So I've decided to read System Failure in order to understand why the old Shadowrun world turned into the new one. Now while I've read a good many of the Shadowrun books, I haven't actually read them all (but have pretty much all of them).

So I'm reading System Failure and it's mentioning stuff about Deus compiling and The Network. Now I'm not actually familiar with what is happening here. Where can I read to catch up on this stuff? I've read Renraku Archology Shutdown but nothing more about the Otaku, Deus and the like. Any hints on what I should be sure and read?

i havent read SF, but the adventure Brainscan has more info on Deus et. al.

The Network is from Threats 2.

The campaign adventure Brainscan covers how Deus goes from the Arcology to the Network. Threats 2 contains a chapter detailing the Network.

The three main tracks of System Failure are actually the conclusion of several major plot threads that have been developing through all 3 editions. They all include a brief summary of what's gone before but here's a run down of the most important steps in each:

Villiers and the Novatech IPO
- Corporate Shadowfiles (Fuchi and Villiers background)
- Blood in the Boardroom (death of Fuchi)
- Corporate Download (rise of Novatech)
- Threats 2 (Art Dankwalther)
- SOTA64 (Dankwalther causing trouble)

Deus
- Renraku Arcology Shutdown (Deus emerges)
- Brainscan (Deus' death/escape, birth of the Network)
- Threats 2 (the Network)
- SOTA64 (frames Ex Pacis for its activities)

Winternight
- Threats 1 (original article, updated to 3rd Edition and available for free on SRRPG.com)
- SoE (minor reference to recruitment base)
- SOTA64 (minor reference Surtr nanoweapon theft)

Pax/Ex Pacis
- Renraku: Arcology Shutdown (origins)
- Brainscan (break from Deus)
- Threats 2 (Dissonance and Ex Pacis emerges)

Thank you very much Synner, that is a great and wonderful help. <shuffles off to pluck the relevant books from his shelves>