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Razorwire
Anyone got a recommendation? I've been playing SR for three years now, off and on, but would like to get a different feel for the Shadowrun universe (other than our GM). Whats a good starting point?
FlakJacket
I'd suggest try doing a search using the word novels since this can come up every so often and there are already quite a few threads out there.

But now, just to sabotage my own advice, some - but not all - of the ones I'd suggest are '2XS' by Nigel Findley, 'Burning Bright' by Tom Dowd, 'Crossroads' by Steven Kenson, 'House of the Sun' by Nigel Findley, 'Lone Wolf' Nigel Findley again. smile.gif
motorfirebox
this guy writes some good stuff. you should send him money.
Metus
FlakJacket pretty much hit it on the head. 'Burning Bright' was probably my most favorite SR novel, maybe due to it being the first one I ever read. I also liked Mel Odom's books and recommend those. It's a shame he didn't continue them.
Fygg Nuuton
tails you lose will r0><0r j00

technobabel is decently good as well
motorfirebox
there are a couple of novels that were okay reads, but annoyed me for being set in the shadowrun universe. the first was worlds without end--well-written, interesting, but i despise ED links. in its defense, i'll say that caroline spector did a fairly good job of keeping away from the Epic Battle Against Evil that most ED links become.

the second was the terminus experiment, which irked me for several reasons: first, it turned vampirism into a disease that evilfied anybody that caught it; except for The Hero, anybody who became a vampire became a vampire, even if they didn't do anything wrong (the boyfriend character is a prime example). second, it diddled with the canon facts about HMHVV; for instance, it mentioned that there were troll, dwarf, and ork vampires among the teeming hordes--vampires, not dzoo-noo-qua, goblins, and bandersnatch (or is it wendigo? i can never remember). it justified this with a two-sentence brushoff. third, ordo maximus just makes me sigh; a secret cabal of powerful, evil vampires. yawn. fourth--related to the first, i guess--i honestly can't understand why the bad guy was "the bad guy". i mean, he's trying to figure out how to alter HMHVV so that people who catch it no longer have to drink blood, aren't hurt by sunlight, but are still as strong and fast and cool as 'normal' vampires. where's the down side, here? oh, wait, that's right--vampires are bad! and evil!
Abstruse
I didn't like how Harlequin was portrayed in Worlds Without End personally, especially in the bit with the Tir Tairngire counsel with him and Ehron. It made him seem like an immature child with lots of power rather than an intelligent and mature person who decides to act immature because it entertains him in a life that's grown far too boring over time.

I did like the Dragonheart Trilogy personally, but make sure you're up on the other Shadowrun metaplots -- especially make sure you've read the Aztlan Sourcebook, anything you can on the Crash Virus, the books on the 2057 UCAS election, Corporate Shadowfiles, and pretty much anything else you can get your hands on. Portfolio of a Dragon is also useful, but not necessary as they both cover mostly the same material from two different perspectives. Also, the Harlequin books can help, especially Harlequin's Back as the events of the Dragonheart Trilogy are directedly related to that. In fact, the Dragonheart Trilogy has to be my favorite three books of the entire Shadowrun novel series. Then again, I haven't read any of Nigel Finley's novels yet frown.gif

The Abstruse One
lorg
QUOTE
Then again, I haven't read any of Nigel Finley's novels yet


So you have saved the best for last.
Abstruse
I'll email you my address if you feel like sending them over. But I have had no luck in finding either them either in the stacks of boxes full of books (my mother owned a bookstore for about 18 years of my life, so I have a very large collection of books) or for sale online. frown.gif

The Abstruse One
Pistons
Can't find'em anywhere? Try here. smile.gif
Razorwire
Thanks so much for the help, guys. I'm about 80 pages into Crossroads, and I like it so far.
AK404
Crossroads is very, very good, as is Wolf & Raven (and if anyone can direct me to Stackpole's other SR stories, I'd love to get ahold of them). Personally, I enjoyed it much more than the Terminus Experiment. IMHO, it's somewhat difficult to find really good Shadowrun novels out there, and I can see why: there's only so much a character can do before someone think they're overpowered and too good at what they do. Once a character becomes overpowered - ala Martin de Vries or that ex-SAS elf in Black Madonna - well, then it gets boring because the chances they'll find their posterier region impacted is somewhat nil.

I have trouble with the Striper novels - try to build a bond with a psycho, yeah...right - and Black Madonna just made me want to cry...and I recall reading this one other novel with some yak elf adept. For some reason, that one turned me off too...they also all featured "invincible" characters. I mean, can someone direct me to a SR novel that features the main character actually struggling for once?
HMHVV Hunter
Night's Pawn was another good one.
tisoz
QUOTE (AK404)
...they also all featured "invincible" characters.  I mean, can someone direct me to a SR novel that features the main character actually struggling for once?

That's the problem with writing shadowrun with only one character instead of a team. They have to be able to handle everthing.

One of the things I liked about Findley's Dirk Montgomery was that he knew he wasn't the best. He knew he was in way over his head. It seemed like a lot of the time he wasn't trying to win, or even participate in, the conflict but trying to let the antagonists leave him in peace. (not pieces.)

edit: For some FREE fiction that I highly recommend try Shapcano, he's on the shadowrun webring.
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