I asked this question of the Catalyst folks at Origins last summer, but unfortunately didn't write down the answer, so I'm asking again here.
I'm relatively new to the Shadowrun universe. I played a few Missions scenarios from 5th edition, and I read Deniable Assets. I'm also starting a small 6th edition (probably mini-)campaign with our local gaming group.
I just have one problem: All of the infodump about the setting and the history of the Shadowrun universe doesn't really help me to understand it all/get it to sink into my brain.
So my question is this: What are the best novels that have been written that explain how all this came about in story form? Are there any novels about the "beginning" of it all? How the corps came to take control? How the sociopolitical/geographic borders got changed? All that good stuff? I basically want to get a good feel for the fluff, and I'd like recommendations for specific Shadowrun novels that can give me that. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to read them all (especially not between game sessions), and I would prefer not to spend money on more than five or six.