Customer Reviews

Shadowrun 26: Stranger Souls (The Dragon Heart Saga -- Book One)

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

 

 

After seeing the Shadowrun series sink into predictable books that left more questions than they answered it was refreshing to read one that showed some originality. All too often of late this series has begun to overhype the books on the cover. Not every story truely shows a threat to the entire world...this one however presents just such a problem. All the while it also address issues such as racism, and the limits of magic (and technology) in the Shadowrun universe. Overall it was great to read a book that didn't drop into gratuitous sex and violence to make a story. This doesn't mean that sex and violence aren't there...in the Shadowrun universe that would be unheard of...but in this case it all serves to make the story complete as opposed to the mentality of "well we've written 3 chapters without killing anyone, time to have a firefight" that seems to have taken over this series. My thanks to Mr. Koke

I am an avid RPGer, and like to read books that capture the worlds I want to play in. This trilogy is the absolute best gaming fiction I have ever read. Salvatore is good, dragonlance is ok, the Exalted trilogy is very enjoyable, but none of them hold a candle to this story. Koke has a real grasp of the Shadowrun universe, and will grasp your attention just as firmly. The protagonist is truly a heroic figure, and the main villain is a compelling, tragic figure that will keep you turning pages.

I recommend this trilogy not only to gamers but to any sci-fi fans, especially those who enjoy cyberpunk. It has great characters and awesome action done by a very gifted author.

It was one of those books that you couldn't put down. Koke has a very strong grasp of the Shadowrun world and displays that vividly in this novel. I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy.

This book revealed a great deal about the world of Shadowrun. The characters presented were not only "human" in their actions, but emotions as well. My favorite character is Burnout, the cyberzombie. With this character, the author shows not only the firghtening possibilities that technology can have, but the consequences of yielding totally to the lure of power. It was an excellent book.

Jak Koke has written the definitive Shadowrun book. It contains all the elments of the Shadowrun universe, set in the backdrop of the most incredible event in the Shadowrun universe since the Awakening itself. The chracters are complex and thorough, and the conflicts in the book are well-written and exciting. This is an incredible book, and a must for all Shadowrun fans.

Considered to be the most important story in Shadowrun novella history, the Dragon Heart Saga details the death of the Great Dragon Dunkelzahn, and the events that followed. "Stranger Souls" is part one of the three part trilogy. The story is global, taking place in cities such as Washington DC, Salem, and South America. It is written in the third person narrative. Author Jak Koke is a graphic Shadowrun writer touching upon subjects such as violence and sex in more detail then previous writers in the Shadowrun line (second only to Nyx Smith). The Dragon Heart Saga is the culmination of a large metaplot in the Shadowrun universe. The main character of Stranger Souls is Ryan Mercury, a physical adapt who follows the 'Silent Way.' Ryan Mercury is the personal agent of the Dunkelzahn and during the story is entrusted with a very important task by the Great Dragon before his death. Before the dragon dies, Ryan finds out that blood mages from Atzlan have un-earthed a powerful relic that grants them the power to defeat Thayla, an entity which keeps monsters from another dimension from invading the 6th world. Mercury is captured while on a reconnaissance mission in Atzlan is brought before one of their major stockholders....

The entities and characters in Stranger Souls are higher in personal power according to Shadowrun. In addition to Ryan Mercury the book is written from the perspective for Nadja Daviar, future vice president of the UCAS, a powerful free spirit named Lethe, Burnout the cyberzombie, and Thomas Roxaborough - a diseased leader within the Atzlan corporate structure. Koke does a good job remaining true to the mechanics of Shadowrun. The weapons he uses are actual guns from the role-playing game and many of the magical and cyberware are actual items from the universe. The story is well written, Koke as a writer touches upon darker themes then in previous books. The story comes off as a superhero romance rather then a dark gritty street level story. Magic is a heavy component in "Stranger Souls" while the matrix is not.

Stranger Souls is a good start to the Dragon Heart Saga. In my opinion there have been better books written in the Shadowrun line, and there are books that are much worse. It is one of the most important sagas in Shadowrun cannon line. The death of Dunkelzahn opened up a flood gates of stories in the Shadowrun universe. Read it if you're a huge Shadowrun fan.