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Dirk Montgomery glaubt, er kennt sich aus im Sprawl. Das sollte er auch - als Privatdetektiv des Jahres 2052. Doch dann wird ihm ein Mord in die Schuhe geschoben, kurz darauf ein Anschlag auf ihn verübt. Und da weiß er plötzlich nicht mehr, was gespielt wird.
Dirk taucht ein in die Schatten, wirft sein Netz aus nach Informationen und fängt sich dabei einen Chip ein – 2XS, die neue elektronische Wunderdroge. Diese optimale Steigerung des herkömmlichen BTL Chips spielt auf der Klaviatur der Hormone und Endorphine - mit hundertprozentiger Suchtgarantie samt raschem Ableben. Anscheinend wirft der Megakonzern Yamatetsu den Chip auf die Straße – doch offensichtlich nur, um dieses Wunderding für andere Zwecke zu testen.
Theresa ist ein ausgeflippter Chiphead und außerdem Dirks Schwester. Nach einem 2XS-Horrortrip wird sie in ein Hospital eingeliefert und verschwindet dort spurlos. Und nun muß Dirk Montgomery etwas tun, das ihm überhaupt nicht in den Kram paßt: Er muß sich mit der Magie einlassen.
Dirk taucht ein in die Schatten, wirft sein Netz aus nach Informationen und fängt sich dabei einen Chip ein – 2XS, die neue elektronische Wunderdroge. Diese optimale Steigerung des herkömmlichen BTL Chips spielt auf der Klaviatur der Hormone und Endorphine - mit hundertprozentiger Suchtgarantie samt raschem Ableben. Anscheinend wirft der Megakonzern Yamatetsu den Chip auf die Straße – doch offensichtlich nur, um dieses Wunderding für andere Zwecke zu testen.
Theresa ist ein ausgeflippter Chiphead und außerdem Dirks Schwester. Nach einem 2XS-Horrortrip wird sie in ein Hospital eingeliefert und verschwindet dort spurlos. Und nun muß Dirk Montgomery etwas tun, das ihm überhaupt nicht in den Kram paßt: Er muß sich mit der Magie einlassen.
462 pages, Taschenbuch
First published January 1, 1992
27 people are currently reading
423 people want to read
About the author
Nigel Findley
68 books44 followersNigel D Findley (July 22, 1959 – February 19, 1995[1]) was a game designer, editor, and an author of science fiction and fantasy novels and role-playing games (RPGs). Findley died suddenly on February 19, 1995, at his home in Vancouver, British Columbia. He suffered a heart attack at the age of 35.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
July 4, 2017
God rest Nigel Findley's soul. He was the best Shadowrun author of the lot.
The details of the book are hazy at this point (this is a popcorn read from early high school) but I remember that it dealt with the digital drug trade of the Shadowrun world. Most wireheads in Seattle are fine with an illegal kind of simstim chip called BTL: Better Than Life. With BTL chips, your brain can experience any of a vast array of sensory input. Depending on the recording, you can experience emotional highs from everything from skydiving to torrid sexual fantasy. Sure, it's addictive, but the rush draws in Beetles (the slang word for both the chips themselves and their junkie users) all the same.
However, now there's something new on the street: 2XS. Not only do you feel the rush of the stim recording, but the programming is amplified beyond the normal experience, making it three times the rush and even more addictive than ever, and that's a problem. Chipheads and wirefreaks are ending up dead in the gutters, their forebrains turned into mashed potatoes. It seems that someone (or something) is looking to distribute 2XS aggressively. After all, brain dead hosts make wonderful shells for insect spirits - the ubiquitous foe of the Shadowrun continuum.
This was one of the better of the Shadowrun pulp novels Fasa released in the nineties. I reccomend it for any classic Shadowrun fan.
The details of the book are hazy at this point (this is a popcorn read from early high school) but I remember that it dealt with the digital drug trade of the Shadowrun world. Most wireheads in Seattle are fine with an illegal kind of simstim chip called BTL: Better Than Life. With BTL chips, your brain can experience any of a vast array of sensory input. Depending on the recording, you can experience emotional highs from everything from skydiving to torrid sexual fantasy. Sure, it's addictive, but the rush draws in Beetles (the slang word for both the chips themselves and their junkie users) all the same.
However, now there's something new on the street: 2XS. Not only do you feel the rush of the stim recording, but the programming is amplified beyond the normal experience, making it three times the rush and even more addictive than ever, and that's a problem. Chipheads and wirefreaks are ending up dead in the gutters, their forebrains turned into mashed potatoes. It seems that someone (or something) is looking to distribute 2XS aggressively. After all, brain dead hosts make wonderful shells for insect spirits - the ubiquitous foe of the Shadowrun continuum.
This was one of the better of the Shadowrun pulp novels Fasa released in the nineties. I reccomend it for any classic Shadowrun fan.
December 27, 2016
A hard-boiled detective noir story set in the amazing backdrop of Shadowrun! This was a great fun read. If you enjoy hard-boiled detectives then you need to meet Dirk Montgomery, shadow-runner and former Lone Star law officer. Dirk finds himself on the trail of a corrupt corporation that seems to be dumping a highly-addictive and deadly new substance for those looking to escape reality: 2XS. This one has all the fun of a traditional shadowrun story - magic, megacorp espionage, people/creatures that exist in the shadows of the 'official' society -, but you also get the added fun of a classic-styled down on his luck detective.
June 14, 2025
I always like the Shadowrun series of novels. A big thumbs up.
February 11, 2014
This is a Shadowrun book, so I felt it had to be judged against other books in the same series and other series like it.
Overall, the story is pretty good. It definitely flows the way that an actual game of Shadowrun would, including use of contacts, shadowruns-gone-bad, discussion of gear, etc.
The story begins and ends weakly - it takes a while to get into the story. However the author writes action sequences very well and once the pace picks up the story becomes compelling.
It's a fun read. Certainly nothing that is going to strain your brain. Good vacation reading.
Overall, the story is pretty good. It definitely flows the way that an actual game of Shadowrun would, including use of contacts, shadowruns-gone-bad, discussion of gear, etc.
The story begins and ends weakly - it takes a while to get into the story. However the author writes action sequences very well and once the pace picks up the story becomes compelling.
It's a fun read. Certainly nothing that is going to strain your brain. Good vacation reading.
July 29, 2012
The only Shadowrun novel that actually stuck with me.
March 5, 2022
2XS was quite different from the previous Shadowrun volumes. Here, we follow the adventures of private investigator Dirk Montgomery, written in an old-school detective/noir fashion. The typical monologue found in noir works are present here as well. The world building was well done, and I really liked the way the author described the environement within the Matrix. However, the ending felt just a bit rushed, and descriptions related to magic in the Awakened World was somewhat lacking (because I enjoy reading more about magic than cyberware).
On the other hand there were plenty of references to the Shadowrun game contents: we hear about Redmond and Puyallup Barrens, cyberware like Wired Reflexes, the Fairlight Excalibur cyberdeck etc (all present in my favorite RPG, the Shadowrun Sega Genesis RPG from 1994) in 2XS. In addition, a significant portion of the plot in the 2013 Shadowrun Returns PC turn-based RPG campaign "Dead Man's Switch" could be found here (Universal Brotherhood and their interest in Insect Spirits), although I have a feeling that this is going to be a recurrent theme in Shadowrun.
Overall it was another enjoyable dive into the Shadowrun universe, but doesn't compare in "punch" to the original 03 volumes, although I thoroughly enjoyed the references to the games.
On the other hand there were plenty of references to the Shadowrun game contents: we hear about Redmond and Puyallup Barrens, cyberware like Wired Reflexes, the Fairlight Excalibur cyberdeck etc (all present in my favorite RPG, the Shadowrun Sega Genesis RPG from 1994) in 2XS. In addition, a significant portion of the plot in the 2013 Shadowrun Returns PC turn-based RPG campaign "Dead Man's Switch" could be found here (Universal Brotherhood and their interest in Insect Spirits), although I have a feeling that this is going to be a recurrent theme in Shadowrun.
Overall it was another enjoyable dive into the Shadowrun universe, but doesn't compare in "punch" to the original 03 volumes, although I thoroughly enjoyed the references to the games.
