Any fans of the Shadowrun novels here?, And what's your favorite? Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Switch to: Outline Standard Switch to: Linear+

[Vegetaman]

I own about a dozen or so of the novels myself. I'm a younger gamer, and have only been into Shadowrun for about 7 or 8 years now, so a lot of the older novels were out of print when I went to start buying them. I only own the SR3 and SR4 core rulebooks, to boot. But I absolutely love the novels. It's been a couple years since I have read one. I just picked up the three newest Steven Kenson books at Barnes and Noble around Christmas Time but haven't gotten around to reading them yet. I liked his last sequence of books (Technobabel, Crossroads, Ragnarock, and The Burning Times), so I figured I'd give his newest ones a shot.

I seem to recall Wolf & Raven being one of my favorite. Kid Stealth is the type of person you'd never want to meet running the shadows (unless he was on your side). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cyber.gif)

Reminds me of trying to get ahold of the SR3 core rulebook in around 2002... I ordered it from Best Buy, Hastings, and a bunch of other stores and they could never get me a copy in. We were on vacation in some other state and found a mall with a giant role playing store. Amongst hundreds of books, mostly D&D, I found 4 Shadowrun Books. SR3 Core Rulebook, Cannon Companion, Man & Machine, and Germany Sourcebook. Of course, I had to choose just one - so I got SR3.

Any more novels slated to come out in the near future?

EDIT: Also, any fans of the Genesis or SNES Shadowrun games? I like them both and think they're a lot of fun. Albeit probably non-cannon.

[Stahlseele]

Shelly for example . . a Shadowrun Frankenstein and a snotty Orc-Detective with a Sense of Humor . . i like those a litte bit more light-hearted/silly character types ^^
Or the Troll Ultra with the golen Mickey Mouse emblem on his Tusk . . allways asking questions/annoying people because he wanted to win in a game-show and get the jackpot of 1 Million Nuyen *g*

[mike_the_fish]

My favorite Shadowrun novel? Easy one - Technobabel. One of my all time favorite "game fiction" books, easily.

[Vegetaman]

My favorite Shadowrun novel? Easy one - Technobabel. One of my all time favorite "game fiction" books, easily.

I really do enjoy this book, too. It was my first Shadowrun novel I bought and read. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[mike_the_fish]

It's been a long time since I read it, but I remember thinking that Technobabel was more than just a good piece of game fiction - it actually stood up as being a "good novel" as well. Great stuff.

[Vegetaman]

Indeed. Very good stuff.

Any of you guys like the Shadowrun video games (SNES and Genesis)?

[paws2sky]

I own the Secrets of Power books. I think I like them mostly because they feature some of the iconic SR characters: Sally Tsung, Ghost-Who-Walks, Dodger... Okay, not so much Dodger, but the rets of the crew is pretty cool.

I had a friend lend me Striper: Assassin because he was raving about it. After about 50 pages, it was clear that it wasn't for me.

Other than that, I really haven't messed with the SR novels.


Some non-SR books I've enjoyed, if you can find them:

Bad Voltage by Jonathan Littell - my all time favorite cyberpunk genre novel. Set in Paris, France.

Cybernetic Jungle by SN Lewitt - really neat look at the Sao Paulo sprawl. Not Shadowrun (at all), but between the Capoeira scenes, Santeria scenes, insane usues of crossbow pistols, and the usual sneaky covert activity, this could easily be set in the SR world.

[Stahlseele]

i own all of the SR-Novels, and the new germany only books . . but those ain't as good as the old stuff mostly <.< . .

[Fortune]

If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be Night's Pawn.

[DTFarstar]

Wolf and Raven has been my favorite so far, but I haven't been able to get most of the books people are here tout as the best, though I try sometimes. I hate being broke. I never beat either game, but I enjoyed playing both of them. I wish I still had access to them, but none of my old systems work anymore.

Chris

[Vegetaman]

I wanted to read The Dragon Heart Saga, but all I have is Beyond The Pale (Book #3). The Shadowrun universe and timeline is just so... Amazing. And the novels reflect this.

But yes, Wolf & Raven I recommend to everyone.

Also, the Genesis Shadowrun game is very true to the SR2 P&P system I believe. The karma system is awesome. You get hired by various Mr. Johnsons to do runs, but there is an overall story, too.

The SNES version is... Well, more story-based. You have a lot of set events you have to do. And very few side-quests, if any, really.

