Customer Reviews

Killing Rain

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Eisler's talents continue to shine in this newest novel about John Rain: He writes what he knows about, and he does it well.

In this latest novel, John Rain runs around Hong Kong, Manila, and Thailand searching for his latest victim - an Israeli explosives expert under the protection of the CIA. Who better to create an "accidental" death than John Rain. It's a busy ride, where the hunter and hunted are ambiguous, elusive loyalties are tested and you never know what turn is coming next. The climax is strong, but leaves you breathlessly waiting for the next one. (More Caffiene for Mr. Eisler - one a year is a fast pace, but we'd like them even quicker!)

Similar to previous books in the series, you'll finish this one within a day or two of buying it. (I picked it up at a signing on Friday and finished it by the following Monday) It's just too hard to put down.

One suggestion for the reader is to start with book one (Rain Fall) if you're really interested in the series. You can read this one standalone, but the history of Rain as well as the context of his personal changes play out over multiple novels. This is not as purely episodic as the James Bond series.

I really hope someone acts on the option to put this series on the big screen. Beat Takeshi - are you listening???

Barry Eisler in creating John Rain has invented an assasin, a hit-man for hire, who thinks, who broods. Rain, the offspring of a Japanese father and American mother is a contemporary samurai who continually muses over his chosen career as a very high-priced, meticulous assassin. Rain has what many might consider "problems," such as lack of a permanent love interest and so on. In "Killing Rain," the fourth in the John Rain series, aging becomes another of his concerns.

Through a intermediary, a gorgeous Israeli intelligence agent who specializes in seduction to serve her country, Rain is hired to kill an Israeli who sells knowledge of explosives to terrorists. Rain has acquired a sort-of partner, known as Dox (as in "unorthodox"), a large, verbose American. Dox's specialty is as a sniper.

The two track down the target, Manny, to Manilla and in Rain's typically painstaking (and thrilling way) set the scene for his demise. The ambush goes wrong and among the dead are two men who might be CIA agents. Rain's concern for Manny's young son is what makes the assination go wrong. Rain has scruples: he isn't just anyone's murderer.

The beauty of reading Eisler is that he takes you into the very complex mind of John Rain and some of the people he interacts with. Their is Deliah, the beautiful Israel agent. Dox who appears to be superficial, but is not. Even with minor characters, Eisler manages to evoke depth in them.

The action moves from the Phillipines to China and is unrelenting. Now Rain and Dox are being hunted by the Israelis and a mysterious organization that may or may not be connected to the CIA.

It never stops. Eisler keeps pouring it on and Rain keeps thinking and thinking. And the reader keeps reading and reading until long into the night, unless they have a self-discipline I lack.

Eisler has created a grand character in John Rain, the assassin who thinks . . . and kills with mind-gripping perfection.

Jerry

For those searching for a little more action in their reading diet, you could do no better than Barry Eisler's Killing Rain (Putnam, $24.95), the fourth in a series featuring Japanese-American assassin John Rain, a contract killer who specializes in the "natural causes" hit.

Rain is hired by the Mossad to eliminate an Israeli arms dealer operating in Manila. At the crucial moment, though, the target's young son appears on the scene, causing Rain to freeze. The arms merchant escapes and Rain's hesitation haunts him, his conscience plaguing him for the first time with self-doubt.

After three action-packed adventures, culminating in last year's stand-out Rain Storm, Eisler has taken his latest book in a slightly different direction, focusing less on the adrenaline, and more on the psyche of John Rain. The result is a more introspective and deeply nuanced story, and a richer look into the heart and mind of this compelling killer.

Even given that change of focus, Killing Rain still features plenty of thrills and tense moments, as well as the beautifully rendered exotic settings that have become the series' trademark. All in all, Killing Rain is a satisfying step forward for one of the genre's most gifted writers.

First off, can someone out there delete that Schill guy's review? It has nothing to do with Killing Rain and I don't see how a book review is the appropriate forum to whine about politics... Seriously, Schill, get a life... oh, and by the way, I'm not even a Bush supporter, you're just universally annoying.

Now, as far as Killing Rain is concerned, this book is very well done. John Rain is a more in-depth, multi-dimensional and conflicted protagonist than I've seen in any international murder/suspense/intrigue thriller in a long time.

You should definitely read these books in sequence, as the character development is significant, not just for Rain but for the side characters as well, and it helps to understand both Rain's professional and romantic history to truly enjoy this book.

Nevertheless, this is a fine edition to the series and I'm looking forward to number five.

I didn't think that the series could get any better after Rain Storm. I was wrong.

Killing Rain is more exciting, more compelling, and one of the best thrillers I've ever read.

It's also got the best sex scene (which for Eisler is saying a lot) and some moments of laugh aloud humor---something that hasn't been as pronounced in earlier Rain books. This is a fast, fun, wonderful read.

Plus the ending will blow you away.

The only downside is that I have to wait a whole year for more Rain...

I have to admit that I bought this book because I had the pleasure of working with Barry many years ago just after he left government service and I was curious to see what he had come up with in John Rain. I'm a huge fan of Trevanian (old ones, like Shibumi, not the recent ones that are written by someone else) and I must say that I was really impressed. Killing Rain is a great read and a must-have for followers of the genre! I opened the book and didn't stop until the adventure came to an end. Barry's description of the locales, characters and techniques are colorful, entertaining and spot on. I look forward to the next in the series.

Shadow assassin-for-hire John Rain is again doing what he does best. This time, at the behest of the Mossad, he is off through Southeast Asia stalking black market arms dealer Manheim Levi. By now longtime Rain devotees are as familiar with his modus operandi and his obsession for detail as they are with author Barry Eisler's taut, crisp and compelling penmanship. None of this subtracts one iota from this being another terrific John Rain novel. Sensual femme fatale Delilah returns as does Rain's alter-ego associate Dox. The trio makes for an unorthodox but effective (and entertaining) team as they pursue the completion of their assignment. A slightly different slant in this fourth novel.

I will echo previous reviewers' lament that, after reading "Killing Rain" so quickly, it seems a long wait until Eisler writes the fifth Rain novel next year. But enjoy this one for now, it's another great read.

This fourth book of the John Rain is another outstanding book.

Eisler has sucessfully made a professional assassin into a hero.

In this new book Rain is once again hired to perform an assassination.Thanks to a reccomendation from his female friend

Delilah a Mossad agent Rain is hired to eliminate an enemy of

Israel.He is hired for the job by Gil and Boaz,Mossad agents.The

target is Manheim Lavi(Manny)an Israeli bombmaker who is selling his knowledge of building bombs to various terrorist groups.

Rain teams up with his new pardner Dox and goes to Manila to assassinate Manny.They find him in a restroom in a restaurant but his son enters the picture.Rain ends up killing Manny's

bodyguard and two CIA agents.

At a meeting of the Mossad Delilah is given the assigment of killing Rain by the director of Mossad because of the botched

assassination of Manny.The action then moves to Hong Kong to the

China Club where Jim Hilger(rogue CIA agent) Manny, and a new villain Ali Al-Jib( a nuclear scientist gone bad) are meeting.

You have another gun battle between John Rain and Delilah pitted

against the forces of evil.There is a surprise at the ending.

This is another excellent book by Barry Eisler.Be sure to read it.

Once again John Rain manages to barely stay alive and live another day Killing Rain. Unlike previous John Rain novels, this story focuses less on Japan and more on other parts of Asia, namely Manila, Bangkok and Hong Kong. In this book, John Rain and his few friends manage to rid the world of two of its worse terrorists. Hired by the Israeli government as a contractor to do the job, Rain's (or Eisler's) ingenuity never fails to amaze me in how he prevents blowing his cover to get the job done. What I enjoy about Eisler's novels is that the main character, John Rain, is well developed from the beginning of the series and can be insightful into life as he struggles to do his job knowing he's taking lives, while at the same time questioning how he has managed to stay alive himself. The shallowness of the characters found in many other quick novels is missing here (except for maybe with Dox, Rain's sidekick). If you've enjoyed previous books from the series, you'll enjoy this one too.

I give Barry Eisler credit for doing his homework. After I finished reading the story in Killing Rain, I read the Acknowledgment and understood how much research was put into this book. Eisler consulted with experts in various fields including persons with combat kills, knife fighting, wine selection and even female seduction techniques. I appreciate all of this effort as I feel not only entertained by his novels but also educated.

Also, Killing Rain is hillarious! Dox is so funny! Even Rain was funny! I laughed out loud over the Katoey business!