April 21, 2020
This is the fifth Shadowrun novel I have read. Compared to the *Secrets of Power* trilogy, the first three Shadowrun books, this one is more "noir," atmospheric, and structured like a mystery. It also tended to emphasize the dystopic cyberpunk elements of Shadowrun rather than the fantastical, although there are fantastical elements. If you like *Bladerunner,* you'll like the protagonist, Dirk Montgomery, a kind of down and out investigator who has a cynical, streetwise view of things.
March 26, 2025
The fourth exciting and enjoyable story in the Shadowrun world. This is the story of a detective, some addictive immersion chips, an evil shamanic influence, and a group of hardened runners in the final climatic scene.
March 16, 2015
Meh.
It's not really that this is a bad book, but it is one of these franchised books that are entertaining but ultimately forgettable. In fact I had to look up the name of the main character for this review.
And so here we have a novel about one Dirk Montgomery, a private dick in Shadowrun's Seattle of the 2050s (meaning there is both cybertech and magic around) who is just good at what he does. A human norm without cybertech and magic, who generally survives on wits alone, despite being pretty much an idiot.
And who still survives attempts on his live at a rate of one per 10 pages or so while beings searched by the police.
Dirk is trying to get some work done when a girl comes up to him and tries to shoot him for killing her sister. After this is taken care off (hint: she doesn't shoot him) she hires him to find the person really responsible for it. His investigations make him uncover a rather unlikely mix of conspiracies involving a megacorporation, a new age religion, a new cybernetic drug, and parasitic insect spirits from another reality.
All in all rather standard Shadowrun fare.
And I guess that is kind of the problem by now, 25 years after this was published. Shadowrun was a setting that thrived on its trailblazing genre mash-ups that nobody thought possible. But 25 years later, and just judging the book by the strength of its story, its just not so great a story. I think it would make a killer rpg scenario, but that doesn't always translate well.
In fact I think that the constant mortal danger the main protagonist finds himself in gets old at around the 50pg mark. I just was not invested enough into the character to think that he might come away with anything more than a scratch from any of these situations. On the other hand his supporting cast (many of which were way more interesting characters) seemed to be rather poised to snuff it. From the agoraphobic dwarvish decker to the cheerful free spirit, they all seemed to be much more interesting characters than Dirk the dick.
That said, readable story, nice action scenes, might be good reference material for anyone who wants to GM Shadowrun.
It's not really that this is a bad book, but it is one of these franchised books that are entertaining but ultimately forgettable. In fact I had to look up the name of the main character for this review.
And so here we have a novel about one Dirk Montgomery, a private dick in Shadowrun's Seattle of the 2050s (meaning there is both cybertech and magic around) who is just good at what he does. A human norm without cybertech and magic, who generally survives on wits alone, despite being pretty much an idiot.
And who still survives attempts on his live at a rate of one per 10 pages or so while beings searched by the police.
Dirk is trying to get some work done when a girl comes up to him and tries to shoot him for killing her sister. After this is taken care off (hint: she doesn't shoot him) she hires him to find the person really responsible for it. His investigations make him uncover a rather unlikely mix of conspiracies involving a megacorporation, a new age religion, a new cybernetic drug, and parasitic insect spirits from another reality.
All in all rather standard Shadowrun fare.
And I guess that is kind of the problem by now, 25 years after this was published. Shadowrun was a setting that thrived on its trailblazing genre mash-ups that nobody thought possible. But 25 years later, and just judging the book by the strength of its story, its just not so great a story. I think it would make a killer rpg scenario, but that doesn't always translate well.
In fact I think that the constant mortal danger the main protagonist finds himself in gets old at around the 50pg mark. I just was not invested enough into the character to think that he might come away with anything more than a scratch from any of these situations. On the other hand his supporting cast (many of which were way more interesting characters) seemed to be rather poised to snuff it. From the agoraphobic dwarvish decker to the cheerful free spirit, they all seemed to be much more interesting characters than Dirk the dick.
That said, readable story, nice action scenes, might be good reference material for anyone who wants to GM Shadowrun.
March 25, 2021
I don’t know why, but I’m such a sucker for the Shadowrun setting. The mixture of cyberpunk with traditional fantasy just works for me. It’s the fun dystopia we wanted, not the one we got. Plus it’s mixture of science fantasy could only have come from the imaginations of people reacting to changing tech in the 1990s. It’s a time capsule and something special.
I have read Charette’s Shadowrun books. They are enjoyable and good for lore building, but rough around the edges. I’ve never actually played the game.
This book I liked even more. It’s a mixture of NOIR cybperpunk, in a very classic sense, with a bunch of action scenes that feel very 80s action movie. All of the characters are 2 dimensional and over the top, in the most fun ways.
I really like the way the magic was incorporated at the end of the conspiracy. It was not what I was expecting and very cool. I’m not sure how I feel about the protagonists musings at the very end, but it fits the genre. Apparently he appears in another book. I’ll have to read it.
This book is pure pulp detective mixed with science fantasy. It’s written at an arresting pace. For me, it was greater than the sum of it’s parts. Loved it.
I have read Charette’s Shadowrun books. They are enjoyable and good for lore building, but rough around the edges. I’ve never actually played the game.
This book I liked even more. It’s a mixture of NOIR cybperpunk, in a very classic sense, with a bunch of action scenes that feel very 80s action movie. All of the characters are 2 dimensional and over the top, in the most fun ways.
I really like the way the magic was incorporated at the end of the conspiracy. It was not what I was expecting and very cool. I’m not sure how I feel about the protagonists musings at the very end, but it fits the genre. Apparently he appears in another book. I’ll have to read it.
This book is pure pulp detective mixed with science fantasy. It’s written at an arresting pace. For me, it was greater than the sum of it’s parts. Loved it.
December 6, 2018
As I re-visit the Shadowrun series I continuously have to re-evaluate my initial assessment from my first read-through in the mid-90s. Well, at least the assessment I remember. Back then I was a teenager and the whole mix of cyberpunk and magic was awesome. I still think so. Unfortunately particularly the tech stuff in Shadowrun has not aged well. It has a very 1980s vibe to it and considering that Shadowrun is set in our future it just feels odd.
This particular book inspired part of the amazing game Shadowurn Returns. Reading just the book I felt disappointed. The writing is terrible, like some young guy's attempt at writing hard-boiled cyberpunk. But I guess I only have myself to blame. You shouldn't return to stuff you liked when you were young.
This particular book inspired part of the amazing game Shadowurn Returns. Reading just the book I felt disappointed. The writing is terrible, like some young guy's attempt at writing hard-boiled cyberpunk. But I guess I only have myself to blame. You shouldn't return to stuff you liked when you were young.
February 25, 2015
This was a mostly enjoyable jaunt in the realm of 2050s Shadowrun, written back in the early 1990s before anyone gave wireless a thought. I love the jargon of these books and the role-playing game system. This drek is wiz! That said, I felt that all the plots and subplots of the book came together far too neatly. A conspiracy is one thing, but to actually connect about twenty different things almost randomly hampers my suspension of disbelief.
I don't like things hampering my suspension of disbelief when I'm reading about a near-future with elves and orks and such using magic and out-of-body technology worlds.
I don't like things hampering my suspension of disbelief when I'm reading about a near-future with elves and orks and such using magic and out-of-body technology worlds.
August 4, 2011
Findley paints a lucid picture of the Shadowrun world, one that captures the shine of chrome and the flare of magic in the dark alleys of an awakened future. Along with the imagery is a clear depiction of military tactics, private investigation, and the seedier aspects of underworld dealings. The protagonist is well-rounded enough to fit the world view of most people, allowing an easy transition into their perspective. All around a good read, but mostly for fans of the role-playing game and its unique setting.
April 1, 2007
I LOVE this book. More specifically, Derek "Dirk" Montgomery is one of my all time favourite characters. It's not great literature, but it's a good story that hits all the right (formulaic?) notes.
I pull it out every so often, once the details have gotten a little fuzzy, and enjoy it all over again.
I pull it out every so often, once the details have gotten a little fuzzy, and enjoy it all over again.
April 12, 2012
I love the writing style of this book. In the past, I have not really been a fan of first-person storytelling. It works very well in this book, however. Maybe its the kind of noir-esque, hard-boiled detective story that it is that makes it work. I dunno. I enjoyed the main character - his sense of humor and style were engaging. RIP Nigel, you done good!