[cryptoknight]

Born to Run, Poisoned Agendas, Fallen Angels comes to mind as a great series.

The Secrets of Power is another good set.

Into the Shadows was a nice anthology

[Vegetaman]

Born to Run, Poisoned Agendas, Fallen Angels comes to mind as a great series.

Good. I just bought those but have not read them yet.

How are the other 3 new books? A Fistful of Data, Aftershock, and Drops of Corruption? I'm thinking of buying them when I have a spare $20 to spend.

You can buy a lot of novels for what the sourcebooks cost. And for a college kid on a budget, that's the way to go.

Sadly, I never see Shadowrun books at used book stores or my public library, though.

[Stahlseele]

After-Shocks was kinda nice, if i am remembering the right book . .
i liked the pacifistic troll with the troll-bow *g*
And the orcish hacker going BUNDAA all the time was funny too ^^

[It trolls!]

My favorites to this day are Preying for Keeps and it's sequel Headhunters, both by Mel Odom. Mostly because they were about a team of regular runners instead of some World-saving-Nadia-Daviar-fondling-Superdrake or similar things. It's not that I don't like the Dragonheart saga in particular, I just don't like the whole "the world is at stake" part in Shadowrun as such.
I always wanted to read the books by Nigel Findley: 2XS, etc. because they've been so often recommended to me, but the Terminus Experiment scared me away from reading Shadowrun novels until recently.

[Vegetaman]

My favorites to this day are Preying for Keeps and it's sequel Headhunters, both by Mel Odom. Mostly because they were about a team of regular runners instead of some World-saving-Nadia-Daviar-fondling-Superdrake or similar things. It's not that I don't like the Dragonheart saga in particular, I just don't like the whole "the world is at stake" part in Shadowrun as such.
I always wanted to read the books by Nigel Findley: 2XS, etc. because they've been so often recommended to me, but the Terminus Experiment scared me away from reading Shadowrun novels until recently.

I liked Headhunters, but had no idea that there was another book that came before it. Dang.

There was another book I liked that had to do with HMHVV, I believe. Was it... The Terminus Experiment?

[cryptoknight]

Good. I just bought those but have not read them yet.

How are the other 3 new books? A Fistful of Data, Aftershock, and Drops of Corruption? I'm thinking of buying them when I have a spare $20 to spend.

You can buy a lot of novels for what the sourcebooks cost. And for a college kid on a budget, that's the way to go.

Sadly, I never see Shadowrun books at used book stores or my public library, though.

I liked A fistful of Data... Drops of Corruption I was in the middle of and put aside because a friend decided to loan me a bunch of books to read...It seemed pretty good.. but not up to the others. When I finish the book I'm currently on... I will pick it backup... I couldn't find Aftershock around me.

[Vegetaman]

I liked A fistful of Data... Drops of Corruption I was in the middle of and put aside because a friend decided to loan me a bunch of books to read...It seemed pretty good.. but not up to the others. When I finish the book I'm currently on... I will pick it backup... I couldn't find Aftershock around me.

I have turned to Amazon.com to buy books. If I go to Barnes and Nobles, the cost the same, plus you have to pay taxes. And if you order enough stuff from amazon, you get free shipping. Their Shadowrun selection is fairly limited though, it seems.

[Stahlseele]

Terminus Experiment . . genetically altered HMHVV and "Things"(i refuse to call them Vampires, even in the Shadowrun Meaning) of all Meta-Races with Cyber-Ware . . *shudders*

[cryptoknight]

I have turned to Amazon.com to buy books. If I go to Barnes and Nobles, the cost the same, plus you have to pay taxes. And if you order enough stuff from amazon, you get free shipping. Their Shadowrun selection is fairly limited though, it seems.

I do similar for game books... but for fiction nothing beats sitting down in Borders and reading a chapter or two to see if you want to finish the book.

[Stahlseele]

heh, good old german thoroughness . . i have at least half a dozend of shops where i can buy ALL novels and Game-Books if i were to look around for some time in this City of mine ^^

[Vegetaman]

The only things I ever see in our Barnes and Noble is the 6 new Shadowrun novels, the SR3 rulebook, the SR4 rulebook, and Street Magic. And since I bought a bunch of novels and an SR4 rulebook... They haven't replenished their stash, it would seem. For shame.

[It trolls!]

