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Shadowrun - CGL Novels #1
Shadowrun: Spells & Chrome
Welcome to the year 2072……And a world unlike anything you’ve ever imagined. A world where magic and machines exist side-by-side. Where cybernetics can replace organs or entire limbs with ease, and arcane spells can make the impossible happen. Where the Matrix has become an artificial world of its own, filled with all kinds of pleasure, treasure, and trouble. Where dwarves, elves, orks and trolls walk alongside humans every day. Some work for megacorporations whose invisible tentacles wrap around every aspect of modern life. Others choose a much less legal career, doing whatever dirty work the corp executives need done—for a price.Featuring fifteen new stories about the men and women who make their living in the shadows of the Sixth World, Spells & Chrome takes you into the dark and dirty streets of the future. Whether risking their lives to execute a mission for an employer who might be planning to double-cross them anyway, or just doing whatever they need to do to survive another day, shadowrunners use everything they’ve got—cyberware, spells, or a very big gun—to get the job done.
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First published May 14, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 5, 2024
A mixed bag, as you'd expect. Some of these stories are great, some are less so.
June 8, 2012
Spells and Chrome is an introduction novelization for the Shadowrun 4th Ed. RPG. If you are not familiar with Shadowrun, it is a world like none you have ever encountered. Imagine a dystopian future where mega-corporations are governments unto themselves, a world where magic and technology dominate life. In the world in 2072, magic has awoken and technology has become a new religion. Children are born as Humans, Elves, Trolls, Orks, Dwarfs, and even stranger creatures. After several worldwide crashes of the matrix (Internet), a new breed of magicians known as Technomancers has been born. These Technomancers can inhabit the matrix with a force of will rather than wired connections. Shadowrun is named for Shadowrunners: the people who do the jobs that that the mega-corporations don’t want to dirty their hands with. Shadowrunners are the soldiers in an undeclared war where cybernetics, magic and luck are the weapons.
If you have played past editions of Shadowrun then you have already seen that in the Shadowrun world of 2072 a few things have changed. There are still fixers, Faces, Mr. Johnsons and riggers, but the world has yielded the aforementioned Technomancer. If you ever played a Decker or built a Deck you know how quickly that could sap the fun out of Shadowrun. 4th Ed. takes the deck development Fun Nazi away and streamlines some of the more inelegant rules from previous editions. Don’t worry, you will still need at least 23 D6s. Spells & Chrome aside from being a good read, attempts to indoctrinate old runners into the revised world of Shadowrun while introducing neophytes to the unique setting.
Spells and Chrome drags you through the wet streets of Seattle all the way to the hot and stinky streets of Lagos with 15 new stories by some of the best in the business. The cover is typical Shadowrun, evoking feelings of the cover of the 20th anniversary 4th Ed. rulebook while still being noticeable to owners of the basic 4th Ed. and previous editions. If there is an elf, someone casting spells, someone with a Katana and a Drone or futuristic looking vehicle on the same cover, there is a good chance that you are looking at a Shadowrun product! The cover of Spells and Chrome maintains these schizoid elements and takes old runners back to their happy dark place where trust gets you killed and no one can be trusted.
Anytime you have an anthology, you are bound to have stories that are better than others and Spells and Chrome is no exception. I would have to say that I really enjoyed 12 of the 15 stories, and the rest were readable, but not my cup of soycaf. The world of Shadowrun is complicated, but these stories have a way of bringing you in quickly and making things easier to comprehend. There are plenty of Shadowrun books out there, but few of them are set in 2072 or 4th Ed., depending on how you look at things. The Shadowrun sourcebooks have some great stories in them, but Spells and Chrome is a great $5.00 USD introduction tool. Several storied RPG franchises have supplemented themselves with fiction and in most cases they have been very successful; standouts include Wizards of the Coast, FASA (when they owned Shadowrun) and White Wolf. Works of fiction like Spells and Chrome are wonderful resources for both players and GMs.
For players, reading these stories gives them a sense of how the world they will be gaming in actually works, smells and feels. These stories have the added benefit of giving players some great ideas for characters or aspects of their characters. All of the authors describe actual gear and cyberware that is available in the game. Most people have a basic understanding of artificial limbs, but Shadowrun cyberware can be daunting and the player that understands how sound dampeners work, should have a better chance of having more fun at the table while their character’s chances of succeeding in the shadows increases.
For GMs, Spells and Chrome is rife with adventure ideas and possible NPCs that could easily make some cameos in their games. NPCs and their back stories can be real time sinks. I always advocate GMs using any resources they can to make their lives easier and to make the game more fun for players. What better meets those requirements than a well-developed character that has a pre-generated and interesting back story? Some of these stories would work just fine by simply inserting your player’s characters. Inserting your players into situations found in Spells and Chrome won’t work so well if your players have read the book. The only saving grace in that situation is that when players are involved, no plan ever survives the initial dice rolls and no matter how hard you plan, your players will always do the exact opposite! If some or all of your players have read Spells and Chrome, they might enjoy running across a “familiar” face.
Spells and Chrome will not go into history as the best book ever written, but it is a damn good read. This book worked for me as a reader of sci-fi and as a fan of Shadowrun. There were a few references that I was able to catch because I have played Shadowrun, but if I had never played the game it would be like a younger child watching a Bugs Bunny cartoon; the kid laughs his/her head off even if they don’t get all of the jokes. I wish there hadn’t been such a focus on Technomancers, but they are the new kids on the block and their concepts and abilities are far from simple. Spells and Chrome is worth your time and money; players could almost view it as a mini-sourcebook or a supplement, while your everyday sci-fi fan should enjoy a variation from the standard space going fare
Please note that this review first appeared @ www.roleplayerschronicle.com
Here is a link to the review: http://roleplayerschronicle.com/?p=22528
If you have played past editions of Shadowrun then you have already seen that in the Shadowrun world of 2072 a few things have changed. There are still fixers, Faces, Mr. Johnsons and riggers, but the world has yielded the aforementioned Technomancer. If you ever played a Decker or built a Deck you know how quickly that could sap the fun out of Shadowrun. 4th Ed. takes the deck development Fun Nazi away and streamlines some of the more inelegant rules from previous editions. Don’t worry, you will still need at least 23 D6s. Spells & Chrome aside from being a good read, attempts to indoctrinate old runners into the revised world of Shadowrun while introducing neophytes to the unique setting.
Spells and Chrome drags you through the wet streets of Seattle all the way to the hot and stinky streets of Lagos with 15 new stories by some of the best in the business. The cover is typical Shadowrun, evoking feelings of the cover of the 20th anniversary 4th Ed. rulebook while still being noticeable to owners of the basic 4th Ed. and previous editions. If there is an elf, someone casting spells, someone with a Katana and a Drone or futuristic looking vehicle on the same cover, there is a good chance that you are looking at a Shadowrun product! The cover of Spells and Chrome maintains these schizoid elements and takes old runners back to their happy dark place where trust gets you killed and no one can be trusted.
Anytime you have an anthology, you are bound to have stories that are better than others and Spells and Chrome is no exception. I would have to say that I really enjoyed 12 of the 15 stories, and the rest were readable, but not my cup of soycaf. The world of Shadowrun is complicated, but these stories have a way of bringing you in quickly and making things easier to comprehend. There are plenty of Shadowrun books out there, but few of them are set in 2072 or 4th Ed., depending on how you look at things. The Shadowrun sourcebooks have some great stories in them, but Spells and Chrome is a great $5.00 USD introduction tool. Several storied RPG franchises have supplemented themselves with fiction and in most cases they have been very successful; standouts include Wizards of the Coast, FASA (when they owned Shadowrun) and White Wolf. Works of fiction like Spells and Chrome are wonderful resources for both players and GMs.
For players, reading these stories gives them a sense of how the world they will be gaming in actually works, smells and feels. These stories have the added benefit of giving players some great ideas for characters or aspects of their characters. All of the authors describe actual gear and cyberware that is available in the game. Most people have a basic understanding of artificial limbs, but Shadowrun cyberware can be daunting and the player that understands how sound dampeners work, should have a better chance of having more fun at the table while their character’s chances of succeeding in the shadows increases.
