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Shadowrun Novels #15
Shadowrun 15: Burning Bright
SPARE NO EXPENSE
MISSING: Mitch Truman, heir apparent to an entertainment megacorporation. He may have fled his parents for the sake of love, but if magic is involved the reason could be darker...
WEALTHY: Dan Truman, CEO of media giant Truman Technologies, doesn't care how much it costs - he wants his son back. He'll hire the best to find his heir, even if their motives are suspect...
EXPERIENCED: Kyle Teller's done this job before. He knows the tricks of the trade, and not only because he's a mage. He thinks finding the missing boy will be easy. Why shouldn't it be?
But will money and experience be enough to defeat the terrible power growing beneath the city of Chicago?
MISSING: Mitch Truman, heir apparent to an entertainment megacorporation. He may have fled his parents for the sake of love, but if magic is involved the reason could be darker...
WEALTHY: Dan Truman, CEO of media giant Truman Technologies, doesn't care how much it costs - he wants his son back. He'll hire the best to find his heir, even if their motives are suspect...
EXPERIENCED: Kyle Teller's done this job before. He knows the tricks of the trade, and not only because he's a mage. He thinks finding the missing boy will be easy. Why shouldn't it be?
But will money and experience be enough to defeat the terrible power growing beneath the city of Chicago?
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 4, 2017
In the Shadowrun setting, one of the most repellent and ubiquitous terrors of the world is the insect spirit. It takes a human host, gets inside of it, then uses it as a medium to work magical effects upon the world. They've done so for millenia (known to the immmortal elves of the setting as the Invae) and throughout the ages, the elves have managed to keep them hidden and nominally controlled in the fifth and sixth ages...
Until 2057.
The bugs have been building a hive underneath the Windy City, and when a private eye seeks out the son of a corporate mogul only to find the worlds largest insect spirit hive, all hell breaks loose. The bugs surge out from the hive, destroying the city of Chicago and the UCAS military tries to bomb them out.
We all know what they say about roaches and the bomb. Nothing kills a bug. Nothing. Now imagine a city full of pissed off, radioactive, magical insect shamans. Not good. It covers the creation of the CCZ (Chicago Containment Zone) and is the bible for how things went down in Chicago for the game setting, apart from its companion sourcebook, Bug City.
This was a better than average Shadowrun novel just on the basis of how much detail they went into to depict the overtaking of the city by the bugs and the effects it has on the world, both SINners and SINless. Required reading for Shadowrun fans who want to know more about how Chicago got be called Bug City.
Until 2057.
The bugs have been building a hive underneath the Windy City, and when a private eye seeks out the son of a corporate mogul only to find the worlds largest insect spirit hive, all hell breaks loose. The bugs surge out from the hive, destroying the city of Chicago and the UCAS military tries to bomb them out.
We all know what they say about roaches and the bomb. Nothing kills a bug. Nothing. Now imagine a city full of pissed off, radioactive, magical insect shamans. Not good. It covers the creation of the CCZ (Chicago Containment Zone) and is the bible for how things went down in Chicago for the game setting, apart from its companion sourcebook, Bug City.
This was a better than average Shadowrun novel just on the basis of how much detail they went into to depict the overtaking of the city by the bugs and the effects it has on the world, both SINners and SINless. Required reading for Shadowrun fans who want to know more about how Chicago got be called Bug City.
January 12, 2008
Game-based fiction is one of my guilty pleasures. I guess they're the geek equivalent of Harlequin Romance novels.
Anyway, Burning Bright remains my favorite Shadowrun novel. I had the good fortune to read this novel before FASA began publishing gamebooks reflecting the events of the story. Thus, I wasn't expecting the event upon which the second half of the story pivots, and I still recall the surprise of that discovery with some fondness.
Anyway, Burning Bright remains my favorite Shadowrun novel. I had the good fortune to read this novel before FASA began publishing gamebooks reflecting the events of the story. Thus, I wasn't expecting the event upon which the second half of the story pivots, and I still recall the surprise of that discovery with some fondness.
June 4, 2021
It would be better if the author remember to write the last chapter.
June 19, 2019
A good SR Novel with a lot of classic Cyberpunk elements. Ghosts, Knight Errant and a the best Ghost-Companion Seeks-The-Moon
September 22, 2019
I don’t often say a book is bad. Usually I enjoy even poorly written books. But this book is not good. It reads like a game ran by a bad GM. It ‘explains’ rules of magic and then contradicts them pages later. It introduces characters and never mentions them again. And the book doesn’t so much end as give up on the story.
August 23, 2023
OK, cards on the table: I love Shadowrun. Ever since I discovered the tabletop RPG in the mid 90s, it's been my favourite fictional universe along the Old World of Warhammer. The mix of magic and cyberpunk just works so well, and over the years the FASA people managed to create some incredibly fascinating and cool concepts in their world.
