Just finished this book the other day.
As the second physical Shadowrun novel (fire and frost being first) I have gotten in a very long time (had all of the older books under Fasa and most of Wizkids releases) I was glad to see they seem to be really reviving the solid books and have snapped up Dark Resonance already as well as really looking forward to the February release of some more.
Don't get me wrong, I am not a Luddite and have purchased several of the SR e-novels by Critias, Patrick and others, but there is just something about the feel of a book that is comfortable. There is supposed to be a digital release of this novel I hear so that is good for those who prefer digital.
Still, it is a nice change that the physical release came first, whereas it is reversed for the game corebooks which tend to be digital first then a lengthy wait for the hardcopy.
Anyway, this is an interesting read.
First there is the style of delivery.
For over three quarters of the book the chapters alternate between the current mission and flashbacks ranging from hours to days before the mission.
While reading the Game of Thrones series has gotten me used to flipping between multiple viewpoints with each new chapter, the overall flow of all the different threads tends to be moving parallel alongside each other through the same timeline.
Here you have things happen in one chapter and then in the next chapter roll back the clock to see a bit more about the characters or events, revealing more about them or seeing some foreshadowing for what is coming.
It can seem a bit odd, but it does attempt to flesh out the characters and atmosphere in a very short order.
And atmosphere abounds here. The novel itself could well serve as a springboard for a location book on Lagos, it really conveys the flavour of the region. Yes, Feral Cities covers Lagos, but there is a difference between reading about the place and seeing someone actually having to deal with the **** on the streets.
I was flipping through pages half expecting maps / artwork / stat blocks. Sadly none of those, but it would not have been out of place. I do miss the occasional sketch drawing in the novels, like the original FASA days. Yes it was only a handful of images, but it was a nice touch and one maybe they should bring back.
The group build is pretty standard SR style, covering all the bases. They all have their own issues and/or secrets which do tie into why they are there. Again the flashbacks try to add some background to the characters, but it can leave you scratching your head at times, though it does tie together eventually. One example has the Sammy dispatch some opposition with his guns and then the flashback chapter mentions how he is mainly a blademan and how he is most comfortable being in the zone with his blade- his moment so to speak, often looking for situations to achieve this. At first this seems like ' ok? did we need to know this?' but later on his seeking of that 'moment' does come into play.
Between the main storyline and flashbacks, there are plenty of ideas for party dynamics and character do's and don'ts so I think this may make a good reading for a person new to the game and wanting a feel for a party at work.
The story revolves around a group of runners having to make a delivery and the obstacles they face in trying to do this. It does read like a gaming session with the various elements clashing with the party, but we soon find it is not nearly as random as expected and there is at least one or more other agendas in play. The more Machiavellian GMs will appreciate how the events have been set up and why. One's past does have a way of catching up with you one way or the other.
There are some contrived bits. Like when their main boat ride gets blown, rather than try to secure a new boat they decide to hike over the much more dangerous 12 km bridge with big gaps in it (so no vehicles can cross it) because they 'didn't have time'. Later on when they basically get sucked right off the bridge via a mysterious wave back to starting point and again head back onto the bridge, I think I would have found the time to get that boar (though if there are more attack waves that may still be an issue) or better yet flying, even if it meant having to misappropriate something. Insanity afterall is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. But in this case it works as they finally make it over.
Was the wave an elemental or spell? Given how toxic/dangerous the water can be the fact they all end up on the shore pretty much intact makes me think the former, but that raises other questions as well we will not dwell too long on.
One interesting point I noticed is that the majority of the gear is unnamed, ie it's not name branded left and right. Many writers try to reinforce that it's a SR Story by citing "checked to see his Hammerli 620 light pistol was in it's holster" or spending time explaining how the Excalibur cyberdeck was the top of the line. Here it's just a machine gun or a bike for the most part and doesn't try to bog itself down with product placement for the latest issue of Street Samurai Catalog X.
I admit I am a bit torn by this. On one hand we like to see SR items being reinforced in the fluff, but sometimes when reading a book, did you really need to know the exact make of each and every piece of equipment in the party?
The ending may not leave everyone happy, but then SR is not all sunshine and rainbows and bad things can and do happen, especially when he deck has been stacked against you from the start. But again we get to see how a team handles things as they come and complete the job despite the odds, albeit in a bit of an unorthodox yet still fitting style.
The main party death I do feel was a bit anti-climatic, but then the world of SR is a brutal one and not everyone gets to die a heroic and noble death.
If I have one major complaint, it is that the novel feels a bit rushed. Yes, the actual main event actually all happens in one afternoon and I can understand that by using select flashbacks to bring up the relevant bits it kept the book much leaner and meaner. The characters and environment are engaging enough that you sort of wish there was just a bit more time to spend with them.
But then you run the risk of stretching it out in a multi-novel series that can drag in places, so I guess I can live with this alternative.
All in all I give it an 4.2 out of 5.
It's a nice light reading which should appeal to SR fans and again to players new to the game hungry for fluff.
The style of sequencing may be a little distracting to some, but it does what it's meant to do and short of going down the Game of Thrones route, it is a suitable substitute for a one off novel.
