Barry Eisler - KILLING RAIN review
Here’s a nice review of LCC09 Guest of Honor Barry Eisler’s novel, Killing Rain, by Debra Purdy Kong. Thanks to Debra for giving us permission to reprint it here.
Freelance assassin, John Rain, has been hired to kill Manny Lavi, a fairly well-protected and cautious family man whose nefarious business dealings are causing problems for the Mossad. But Rain’s new partner and expert sniper, Dox, is going to help pull this off, which may or may not be a good thing. Rain’s used to working alone and Dox’s loud, laid-back personality isn’t Rain’s idea of a perfect team fit.
When things go wrong, it’s not Dox’s fault, but Rain’s. He freezes at the crucial moment, which makes his employer unhappy enough to want him dead. Rain launches an intriguing cat-and-mouse game that jumps from the Philippines to Bangkok to Hong Kong, as he vows to finish the job and pursue those who want him dead.
KILLING RAIN is a terrific mix of thriller and psychological study of an increasingly world-weary hit man. This mix of weariness, determination, self-preservation, and growing doubt about his future in this business make the book a gripping, multi-layered read.
Not many authors could make me feel sympathy for a professional assassain, but Barry Eisler does. KILLING RAIN is a sophisticated, clever thriller with a lot of depth and, odd as it may seem, a lot of heart. As a bonus, the author provides a useful essay on surveillance techniques to prevent one from becoming a victim of crime. He also adds definitions of the types of martial arts used in the story, plus a list of Rain’s top ten jazz CDs. Very cool. This is another series I’ll definitely read from the beginning.