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kynan's review against another edition
3.0
TL;DR: Pretty good self-contained detective-noir in the Shadowrun universe. No need to understand Shadowrun in detail, just roll with "magic exists" and you're good!
TL: Set in 2052, a couple of years after the [b:Secrets of Power trilogy|351451|Never Deal with a Dragon (Shadowrun Secrets of Power, #1)|Robert N. Charrette|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388724363l/351451._SY75_.jpg|341683] (not that it matters), 2XS is a detective-noir story in the dystopian Shadowrun universe, Seattle in particular. This story has all the elements of classic noir, and the nasty, gritty, magic-infused, cyberpunk, Sixth World is an excellent environment in which to tell such a story!
Unsurprisingly, Derek "Dirk" Montgomery of Derek Montgomery Investigations is a private detective. We meet him on the staircase, stumbling home from a hard day on the job, and join as the first threads of his somewhat tattered life snag on an excitingly unexpected meeting, and being unravelling in a most spectacular fashion! Derek has a bunch of life-problems that he's dealing with, along with jobs that he was already working when the plot for this story kicks off and these various arcs/references are very nicely kept alive as what starts out as a revenge killing quickly expands into a sprawling and all-entangling conspiracy.
If you're here for the Shadowrun-universe specifically, you might find it somewhat light on detail. Although there are Deckers, Shadowrunners, Megacorps and even Mages, there's relatively little of both the Matrix and magic, and if you removed the references to Elves and Trolls (and a few Spirits), you could be reading [a:Raymond Chandler|1377|Raymond Chandler|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1206535318p2/1377.jpg] or his ilk. That said, it appears (careful, spoilers) that Mr Findley was quite scrupulous in his reference to the sourcebooks and both places and experiences are very much on-point! I think that's part of why it's such a good book - there's a universe that it's set in, but that's not the selling point, it just happens in the background while Derek and co. play in the limelight, occasionally illuminating an interesting element of the universe.
I think that, for a book of this nature (an RPG tie-in), there's a lot of character available, to some of the folks peopling the plot, although some of them are tropes along for the ride. The more fleshed out folks are a lot of fun, and even incidentals get a fair shake - the City Spirit later in the book is surprisingly annotated, for a minor player, and the little references to preferences, desires and partial back-story make everyone feel more than just two dimensional.
This is closeish to 4-stars, but there's too much happenstance in the mid- to end-story for me to be completely happy with that level. It's still a really fun story and overall I enjoyed 2XS (perhaps a bit more then the latter two books of "Secrets of Power" to be honest). I shall happily continue my Shadowrun-run with [b:Changeling|1131195|Changeling|Christopher Kubasik|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387740065l/1131195._SY75_.jpg|1118396] (even if it is by a [a:different author|373982|Christopher Kubasik|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. Worst case, I believe that Dirk's back in [b:House of the Sun|29886|House of the Sun (Shadowrun, #17)|Nigel Findley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1168047763l/29886._SY75_.jpg|30303] in only 13 more books!
TL: Set in 2052, a couple of years after the [b:Secrets of Power trilogy|351451|Never Deal with a Dragon (Shadowrun Secrets of Power, #1)|Robert N. Charrette|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388724363l/351451._SY75_.jpg|341683] (not that it matters), 2XS is a detective-noir story in the dystopian Shadowrun universe, Seattle in particular. This story has all the elements of classic noir, and the nasty, gritty, magic-infused, cyberpunk, Sixth World is an excellent environment in which to tell such a story!
Unsurprisingly, Derek "Dirk" Montgomery of Derek Montgomery Investigations is a private detective. We meet him on the staircase, stumbling home from a hard day on the job, and join as the first threads of his somewhat tattered life snag on an excitingly unexpected meeting, and being unravelling in a most spectacular fashion! Derek has a bunch of life-problems that he's dealing with, along with jobs that he was already working when the plot for this story kicks off and these various arcs/references are very nicely kept alive as what starts out as a revenge killing quickly expands into a sprawling and all-entangling conspiracy.
If you're here for the Shadowrun-universe specifically, you might find it somewhat light on detail. Although there are Deckers, Shadowrunners, Megacorps and even Mages, there's relatively little of both the Matrix and magic, and if you removed the references to Elves and Trolls (and a few Spirits), you could be reading [a:Raymond Chandler|1377|Raymond Chandler|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1206535318p2/1377.jpg] or his ilk. That said, it appears (careful, spoilers) that Mr Findley was quite scrupulous in his reference to the sourcebooks and both places and experiences are very much on-point! I think that's part of why it's such a good book - there's a universe that it's set in, but that's not the selling point, it just happens in the background while Derek and co. play in the limelight, occasionally illuminating an interesting element of the universe.
I think that, for a book of this nature (an RPG tie-in), there's a lot of character available, to some of the folks peopling the plot, although some of them are tropes along for the ride. The more fleshed out folks are a lot of fun, and even incidentals get a fair shake - the City Spirit later in the book is surprisingly annotated, for a minor player, and the little references to preferences, desires and partial back-story make everyone feel more than just two dimensional.
This is closeish to 4-stars, but there's too much happenstance in the mid- to end-story for me to be completely happy with that level. It's still a really fun story and overall I enjoyed 2XS (perhaps a bit more then the latter two books of "Secrets of Power" to be honest). I shall happily continue my Shadowrun-run with [b:Changeling|1131195|Changeling|Christopher Kubasik|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387740065l/1131195._SY75_.jpg|1118396] (even if it is by a [a:different author|373982|Christopher Kubasik|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. Worst case, I believe that Dirk's back in [b:House of the Sun|29886|House of the Sun (Shadowrun, #17)|Nigel Findley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1168047763l/29886._SY75_.jpg|30303] in only 13 more books!
namulith's review against another edition
2.0
As I re-visit the Shadowrun series I continuously have to re-evaluate my initial assessment from my first read-through in the mid-90s. Well, at least the assessment I remember. Back then I was a teenager and the whole mix of cyberpunk and magic was awesome. I still think so. Unfortunately particularly the tech stuff in Shadowrun has not aged well. It has a very 1980s vibe to it and considering that Shadowrun is set in our future it just feels odd.
This particular book inspired part of the amazing game Shadowurn Returns. Reading just the book I felt disappointed. The writing is terrible, like some young guy's attempt at writing hard-boiled cyberpunk. But I guess I only have myself to blame. You shouldn't return to stuff you liked when you were young.
This particular book inspired part of the amazing game Shadowurn Returns. Reading just the book I felt disappointed. The writing is terrible, like some young guy's attempt at writing hard-boiled cyberpunk. But I guess I only have myself to blame. You shouldn't return to stuff you liked when you were young.
lairedae's review
3.0
Let's call this 3.5. A solid intro to the Shadowrun universe, teaching important lessons like "Don't be a contact for a runner" and "No, really, don't be a contact for a runner!" This book takes the reader through all of 2052 Seattle's boroughs, with ample navigation tips should one wish to recreate Dirk's route through the sprawl. Also needed more Rosebud. She was adorable in a dwarfy way.
frater's review against another edition
4.0
Despite being a tie-in novel, 2XS is a well written and entertaining example of how Cyberpunk was able to capture the imaginations of a generation.
Any fan of cyberpunk, shadowrun or web urban fantasy ought to find something to like about it.
Any fan of cyberpunk, shadowrun or web urban fantasy ought to find something to like about it.
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