Terminus Experiment . . genetically altered HMHVV and "Things"(i refuse to call them Vampires, even in the Shadowrun Meaning) of all Meta-Races with Cyber-Ware . . *shudders*

Hot lesbian shadowrunners slaughtering genetically engineered cyberzombie vampires. If it had been a video game, Uwe Boll would be all over it.

[Vegetaman]

Hot lesbian shadowrunners slaughtering genetically engineered cyberzombie vampires. If it had been a video game, Uwe Boll would be all over it.

I'd have watched. I just remember being hooked to the book at the time. Of course I was a teenager at the time and too stupid to not be amazed by such content. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

That being said, I still like that book.

[Stahlseele]

ah, yes, i forgot about the lesbians . . i would so watch that movie/play that video-game *grins*
i will however, NEVER forget about the Gay Troll/Giant-Couple *shudders*

[It trolls!]

Did I complain about the hot lesbian part? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

[Vegetaman]

It would be a great movie. In fact, Technobabel would make a great Shadowrun based movie, I believe. There's a definite lack of a Shadowrun movie. If done right... It could be amazing.

[Stahlseele]

Johnny Mnemonic comes to mind . ."i want the club-sandwich! i want the 10.000$ a Night Hooker! I! WANT! ROOMSERVICE!"

[Vegetaman]

Yes. And they're supposed to be making a William Gibson - Neuromancer movie... But still, Shadowrun is far more bleak and grim.

[swirler]

Yes. And they're supposed to be making a William Gibson - Neuromancer movie... But still, Shadowrun is far more bleak and grim.

lol I wouldn't let Gibson hear you say that. Considering his "opinion" about Shadowrun

I havent picked up the new novels yet but I have almost all of the older ones
the ones I'm missing are:
The Lucifer Deck by Lisa Smedman
Steel Rain by Nyx Smith.
Shadowboxer by Nicholas Pollotta
Headhunters by Mel Odom
Crossroads by Stephen Kenson
The Burning Time by Stephen Kenson
Tails You Lose by Lisa Smedman
now I've read both Shadowboxer and Headhunters but don't own copies. I'm trying to snag all of em when I can afford to. I've gotten alot from Ebay. I like most of them pretty good. I of course love the Findley and Odom books probably best of all. I havent read all of the ones I have, what with trying to catch up on RP books for things I need from SR and other games I haven't had much recreational reading time in awhile. I have to say, and I'm sure I will offend someone with this. I don't dislike the Carl Sargent & Marc Gascoigne books, but I have a hard time getting into them. I mean they are well written and the characters are good, I dunno, I just have trouble getting into them. I started awhile back re-reading all the novels from the beginning. I'm up to Nosferatu, and it's hard to get into so far. I did find it rather funny that it seemed (from what I remember from when I read it years back) that IMHO the DaVinci code was basically Black Madonna revamped or at least some parts of it. Maybe it's just me.

oh and yes I have both the SNES and Genesis games, love em both. I still play em from time to time on consoles or on emus. I wish I knew japanese and I would get the Sega Cd Shadowrun game. heh

Oh and Burning Bright was pretty cool, especially since it affected the world so much.

[Vegetaman]

Mel Odom is a great writer. I run into his books all the time across different stuff in the RPG world.

Also, lol @ William Gibson: "Shadowrun? Gag me with a spoon." I still hold that Shadowrun is superior.

[swirler]

I still hold that Shadowrun is superior.

you and me both

[Vegetaman]

Holy crap at all the Shadowrun novels on ebay. At any rate, I think the one I heard the most raving about that I want to check out is Burning Bright.

[Cognomen]

My very favorite book from everything they've published still remains Into the Shadows. It's got a lot of the authors who went on to write other SR books, and all the stories are linked together to form an overarching plot. Additionally, it's got what seems to be an early almost proto version of Fastjack in one of the stories, before he became established as the king of deckers. Michael Stackpole's "Wolf and Raven", which continues several of the characters from "Into the Shadows", was pretty well done. At least I enjoyed it.

Of the other authors, I think Charrette's series is worth a go for the ground work. I liked Jak Koke's "Dead Air" but couldn't (and can't) stand the whole Dragon Heart series. I've found nearly all of Findley's work enjoyable, but I'm not sure if he wrote anything on the novel side other than "2XS" and "House of the Sun".