For GMs, Spells and Chrome is rife with adventure ideas and possible NPCs that could easily make some cameos in their games. NPCs and their back stories can be real time sinks. I always advocate GMs using any resources they can to make their lives easier and to make the game more fun for players. What better meets those requirements than a well-developed character that has a pre-generated and interesting back story? Some of these stories would work just fine by simply inserting your player’s characters. Inserting your players into situations found in Spells and Chrome won’t work so well if your players have read the book. The only saving grace in that situation is that when players are involved, no plan ever survives the initial dice rolls and no matter how hard you plan, your players will always do the exact opposite! If some or all of your players have read Spells and Chrome, they might enjoy running across a “familiar” face.
Spells and Chrome will not go into history as the best book ever written, but it is a damn good read. This book worked for me as a reader of sci-fi and as a fan of Shadowrun. There were a few references that I was able to catch because I have played Shadowrun, but if I had never played the game it would be like a younger child watching a Bugs Bunny cartoon; the kid laughs his/her head off even if they don’t get all of the jokes. I wish there hadn’t been such a focus on Technomancers, but they are the new kids on the block and their concepts and abilities are far from simple. Spells and Chrome is worth your time and money; players could almost view it as a mini-sourcebook or a supplement, while your everyday sci-fi fan should enjoy a variation from the standard space going fare
Please note that this review first appeared @ www.roleplayerschronicle.com
Here is a link to the review: http://roleplayerschronicle.com/?p=22528
January 10, 2018
Meh
Useful for getting into the spirit of the shadowrun world, though inconsistent in several aspects. This collection of short stories explores a variety of scenarios from the standard ganger war (with a twist) to Lovecraftian wish fulfillment.
Useful for getting into the spirit of the shadowrun world, though inconsistent in several aspects. This collection of short stories explores a variety of scenarios from the standard ganger war (with a twist) to Lovecraftian wish fulfillment.
July 20, 2018
A fun dive into the Sprawl, but don't expect something mind blowing.
Good for those trying to engross one self in the Shadowrunverse.
Good for those trying to engross one self in the Shadowrunverse.
September 26, 2018
The short stories are hit or miss but I found some good authors to read.
January 12, 2024
Excellent sixth world stories
These are a very excellent selection of stories in the sixth world. A nice choice of ShadowRun stories. I really enjoyed these.
These are a very excellent selection of stories in the sixth world. A nice choice of ShadowRun stories. I really enjoyed these.
February 15, 2025
A mix of good and bad with greater variability than later anthologies in the franchise.
January 31, 2017
Good books based in gaming universes can be hard to find. I suspect this is because gaming, despite covering a wide swath of people from six to sixty, is nonetheless dominated by the younger set. As such, game fiction often operates at a juvenile level that, sadly, rarely rises above fan-fiction quality. Fortunately, "Spells & Chrome" is one of the better game books.
"Spells & Chrome" is a short story omnibus based in the Shadowrun game universe. If you are not familiar with Shadowrun, the best way to describe it is as a cyberpunk setting (i.e., hackers, evil corporations, gangs, crime, and grit) populated by humans...as well as by elves, orcs, dwarves, and other magical creatures! That is the twist that Shadowrun has made all its own. In the world of this game universe, our world suffered an unexplained "awakening" where magic and monsters have reappeared. What results is a bizarre but intoxicating mix of guns and spells, hacking and witchcraft, and the "shadowrunners" (criminals willing to do any job for a payday) that are often at the center of it all.
Like Warhammer 40K (check out "Let the Galaxy Burn!" for another excellent game-based omnibus!), the Shadowrun universe is dark and grim, like something out of a film noir. Here, petty criminals stalk the rain-slicked night in the big city looking for work from "Mr. Johnsons," middle men who hire these less than savory characters for their shadowy employers. That's ultimately what the many stories in this book is about. And many of them are quite good in a very noir-ish way. Tales of murder, revenge, double-crosses, and grand conspiracies are all here, as well as some touching tales of decent people (trolls, elves, etc.) trying to live in a dangerously out of control world ("Where the Shadows are Darkest" by Steven Mohan, Jr. is particularly poignant).
My only complaint with Spells & Chrome would be the lackluster editing. While the text is largely clean, it is clear that the manuscript could have used one more editorial pass because there are more than a few annoying typos.
If you like cyberpunk, fantasy, or hard-boiled, noirish fiction, I highly recommend "Spells and Chrome" (it also serves as an excellent introduction to the game setting). And if you are already a fan of the game, this is a must-read!
"Spells & Chrome" is a short story omnibus based in the Shadowrun game universe. If you are not familiar with Shadowrun, the best way to describe it is as a cyberpunk setting (i.e., hackers, evil corporations, gangs, crime, and grit) populated by humans...as well as by elves, orcs, dwarves, and other magical creatures! That is the twist that Shadowrun has made all its own. In the world of this game universe, our world suffered an unexplained "awakening" where magic and monsters have reappeared. What results is a bizarre but intoxicating mix of guns and spells, hacking and witchcraft, and the "shadowrunners" (criminals willing to do any job for a payday) that are often at the center of it all.
Like Warhammer 40K (check out "Let the Galaxy Burn!" for another excellent game-based omnibus!), the Shadowrun universe is dark and grim, like something out of a film noir. Here, petty criminals stalk the rain-slicked night in the big city looking for work from "Mr. Johnsons," middle men who hire these less than savory characters for their shadowy employers. That's ultimately what the many stories in this book is about. And many of them are quite good in a very noir-ish way. Tales of murder, revenge, double-crosses, and grand conspiracies are all here, as well as some touching tales of decent people (trolls, elves, etc.) trying to live in a dangerously out of control world ("Where the Shadows are Darkest" by Steven Mohan, Jr. is particularly poignant).
My only complaint with Spells & Chrome would be the lackluster editing. While the text is largely clean, it is clear that the manuscript could have used one more editorial pass because there are more than a few annoying typos.
If you like cyberpunk, fantasy, or hard-boiled, noirish fiction, I highly recommend "Spells and Chrome" (it also serves as an excellent introduction to the game setting). And if you are already a fan of the game, this is a must-read!
July 3, 2012
So I was trying to get my head back into the Shadowrun genre and I started flipping through the book options. I came across Spells & Chrome and though, "Great! This will give me a good taste of 2070+ as well as immerse me in the attitude of Shadowrun!". Well... that depends on the author. And with short stories you don't really get immersed in anything. Overall I have enjoyed the book, but several authors decided to concentrate on otaku, one decided to concentrate on a chrome dome whose brain is loosing a grip from too much cyber, there were a couple great stories that were simply too short... so in the end, my idea backfired on me. This is not a good way to get a good taste of the new world (post-Crash) and each author brings a very different style to the book which is somewhat jarring.
I think those familiar with the milieu of Shadowrun will get more out of Spells & Chrome than I did. Some of the authors were fantastic and really drew me in, which I like from a literary standpoint but not from what I was looking for with my experiment.
I think those familiar with the milieu of Shadowrun will get more out of Spells & Chrome than I did. Some of the authors were fantastic and really drew me in, which I like from a literary standpoint but not from what I was looking for with my experiment.
March 30, 2013
Like any anthology, it has its high and low points though none of the stories are a definite must-read. They're all fast paced enough to stay interesting and definitely entertaining. However, the only stories that truly stuck with me were three in number and in each case I was left with the same feeling at the end - the story was too short.
Throughout the book, I kept having the sensation that many stories were too short. I hope it's just an impression and not an actual editorial call because it would be sad to learn that any loose ends found in this collection was an actual editorial call.
Hopefully, the good stories will be picked up again in a future collection. I hope this will be the case as anything else would be just sad. You can't say "Oh yeah, I'll have to keep my eye on how this case develops" and then never mention it again.
That's just wrong.
Throughout the book, I kept having the sensation that many stories were too short. I hope it's just an impression and not an actual editorial call because it would be sad to learn that any loose ends found in this collection was an actual editorial call.
Hopefully, the good stories will be picked up again in a future collection. I hope this will be the case as anything else would be just sad. You can't say "Oh yeah, I'll have to keep my eye on how this case develops" and then never mention it again.
That's just wrong.
July 9, 2014
More of a 3.5/5.
I enjoyed this collection of short stories, mostly because I like Cyberpunk, and I'm interested in the setting of Shadowrun. This isn't particularly classy or quality literature, but it is enjoyable as a light read with some twists here and there. There aren't any clearly outstanding short stories, but nor are there any really mediocre ones - the entire thing is kept at a pretty good level of quality.
If you're interested in Shadowrun, consider this a worthy read. Everyone else might want to check it out, but the fantasy/cyberpunk mashup might be hard to swallow for newcomers.
I enjoyed this collection of short stories, mostly because I like Cyberpunk, and I'm interested in the setting of Shadowrun. This isn't particularly classy or quality literature, but it is enjoyable as a light read with some twists here and there. There aren't any clearly outstanding short stories, but nor are there any really mediocre ones - the entire thing is kept at a pretty good level of quality.
If you're interested in Shadowrun, consider this a worthy read. Everyone else might want to check it out, but the fantasy/cyberpunk mashup might be hard to swallow for newcomers.
August 2, 2016
A nice collection of Shadowrun stories
It was an enjoyable anthology that plumbed the well of material available. Particularly enjoyed Snake in the City, how it showed how a good runner team can turn a bad situation around. The one story I took exception to was the Dirk Montgomery piece wherein Dirk himself claims to have no cyberware, when in past novels written by the late Nigel Findley, it was rather clearly and brutally established that Dirk had lost an arm in an incident involving one of the major threats of the SR universe, and summarily had it replaced. In general, though an enjoyable story. Looking forward to more SR stories by these great writers!
It was an enjoyable anthology that plumbed the well of material available. Particularly enjoyed Snake in the City, how it showed how a good runner team can turn a bad situation around. The one story I took exception to was the Dirk Montgomery piece wherein Dirk himself claims to have no cyberware, when in past novels written by the late Nigel Findley, it was rather clearly and brutally established that Dirk had lost an arm in an incident involving one of the major threats of the SR universe, and summarily had it replaced. In general, though an enjoyable story. Looking forward to more SR stories by these great writers!
November 9, 2011
A collection of short stories in the reboot of the Shadowrun universe with the 4th Edition rules. Even more than other anthologies, this one has a variable quality, as besides the quality of the stories themselves authors need to adjust to the game rules to a certain extent. Too many fail at both aspects. Also the short format makes them as chapters in a whole book rather than a full story in themselves.
Nevertheless it is a good way to immerse in how the game will appear as a tale.
Nevertheless it is a good way to immerse in how the game will appear as a tale.
September 2, 2011
I've read many SR books, and this one is just as good as most. Its a collection of short stories, and some of the authors really excel, creating great characters and taking advantage of a universe that is already well designed with plenty of depth. I enjoy the short stories, but also see these collections as means of finding your preferred Sci Fi authors.
April 24, 2012
While it wasn't awesome as four stars usually mean to me, the book consisted of several short stories and many of them were memorable. I hope some of them make it into their own full books. They're also a great introduction to the Shadowrun world, including the new fourth edition ruleset. I recommend it to anyone interested in the Shadowrun world.
June 13, 2017
Terrible title! You can't expect much from what is little more than a collection of amateur fan fiction. I'm yet to learn my lesson not to read books based on computer games. This collection was hit and miss; mostly miss. Derivative at best.
February 16, 2021
An excellent collection of short stories from the Shadowrun universe, which I hadn't partaken in since playing Shadowrun on the Sega Genesis back in the 90's. The universe has come a long ways, but it still feels very familiar and welcoming, both fantastic and highly technological.
July 21, 2011
An okay collection of short stories in the Shadowrun world.
March 19, 2012
It was uneven and I don't know if I like the new direction the Shadowrun universe is taking but it's a Shadowrun book. I'm a Shadowrun player.
Read
February 8, 2013Some good, some "ok"
February 6, 2013
I actually liked MOST of these stories. A few felt they could of been interchanged with other genres better then shadowrun.
July 21, 2013
I really like Shadowrun so I liked this book alot.
May 2, 2013
An excellent return to Shadowrun's fine writing - welcome back, old friend. It's been a while.
June 15, 2014
not bad. nice mix of stories
August 31, 2014
A good intro to the world of cyberpunk laced with a dash of magic. Most of the stories are good, though I noticed a subtheme regarding generations of shadowrunners.
October 22, 2016
Some neat short stories from the Shadowrun universe including one involving a short Cthulhu mythos cameo. Not bad if you're looking for a quick escape to a rich cyberpunk universe.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews