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Shadow Unit #3
Shadow Unit 3: Refining Fire
The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit hunts humanity's worst nightmares. But there are nightmares humanity doesn't dream are real.The BAU sends those cases down the hall.Welcome to Shadow Unit.The Shadow Unit series was created by award-winning authors Emma Bull and Elizabeth Bear.Contains the novel, "Refining Fire" by Elizabeth Bear and Emma Bull, plus bonus material.
251 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 14, 2011
12 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
Emma Bull
83 books692 followersEmma Bull is a science fiction and fantasy author whose best-known novel is War for the Oaks, one of the pioneering works of urban fantasy. She has participated in Terri Windling's Borderland shared universe, which is the setting of her 1994 novel Finder. She sang in the rock-funk band Cats Laughing, and both sang and played guitar in the folk duo The Flash Girls while living in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Her 1991 post-apocalyptic science fiction novel Bone Dance was nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards. Bull wrote a screenplay for War for the Oaks, which was made into an 11-minute mini-film designed to look like a film trailer. She made a cameo appearance as the Queen of the Seelie Court, and her husband, Will Shetterly, directed. Bull and Shetterly created the shared universe of Liavek, for which they have both written stories. There are five Liavek collections extant.
She was a member of the writing group The Scribblies, which included Will Shetterly as well as Pamela Dean, Kara Dalkey, Nate Bucklin, Patricia Wrede and Steven Brust. With Steven Brust, Bull wrote Freedom and Necessity (1997), an epistolary novel with subtle fantasy elements set during the 19th century United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Chartist movement.
Bull graduated from Beloit College in 1976. Bull and Shetterly live in Arizona.
Her 1991 post-apocalyptic science fiction novel Bone Dance was nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards. Bull wrote a screenplay for War for the Oaks, which was made into an 11-minute mini-film designed to look like a film trailer. She made a cameo appearance as the Queen of the Seelie Court, and her husband, Will Shetterly, directed. Bull and Shetterly created the shared universe of Liavek, for which they have both written stories. There are five Liavek collections extant.
She was a member of the writing group The Scribblies, which included Will Shetterly as well as Pamela Dean, Kara Dalkey, Nate Bucklin, Patricia Wrede and Steven Brust. With Steven Brust, Bull wrote Freedom and Necessity (1997), an epistolary novel with subtle fantasy elements set during the 19th century United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Chartist movement.
Bull graduated from Beloit College in 1976. Bull and Shetterly live in Arizona.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 3, 2022
Volume three is the finale to 'Season One' of Shadow Unit, which is basically a cross between Criminal Minds and X-Files, with a touch of Alphas, following the WTF team, which investigates crimes involving people with psychic powers.
In this grand finale, we only get one 'episode' but it's so long and brutal that we need the extend post-episode scenes to decompress.
Chaz Villette, team member, goes to check out the home he recently inherited from his mother's parents, who he has never met. The house is in danger from wild fires, so it may be his only chance to get a feel for what his dead mother's early life was like.
The only problem is, the house isn't empty, and he ends up in the crazed hands of a gamma (one of the class that the WTF team goes up against), William Villette. His mother's brother, and a crazed rapist who can make people feel the emotions he wants them to.
When Chaz misses a check-in, the team goes hunting for them, quickly realizing that a gamma is involved, while Chaz focuses on just surviving.
This was not an easy story to read, but it was also very well done. I really would like to see this as a television show. Any TV producers out there listening?
In this grand finale, we only get one 'episode' but it's so long and brutal that we need the extend post-episode scenes to decompress.
Chaz Villette, team member, goes to check out the home he recently inherited from his mother's parents, who he has never met. The house is in danger from wild fires, so it may be his only chance to get a feel for what his dead mother's early life was like.
The only problem is, the house isn't empty, and he ends up in the crazed hands of a gamma (one of the class that the WTF team goes up against), William Villette. His mother's brother, and a crazed rapist who can make people feel the emotions he wants them to.
When Chaz misses a check-in, the team goes hunting for them, quickly realizing that a gamma is involved, while Chaz focuses on just surviving.
This was not an easy story to read, but it was also very well done. I really would like to see this as a television show. Any TV producers out there listening?
September 9, 2025
This time, the anamoly/gamma does more than murder. He takes one of Shadow Unit’s own.
There’s only so much Chaz Villette can do to stay alive, to hold onto his sanity. Chaz needs Shadow Unit to come for him, but his captor is using all of his anamolous abilities to keep Chaz’s team away from him.
Crank up the usual tension in one of these volumes; as readers experience Chaz’s fear, his bravery, his heartbreaking attempts to create lists of how his experience could be worse in his head; while in the hands of a monster who’s closer to him than he ever dreamed.
The tension continues to triple as the Shadow Unit misses Chaz, feels his loss, fears for him, and fights to find him; solving the mystery of this particular anomaly to find Chaz. All the while, Stephen Reyes fears that Chaz will crack under a strain which has created many a predator he has hunted.
Secrets are revealed, this time about a member of a Shadow Unit’s whose very existence fuels the gamma, while the heart of a beta is tested to the breaking point.
In a gripping series, this book was particularly gripping.
There’s only so much Chaz Villette can do to stay alive, to hold onto his sanity. Chaz needs Shadow Unit to come for him, but his captor is using all of his anamolous abilities to keep Chaz’s team away from him.
Crank up the usual tension in one of these volumes; as readers experience Chaz’s fear, his bravery, his heartbreaking attempts to create lists of how his experience could be worse in his head; while in the hands of a monster who’s closer to him than he ever dreamed.
The tension continues to triple as the Shadow Unit misses Chaz, feels his loss, fears for him, and fights to find him; solving the mystery of this particular anomaly to find Chaz. All the while, Stephen Reyes fears that Chaz will crack under a strain which has created many a predator he has hunted.
Secrets are revealed, this time about a member of a Shadow Unit’s whose very existence fuels the gamma, while the heart of a beta is tested to the breaking point.
In a gripping series, this book was particularly gripping.
November 15, 2012
The "season finale" for the first season. Only one full length story in this book, but it delivers!
Chaz goes back home to look at what was in some property he's inherited before wildfires claim it. While investigating he is taken by a Gamma and held captive. I can't really say much more without spoiling it.
I did like the way it bounced from scene to scene, going from the team, back to him. I am hoping the rest of the stories follow that formula.
This story did however scream out "Criminal Minds". Specifically the episodes where Dr. Reed is kidnapped and drugged and the team goes to find him.
Besides the obvious parallels it was a great read, and the extras afterwards that talk about his recovery and how the others reacted to him was fantastic. Looking forward to the start of season two in Book 4.
Chaz goes back home to look at what was in some property he's inherited before wildfires claim it. While investigating he is taken by a Gamma and held captive. I can't really say much more without spoiling it.
I did like the way it bounced from scene to scene, going from the team, back to him. I am hoping the rest of the stories follow that formula.
This story did however scream out "Criminal Minds". Specifically the episodes where Dr. Reed is kidnapped and drugged and the team goes to find him.
Besides the obvious parallels it was a great read, and the extras afterwards that talk about his recovery and how the others reacted to him was fantastic. Looking forward to the start of season two in Book 4.
December 25, 2022
Wow, is all I can say. Chaz's adventure was so well written I spent the good part of a day worrying about him and reading like it was the only thing keeping me alive. The first part of the book focusses heavily on IM conversation which is harder to read and gain useful information from. To be honest its just hard to follow who is saying what. The other 75% was however mind-blowing, so much emotion. Such a thrill ride.
November 23, 2012
not sure why, but this episode just gave me the creeps in a way that made me want it to be over.
April 20, 2018
Definitely the most vicious and graphic of the lot. I read the online version (found at http://shadowunit.org) which meant I had to go hunting for the bonus material. It's worth it though, as the "episode" itself ends rather abruptly and without giving the reader a chance to decompress.