Cog -

[Vegetaman]

My very favorite book from everything they've published still remains Into the Shadows. It's got a lot of the authors who went on to write other SR books, and all the stories are linked together to form an overarching plot. Additionally, it's got what seems to be an early almost proto version of Fastjack in one of the stories, before he became established as the king of deckers. Michael Stackpole's "Wolf and Raven", which continues several of the characters from "Into the Shadows", was pretty well done. At least I enjoyed it.

Of the other authors, I think Charrette's series is worth a go for the ground work. I liked Jak Koke's "Dead Air" but couldn't (and can't) stand the whole Dragon Heart series. I've found nearly all of Findley's work enjoyable, but I'm not sure if he wrote anything on the novel side other than "2XS" and "House of the Sun".

Cog -

Okay, you've gotten my interest. Which characters from Wolf & Raven appear in Into The Shadows?

[Cognomen]

Werb. It's been a while, since I read "Wolf and Raven", so don't hold me to this too closely. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Wolfgang Keis is the primary character of one of the short stories. Additionally, Doc Raven and his crew are in there. Kid Stealth and Valerie Valkyrie, I'm pretty certain of. Stackpole wrote two shorts for "Into the Shadows", lessee ... "Would It Help To Say I'm Sorry?" and "It's All Done With Mirrors". The latter of the two is actually the story that wraps up the anthology and features most of the "Wolf and Raven" characters, but I enjoyed the first one just as much. It revolved around two street sammies, called something like, "Tiger" and "Iron Mike". Not sure if they made it in to his book, though.

Another short story worth noting is, "Whitechapel Rose" by Lorelei Shannon, which I'm really fond of. Probably one of the best in the collection, the main character's a decker with a Jack the Ripper kick. The overall piece is pretty easy going. Mixes the macabre and humorous to good effect.

Cog -

[Vegetaman]

Yeah, Wolf & Raven is definitely one of the best Shadowrun novels I've read. That and Technobabel are really my favorites, after thinking on it for awhile. But there's quite a few other classics in there. I really need to try and get my hands on the older novels. It's a shame they don't reprint them.

[Maelwys]

Interestingly, a few weeks ago I decided to reread my entire Shadowrun novel collection. Its going faster than expected, since I can knock an entire book out in a few hours (After the London liquid bomb scare I got to airport way early when I was leaving Gencon, and managed to read Terminus Experiment before my flight actually left). Since the decision partially stemmed from looking at the shelf and saying "Wow, those have gotten out of order over the years," I'm rereading them in order. Currently on #6, "Never Trust an Elf." They're still a pretty good read, though the Secrets of Power trilogy really set the tone for Dragons in the Sixth World at the time. I was a little surprised that "2XS" was so early in the novel order, since it deals with bug spirits. It really reinforces the fact that the Insect Spirits were really one of the first metaplots out there.

[It trolls!]

I think the whole bug spirit arc started relatively early. Queen Euphoria is set when... 2052?

[Maelwys]

Yeah, its been mentioned to me a few times. I came in during second edition...I've seen alot of the first edition stuff, but the timeline is fuzzy for me. When I think of novels dealing with the bugs I think of Burning Bright which always seems much later in the novel list. Queen Euphoria I always forget is set so early on (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Still, its nice to be surprised. "Woah, right out of the Secrets of Power trilogy I'm dealing with Insect Spirits."

[Vegetaman]

I came in during Third Edition, so my familiarity with a lot of older events is... Very dismal. And I don't own a lot of the sourcebooks. They just weren't available here. I had the SR3 core rulebook on "back order" through Hastings and Best Buy in 2002 and 2003 and couldn't ever get a copy until they were reprinted after the game did a small change of hands.

If I remember right, there was a little hole in the wall bookstore a good ways from home that had a back room with some Shadowrun novels. All new, never been read. And they were older ones, like Psychotrope. I'll have to see if they still have them... Even though it'll cost me $6 a pop.

[Drac]

I recently finally got around to reading House of the Sun and Streets of Blood. House of the Sun was good, but the first 3rd of the novel was a very dry future history lesson of Hawaii. Yawn. The rest of it was fun though. Streets of Blood was good too, but the ending was not what you would call "Happy".
If you want the 2 best Shadowrun novels ever, read the anthology Enter the Shadows and also Wolf and Raven. Good stuff.

