Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not William Gibson's world... but the same genre., April 29, 2000
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.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
They Don't Write Books Like This..., October 19, 2008
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.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A guilty pleasure novel, June 25, 2004
I enjoyed the plot concept for this novel. The mixture of magic and high technology was successfully merged. If you are a fan of shadowrun, or cyberpunk novels than this is a good choice for you. On the down side. Charrette had a difficult time making me care at all about any of his characters. Sam Verner is whiney and self-indulgent. He spends far too much time wallowing in personal angst when he could be doing something interesting. The plot was ok, if a bit shallow for the length of the book. I recommend it as a good 'mindless' read, but anyone past seventh grade reading level shouldn't expect too much.
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