Customer Reviews

Changeling (Shadowrun 05) (v. 5)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was one of the first SR books I have had the previlage to read, and it is one of the best. This is wonderful story that has an easy flow to it. It is one of the easiest books to get into and allows you to get familiar with SR. If you are new to the world of Shadowrun, then this is defiantly a good choice.

I've recently been in a nostalgic mood, re-reading some of the classics of cyberpunk, e.g. Gibson, Stephenson, etc., when I decided to read a couple of my favorite Shadowrun novels from the past. Shadowrun being what got me into cyberpunk in the first place, I wanted to see how some of the more memorable ones withstood the test of time.

Changeling took me by surprise. I remembered enjoying it back in the day, but reading it now, 17 or so years later, it really struck me as a very engaging, well-written novel. It's perhaps the most 'human' story of all the Shadowrun novels, which is ironic since the main character, Peter, is a troll who transformed when he was 15. It details his life in a world that fears him, and his years-long quest to discover a cure that will make him human again, all while trying to survive in the harsh streets of Chicago.

This is a very absorbing, sometimes even moving story about a boy learning to come to terms with his lot in life, and a lot more besides, with a number of memorable, well-drawn characters, especially Eddie; a burnt-out, small-time con who Peter befriends. Chris Kubasik has a very engaging style that allows you to feel connected to the characters, and makes me wish he'd written a few more novels in the Shadowrun universe, or any universe, for that matter.

Very highly recommended for Shadowrun fans, and even science-fiction and fantasy fans in general. There's less action than your typical Shadowrun novel, but the story is so good it's hardly noticeable. In fact, it's a nice change of pace from the usual fare. Of the forty Shadowrun novels released from '90-'01, only a handful really qualify as great sci-fi/fantasy, imho.

Changeling, though, is near the very top.

5 stars as far as gaming-related fiction goes.

Ranking among Shadowrun novels, imo- 2nd

(Kubasik's Earthdawn novels, under Christopher instead of Chris, are also of very high quality and well-worth tracking down. He also has a Battletech novel, 'Ideal War,' which I've yet to read)

There's more to this book than the "usual suspects" of the Shadowrun world that you can read in the other reviews. What I found interesting was the amount of writing on genetics, the possibility of genetics, the ethics of genetic engineering, etc. I also found the examples of anti-Metahuman racial bias and the "look from the downtrodden" point of view the author wove throughout the book. The shadowruns in and of themselves are simple fan-fare. The larger parts of racism, trying to blend in as a minority, having a friend with a major disorder (Fast Eddy and his older, erroding nerve/wired reflex system) and the ethics of genetics on why or why not we should change or even if we should consider changing what we have/who we are.
Read the prior reviews for the "regular" shadowrun stuff. There's more to this book than the usual Shadowrun novel.

This is one of my absolute favorite books in SR. A truly original story about a kid going through a very strange and harsh coming of age. From high school brainiac to Troll hitman to a Genuis of a Shadowrunner.

This was one of the first books I read in the Shadowrun series and it remains one of my favorites. It delivers to the reader a lot of knowledge as to the Night of Rage and in general, the way one lives in the shadows.

This is a book you don't want to miss.

Changeling was one of the early novels to be written for the Shadowrun line. It tells the story of Peter Clarris, a silver spooned fifteen year old boy who changes into a troll. After the alteration his father is unable to accept the changes in his life, which results in Peter feeling the same way. However, the father still has enough love for his son to accomendate Peter.

Eventually, Peter realizes that his father is unable to fully accept him as a Troll, and runs away from home, vowing to return when he has found a cure for the change.

Becaues of his large size and strength, Peter eventually becomes attatched as a enforcer of a local Yakuza boss. Time passes and one day he is asked to conduct a piece of 'wetwork' for his gang. When he meets the target his life changes forever....

Changeling is one of the best novels for the Shadowrun line. The cover art is not the best and might detour readers, but I guartee that the book is much better then the illustration of the front. The story flows and the characters are well done. It is a story about acceptance. There is a lot of altruism in the story and there is no real individual that I would state is 'evil' It is a story that seperates Shadowrun from other worlds of Cyberpunk. William Gibson has stated that he dislikes Shadowrun because of the fantasy elements. This is a book which proves that fantasy and cyberpunk can mesh into a fantastic setting.