Worlds without End

Immortals Trilogy #3

by Caroline Spector

NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS

Aina remembers the world of centuries ago- she was there. Now she's here in the Awakened era of shadowrunners and simulations, magic and metas. And she may have brought an old nemesis along with her...

This new evil is as ancient and powerful as time. It does not bend before assassins, megacorps, shamans, or dragons. Aina, Harlequin, and their fellow immortal elves might have the power to stop it... but will she be able to convince them to join the battle before it's too late?

Genres: Cyberpunk, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Role Playing Games, Science Fiction Fantasy

276 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 1995

Reviews

[Myke Edwards · Rating 2 out of 5]

Back in early 1996, a friend was obsessed with the Shadowrun video game for Genesis. It lead to him going out and buying all the RPG books, and bringing all of us along with him. I loved the setting, so no big deal.
When I was heading on a plane trip to Florida, I figured I'd buy a book to occupy my time. Hey, Shadowrun, all right! So...why the heck did I pick this one?
Suffice to say, it took way longer than the plane trip. In fact, I think I ended up finishing it several months later, simply because I hate leaving books unread. The story was clunky and the characters not even close to likeable.
Then I found out there was supposed to sequels, but they took several years to ever come out.
I should have picked another book.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I see a number of reviews here that did not love this book, and it occurs to me it has a very particular passionate audience, which includes me. I’ve played and GM’d both Harlequin and Harlequin’s Back. I can't clock the hours I’ve put in absorbing Shadowrun lore. I’ve read the Horrors sourcebook for Earthdawn and played not nearly enough of that game. Considering this, I loved this book.

[Bryce Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of all the Shadowrun novels published, this was one. Mostly, anyway. It's about 70/30 SR/Earthdawn. Very metaplot heavy in a way that references things that happened in the game line and previous novels but not in a way that was especially satisfying to the reader. I get that the author was very much fenced in by the company in what she could do but that doesn't make the novel any better.

[Thomas Brailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun. A nice change of pace from the traditional Shadowrun novel.

[Hyann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate to give low rating to a book, I respect too much the of the author but this book was really not for me. At least I read it completely (reserve 1 start for book I don't have courage to finish).

Spector writing isn't the problem, it's the plot and the world. It's not my first Shadowrun novel and for me Shadowrun universe is battle beetween Megacorps or shadowrunner adventures in a high-tech futuristic world...

World without End didn't give you this feeling at all. Characters are immortals elfs who didn't like technologies so you don't really have feeling to read a Shadowrun novel, it could be any universe.

The plot is simple, an ancien Enemy, demon from another plane, find a door in the wolrd and haunted Aina, immortal outcasted powerful elf. She tried to gain help from other Immortals to face the menace but no one agree so she face the demon for a final 1 page battle.

For me, it's more a big sourcebook for the RPG then a novel to read. You have a lot of info on the elf society but action is boring. And since they are Immortal, half the book is flashback from the past that bring nothing to the non-existing main intrigue.

In the author note in the end, she talks about 2 other Earthdawn novel with the same characters so maybe it's better is you have read this book... maybe they explains why some characters seem to hate each other and what terrible thing they have done...

So again, not recommended to read this one only if the two other are available because by itself this book is boring, half-flashback and poor main intrigue. Even if I repeat myself, it's really a sourcebook with characters background info that bring nothing to the story.

[Burt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel covers the Shadowrun phenomenon of 'Spike Babies', the elves of the setting that appeared before UGE (Unexplained Genetic Expression) became a growing trend in the Sixth Age. Spike babies are really Immortal Elves who had waited out the long millennia of human history trapped in human form. The Spike Babies however have enemies - powerful eldritch being known only as the Foe. And this book covers the Spike Babies' efforts to save the Sixth Age from destruction at any cost.

It introduces one of the totemic figures of the setting, Harlequin, and adds to the backstory of how much the elves of the Sixth Age know about what's really coming to the world in the Sixth Age.

[Georg Gänzle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Der Abschluss der Immortals Trilogie, deren ersten beide Bände im Earthdawn Universum angesiedelt sind. Gleichzeitig aber auch eine direkte Fortsetzung des Romans 'Haus der Sonne' von Nigel Findley.

Ganz okay. Hat natürlich nicht die Klasse eines Findley Romans, aber kann man lesen und durchaus Spaß dabei haben. Guter Durchschnitt. Und um Klassen besser als die vorhergehenden Romane der katastrophal schlechten Immortals Trilogie.

[Jimmy Ruff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could handle this being about high magic and elves. But it felt like something was missing. It was all build up....and then the big end scene didn't feel like it was the big end scene. Then after reading it I realized that this was part of a series....it would have been nice to know to read the books ahead of this one to understand some of the subplots.

[Doris · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book does not stand well alone, but if you have read other books in the same world setting it may be to your liking.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as Scars, this book seemed more like a tour of the Shadowrun world where you met many of the "Elders" and had the metaplot of the game advanced. The actual story felt sort of tacked on.