It's a Forgotten Realms novel. I read this mostly to get an idea of some of the lore behind Baldur's Gate 3, and in that job, it performed admirably. It's a Forgotten Realms novel. I read this mostly to get an idea of some of the lore behind Baldur's Gate 3, and in that job, it performed admirably. It's standard fantasy pulp stuff. Not bad but not as engaging as I'd hoped....more
This novel covers the Shadowrun phenomenon of 'Spike Babies', the elves of the setting that appeared before UGE (Unexplained Genetic Expression) becamThis novel covers the Shadowrun phenomenon of 'Spike Babies', the elves of the setting that appeared before UGE (Unexplained Genetic Expression) became a growing trend in the Sixth Age. Spike babies are really Immortal Elves who had waited out the long millennia of human history trapped in human form. The Spike Babies however have enemies - powerful eldritch being known only as the Foe. And this book covers the Spike Babies' efforts to save the Sixth Age from destruction at any cost.
It introduces one of the totemic figures of the setting, Harlequin, and adds to the backstory of how much the elves of the Sixth Age know about what's really coming to the world in the Sixth Age....more
A good idea, but the execution wasn't so good. I think this may have been one of the author's first books as it kind of read that way. It was another A good idea, but the execution wasn't so good. I think this may have been one of the author's first books as it kind of read that way. It was another Shadowrun book that covers what happens when you try to make the supernatural and high-technology work in hand, with disasterous results. If you really like the decking end of the Shadowrun world, give it a go, but it;s not exactl required reading....more
Dunkelzahn's will is made manifest in this closing book as the big picture sort of comes together. Is the Big D really dead? It would seem not, and fuDunkelzahn's will is made manifest in this closing book as the big picture sort of comes together. Is the Big D really dead? It would seem not, and furthermore it introduces another of the long forgotten races waiting for the magic levels to rise enough in the sixth-age to make an appearance - something that the game environment never officially incorporated into the setting, which I found odd.
Beyond the Pale concludes the Dragonheart Saga and makes the big reveal of the Big D's plans and the reasoning behind is assassination. A good sum up.Beyond the Pale concludes the Dragonheart Saga and makes the big reveal of the Big D's plans and the reasoning behind is assassination. A good sum up. I read all of these books in a couple of days during the college years and couldn't put em down. Ah, the guilty pleasures of RPG pulp....more
In 2056, the Shadowrun world sees the oddest special election ever. With six political parties, with one frontrunner being a great dragon, the UCAS isIn 2056, the Shadowrun world sees the oddest special election ever. With six political parties, with one frontrunner being a great dragon, the UCAS is in for a Super Tuesday like none other. When the great dragon Dunkelzahn is elected, it changes everything, and it gets much more chaotic when on the night of his inauguration, the Big D (as Dunkelzahn is known by the media) is assassinated in a fiery explosion in front of the Watergate Hotel.
The assassination of a great dragon is no small thing, and where the explosion erupted becomes a spiritual no-fly zone as an astral rift appears at ground zero. From there, the presidential entourage finds out that Dunkelzahn may have had a plan all along as in the wake of his death they find his will - a will that has far reaching consequences for the Shadowrun world.
It's a great start and it covers a lot of the world shaking events of the 2056 election and the year to come in their meta plot. Good stuff....more
This is the second book in the Dragonheart Saga. This covers the continuing efforts of the now vice president Nadjia Daviar and head of the Draco FounThis is the second book in the Dragonheart Saga. This covers the continuing efforts of the now vice president Nadjia Daviar and head of the Draco Foundation (the corporation created in the Big D's Will to execute the provisions of said will) as well as Ryan Mercury, the great dragons right-hand shadowrunner operative. When they start sniffing around in sensitive places, they end up drawing down the wrath of some pretty big enemies and end up having to deal with a crazed cyber-zombie - a creature with so many cybernetic enhancements that his parent organization has to necromantically bind his spirit to his flesh to keep his monstrous form going.
Havok ensues as Ryan and Nadjia continue to try to find out what Dunkelzahn's game is....more
In the Shadowrun setting, one of the most repellent and ubiquitous terrors of the world is the insect spirit. It takes a human host, gets inside of itIn the Shadowrun setting, one of the most repellent and ubiquitous terrors of the world is the insect spirit. It takes a human host, gets inside of it, then uses it as a medium to work magical effects upon the world. They've done so for millenia (known to the immmortal elves of the setting as the Invae) and throughout the ages, the elves have managed to keep them hidden and nominally controlled in the fifth and sixth ages...
Until 2057.
The bugs have been building a hive underneath the Windy City, and when a private eye seeks out the son of a corporate mogul only to find the worlds largest insect spirit hive, all hell breaks loose. The bugs surge out from the hive, destroying the city of Chicago and the UCAS military tries to bomb them out.
We all know what they say about roaches and the bomb. Nothing kills a bug. Nothing. Now imagine a city full of pissed off, radioactive, magical insect shamans. Not good. It covers the creation of the CCZ (Chicago Containment Zone) and is the bible for how things went down in Chicago for the game setting, apart from its companion sourcebook, Bug City.