One of my favourite things about the Shadowrun universe was basically the living story -- before we had the term 'living story' -- of the insect totems and their invasion. Basically, in a world where shamanistic traditions are extremely real, there are also hidden and unspoken of insect totems. Over the years the source book and novel writers started dropping hints of something in the shadows. Glimpses, whispers, strange things that didn't exactly fit. And then the doors were blown open, and we were exposed to the dark side behind a seemingly benevolent charitable organization, and the truth about the insect totems. 2XS, possibly the best Shadowrun novel of them all, was the big debut of the insect totems, but Burning Bright is the book that finally revealed all.
Burning Bright is the story of a shadowrunner, a freelancer who operates in the shadows of the awakened world and handles jobs that are too sensitive or questionable for legal authorities. He gets hired to find the seemingly runaway fail son of an incredibly rich family. As our mage digs into the events surrounding the disappearance he starts to uncover the horrible truth of what is happening in Chicago, and then everything goes to shit.
The thing I really enjoy about Burning Bright is that it's written from the perspective of a mage who kind of mixes traditional magical and shamanistic traditions, because it brings some very interesting thoughts and questions to the topic. For instance, if the spirits the mage summons are basically reflections of their own personality, then what does that mean from a Jungian psychological perspective? Are these spirits Jungian Shadows brought to life and given form? It's really cool!
It was really gratifying to find that Burning Bright is still an excellent read, almost 30 years after it was published.
One of my favourite things about the Shadowrun universe was basically the living story -- before we had the term 'living story' -- of the insect totems and their invasion. Basically, in a world where shamanistic traditions are extremely real, there are also hidden and unspoken of insect totems. Over the years the source book and novel writers started dropping hints of something in the shadows. Glimpses, whispers, strange things that didn't exactly fit. And then the doors were blown open, and we were exposed to the dark side behind a seemingly benevolent charitable organization, and the truth about the insect totems. 2XS, possibly the best Shadowrun novel of them all, was the big debut of the insect totems, but Burning Bright is the book that finally revealed all.
Burning Bright is the story of a shadowrunner, a freelancer who operates in the shadows of the awakened world and handles jobs that are too sensitive or questionable for legal authorities. He gets hired to find the seemingly runaway fail son of an incredibly rich family. As our mage digs into the events surrounding the disappearance he starts to uncover the horrible truth of what is happening in Chicago, and then everything goes to shit.
The thing I really enjoy about Burning Bright is that it's written from the perspective of a mage who kind of mixes traditional magical and shamanistic traditions, because it brings some very interesting thoughts and questions to the topic. For instance, if the spirits the mage summons are basically reflections of their own personality, then what does that mean from a Jungian psychological perspective? Are these spirits Jungian Shadows brought to life and given form? It's really cool!
It was really gratifying to find that Burning Bright is still an excellent read, almost 30 years after it was published.
December 20, 2022
Completely enjoyable. Main protagonist feels a little 'Gary Stu' at the beginning, but once the story starts taking off I felt that initial level of competence was necessary. This is a character who goes from a world he is very comfortable in, with a great deal of respect, and is plunged into a world where all his control is lost and is fighting with every tool at his disposal simply to survive.
It is a well-played device allowing the reader to fully appreciate the astounding level of chaos and mayhem of the setting.
It has also aged quite well and does not fall back on so many of the tropes that franchise-based fiction from the 80's and 90's relied on.
It is a well-played device allowing the reader to fully appreciate the astounding level of chaos and mayhem of the setting.
It has also aged quite well and does not fall back on so many of the tropes that franchise-based fiction from the 80's and 90's relied on.
July 8, 2022
So far my favorite Shadowrun universe book. It was entertaining and well written. Having a hard time with the other supposedly 'best' in this category in many reviews. 2XS was a difficult drag and Gibson fiction wannabe, as I see most of the fiction underlying this universe to actually aspire to imitate. It is pretty much William Gibson cyberpunk with a mix of fantasy and the loss of all subtleties. But this one was very enjoyable. Currently working on Wolf and Raven, which more resembles 2XS than Dowd's take on the infestation origins in the Chicago sprawl.
March 28, 2025
Honestly I don’t get it. I had three separate people tell me that this is the best Shadowrun novel but it just didn’t click with me. 2/3 is a solid noir cyberpunk story and the rest turns into an almost completely disconnected post-apocalyptic story. None of the threads from the NOIR section feel resolved. The bug spirits in 2XS feel like they are like the insects made metaphysical. Here they’re generic monsters. I just don’t get why this one is so beloved. I really wanted to like it much more than I did. It just felt unsatisfying.
July 20, 2018
Well, then... That was not a good time in Shadowrun Lore to be in Chicago. Recommended to me by a friend to get a bit of history on the CZ during the season 5 modules. All the good tropes with that Shadowrun flair.
November 24, 2017
This was solid. Probably the best SR novel I have read so far. Excellent story, good pacing, well worth a read!
March 12, 2025
Very interesting 2 part story. But the end could of been a bit more worked. But over all a great read.
