Hard Rain (John Rain, 2)

Rating:
Summary: Hard Rain: A Must Read!
Review: Hard Rain more than fulfills the promise of Rain Fall, the debut novel by Barry Eisler, that Publishers Weekly named a Best Novel of 2002. Hard Rain is a taut, suspenseful, and rivetting read, and protagonist John Rain, the half Japanese, half American assassin who specializes in death by 'natural causes' gets even more under your skin in this second novel. Rain is one of the most complex, multi-dimensional, and memorable characters to come along in a long time. Eisler's strong female characters, his evocation of a dark Tokyo landscape that one can almost see and smell, and his chillingly realistic action and fight sequences make this a powerful thriller that shades off into the literary at times. This book is a must read both for fans of the genre and for readers who crave a thought-provoking, suspenseful, intense, well crafted novel!

Rating:
Summary: Sequel Even Better Than First Book
Review: I loved Rain Fall, Barry Eisler's first book. Being a great fan of thrillers, having lived in Japan for a number of years and also having been a martial arts practitioner for a long time, the book appealed to me on a number of levels. Its conflicted hero (John Rain), its complicated yet plausible plot, its vivid -- and often beautiful -- descriptions of Tokyo, and its action scenes all made for a wonderful ride.

So I was excited to find Hard Rain, the follow-up to Rain Fall, an even better read than the first. Hard Rain opens with John Rain still in Tokyo, contemplating relocation to avoid payback for his elimination of the CIA's Tokyo Station chief. But cop friend Tatsu persuades him to do one more job before he leaves for friendlier climes. The job turns out to be more complicated than expected, and soon Rain must worry about both the yakuza and the CIA.

A pretty simple storyline, right? Wrong. The plot gets increasingly intricate as the story moves along, with Eisler juggling a number of bad guys (one of them is particularly nasty -- someone you just would not want to meet up with under any circumstances), several questionable characters and multiple love interests. Well, actually, everyone is a questionable character to John Rain. This is one paranoid guy, and rightfully so. Nearly everyone he meets is a potential attacker, and he can't go anywhere or do anything without taking extensive precautions. Just going around the corner to the market requires a "surveillance detection run" to determine whether anyone might be following him (Lord help them if they are).

In addition to the fact that Rain is a hitman with rules (he has a conscience, albeit a very twisted one), it's this paranoid life on the run that makes him such an interesting character. He's a very lonely guy, and his loneliness, along with the ghosts of his past and present, weigh very heavily on him. And Eisler shows him wrestling with his demons in subtle, yet powerful ways. In one scene, Rain sits in the dark, making excuses to himself for his bloody career, and it's hard not to feel sorry for the guy.

Just in case you're now thinking that Hard Rain lacks action, let me say that the book has some of the most original and unusual action sequences I've read in a long time. The fight scenes are intense, realistic, and well thought out (which is not surprising given Eisler's own martial arts experience and research) and amazingly don't detract from the book's moody atmosphere.

Hard Rain puts most thrillers to shame, and I'll definitely be among the first to buy the next installment in the series.

Rating:
Summary: Eisler is a fantastic writer...
Review: This novel is not quite as strong as Rain Fall was, but the story is a good one. The stakes are high, but the payoff is a bit smaller. We will be fighting Yamaoto for another day. Still, Rain is a fantastic character and Eisler an oustanding writer. He is much better writer than many of fellow authors in this genre. This story lacks a bit of the depth and context of the first, but remains fascinating in descriptions and Japanese politics. Will Rain ever find peace? Must read the next to find out!