This was a better than average Shadowrun novel just on the basis of how much detail they went into to depict the overtaking of the city by the bugs and the effects it has on the world, both SINners and SINless. Required reading for Shadowrun fans who want to know more about how Chicago got be called Bug City....more
Another Shadowrun book. I honestly don't remember much about it asides from the fact that it covers more of the adventures of Dodger and Kham. I rememAnother Shadowrun book. I honestly don't remember much about it asides from the fact that it covers more of the adventures of Dodger and Kham. I remember liking it, but not much else. Another RPG pulp read....more
This novel ties up the first Shadowrun Trilogy nicely, resolving Sam's issues with his sisters goblinization and subsequent exposure to the HMHVV vectThis novel ties up the first Shadowrun Trilogy nicely, resolving Sam's issues with his sisters goblinization and subsequent exposure to the HMHVV vector, turning her into an abominable creature known as a wendigo. It also wraps up the AI storyline (for a time) in the Renraku arcology complex, and fully defines several characters who go on to have novels of their own as well as placements that are nigh unto totemic in the series (i.e The Artful Dodger and Kham)....more
This is a continuation of the novel Never Deal With A Dragon. The good stuff continues as Sam finds out more about the transformation of his sister anThis is a continuation of the novel Never Deal With A Dragon. The good stuff continues as Sam finds out more about the transformation of his sister and ends up running through the shadows of the UK if my memory serves me correctly. It's been a long time since I read it....more
This was the first of the full Shadowrun novels in print (with only Into the Shadows, a collection of shorts preceding it), set in the dark future of This was the first of the full Shadowrun novels in print (with only Into the Shadows, a collection of shorts preceding it), set in the dark future of 2050, filled with high technology and ancient magic. Orcs, Dwarves, Trolls and Elves now walk the street along cybernetic mercenaries, street shamans and dragons. Corporations and even older conspiracies run the world from their isolated splendor while the streets destroy millions of lives.
It covers the induction of Samuel Verner into the shadowy underside of life in 2050. When he awakes from a routine datajack implantation, he finds that he's been demoted to the floundering Renraku Arcology project in Seattle, all on account of his sister who has goblinized. Goblinization - the magical and spontaneous (amd painful) transformation of a human into either an orc or a troll - is frowned on by the ultra-conservative Renraku corporation, and as a result Sam finds himself punished for it. As a former rising star, this doesn't sit well with him, and he begins investigating the fate of his sister and eventually defects from his parent corp and sets out on the path to become a shadowrunner, one of the men and women who are willing to get their hands dirty for corporations in exchange for nuyen, the currency of the future.
It's good for what it is, editing and errors aside (it's a RPG novel so I cut it some slack), and it's a great primer for the world of the Shadowrun game....more
This was the second in a series of novels set in the Wite Wolf Vampire: the Requien game world. It was a popcorn read - a diversion on the plane to keThis was the second in a series of novels set in the Wite Wolf Vampire: the Requien game world. It was a popcorn read - a diversion on the plane to keep my mind off of the fact that if anything happened midflight we'd all be dead.
It's a story of two vampires coming from very different places in the society of the Undead, almost a Romeo and Juliet star-crossed lovers tale. It was OK, I suppose it's a good read if you really want to know more about the setting and the way the Vampires of the franchise operate (which was what I really needed it for). Read it if you want a more tawdry, sex-sated vampire story (though vampire sex is pretty goddamned grotesque)....more
This was a good primer for getting into the moods and themes of Vampire: the Requiem. It covers the birth of a nascent vampire who is not quite the beThis was a good primer for getting into the moods and themes of Vampire: the Requiem. It covers the birth of a nascent vampire who is not quite the best candidate for receiving the curse of undeath. It's not a book that really lends itself to remembering every little detail of it, but upon seeing the cover, it triggers a fact that it was good. It was at least good enough that I went back to the core rule book for the game it's based on and actually read it through closer and to consider it as a viable game to run someday. Worth a read if you want to know more about the vranchise without dropping thirty-five bucks on the core rules.
It's White Wolf though - be ready for some of the worst editing you'll ever see. If you don't believe me, look it up on Page XX....more
I started reading these around 2002 or 2003, to be honest I don't remember. I started off reading this agaOff my back already Nicky Khan!!! It's done!
I started reading these around 2002 or 2003, to be honest I don't remember. I started off reading this again two days ago, so I was at an extreme handicap. Slowly but surely I got myself acquainted again with the characters: Hasmed the Scourge, Sabriel the Defiler, Usiel the Reaper, Gaviel the Devil. Oh yeah, and a guy named Lucifer. You mighta heard of him.
The story circles around an Earthbound demon named Avitu who believes that the Host's biggest mistake was giving Man thought. As a result, she gathers a dark priesthood that decided that if consciousness is the disease, prefrontontal lobotomy is the cure. The protagonists (and these ain't good people) work against Avitu, all for their own reasons which become clear at the book's conclusion.
It's well plotted. It has an epilogue - unusual for a White Wolf book - that sews up loose ends... except for one. I'll give you three guesses what doesn't get resolved, and the first two don't count.
It's hard to ask yourself 'what would Satan do?'...more
This was a disjointed bunch of rambling meant to give flavor and background to the Demon: the Fallen line of RPG books. What they did was try to fit tThis was a disjointed bunch of rambling meant to give flavor and background to the Demon: the Fallen line of RPG books. What they did was try to fit too many cosmologies into one book and it suffers for it. Not really all that much to add to the genre for which it was made. the novels that got written do far much more to give a feeling for the world of Demon: the Fallen....more
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