Never Deal with a Dragon (Shadownrun, Vol. 1) [Paperback]

Robert N. Charrette (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Roc (December 4, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451450787
• ISBN-13: 978-0451450784
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #512,713 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars They Don't Write Books Like This..., October 19, 2008

By 

Kenneth Chu "SincereAgape" (Washington DC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Never Deal with a Dragon (Shadownrun, Vol. 1) (Paperback)

Anymore. Never Deal with a Dragon is the most in depth Shadowrun novel ever published (to date). Breaking away from the Robert Frost form of script which involves writing with as few words as possible, Never Deal with a Dragon introduced the world of Shadowrun to fans and brought us a view point of the 6th World outside of the RPG source books. In terms of writing, this book reminds me of "The Count of Monte Cristo" or the "Unabridged Princess Bride" as each of these books uses a lot of descriptive narrative to explain the story and background. There are pages in this book which are dedicated to the psychological breakdown and thinking of characters. There are also pages in this novel used to depict a setting in the seedy world of Shadowrun.

As for the novel itself. The book consists of about 50 chapters which are divided into three parts of the story. Each section of a book is it's own separate story that eventually all ties together in the end. There is a good balance between characterization, setting, plot, and action in the novel. The book also dwells into the various forms of character classes that a person can create in the world of Shadowrun. Riggers, deckers, mages, and street samurai's are all painted in the novel and done quiet well. There is a chapter dedicated to how rigging works, and multiple chapters on magic and decking. One of the strongest aspects of the book is the dialogue. From Dodger's old English narrative, to Sam Verner's consistent pessimism, to seductive Sally Tsung, to the brash Orc Kham, sadistic Alice Crenshaw, and the stoic Ghost Who Walks. Each character is given their own existence, their own voice, and that is certainly one of Charrette's strengths as a writer. What overshadows this is the personality of the main character Sam Verner, who is not very likable.

That being said. The book can be slow and wordy for people who have never played Shadowrun before. There are certain parts of the books which can be monotonous, but other than that I recommend this book to gamers and classify it as one of the better Shadowrun novels written. To disagree with some of the other reviews in the realm of characterization. When compared to other Shadowrun novels, the characters in this novel are actually more thought out.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not William Gibson's world... but the same genre., April 29, 2000

By 

Justin (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Never Deal with a Dragon (Shadownrun, Vol. 1) (Paperback)

someone below said that this is built on William Gibson's cyberpunk world with a twist. If you're a sci-fi afficionado, that statement is misleading. Firstly, Gibson to my knowledge invented the cyberpunk genre (coined the term cyberspace, even), and since then, many have followed in his steps. It's not based on Gibson's world... it's written in his _genre_. The "Shadowrun" world is based on a role-playing game which has a MUCH different feel to it. Of course, that feel varies between authors, but Gibson's worlds tend to feel much harsher to me. There seems to be more warmth in most of the Shadowrun books I've read. Especially this series by Charette: my favorite Shadowrun books by far, and this is my favorite of the series. A very fun read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good start to an excellent series., January 24, 2005

By 

J. Reed "Belgerod" (Lake Worth, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Never Deal with a Dragon (Shadownrun, Vol. 1) (Paperback)

This book is the least engaging of the three, but is still a good read. I find its place in the series to be satisfactory. Everything gets better as the series progresses. The best shadowrun series.