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Shadowrun - CGL Novels #5
Shadowrun: Shaken: No Job Too Small
The year is 2075. Most folks see Puyallup as the worst Seattle’s got to offer; a tangled mess of metahumanity and greed, poverty and ghettoes, vice and corruption, where the crime is more organized than the government. They call it a Barrens, an armpit, a cesspool.
Jimmy Kincaid, though, calls it home. Walking the line between the shadows and the desperate light, semi-legit like only a Puyallup brat and former cop can be, he insists Puyallup has a heart and a soul, that it’s a place of life, magic, and starving hope. A former combat mage, now as burnt out as his neighborhood, he does what he can to police the worst excesses of the crime-riddled city he loves.
In the darkness of the Seattle Sprawl, what’s one more murder?
To Kincaid, it’s everything. He’s got a dead mentor, a hermetic group in need, and a mysterious file that might have been worth killing for. To unlock the data and get a little justice, he’ll face the worst the Sprawl has to offer, wading through blood, darkness, and a murderous web of lies.
It’s a good thing he’s got friends—in high AND low places…
Jimmy Kincaid, though, calls it home. Walking the line between the shadows and the desperate light, semi-legit like only a Puyallup brat and former cop can be, he insists Puyallup has a heart and a soul, that it’s a place of life, magic, and starving hope. A former combat mage, now as burnt out as his neighborhood, he does what he can to police the worst excesses of the crime-riddled city he loves.
In the darkness of the Seattle Sprawl, what’s one more murder?
To Kincaid, it’s everything. He’s got a dead mentor, a hermetic group in need, and a mysterious file that might have been worth killing for. To unlock the data and get a little justice, he’ll face the worst the Sprawl has to offer, wading through blood, darkness, and a murderous web of lies.
It’s a good thing he’s got friends—in high AND low places…
261 pages, Paperback
First published July 11, 2015
41 people are currently reading
146 people want to read
About the author
Russell Zimmerman
43 books46 followersRussell ("Rusty" when he's not working) got started in writing as a freelancer for wargames like Warmachine, and since then has contributed to dozens of projects including fan-favorite fiction in Shadowrun and writing the international award-winning PC game Satellite Reign.
His most noteworthy work has been for the Shadowrun role-playing game and associated properties, and in more recent years he's become a regular contributor to the universes of BattleTech and Warhammer 40,000, as well.
During his career he's spilled some ink for a wide variety of genres and games, including Vampire 20th Anniversary, Earthdawn, Mutants & Masterminds, Gangs of the Undercity, multiple video games, and more! By working for Shadowrun, BattleTech, and Earthdawn, he's finished the old-school FASA trifecta, and is as such officially unstoppable.
His most noteworthy work has been for the Shadowrun role-playing game and associated properties, and in more recent years he's become a regular contributor to the universes of BattleTech and Warhammer 40,000, as well.
During his career he's spilled some ink for a wide variety of genres and games, including Vampire 20th Anniversary, Earthdawn, Mutants & Masterminds, Gangs of the Undercity, multiple video games, and more! By working for Shadowrun, BattleTech, and Earthdawn, he's finished the old-school FASA trifecta, and is as such officially unstoppable.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 18, 2016
Wow.
Just... just wow.
I'll explain - any experienced Shadowrun fan will tell you that, by and large, most Shadowrun fiction of old isn't that great. There are some truly fantastic books, but most are actually quite middling at best, with a focus on quantity. This was common in many tabletop RPG houses back in the late 80s and 90s - more books, rather than less books with a higher quality.
This is not one of those books.
To start with, Catalyst have collected and published a truly very high quality set of novels for the new Shadowrun line - fantastic stuff, guys! Keep at it! Better late than never. I'm thoroughly enjoying the past year, even if it's not actually the right year.
Anyways, this is the veritable cherry on top - hardboiled detective fiction (in an urban near-future fantasy world), *far* more Marlowe than Dresden or even Nigel Findley's (RIP) Dirk Montgomery. And it works, with deep character development, a very well crafted Mary Sue motif that spins around itself to reveal humanity at its flawed core.
Hardboiled, action, a pretty awesome detective story, and great character design, never mind the writing quality (which is superb). This is quite possibly the best Shadowrun novel I've read in my life - a position I once firmly gave to Findley's 2XS.
If you're a Shadowrun fan, go buy and read this.
If you're a detective fiction fan, go buy and read this.
Cyberpunk fan? Like urban fantasy? Yeah, you should probably buy and read this, too.
Heck, want to experience something new? Yeah, probably not the best introduction to the setting, but get it anyway - we'll talk about ironing out the background info post-fact once you're hooked.
Want a smaller sample? Go and snag Neat by the same author - great novella, and it ties into the same locations, characters, and story as this novel. In fact, go get that one either way.
Mr. Zimmerman, I have no idea why CGL have been basically hiding you until relatively recently. I realize that writing novels isn't much of a stable day job, but you should really be doing a lot more of it.
Thanks for a wonderful experience, and keep up the good work. Looking forward to anything else of yours that may hit the market.
Just... just wow.
I'll explain - any experienced Shadowrun fan will tell you that, by and large, most Shadowrun fiction of old isn't that great. There are some truly fantastic books, but most are actually quite middling at best, with a focus on quantity. This was common in many tabletop RPG houses back in the late 80s and 90s - more books, rather than less books with a higher quality.
This is not one of those books.
To start with, Catalyst have collected and published a truly very high quality set of novels for the new Shadowrun line - fantastic stuff, guys! Keep at it! Better late than never. I'm thoroughly enjoying the past year, even if it's not actually the right year.
Anyways, this is the veritable cherry on top - hardboiled detective fiction (in an urban near-future fantasy world), *far* more Marlowe than Dresden or even Nigel Findley's (RIP) Dirk Montgomery. And it works, with deep character development, a very well crafted Mary Sue motif that spins around itself to reveal humanity at its flawed core.
Hardboiled, action, a pretty awesome detective story, and great character design, never mind the writing quality (which is superb). This is quite possibly the best Shadowrun novel I've read in my life - a position I once firmly gave to Findley's 2XS.
If you're a Shadowrun fan, go buy and read this.
If you're a detective fiction fan, go buy and read this.
Cyberpunk fan? Like urban fantasy? Yeah, you should probably buy and read this, too.
Heck, want to experience something new? Yeah, probably not the best introduction to the setting, but get it anyway - we'll talk about ironing out the background info post-fact once you're hooked.
Want a smaller sample? Go and snag Neat by the same author - great novella, and it ties into the same locations, characters, and story as this novel. In fact, go get that one either way.
Mr. Zimmerman, I have no idea why CGL have been basically hiding you until relatively recently. I realize that writing novels isn't much of a stable day job, but you should really be doing a lot more of it.
Thanks for a wonderful experience, and keep up the good work. Looking forward to anything else of yours that may hit the market.
January 29, 2022
I just really like all the Shadowrun books it's that simple.
August 26, 2015
Absolutely fantastic read, easily the best Shadowrun novel I've read in many years - and a good detective noir novel, to boot
September 14, 2018
Shaken is an interesting novel, both written in noir-esque style and introducing us with a bang into the world of Shadowrun, except for some name tossing the novel itself is a good way to be introduced to the setting for new readers.
The first chapter has a feeling of a small story that gave way into something more, an introduction to Seattle´s underworld. The main characters are well rounded and interesting, I love Arianna and Trace and you get to dislike the villains and monsters for their nature.
The first chapter has a feeling of a small story that gave way into something more, an introduction to Seattle´s underworld. The main characters are well rounded and interesting, I love Arianna and Trace and you get to dislike the villains and monsters for their nature.
September 6, 2015
Most of the book isn't a traditional run, but I still enjoyed it. Russell Zimmerman is one of the best of the new crop of Shadowrun authors.
January 20, 2018
I read Shaken and Neat in the same month and they are both winners
January 6, 2023
If I wanted to introduce someone to the deep and fun Sixth World setting of Shadowrun, this is one of the novels that I'd be first to recommend. Most of my favorite aspects, from precocious ally spirits to unreliable allies to the cost of trying to stay a step ahead of the forces that could squash you like a bug, there's few perspectives that give a more gripping, fascinating, and visceral tour through my favorite noirish Cyberpunk fantasy world than Jimmy Kincaid.
Recommended to anyone who likes mystery, urban fantasy, cyberpunk, and struggling protagonists fighting to eke out a little bit of good in a depressing world.
Avoid the audiobook if possible; felt like the narrator was *really* trying but nearly everything rubbed me the wrong way. Great story, world, characters, don't let your way of experiencing it be disruptive.
Recommended to anyone who likes mystery, urban fantasy, cyberpunk, and struggling protagonists fighting to eke out a little bit of good in a depressing world.
Avoid the audiobook if possible; felt like the narrator was *really* trying but nearly everything rubbed me the wrong way. Great story, world, characters, don't let your way of experiencing it be disruptive.
July 6, 2017
Excellent book, one of the best recent Shadowrun books. I always wanted to see a good to honest detective under the Shadowrun banner, and we finally got one. A lot of interesting characters even if the book is understandably based on Kincaid. The story paces well and I never felt like it was too slow or too fast in the events that were happening. I hope to see more adventures of the paranormal investigator in the future.
September 2, 2020
Ich hatte bislang die Kincaid Reihe als so ziemlich einzige von den neueren SR Büchern ausgelassen. Nach der Kurzgeschichte Adversary und dem ersten Roman Neat bin ich von den Detektiv Geschichten aus Puyallup Annett angefixt. Der zweite Roman ist der bisherige Höhepunkt, mit viel Six-World-Atmosphäre, unterhaltsamen Charakteren und einer wendungsreichen sowie actiongeladenen Handlung. Ich freue mich schon auf die Fortsetzung.
June 9, 2021
Okay. My husband recommended this book cause I like the Dresden Files. So I read it and... it was enjoyable. However I didn’t really understand it. I’ve never played shadowrun and I never want to, seeing as it requires an entire algorithm to whip up a character sheet. Warhammer is complicated enough for me tbh. All the terminology here, everything happening was lost on me. It was like they expected me to have played the game. I might come back to this if I ever do play shadowrun.
August 26, 2021
I love the main character and I love the story in this book. I love that we have a magic user, who lost most of his magic and has installed so much Cyberware, that you barelly think he is a magic user anymore.
The only thing I didn't like was the name droppen 3/4 through the book. There were so many names and I wasn't able to keep track who was who in this team. But apart from that, I had much fun.
The only thing I didn't like was the name droppen 3/4 through the book. There were so many names and I wasn't able to keep track who was who in this team. But apart from that, I had much fun.
March 26, 2019
A wonderful run, great character
Good, solid, enjoyable private eye novel that happens to take place in Shadowrun. Love Kincaid love his mentor, love the supporting characters. Good look at magic from a burned out mage.
Good, solid, enjoyable private eye novel that happens to take place in Shadowrun. Love Kincaid love his mentor, love the supporting characters. Good look at magic from a burned out mage.
September 21, 2024
Lovely read for people who love Shadowrun. Good detective story and world building (in a totally fucked up party of Seattle - but you can find your true home anywhere), interesting characters - now I want to play again. 😅
May 29, 2017
Really impressive for the genre
Been playing catch up with Shadowrun lately. Reading some of the newer novels. This is the best one by far. Really captures every element of 2075.
Been playing catch up with Shadowrun lately. Reading some of the newer novels. This is the best one by far. Really captures every element of 2075.
July 9, 2020
An amazing mix of genres melded into an amazing story. It has been awhile since I have dipped my toes into Jimmy's Seattle, but this is worth a reread.
August 1, 2021
Cyberpunk-fantasy-neonoir at its finest.
Shadowrun, at its finest
Shadowrun, at its finest
November 6, 2021
Another great detective noir novella from Zimmerman. Looking forward to the next Kincaid title.
May 3, 2016
Shaken tells a story in the life of PI/vigilante/Shadowrunner Jimmy Kinkaid, a near-burnout street mage with an attitude, the mentor to match, and the hots for his ally spirit. This alone all but guarantees I like this book. But it's narrated interestingly, the protagonist is appropriately biased, the book does give him is share of sucker-punches - and I really like the narrative flow, even if it may seem a little slow to some. It's not Michael Bay, it's Fargo. It's a voyage through the decrepit, broken world of Jimmy Kinkaid and damn, it's a nice ride.
The best part about this novel - and I'm saying this on top of excellent immersion, well-written characters, and similar world-building - is the fact it is very Noir, very hard-boiled, without neglecting typical tropes and elements of cyberpunk in general and Shadowrun in particular. Jimmy Kincaid is the archetypical Noir protagonist - an anti-hero, a broken, damaged man, struggling as best as he can to stem both the darkness of the world around and the darkness within himself. It also has a detective story, well-executed twists and turns, and a well fleshed out world that is a protagonist in itself (I'm such a sucker for off-hand brand drops), it has an unreachable femme fatale (with a twist that resonates popular fandom jokes without being obnoxious about it - a feat to pull off in itself), well-scaled action scenes and a resolution that, while satisfying for the reader, may not entirely be for the protagonist. Classic.
Now, I've always felt Cyberpunk was more Noir in the digital age than Science Fiction. In Cyberpunk, for all that technology and exotic-hypermodern surface gloss, the heart of the story is deeply human - it's about alienation, about handling the invasion of life by technology, about losing one's self by replacing oneself with technology. It's made of tales of the human condition, much more in the tradition of American Gothic (which largely shares Cyberpunk's neophobia) and Romantic literature than classic Science Fiction with it's libertarian, modernist technophilia that sees technology as the salvation of mankind (Transhumanism would fit the same technological niche Cyberpunk occupies with a more traditional Science Fiction narrative). With its heavily Noir attitude, using most, if not all, classic tropes, and its adherence to classic Noir tales, Shaken (No Job Too Small) is all I could have asked from a Shadowrun novel, and much more - it could (and would deserve to) stand on its own as a work in Cyberpunk, rather than be considered 'just' a francise book. It's made of the best the world of Shadowrun has to offer, in a way that hasn't been around since the passing of Nigel Findley (in the same way Harebrained Schemes' writing does when at the top of their game).
A great one. If you want to buy any Shadowrun novel to get into this rich and weird world, make it this one.
The best part about this novel - and I'm saying this on top of excellent immersion, well-written characters, and similar world-building - is the fact it is very Noir, very hard-boiled, without neglecting typical tropes and elements of cyberpunk in general and Shadowrun in particular. Jimmy Kincaid is the archetypical Noir protagonist - an anti-hero, a broken, damaged man, struggling as best as he can to stem both the darkness of the world around and the darkness within himself. It also has a detective story, well-executed twists and turns, and a well fleshed out world that is a protagonist in itself (I'm such a sucker for off-hand brand drops), it has an unreachable femme fatale (with a twist that resonates popular fandom jokes without being obnoxious about it - a feat to pull off in itself), well-scaled action scenes and a resolution that, while satisfying for the reader, may not entirely be for the protagonist. Classic.
Now, I've always felt Cyberpunk was more Noir in the digital age than Science Fiction. In Cyberpunk, for all that technology and exotic-hypermodern surface gloss, the heart of the story is deeply human - it's about alienation, about handling the invasion of life by technology, about losing one's self by replacing oneself with technology. It's made of tales of the human condition, much more in the tradition of American Gothic (which largely shares Cyberpunk's neophobia) and Romantic literature than classic Science Fiction with it's libertarian, modernist technophilia that sees technology as the salvation of mankind (Transhumanism would fit the same technological niche Cyberpunk occupies with a more traditional Science Fiction narrative). With its heavily Noir attitude, using most, if not all, classic tropes, and its adherence to classic Noir tales, Shaken (No Job Too Small) is all I could have asked from a Shadowrun novel, and much more - it could (and would deserve to) stand on its own as a work in Cyberpunk, rather than be considered 'just' a francise book. It's made of the best the world of Shadowrun has to offer, in a way that hasn't been around since the passing of Nigel Findley (in the same way Harebrained Schemes' writing does when at the top of their game).
A great one. If you want to buy any Shadowrun novel to get into this rich and weird world, make it this one.
July 10, 2017
Great follow up to "Neat." This second (in hopefully large series) installment really fleshes out PI (Paranormal Investigator) James Kincaid by giving us a bit more of his history and his current relationship with the various factions, friends, and opponents he deals with in the beautiful corner of Puyallup he calls home. Unlike other Shadowrun characters, Kincaid is a SINner - and his outlook has been shaped by his time as a cop. He is the unofficial law, making deals, and keeping things from getting too bad for those who live in the Barrens.
For readers familiar or not so familiar with the Shadowrun universe, this is a great book. Well written, hard boiled detective fiction with a good mix of cyberpunk and magic. If you haven't read 'Neat', buy it while getting this, so you can get into the story with the first book, and then just continue Kincaid's tale with this one.
For readers familiar or not so familiar with the Shadowrun universe, this is a great book. Well written, hard boiled detective fiction with a good mix of cyberpunk and magic. If you haven't read 'Neat', buy it while getting this, so you can get into the story with the first book, and then just continue Kincaid's tale with this one.
August 19, 2016
It's a very good street-eye view of that particular universe. It's fairly easy to tell that Mr Zimmerman has been playing Shadowrun for a good long while. James Kincaid, the main character is beautifully developed, with a long and detailed backstory, and the book is as much about discovering that, as it is about the problem he's currently having.
At the same time, and although Kincaid is an old hand at working the shady side of life - kinda unavoidable if one is living in Puyallup - he's not overpowered, and the reason why he isn't is told well.
Zimmerman is clearly, and unabashedly, aiming for a noir feel, and succeeding well enough. Except, of course, with elves, dwarves, trolls and wizards added. But noir is a style that fits the genre.
I enjoyed this one, and I'd like to see more of Zimmerman's work.
At the same time, and although Kincaid is an old hand at working the shady side of life - kinda unavoidable if one is living in Puyallup - he's not overpowered, and the reason why he isn't is told well.
Zimmerman is clearly, and unabashedly, aiming for a noir feel, and succeeding well enough. Except, of course, with elves, dwarves, trolls and wizards added. But noir is a style that fits the genre.
I enjoyed this one, and I'd like to see more of Zimmerman's work.
September 28, 2022
2.5 stars.
June 11, 2016
First off, I suggest you read the novella "Neat" before reading this novel.
Second, I have to say this has been my favorite Shadowrun novel of the last decade or more, on par with Tom Dowd's "Burning Bright", Stackpole's "Wolf and Raven" and the Nigel Findley novels.
Spectacular. Knowing it's the first in a trilogy made me incredibly happy.
Second, I have to say this has been my favorite Shadowrun novel of the last decade or more, on par with Tom Dowd's "Burning Bright", Stackpole's "Wolf and Raven" and the Nigel Findley novels.
Spectacular. Knowing it's the first in a trilogy made me incredibly happy.
July 11, 2016
One of the better Shadowrun novels. It has a neo-noir feel and well executed prose and plot. A good read!
May 2, 2017
Shaken was a great depiction on the shadowrun setting and I would highly recommend reading this if you ever have an interest in "GMing" a session. There are certain nuances that are brought out aboit the sixth world that you would never get out of a rule book.
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May 4, 2017Darrell recommended--epub. Too gritty for me. Actually have paused on page 166. May finish later.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews