[MadLetter]

Hi folks!

I've read a few of the SR novels back in the day, had some good and some very bad novels. Is there something of a general consensus about which books one should read and one should avoid? I've been thinking to gather a few of the old novels, but I don't really know where to begin.

I know a fair share of SR trivia, but would still like to increase my knowledge, and I do love to read a good novel. So, which ones should I read, and which ones should I burn with fire?

As a second question: Are there as of yet any novels set in post-Crash 2.0 times?

[CanRay]

"Aftershock" by Jean Rabe is the only one that appears to be written Post Crash 2.0, but you'd barely know it from the writing (Really, the only major change is that the Decker/Hacker doesn't have a Cyberdeck, her CommLink it built into her bodysuit.).  This is not a bad thing, BTW, and is probably the best novel of it's "Era".  (The rest are really, really bad, with only "A Fistful of Data" being readable in my mind.).

For old books, the Nigel Findley Omnibus cannot be suggested highly enough.  It was my entryway into Shadowrun's world, and stands the test of time indeed with the noir-style of writing.  *Pours a 40 on the curb*

[MadLetter]

I remember reading 2XS of his works. Wasn't overly awesome, but also not anything close to bad. Good read. I'm mostly asking because I still remember the Terminus Experiment, which I found mostly quite horrible, no offense intended to anyone.

[CanRay]

It's all about tastes.  I like Dirk, which might color my perceptions...

[MadLetter]

Dirk?

[CanRay]

Derek Montgomery, Street Handle:  Dirk.  Protagonist of 2XS and House of the Sun.

[bigity]

Just finished 2XS last night and starting on House of the Sun tonight!

I also like Burning Bright, the Striper books, and even the first trilogy, despite the seeming rules busting that went on it.

Basically I don't like any of the 2nd generation of books, but there are quite a few I haven't read.

[Critias]

Dead Air remains my favorite guilty-pleasure Shadowrun novel, and Night's Pawn my favorite "doesn't really feel like Shadowrun but is pretty well written anyways" novel.

[JoeChummer]

I always liked Jak Koke's Dragon Heart trilogy: Stranger Souls, Clockwork Asylum, and Beyond the Pale.

Any of Nigel Findley's books are also great.

Loved Burning Bright.  Also enjoyed Technobabel (one of the first SR novels dealing with the Otaku).

I can't really say there are any SR novels I've outright hated, but they are definitely not all created equal.

[CanRay]

The Kellan Colt Trilogy were highly lacking.  I wouldn't suggest them to anyone, really. 

[Stahlseele]

The Kellan Colt Trilogy were highly lacking.  I wouldn't suggest them to anyone, really. 

Same goes for the newer german novels . .
I still say Markus Heitz is a hack who will write anything for money . .

Personally, Shadowboxer is a nicely done shadowrun novel.
SteelRain is less shadowrunny, but still a nice novel in the shadowrun universe.

[trea5on]

nigel findley was my fav author of the sr novels, really liked all his novels, but shadowplay was probably my fav. it's really too bad that he died so young, i'm sure he'd still be contributing to sr if he was still around

i'm currently reading never trust an elf at work and who hunts the hunter at home, lol

[CanRay]

I'm really hoping we'll see more e-book versions of the old novels, as I can rebuild my collection.  I still have to get Shadowplay someday, it was what finally sold me on Shadowrun even after nearly twenty years of not being able to play it.

Also hoping for new novels as well.

[trea5on]

check your local used bookstores, that's where i've started regathering my collection from, lol. they haven't been that hard to track down, i go every month or so and pick up a few new ones. it's nice to see shadowrun coming back around, it's weird how i started reading the novels and decided to do a google search, and here i am, lol.

once i finish all the novels, i'm going to go back and read all the gaming books that i have around, like harlequin and harlequin's back. he was definitely my favorite character in the sr world.

i haven't at all been able to locate even one battletech book though! i really like that storyline too, but i'm afraid i'll have to ebay those books or something.

[CanRay]

I do, constantly.  Apparently I'm not the only one in the city trying to do this.  And the rest don't want to get rid of theirs.

Which makes the lack of a game here all the more annoying.