Hard Rain

by Barry Eisler

Book Overview

Critics nationwide singled out Barry Eisler's first novel, Rain Fall, with high praise. Publishers Weeklynamed Rain Fallone of the Best Novels of 2002. Hard Rain, Eisler's second John Rain novel, more than fulfills the promise of the first. Rain-half-Japanese, half-American, raised in both countries but at home in neither-is trying to leave his life as a freelance assassin. After killing a CIA officer who hunted him halfway around the globe, Rain...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399150528
• ISBN13: 9780399150524
• Release Date: July 2003
• Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons
• Length: 342 Pages
• Weight: 1.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.3" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Hard Rain - Outstanding followup in the ongoing Rain Saga

In most series, the first book in the series is the best. Not so here. Eisler delivers in Hard Rain a fantastic followup to his first book, Rain Fall! Not only does it continue the engaging John storyline, but Hard Rain stands on its own as a great story in its own right.As always, Eisler captures a view of Tokyo that is unique. He draws us in to a Tokyo that few residents, much less visitors, fully experience. Having lived in there for a few years, and having some familiarity with the, shall we say, less than polite parts of Tokyo, I can attest that Eisler's portrayal is dead on.I look forward to continuing to follow Rain's life and adventures.My only question is, when will we see these characters on the big screen as well???

Deeper and More complex than the original...

Rain Fall ended with several loose ends around, "But if X and Y happened, wouldn't Z happen too?" There were several character holes, and a few logical consequences that needed to be followed.Would the bad guys really believe John Rain's fake death? What would happen to Midori? Wasn't Harry traceable?The book opens up more of John Rain's character, showing both his strenghts and some more obvious weaknesses. (Why can't spies like him not shag every girl they meet?) It also closes several loose ends hanging over from previous books. We learn more about John Rain's ruthlessness, as well as which rules he's willing to bend, and which not.The plot gets complex near the end. You're left with enough "But what about this?" items to guarantee another episode. (At least I hope so!) If there's one downside of the book, perhaps a few of the supporting charachters (particularly in the CIA) were not as believable as I'd expect.The equisite writing of Tokyo life continues to capture the reader. It'll introduce you in a very realistic way to one of the world's great cities. If you've been there, this should bring back some great memories.Enjoy!

Great Ride

I loved Hard Rain! I'm neither a professional nor an amateur book reviewer, and I do not pretend to be. I agree completely, however, with the glowing reviews this book is receiving. After reading Barry Eisler's first novel, Rain Fall, I was doubtful the sequal would hold up, especially since I expected the novelty to have worn off. Boy, was I wrong. Tokyo's nightlife, with its driving rythem and flavor, comes to life. For those, like me, who have never been there, we finish the book feeling as if we had. It is a real talent to make the average person piture themselves as Rain -- a killer afterall -- while reading this story. This book is exciting and great fun. Although I've never surfed, reading this book is like what I imagine the feeling is when a surfer catches that wave and rides it all the way into shore. It doesn't get any better than that.

AN ELECTRIFYING JOURNEY

Veteran voice performer Dick Hill imbues his reading of this Tokyo based thriller with just the right amount of suspense and shock. His performance is tight and perfectly paced. Following on the heels of his wildly successful debut novel, Rain Fall, Barry Eisler brings back his intriguing protagonist John Rain. A freelance assassin, a loner by necessity, half Japanese and half American Rain makes the globe his home. After disposing of a CIA agent who had been pursuing him Rain is now ready for a better life, wishing never again to have to orchestrate a murder that appears to be an accident. He's spent almost a quarter of a century doing this, and enough is enough. Enter Tatsu, a Japanese FBI agent who persuades him that he must do one final job. There is a rabid murderer on the loose with absolutely no scruples; unless he's stopped his evil machinations could mean the collapse of Japan's financial system. A ripple effect could then cause global recession. Rain's tracking of this fiend is Eisler at his brilliant best capturing the sights, smells and sounds of underground Tokyo. "Hard Rain" is an electrifying journey through a netherworld of deception and danger. - Gail Cooke

Sequel Even Better Than First Book

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.