Of course, if you're reading the Kindle version, then you won't have this problem ;-)
Once again the similarities to "Criminal Minds" are striking, but as I love that show, that's actually a count in Shadow Unit's favour, and though this particular episode was long and brutal, I found most of it fascinating and had a very hard time putting down the book. The ending got a bit confusing, and I was glad to discover extra bonus material online, as I was somewhat disappointed by where it ended (we got so invested in Chaz that I wanted to read about his recovery as well!), but all in all it was a very satisfying "season finale", and I could definitely see myself continuing on to the next season sooner rather than later.
Of course, if you're reading the Kindle version, then you won't have this problem ;-)
Once again the similarities to "Criminal Minds" are striking, but as I love that show, that's actually a count in Shadow Unit's favour, and though this particular episode was long and brutal, I found most of it fascinating and had a very hard time putting down the book. The ending got a bit confusing, and I was glad to discover extra bonus material online, as I was somewhat disappointed by where it ended (we got so invested in Chaz that I wanted to read about his recovery as well!), but all in all it was a very satisfying "season finale", and I could definitely see myself continuing on to the next season sooner rather than later.
July 6, 2019
Had to shut my eyes at some point toward the end, which is stupid, because it's a book and not an actual tv show, but that's what happens when you identify with characters so much. Tearing through this series like crazy. Can't wait to pick up the next book.
October 3, 2024
"Raining Fire" es el "final" de la "primera temporada" de Shadow Unit, Por lo tanto es una historia muy larga, dividida en 4 secciones. Se centra en uno de los protagonistas, que con el tiempo se convertirá en el principal protagonista.
October 24, 2019
The full novel within makes this the best reader experience of the series yet - a proper thriller.
August 27, 2021
Well. That didn't flinch one smallest bit - and stayed human doing it. Holy crap.
Read
November 18, 2014This third installment of Shadow Unit contains ”Refining Fire” the Season 1 finale (either a long novella or a short novel, depending on how you want to consider it), written by Emmal Bull and Elizabeth Bear, together with a great number of vignettes. In it, one of the Unit’s members is captured by a gamma (the super-powered criminals the Shadow Unit is investigating) – quite a common maneuvre for crime show and fiction to raise the stakes and ratchet up tension, but I do not remember having it ever seen done quite this way before. Not only because it turns it out that there is a rather close connection between kidnapper and victim, but chiefly in the way that captivity is narrated – there is not even the faintest trace of glamourization here, and “Refining Fire” spares the reader none of the details that TV shows (and indeed, most novels) merely gloss over if they mention them at all. This is not for the faint of heart – there is not a lot of actual physical violence here, but an intense and very vivid depiction of what it means to be completely in the power of someone who has no moral restraints at all, which makes for a chilling and very uncomfortable read. It is not all bleakness though – the final vignettes show the reaction of all the team members to the finale’s events, and those are full with moments of touching friendship and heartwarming kindness. Shadow Unit is great stuff, and I’m greatly looking forward to reading Season 2.
August 25, 2012
There was so much fluff at the beginning of volume 3 that I was starting to wonder if there was ever going to be an actual story. Now I see that the kindly authors were just giving me a nice comforting teddy bear to hold on to in the hopes that it would make the ensuing nightmare a little easier to get through. Holy fuck. Refining Fire is easily one of the most gut-wrenchingly, genuinely HORRIFYING horror stories I've ever read. It's an absolutely spectacular piece of writing in the same way that Requiem for a Dream is a spectacular piece of cinema, and while I will forever sing the praises of both, you couldn't pay me enough to experience either one a second time. Of course it wouldn't be nearly as effective as it is if the first two volumes hadn't pulled me in and made me care about these characters, so after getting through this one I'm definitely in it for the long haul - I'll get started on volume 4 some time soon, but for now I think I'll just clutch my metaphorical teddy bear tightly and rock back and forth in the corner. With the lights on. Can't sleep, gammas will get me...
