Edit this Review | Unlink This Review from Technobabel

Goto [ Index ]

Picked up the other day the latest Shadowrun Novel and sat down to read it. Read it in the car, while taking a walk with my youngest son along the river side bike path and there sitting down eating dinner. Yes I liked it a great deal.
This is Steve Kenson's first novel to be published and I for one hope it is not his last. Being a fan of his RPG products, such as Portfolio of a Dragon and The Underworld Sourcebook I have been looking forward to this foray of his since I heard about it a few months ago.
It takes place in Boston, set in the Shadowrun setting. Pitting giant corporations, dragons and the innocent and not so innocent all against each other admidst a backdrop of intrigue not once does it bog down or become too sentimental as some other SR novels do.
Instead Steve delivers a well paced, believable in the setting context, and entertaining book. The main character, Babel as he is known in most of the novel, is a Technoshaman. A gifted individual that is able to access the Matrix, the Internet of the setting, without the need of a computer. Soley with the power of his own mind. Couched in shamanistic terms the Technoshamans, or Otaku, are an interesting addition to the Shadowrun world.
As the book progresses hints to the overall 6th World future are laid and helps to tie this one in nicely with the recent books from Jak Koke.
On a scale of 1 to 5 I give this a good 3.5 to 4 for the SF novel side. As a SR novel it is a solid 5 placing it in the top 10 of all the SR novels so far.
Steve can be reached for comments at this email address, which is placed conviently in the back of the novel by the way.
Here is the mention of Technobabel on FASA's website.
My suggestion go to the bookstore and buy it.

Style: 5 (Excellent!)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)