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.

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.

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.

Drops of Corruption is out. Check your local Borders or Barnes & Noble bookstore.

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.

I'm shocked.

Yup I did just read that and was incorrect, about that part. It's all personal opinion though (what I said).

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."

Or don't read it in the first place.

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

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.

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.

So, James should read this novel even though he doesn't want to, but you don't have to read Harry Potter? :rollseyes:

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.

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.

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.

According to Amazon, Aftershock (novel #5 in the series) came out yesterday. Time for me to wander down to Barnes and Noble and see if they have it yet...

OK, after finally getting the latest novel Aftershock finished, I'll post my review here.

Short & sweet: 4.5 out of 5.

Long version: This novel DOES take place in the SR4 timeline, so we get all the lingo & tech we've been waiting for since the release of SR4, & the writers do a bang-up job of telling a story. Well worth the $6.99 + tax.