December 17, 2014
I've always liked the short interstitial stuff in these books less than the longer more-involved stories themselves, but this is the first in the series where I really considered just skipping these things to get to the longer stories (or story, in this case). While I am interested in the world and the investigations into the Anomalies they encounter, only my completionist drive gets me to read cutesy LiveJournal entries about the mundane stuff in their lives. I don't follow Facebook entries by real people I *do* care about; why would I care to read similar crap involving fictional people?
Frankly this is an area where I feel the new Wildcards books do a much better job than the Shadow Unit ones. There, the inclusion of shorter stories flesh out minor characters in a manner that serves the greater plot, rather than distracting from it.
Frankly this is an area where I feel the new Wildcards books do a much better job than the Shadow Unit ones. There, the inclusion of shorter stories flesh out minor characters in a manner that serves the greater plot, rather than distracting from it.
February 8, 2012
These people are keeping me up way too late at night. The main story, "Refining Fire" by Elizabeth Bear and Emma Bull took my breath away. It really did. I don't remember ever being so caught up in a fictional life before. My heart was racing, I couldn't stop sneaking a page or two during my work day, my breathing was fast...Incredible story. I'm not sure if I had such a strong reaction because I already know the main character from the first two books, but this story got inside me. I actually feel like I'm a different person for having lived through this story. Wow.
I'd write more, but I need to go download the next book.
I'd write more, but I need to go download the next book.
May 31, 2012
I was glad there was some of the usual, random material because the final "episode" was rather intense. Chaz had become the clear focus of stories throughout the previous books, and in this story he comes face to face with his past. It wasn't particularly pretty, and I was glad for the lack of pictures. The words were enough.
I discovered that the episodes are actually online, but I like the kindle version - seems to include that random stuff. Sketches of the characters in life, not just fighting bad guys. I don't mind paying for the books at all.
I discovered that the episodes are actually online, but I like the kindle version - seems to include that random stuff. Sketches of the characters in life, not just fighting bad guys. I don't mind paying for the books at all.
May 4, 2015
I loved the first two volumes but this one... It was just too relentlessly horrifying in that way that makes me feel tense and terrible, rather than deliciously creeped out or amped up on adrenaline. The horror is also, basically, real life. These are things that can happen in our world, minus a little supernatural window dressing. It made worse because the story really drags in some areas (especially the end scenes) which made the horrifyingness pretty unbearable for me. I really hope the next volume is more like the first two.
October 26, 2011
The story of the Shadow Unit continues in this third volume. Shadow Unit is a FBI procedural told in episodes like a TV show... with a paranormal twist. The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit hunts the anomaly (humans who have been somehow altered). Most of this one is an on-going story about Chaz, one of the profilers. It is riveting and heartrending. It continues to be told in a mix of stories, journal entries and snippets of character development. This shared world gripping and well told.
September 15, 2011
Did you have to make me cry? The characters become so real you can't help but get invested. These stories are a wonder. You find yourself wanting to go back and take stars away from other books because they just don't compare.
July 5, 2011
Oh my Christ that was a nail bitter.
July 15, 2011
I absolutely love these books. Intense & fast-paced, intriguing characters, full of unpredictability. Wonderful.
January 11, 2012
Interesting entry in the series. Chaz is the major star this time. Interesting to see how the next volume works out implications.
March 3, 2014
Awful and awesomely written.
August 24, 2014
This is the longest story so far, almost a full-length novel. It is also the least mysterious, focusing on one person's experience rather than the team investigation. Pretty brutal.
May 15, 2015
I wanted to see more of the rehab portion of Chaz's recovery.
August 14, 2015
3 stars for only having a single "episode" in it, but 5 stars for the episode itself, which is devastatingly good.
January 6, 2016
Ack. And Gah. And all sorts of other non words are all I can use to express my reaction to this. I'm glad I have the rest of these waiting for me.
August 27, 2013
When it's a story, it's pretty good. All the "extras"? Not so much.
August 11, 2015
damn these are good
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews