41 AM

Post #119

Moving Target

Group: Members
Posts: 595
Joined: 12-May 05
Member No.: 7,392

QUOTE (BookWyrm)

OK, I finally finished Drops of Corruption today. Yes, it's been a while, a few stopgaps had to be taken (thanks Real Life!---NOT), but I thouroughly enjoyed this novel. Much kudos to JM Hardy. :smokin:

Thanks, BookWyrm! Avoid real life!

SL James

Jul 5 2006, 05:31 AM

Post #120

Shadowrun Setting Nerd

Group: Banned
Posts: 3,632
Joined: 28-June 05
From: Pissing on pedestrians from my electronic ivory tower.
Member No.: 7,473

QUOTE (fistandantilus3.0)

"but then ya' won't learn nothin'!"

Yes. But I hardly see the value in paying to learn the lesson of, "don't write like this, or demons will eat your children."

BookWyrm View Member Profile	Jul 5 2006, 11:40 PM Post #121
Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,379 Joined: 16-April 02 From: the LI shadows Member No.: 2,607	Each book you read is different. If you took the word of someone who hates the particular book you're interested in, you loose your own perspective. Lots of people don't care to read the Harry Potter boks (like myself), but those who read them, praise them. Read the book, form your own opinion.

Adam View Member Profile	Jul 6 2006, 03:35 AM Post #122
Prime Runner Group: Retired Admins Posts: 3,929 Joined: 26-February 02 From: .ca Member No.: 51	So, James should read this novel even though he doesn't want to, but you don't have to read Harry Potter? :rollseyes:

SL James View Member Profile	Jul 6 2006, 04:21 AM Post #123
Shadowrun Setting Nerd Group: Banned Posts: 3,632 Joined: 28-June 05 From: Pissing on pedestrians from my electronic ivory tower. Member No.: 7,473	I've also read enough Kenson's fiction that I really don't see the point in having to read more. It's not like I never picked up Ragnarock or Technobabel or ... Crossroads. It's just that I couldn't finish them. But it's not like the time I nearly threw a paperback copy of USS Seawolf as far as I could within the bookstore because it offended my literary and virtually all of my other senses and sensibilities because it was SO awful. I just put Kenson's books back on the shelf and made a face. But at least I tried.

toturi View Member Profile	Jul 6 2006, 06:42 AM Post #124
Canon Companion Group: Members Posts: 8,021 Joined: 2-March 03 From: The Morgue, Singapore LTG Member No.: 4,187	I like the trilogy. Given the fact that it is supposed to be a SR3 book and is based on Duels, I can understand the material and the limitations that the author had to work with. It is simple, enjoyable light reading. When you read a book, you are entering the author(and his editor)'s view of the world. If you are willing to discard what you "know" of the game world and its rules, it becomes much more enjoyable.

SL James View Member Profile	Jul 6 2006, 09:22 AM Post #125
Shadowrun Setting Nerd Group: Banned Posts: 3,632 Joined: 28-June 05 From: Pissing on pedestrians from my electronic ivory tower. Member No.: 7,473	I've had enough of his world. I was telling a friend who's going to Gencon to send Kenson my regards if he passes the GR booth. Because in my mind, the better he does witn M&M and True20, the further away he'll ever be again from Shadowrun.

« Next Oldest · Shadowrun · Next Newest »