[vladski]

Nigel Findley's 2XS was the first Shadowrun novel I ever read, and it was during my self-introduction to SR (via SR3 when it first came out) because I wnated to run the game. I my opinion, it still stands as the best SR novel written. It shows the SR world as I imagine it to be. I like how it deals with a "normal" guy and shows the value of "contacts." I like how it takes the little actions of people and puts them on the vaster canvas of world shaking events. And it's noir! Who can't love noir?

I would also recommend the 3 Charrette novels (Never Deal with a dragon, Choose Your Enemies Carefully and Find Your OwnTruth.) Also, anything else by Findley, including Lone Wolf and House of the Sun.

Vlad

[Vegetaman]

I just wish it was easier to find the books. They pop up on eBay, but still... It's hard to track them all down. Kind of like how I'd like to get my hands on a SR2 core rulebook or various other things. There's just not a big market for them. Most of us that own that kind of stuff never get rid of it. But I like the idea of 2XS being just a "normal" view.

[vladski]

I just wish it was easier to find the books. They pop up on eBay, but still... It's hard to track them all down. Kind of like how I'd like to get my hands on a SR2 core rulebook or various other things. There's just not a big market for them. Most of us that own that kind of stuff never get rid of it. But I like the idea of 2XS being just a "normal" view.

I thought the novel 2XS was so good that I not only recommended it to my entire gaming group (at the time numbering about 9), I gave an extra run's worth of Karma points to each person that read it. (Most did and most liked it.) They were all starting out in SR themselves and I thought it would help everyone have a shared view on what the world was supposed to be like. I think my little investment paid off spades in the long run for allowing common world view.

Vlad

ETA: I jsut did a quick Ebay search on 2XS. There are currently 4 volumes listed, all of them for 7 dollars or less. Here's the link to my search:

http://shop.ebay.com/_Books__shadowrun-2xs..._fxdZ1QQ_npmvZ3

[Vegetaman]

Very cool. Definitely tempted to pick it up. I wish my players cared enough to read into the Shadowrun universe. But alas, they are not. They're into D&D too much to care about Shadowrun. It's a shame, really.

[mike_the_fish]

If anyone hasn't gotten it yet, I do reccomend Tails You Lose. Pretty cool corp-vs-shadowrunner viewpoints, as well as being a sweet story.

[Vegetaman]

I read it, and I own it, but I have long since forgotten what it was about. I really need to go back and re-read these.

[mike_the_fish]

It's the one about the Corporate Security chick who was cloned at birth for a program called Superkids. She has a genetically identical clone sister who is a Shadowrunner and who ends up framing her for a lucrative run (cloned runner leaves some of her DNA at the scene - matches with the corpsec woman of course). The Corpsec woman has to go into the shadows and pose as a runner in an effort to prove her innocence. Oh yeah, and three dragons are in it. Heh heh.

[Cardul]

I like the newer novels, especially the 3 after the starting trilogy(since they weren't being made to push a crappy clix game witha requirement that every character int he books had to be one of the clix characters), and I like "Never Trust an Elf" and "Worlds Beyond" from the original novel line. I have been trying to find the Dragon HEart Trilogy and Queen Euphoria and a few others of the original stuff.

[Fortune]

Queen Euphoria was a module/scenario, not a novel.

[Wesley Street]

2XS by Nigel Findley way back in the day. But I don't read SR novels (or any other licensed property tie-in novel) any more. I prefer to go to the source and read William Gibson, Rudy Rucker, Jeff Noon or Pat Cadigan if I want a cyberpunk fix.

[mike_the_fish]

You actually read William Gibson? My condolences. That man is proof that simply being first doesn't necessarily make you the best.

[Wesley Street]

You actually read William Gibson? My condolences. That man is proof that simply being first doesn't necessarily make you the best.

Different strokes for different folks I suppose. The Sprawl and Bridge trilogies rocked my world back in school. Pattern Recognition and Spook Country were the best modern/post-cyberpunk works I've ever read.

[BookWyrm]

OK, my turn.

Yes, I have ALL the SR novels. From the first one to the last. Even the hard-to-find "Into The Shadows" before it was reprinted.
I have to say that Technobabel is very much in my favorites, along with all of Michael Stackpole's contributions (it's been a while, but I don't recall of all the SR pieces he did for Challenge magazine were reprinted).

My least favorite was Steel Rain. Long Island, my home, turned into Tokyo-West? Sheesh.