Wanting a different perspective on the shadowrun universe, I've had a look at a few of the Shadowrun novels, expecting a dark, cyber-punkish, scifi atmosphere which will give inspiration for the tone and setting for my shadowrun games. So far, after reading two and starting on another, I've found only disappointment, not only in the creation of a cyber-punk atmosphere, but in the general quality of the writing. So, dumpshockers, are there actually any decent shadowrun novels out? Which ones would you suggest? And, while we're on the topic, which sci-fi novels, do you feel, define the cyber-punk genre?

look for Nigel Findley. i'd also reccomend Into the Shadows--it's a collection of short stories that give a relatively grim, street-level view of SR.

and, for the love of god, don't read Shadowboxer.

Shadowboxer was pretty neat, if you don't mind the fact that the plot jerked around and there wasn't a conclusive ending. What was the name of the one with the team leader named Rico and the Racoon shaman named Bandit? That was my favorite one.

yes nigel findley, definitely good. Tom Dowd requires more careful, attentitive reading, but is also very good.

I have enjoyed most of them. I mean, they're not great literature or anything, and work best if you're already passing familiar with the setting. Mason did reviews, I think, so I'll nae offer. Go check out wiredreflexes.com, DV8's site, to find them I think. He has all the cool stuff anyways.

I personally liked the novel "The Burning Time" and "The Forever Drug". I found both of them entertaining, and relatively well written. I'd suggest giving them a try.

In my opinion I think alot of the SR novels came up short. But the best of the ones that I have read would come down to the Secrets of Power trilage, The Black Madonna, and Night's Pawn. I really do miss Tom Dowds' style of fiction in SR. He really helped to capture alot of the grittie feeling that is missing these days.

Panzergeist,
You're looking for 'Fade to Black', 'Stripper Assassin', and 'Who Hunts the Hunter' all by Nyx Smith. And I agree, these 3 aling with 'Into the Shadows' are my favorites.

Psychotrope

That novel actually made me want to use the Matrix (which previously I could make no sense of). The Idiot's Guide thread gave me the know-how to do so.

definitely Nigel Findley's books. they're pretty gritty, and give you a good look at the sprawl from the streets' point of view. also, he died while final editing his last book "house of the sun". You can actually tell were the final edit left off, because the ubiquitous "frag" reverted to "fuck".

Wolf and Raven, is an excellent anthology by a long time Battletech author Michael Stackpole. It is probably my favorite book, I wish he would do more with the lycanthropy infected detective.

Burning Bright is the story of Chicago just prior to and after the bug outbreak in Chicago, including the Cermak blast. Very good reading if you want to set up a Bug City campaign.

There were only 4 Shadowrun books that I enjoyed. They were The Secrets of Power Trilogy and Changling. The rest came across as very amaturistic.

I'd like to agree with Tatertot, but also add 2XS, Lone Wolf and House of the Sun. The last three written by Nigel D. Findley and in a great way capture what happens when a runner stumbles across something that's way out of his league. Which actually makes it seven books, not four.

Edit: How could I forget Kenson! The books written by him are great as well.

Nyx Smith never really did much for me. I guess I never liked his style. It always seemed like a mix of Barth and Joyce that didn't really deliver at the end. Interesting plots, but very...disjointed.

The two Jack Skater novels by Mel Odom aren't bad; Run Hard, Die Fast is a bit over the top, though.

Don

Except that Skater isn't in it.

And calling RHDF "a bit over the top" is an understatement. It's a munchkin's wet dream.

I gotta go w/ "2XS" as my favorite. Seconded by "Preying for Keeps" and "Headhunters".

The Dragonheart Trilogy was pretty good too, IMO.

"Wolf and Raven" is very good as well, in both style and the author's ability at storycraft. But if you are one those readers that tries to find game mechanics in the novel, stear clear. You'll drive yourself mad.

As long as we're critiquing: The Secrets of Power trilogy was gritty for a while but went haywire from time to time. And I think Sam Verner is a sissy.

Changeling was a good read but the lead up to and then the end itself was ridiculous. It does give some valuable insight into the lives of the Goblinized and street life.

Any of the books w/ Talon are good. Not very gritty, though.

I liked "Lone Wolf" better when I read it the first time. When it was called "2XS".

The "Terminus Experiment" had me wondering why I paid for that one....

"Run Hard, Die Fast" could have been a Steven Segal or Arnold movie. (As in, Munchfest)

"Never Trust an Elf": Meh. It'll give you some idea what its like to be an ork but other than that...it really doesn't do much besides set up the scene for Glaisgain to be an ass and give us out very first (3) Cyberzombie(s).

"Shadowplay" is good for grit if only for the early perceptions of a young ganger in it.

"Kinght's Pawn" is very cool. Not very gritty in terms of street life but it did provide some excellent examples of how higher level shadow operators have to live to maintain security. And it gave us our first "fuck" in a SR novel. Even better was the responce. ("You said 'fuck'. How quaint.")

"Streets of Blood". Good read. Pay attention, though. Its tricksy....

There's more but my head is full of SR stuff now and I've discovered that going out to the bars w/ my brian cranking shadowrun stuff is bad for business

(Contrary to my beliefs, I do not have Wired Reflexes. Nor do I have spurs. Or a Pred III)

i went to sleep once before i heard of mr martin's ASOIAF and before i got to book 4 in WOT.

my girlfriend woke me up asking what the frag i meant by "i'm the dragon reborn"

talk about feeling 2 inches tall, eh

I'm gonna go with 2XS here...not only is it my hands-down fave SR novel, but I'd number it amongst my top 20 fiction books, period. Probably. Been a long time since I read it. It's got a great film noir vibe, and it's quite gritty...mainly because it's about one mundane guy with no 'ware.

Into the Shadows was also killer. Great stuff, and a great range. There's some fairly pro-level stuff, and a few short stories about really newbie runners. My personal favorite story there is...oh dear, it's been so long. The one with the two newbie gangers-runners.

ugh. couldn't stand terminus experiment. canon? what's canon?

Yep...the first one.

I still remember getting that book, it was a monumental find...see, there are two versions of it (I have both, IIRC), the new one has the same general format as the other novels, albeit thicker, and the earlier one is thinner and bigger, and conversely has larger pictures. I found it in a library bookstore...really weird thing to find there.

I have the original version. Acquired back when there was only one SR and it came in hardcover only.

Any differences in the second version?

Not that I'm aware of. Beyond smaller pictures. And being less old-school.

Check out Mason's Annotated Shadowrun Reviews!

Add in another vote for Nigel Findley's novels. They're really good, really well-written, and though many of them deal with a lot of the larger-than-life metaplot stuff, they keep focused on the street level. I can't remember how many times Dirk Montgomery complained about being involved in events WAY over his head. Same with the main character in LONE WOLF, begging to be involved in a street gang shootout.

NEVER TRUST AN ELF is a pretty good book as well, as is the SECRETS OF POWER trilogy. And you must read the Dragonheart Trilogy just because it answers a literal TON of questions from the Shadowrun world. You just have to suffer through several descriptions of Ryan Mercury's muscular back as he screws Nadja...

The Abstruse One

Which is one thing that made "Dead Air" one of the least loved SR novels on my list. Yes, the plot was cool, but there's more to it than that. Why didn't the mage tell anyone? Nope, immediate reaction upon returning to the team: have sex with main character. Wonderful prose, it leaves a wonderful, ashy taste in the mouth.

Don

And lets not forget the numerous descriptions of Nadias nipples...