May 27, 2015
Let's call this 3.5. A solid intro to the Shadowrun universe, teaching important lessons like "Don't be a contact for a runner" and "No, really, don't be a contact for a runner!" This book takes the reader through all of 2052 Seattle's boroughs, with ample navigation tips should one wish to recreate Dirk's route through the sprawl. Also needed more Rosebud. She was adorable in a dwarfy way.
February 17, 2011
Despite being a tie-in novel, 2XS is a well written and entertaining example of how Cyberpunk was able to capture the imaginations of a generation.
Any fan of cyberpunk, shadowrun or web urban fantasy ought to find something to like about it.
Any fan of cyberpunk, shadowrun or web urban fantasy ought to find something to like about it.
March 15, 2013
Best way I can describe it is to imagine a mix of a Raymond Chandler, William Gibson, and J.R.R Tolkien. Hard boiled detective, dystopian sci-fi, and elves and magic. Great stuff.
November 5, 2023
TL;DR: Pretty good self-contained detective-noir in the Shadowrun universe. No need to understand Shadowrun in detail, just roll with "magic exists" and you're good!
TL: Set in 2052, a couple of years after the Secrets of Power trilogy (not that it matters), 2XS is a detective-noir story in the dystopian Shadowrun universe, Seattle in particular. This story has all the elements of classic noir, and the nasty, gritty, magic-infused, cyberpunk, Sixth World is an excellent environment in which to tell such a story!
Unsurprisingly, Derek "Dirk" Montgomery of Derek Montgomery Investigations is a private detective. We meet him on the staircase, stumbling home from a hard day on the job, and join as the first threads of his somewhat tattered life snag on an excitingly unexpected meeting, and being unravelling in a most spectacular fashion! Derek has a bunch of life-problems that he's dealing with, along with jobs that he was already working when the plot for this story kicks off and these various arcs/references are very nicely kept alive as what starts out as a revenge killing quickly expands into a sprawling and all-entangling conspiracy.
If you're here for the Shadowrun-universe specifically, you might find it somewhat light on detail. Although there are Deckers, Shadowrunners, Megacorps and even Mages, there's relatively little of both the Matrix and magic, and if you removed the references to Elves and Trolls (and a few Spirits), you could be reading Raymond Chandler or his ilk. That said, it appears (careful, spoilers) that Mr Findley was quite scrupulous in his reference to the sourcebooks and both places and experiences are very much on-point! I think that's part of why it's such a good book - there's a universe that it's set in, but that's not the selling point, it just happens in the background while Derek and co. play in the limelight, occasionally illuminating an interesting element of the universe.
I think that, for a book of this nature (an RPG tie-in), there's a lot of character available, to some of the folks peopling the plot, although some of them are tropes along for the ride. The more fleshed out folks are a lot of fun, and even incidentals get a fair shake - the City Spirit later in the book is surprisingly annotated, for a minor player, and the little references to preferences, desires and partial back-story make everyone feel more than just two dimensional.
This is closeish to 4-stars, but there's too much happenstance in the mid- to end-story for me to be completely happy with that level. It's still a really fun story and overall I enjoyed 2XS (perhaps a bit more then the latter two books of "Secrets of Power" to be honest). I shall happily continue my Shadowrun-run with Changeling (even if it is by a different author. Worst case, I believe that Dirk's back in House of the Sun in only 13 more books!
TL: Set in 2052, a couple of years after the Secrets of Power trilogy (not that it matters), 2XS is a detective-noir story in the dystopian Shadowrun universe, Seattle in particular. This story has all the elements of classic noir, and the nasty, gritty, magic-infused, cyberpunk, Sixth World is an excellent environment in which to tell such a story!
Unsurprisingly, Derek "Dirk" Montgomery of Derek Montgomery Investigations is a private detective. We meet him on the staircase, stumbling home from a hard day on the job, and join as the first threads of his somewhat tattered life snag on an excitingly unexpected meeting, and being unravelling in a most spectacular fashion! Derek has a bunch of life-problems that he's dealing with, along with jobs that he was already working when the plot for this story kicks off and these various arcs/references are very nicely kept alive as what starts out as a revenge killing quickly expands into a sprawling and all-entangling conspiracy.
If you're here for the Shadowrun-universe specifically, you might find it somewhat light on detail. Although there are Deckers, Shadowrunners, Megacorps and even Mages, there's relatively little of both the Matrix and magic, and if you removed the references to Elves and Trolls (and a few Spirits), you could be reading Raymond Chandler or his ilk. That said, it appears (careful, spoilers) that Mr Findley was quite scrupulous in his reference to the sourcebooks and both places and experiences are very much on-point! I think that's part of why it's such a good book - there's a universe that it's set in, but that's not the selling point, it just happens in the background while Derek and co. play in the limelight, occasionally illuminating an interesting element of the universe.
I think that, for a book of this nature (an RPG tie-in), there's a lot of character available, to some of the folks peopling the plot, although some of them are tropes along for the ride. The more fleshed out folks are a lot of fun, and even incidentals get a fair shake - the City Spirit later in the book is surprisingly annotated, for a minor player, and the little references to preferences, desires and partial back-story make everyone feel more than just two dimensional.
This is closeish to 4-stars, but there's too much happenstance in the mid- to end-story for me to be completely happy with that level. It's still a really fun story and overall I enjoyed 2XS (perhaps a bit more then the latter two books of "Secrets of Power" to be honest). I shall happily continue my Shadowrun-run with Changeling (even if it is by a different author. Worst case, I believe that Dirk's back in House of the Sun in only 13 more books!
December 28, 2022
"Ich begrüßte ihn mit einer Kugel aus dem Manhunter, die durch seine Unterlippe schlug und ihm das, was er für ein Gehirn hielt, aus dem Hinterkopf pustete." Dass ein Detektiv-Noir-Krimi, der im Shadowrun-Universum spielt, mit markigen Sprüchen dieser Art nicht unbedingt geizig ist, war mir ab "es war wieder einer von diesen Tagen gewesen" auf Seite 1 sonnenklar. Somit kein Wunder, dass die Heyne-Taschenbuchausgabe aus einer Zeit, als man Informationsmaterial noch postalisch beim Verlag (mit vierstelliger Postleitzahl!) anfordern musste, reichlich zerlesen aussieht. Ursprünglich gehörte das Teil einem gewissen Marcus D. als Wuppertal, jetzt wurde es mir mit den Worten "Das ist gut" in die vielleicht fünfte, sechste oder siebte Hand gedrückt. Kurzrezension: Ja, isses.
Nigel Findley hat mit 2XS den ersten von zwei Romanen um Detektiv/Shadowrunner Derek Montgomery vorgelegt, der in der Magacity Seattle sehr dreckige, aber gut bezahlte Jobs im halblegalen Raum durchführt. Nun ist mir aus PnP-Spielerzeiten die Shadowrunwelt rudimentär bekannt und könnte grob als Mixtur zwischen Cyberpunk a la Neuromancer und Urban Fantasy bezeichnet werden. Da gibt es neben den Abenteuern, die der virtuelle Raum bereithält, auch allerlei Magie, Orks und Elfen. Dazwischen der gute Dirk, der wider Willen einer brutalen Cyberdroge auf die Spur kommt und ein verworrenes Riesenkomplott eines Megakonzerns zwecks Machtübernahme aufdeckt, in dem unter anderem Prothesen und medizinsche Dienstleister eine Rolle spielen. Sehr gesellschaftskritisch das Ganze, ebenso dystopisch und streckenweise brüllend komisch, was ohne Zweifel überwiegend auf das Konto des schnoddrigen Tons des Ich-Erzählers geht. Oh ja, Nigel Findley ist ein Könner, keine Frage! Leider kann die gute Schreibe, die im ersten und im letzten Drittel des Buches sehr zu gefallen weiss, die erzählerischen Schwächen um den Nabel herum nicht kaschieren. Hier leistet der Protagonist viel dröge Kombinationsarbeit, ab und zu aufgelockert durch eine Actionsequenz - das ist streckenweise doch etwas ermüdend. Doch in der Summe hat 2XS mir echt Spass gemacht.
Nigel Findley hat mit 2XS den ersten von zwei Romanen um Detektiv/Shadowrunner Derek Montgomery vorgelegt, der in der Magacity Seattle sehr dreckige, aber gut bezahlte Jobs im halblegalen Raum durchführt. Nun ist mir aus PnP-Spielerzeiten die Shadowrunwelt rudimentär bekannt und könnte grob als Mixtur zwischen Cyberpunk a la Neuromancer und Urban Fantasy bezeichnet werden. Da gibt es neben den Abenteuern, die der virtuelle Raum bereithält, auch allerlei Magie, Orks und Elfen. Dazwischen der gute Dirk, der wider Willen einer brutalen Cyberdroge auf die Spur kommt und ein verworrenes Riesenkomplott eines Megakonzerns zwecks Machtübernahme aufdeckt, in dem unter anderem Prothesen und medizinsche Dienstleister eine Rolle spielen. Sehr gesellschaftskritisch das Ganze, ebenso dystopisch und streckenweise brüllend komisch, was ohne Zweifel überwiegend auf das Konto des schnoddrigen Tons des Ich-Erzählers geht. Oh ja, Nigel Findley ist ein Könner, keine Frage! Leider kann die gute Schreibe, die im ersten und im letzten Drittel des Buches sehr zu gefallen weiss, die erzählerischen Schwächen um den Nabel herum nicht kaschieren. Hier leistet der Protagonist viel dröge Kombinationsarbeit, ab und zu aufgelockert durch eine Actionsequenz - das ist streckenweise doch etwas ermüdend. Doch in der Summe hat 2XS mir echt Spass gemacht.
August 16, 2023
2XS used to be my favourite Shadowrun book when I was younger and still playing the tabletop RPG. It nails the cyberpunk mixed with magic feel of the world perfectly, and is a classic noir detective story, except in the magically awakened world of 2052.
I was surprised to see how well the book held up, despite it having been close to 25 years since I last read it. Sure, some of the attitudes towards women feel like they are from the 90s, but I guess one could excuse the frequent comments about women's physiques and their attractiveness as being a part of the noir genre.
That all being said, the book is still a delight. A small time Seattle detective gets pulled into a murder mystery that turns into a huge conspiracy that turns into an existential magical threat, all told very well and entertainingly. Definitely recommended for anyone even remotely interested in cyberpunk and detective stories.
I was surprised to see how well the book held up, despite it having been close to 25 years since I last read it. Sure, some of the attitudes towards women feel like they are from the 90s, but I guess one could excuse the frequent comments about women's physiques and their attractiveness as being a part of the noir genre.
That all being said, the book is still a delight. A small time Seattle detective gets pulled into a murder mystery that turns into a huge conspiracy that turns into an existential magical threat, all told very well and entertainingly. Definitely recommended for anyone even remotely interested in cyberpunk and detective stories.
February 18, 2022
I wanted to enjoy this book, I really did. It was given to me through a book exchange, promising the marriage of science-fiction to fantasy. But well, it simply fell flat. The magic portion of the plot didn't even come into full swing until well into the second half of the novel. But it was more than just that.
Not only do you get to enjoy literary gems like "mammalian protuberances", but there really isn't that much of a plot. This book was SLOW, despite there constantly being loads of action-packed scenes and life-or-death situations. And the climax? There was no leadup to what they found at the end, nothing.
It was fast-paced if you like action, but if you're looking for real plot, I'd advise looking elsewhere.
Otherwise: the writing voice is particularly good (mostly), and I do appreciate the "futuristic" slang written by a 90s author.
Not only do you get to enjoy literary gems like "mammalian protuberances", but there really isn't that much of a plot. This book was SLOW, despite there constantly being loads of action-packed scenes and life-or-death situations. And the climax? There was no leadup to what they found at the end, nothing.
It was fast-paced if you like action, but if you're looking for real plot, I'd advise looking elsewhere.
Otherwise: the writing voice is particularly good (mostly), and I do appreciate the "futuristic" slang written by a 90s author.
October 19, 2025
2XS is pure momentum; A rarity in a mass-market paperback tie-in. The pacing is tight. Every chapter drives the story forward with cinematic rhythm. Findley’s prose is rich, deliberate, and oozes craftsmanship. He captures the neon paranoia of the Sixth World better than almost anyone else ever has. The tonal shifts (from hard-boiled noir to totemic shamanism to visceral body horror) never feel forced or contrived. 2XS stands among the finest novels in the Shadowrun franchise.
Its flaws only reveal themselves after the final page, when the plot has had time to percolate. The so-called Big Bad doesn’t seem to have any real motive, at least not in human terms. But Findley gets away with it. His plot architecture and relentless pacing are so tight that the absence of motive feels intentional—part of the novel’s bleak, disoriented mood. It’s a noir thriller that runs on pure craft and velocity, proof that sometimes tension and atmosphere can carry a story further than logic ever could.
Its flaws only reveal themselves after the final page, when the plot has had time to percolate. The so-called Big Bad doesn’t seem to have any real motive, at least not in human terms. But Findley gets away with it. His plot architecture and relentless pacing are so tight that the absence of motive feels intentional—part of the novel’s bleak, disoriented mood. It’s a noir thriller that runs on pure craft and velocity, proof that sometimes tension and atmosphere can carry a story further than logic ever could.
June 14, 2018
I see now why the Shadowrun books are no longer written. When the game first came out in the late 1980s/early 1990s, I loved the idea but never got to play. I would have wanted to be a decker.
Well, this is a good but I want you to remember this was written in 1992 - before Windows 95 and thus so many other computer changes. As such, a lot of ideas seem so out of date.
Now this author is my favorite Shadowrun author, but I didn’t like how it turned out. The alien-type creatures were not my cup of tea...
Overall, adventure & action. Probably too out-of-date for someone looking for something “new”.
I was collecting Shadowrun books, but I am going to reevaluate my stance & collection.
Well, this is a good but I want you to remember this was written in 1992 - before Windows 95 and thus so many other computer changes. As such, a lot of ideas seem so out of date.
Now this author is my favorite Shadowrun author, but I didn’t like how it turned out. The alien-type creatures were not my cup of tea...
Overall, adventure & action. Probably too out-of-date for someone looking for something “new”.
I was collecting Shadowrun books, but I am going to reevaluate my stance & collection.
September 28, 2024
Overall really solid, enjoyable stuff. A good version of a Noir novel set in the dark future, although a bit dated as it was written from an 80's viewpoint of how technology would develop. Spoiler: Findley did not foresee the advent of mobile tech.
Like the first three SR novels, it was again about someone sacrificing a ton of friends and assorted people just to save their sister. What is it with your sisters, that they are the big plot thing going on in the SR novels?
I had wished for a different ending, though, as that was a bit cheesy and forced. No need to kill off nearly everyone just to make it more dramatic. A close shave would have been enough.
Like the first three SR novels, it was again about someone sacrificing a ton of friends and assorted people just to save their sister. What is it with your sisters, that they are the big plot thing going on in the SR novels?
I had wished for a different ending, though, as that was a bit cheesy and forced. No need to kill off nearly everyone just to make it more dramatic. A close shave would have been enough.
October 21, 2020
You know at the ending of Terminator 2, the terminator and John Connor after having defeated the T-1000, John hammers at the guardian's torso in a futile attempt for him to stay and not self-terminate? Then the guardian looks at John, brushes a tear streaming down John's face after finally acquiring understanding and says, "I know now why you cry."
I know now why this book is regarded as the best SR novel. 5 stars.
I know now why this book is regarded as the best SR novel. 5 stars.
January 9, 2019
This novel was what I expected from classic Shadowrun with a noir twist that I wasn’t expecting. It helped put the world of a cyberpunk future into perspective. Each of the characters helped flesh out the world further in their own little ways. It was a highly enjoyable novel.
June 7, 2022
Never read it when I was younger and, coming back to it now, it doesn't live up to the first 3 Shadowrun novels. I won't be picking it up again, but I am glad to have read it, even if just for closure.
October 21, 2025
I had heard this described as the best of the early Shadowrun novels and it is pretty good. A strong mystery and good atmosphere. The ending turns a bit into standard action move territory but highly enjoyable.
July 11, 2023
Very cool story. More like a noir detective investigation with horror sprinkled in.
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