June 16, 2015
Science Fiction aus der näheren Vergangenheit zu lesen ist immer wieder ein Faszinosum für sich. Paleofuturismus (gibts das Wort im deutschen überhaupt?) an sich liefert den Blick der Vergangenheit in eine Zukunft die so nie stattfand oder stattfindet. Liegt der Ursprung der Fiktion aber auch noch innerhalb der bewussten Vergangenheit des Lesers (ein Vorteil des fortgeschrittenen Alters), so wie bei mir im Fall von Tom Dowds "Burning Bright", dass dieser wie die meisten Shadowrun Romane in den späten Achtzigern und Neunzigern verfasste, dann öffnet sich nicht selten, wenn auch unbewusst, ein Fenster in die Gedankenwelt, Kultur und intellektuelle Verfassung dieser Zeit: Japanische Konzerne sind omnipräsent, Netzwerke sind kabelgebunden, die Speichermengen sind lächerlich, Faxe sind noch schwer in Mode. Wer die Zeit noch mit bekommen hat, fühlt sich sofort ein wenig in sie zurück versetzt und kann die Gedankengänge, die zur vorliegenden Zukunftsvision beitragen gut nachvollziehen.
Das Buch selbst ist einer der Klassiker der Reihe, da es unterhaltsam und actionreich geschrieben ist und es die Vorgeschichte zur "Bugcity" Chicago liefert. Keine großer Literatur, aber ein unterhaltsamer Ausflug in die Zukunft der Vergangenheit.
Das Buch selbst ist einer der Klassiker der Reihe, da es unterhaltsam und actionreich geschrieben ist und es die Vorgeschichte zur "Bugcity" Chicago liefert. Keine großer Literatur, aber ein unterhaltsamer Ausflug in die Zukunft der Vergangenheit.
January 11, 2022
Riddled With OCR Scan Errors and/or Editing Notes
I read this in print when I was a kid. The story is fun (and horrifying) though not as satisfying the second run through now that I’m older. The kindle edition (if not the print edition) is absolutely shot through with what has to be bad OCR scanning from the original books or a copy of an edited manuscript (there are actual editing notes that point toward a consistency reader).
If you can get past the bugs (pun intended) of the port from print, it’s still fun.
I read this in print when I was a kid. The story is fun (and horrifying) though not as satisfying the second run through now that I’m older. The kindle edition (if not the print edition) is absolutely shot through with what has to be bad OCR scanning from the original books or a copy of an edited manuscript (there are actual editing notes that point toward a consistency reader).
If you can get past the bugs (pun intended) of the port from print, it’s still fun.
December 28, 2019
Bugs! I followed the bug story line from Queen Euphoria, Universal Brother hood, this book, and on through Bug City. I really wish Dowd had been able to write a sequel to this one. it would have been nice to see the post apocalyptic setting of Chicago under Siege.
Good Shadowrun book, I highly recommend it. Even if you haven't read the supplements listed above, it's a good story.
Good Shadowrun book, I highly recommend it. Even if you haven't read the supplements listed above, it's a good story.
November 28, 2021
Felt like two books jammed into one. The story should've been longer, or at least split into two books. As it stands, it's clunky, has weird pacing and felt like an awkward mix of genres - detective thriller and military action.
This book needed an epilogue. In any case, there are better SR novels to read.
This book needed an epilogue. In any case, there are better SR novels to read.
Read
June 24, 2013Decent for an RPG tie in book. It was good to go back and reread about one of the events that had significant impact on the Shadowrun setting back in the day. The book ended perhaps a bit too abruptly, but otherwise was a nice trip down nostalgia lane and proved a quick, fun, action packed read.
January 20, 2015
Perhaps the best Shadowrun book I've ever read. It's dark, twisted, and a great magical mystery thriller. It has tech, magic, and great world buidling. Oh..and horror. Actual horror in a Shadowrun series. Dowd get's how magic works in the Shadowrun setting and writes it well here.
Worth reading!
Worth reading!
December 8, 2016
Magic as detailed as it gets
Get inside the spells of the Sith World. See the Chicago Containment Zone as it is borne. Meet free spirits beautiful, deadly, and sarcastic. Ride along with high suspicion and agendas that double back. Thank you to the author.
Get inside the spells of the Sith World. See the Chicago Containment Zone as it is borne. Meet free spirits beautiful, deadly, and sarcastic. Ride along with high suspicion and agendas that double back. Thank you to the author.
March 31, 2008
I have read every Shadowrun novel and this was one of my favorites. It was well written and midway through it took a completely unexpected turn.
May 9, 2012
Not very well written but not unenjoyable. I think I'd actually read this as a kid, too. Fun and dumb.
February 28, 2014
Ohh. I remember this one well, even after twenty years...
Beware of the creepy-crawlies I just say.
Beware of the creepy-crawlies I just say.
April 7, 2016
This was the a great book. I loved almost every bit but it kinda just ends. no wrap up to the events :(
November 8, 2015
I really like the shadowrun world with its mix of magic and cyberpunk.
Major cataclysmic event in Chicago in this one.
Major cataclysmic event in Chicago in this one.
July 7, 2016
Good read
This was a good telling of what happened in the containment zone. Having played for years it's nice to fill in the details of what happened
This was a good telling of what happened in the containment zone. Having played for years it's nice to fill in the details of what happened
August 19, 2016
If you like Shadowrun fiction this was one of my favorites.
March 25, 2017
Excellent world and Seeks-the-moon is awesome but horribly written my first foray into shadowrun hopefully it's not representative
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews