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John Rain #7
Рейн-сан: Заложник на съдбата
Джон Рейн се завръща!
Защо Рейн не може да откаже...
Когато легендарният ветеран от службите за секретни операции полковник Скот Хортън, го открива в Токио, Рейн не може да откаже предложението: няколко милиона долара за „естествената“ смърт на три свръхпрочути личности, които всеки момент могат да извършат преврат в Америка.
Но противникът в тази операция е прекалено силен дори за Рейн. Нужен му е екип от надеждни наемници: старият му приятел Докс, Бен Тревън, секретен агент с противоречиви мотиви и лоялност, и Ларисън, човек винаги с пръст на спусъка.
От сенчестите задни улички на Токио и Виена до мамещия блясък на Лос Анджелис и Лас Вегас, тези четирима самотни вълкодава ще трябва да се спасят от президентски ударни отряди, тайни затвори на ЦРУ и национални институции за сигурност.
Ала първо ще трябва да се спасят един от друг...
Защо Рейн не може да откаже...
Когато легендарният ветеран от службите за секретни операции полковник Скот Хортън, го открива в Токио, Рейн не може да откаже предложението: няколко милиона долара за „естествената“ смърт на три свръхпрочути личности, които всеки момент могат да извършат преврат в Америка.
Но противникът в тази операция е прекалено силен дори за Рейн. Нужен му е екип от надеждни наемници: старият му приятел Докс, Бен Тревън, секретен агент с противоречиви мотиви и лоялност, и Ларисън, човек винаги с пръст на спусъка.
От сенчестите задни улички на Токио и Виена до мамещия блясък на Лос Анджелис и Лас Вегас, тези четирима самотни вълкодава ще трябва да се спасят от президентски ударни отряди, тайни затвори на ЦРУ и национални институции за сигурност.
Ала първо ще трябва да се спасят един от друг...
368 pages, Paperback
First published October 18, 2011
1459 people are currently reading
2137 people want to read
About the author
Barry Eisler
87 books3,043 followersBarry Eisler spent three years in a covert position with the CIA’s Directorate of Operations, then worked as a technology lawyer and startup executive in Silicon Valley and Japan, earning his black belt at the Kodokan Judo Institute along the way. Eisler’s award-winning thrillers have been included in numerous “Best Of” lists, have been translated into nearly twenty languages, and include the #1 bestsellers Livia Lone, The Night Trade, and The Killer Collective. Eisler lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and, when he's not writing novels, blogs about national security and the media. www.barryeisler.com
Series:
* John Rain
Series:
* John Rain
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 476 reviews
May 2, 2017
Sometimes a series can go on too long. Maybe the author runs out of ideas, having exhausted every possible nuance of character and all plausible plot configurations. Such may be the case here with self employed hit-man John Rain. It’s the seventh book in the series and so I guess it’s excusable…well, to some extent. What’s not so acceptable is for the author to come up with a plot so inplausible that it beggars belief and a narrative that explores no previously hidden aspects of our anti-hero’s character.
The first half of this book could easily have been compiled from sentences cut and pasted from the first six episodes. Literally nothing happens that any follower of the series has not come across at least once before. Boring! Then in the second half the book kicks up about five gears as the tale quickly morphs into a Mitch Rapp adventure so complex and so unlikely it had me grappling for the off button on my audio recording.
I finished the book, but it’s by some distance the worst in the series so far. For me, the best bits in the previous books have involved Rain thinking deeply about what he’s doing and why, contemplating how his life will play out and worrying over relationships. This is always great stuff and has been, as a matter of course, very well written. But there’s none of that here – or little enough that I missed it. What is here, and is new, is Rain dealing with conflict within his team and using techniques we haven’t seen him use before to do so. And this was good – there just wasn’t enough of this sort of stuff. The rest was all shoot ‘em up dross.
I really don't want to rubbish this series. I've thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the complex killer and I do think the books are better written than most books in this genre. As well as the fascinating character insights Eisler has provided, the action sequences have been really well done too. The words have really brought the sequences to life with high tension being built and (crucially) a decent picture being painted of what's actually going on, once the fighting starts. It's a series I'd highly recommend.
For that reason, I may one day pick up another Rain book - but not for some time, I think.
The first half of this book could easily have been compiled from sentences cut and pasted from the first six episodes. Literally nothing happens that any follower of the series has not come across at least once before. Boring! Then in the second half the book kicks up about five gears as the tale quickly morphs into a Mitch Rapp adventure so complex and so unlikely it had me grappling for the off button on my audio recording.
I finished the book, but it’s by some distance the worst in the series so far. For me, the best bits in the previous books have involved Rain thinking deeply about what he’s doing and why, contemplating how his life will play out and worrying over relationships. This is always great stuff and has been, as a matter of course, very well written. But there’s none of that here – or little enough that I missed it. What is here, and is new, is Rain dealing with conflict within his team and using techniques we haven’t seen him use before to do so. And this was good – there just wasn’t enough of this sort of stuff. The rest was all shoot ‘em up dross.
I really don't want to rubbish this series. I've thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the complex killer and I do think the books are better written than most books in this genre. As well as the fascinating character insights Eisler has provided, the action sequences have been really well done too. The words have really brought the sequences to life with high tension being built and (crucially) a decent picture being painted of what's actually going on, once the fighting starts. It's a series I'd highly recommend.
For that reason, I may one day pick up another Rain book - but not for some time, I think.
September 19, 2011
Of course I thought this book was excellent. :)
May 5, 2014
After a four-year absence, assassin John Rain returns in The Detachment. Of late, Rain has been living quietly under the radar in Tokyo, visiting his favorite jazz clubs, coffee shops and whiskey bars, but he remains ever-vigilant and one night, while training at his local daidojo, he notices two Americans who seem strangely out of place. When he sees them a second time, he knows that he has fallen into someone's crosshairs.
That someone turns out to be Col Scott Horton, head of a secret military group of covert killers, who convinces Rain to meet with him in L.A. Once there, Horton lays out a chilling scheme in which a group of plotters is planning a coup against the United States government. Their plan is to make a series of "false flag" attacks against targets in the U.S. which will be blamed on Islamic extremists. In the wake of these attacks, the president will suspend the Constitution and rule the country under special executive powers, dispensing with such inconvenient obstacles such as the Congress, courts and voters. The assumption is that, scared witless by the attacks, the American people will happily surrender what little remains of their liberties for the sake of their safety.
Horton wants Rain to lead a team that will assassinate the three principal coup plotters and thus head off the threat. There's a big payday involved for Rain and the chance to do some good for the American people at the same time. Naturally, this won't be easy, which is why Horton needs someone like Rain. Rain accepts the challenge and calls in his old friend, Dox, to fill out the team which will also include two of Horton's hand-picked men.
What follows is a great thrill ride that is guaranteed to keep any reader awake well into the night and perhaps for a good long time thereafter. In addition to being an excellent thriller, this is a very scary and thought-provoking book as well. Given the way so many Americans were willing to compromise their fundamental freedoms in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, it does not seem at all beyond the realm of possibility that a scheme like this might succeed. Eisler has done a lot of research on rendition, secret prisons, government torture of suspected terrorists, and other such unpleasant topics, and has woven this into the story to create a very plausible scenario in which a plot like this might be nothing more than the next logical step, given the developments that have occurred in the U.S. over the last decade.
Inevitably, the book contains a lot of twists and turns and enough action to satisfy any fan of the genre. There's a great deal of tension among the members of Rain's team and it's never really clear who can and cannot be trusted, both within and outside of the team. Eisler, who was once himself a covert op for the CIA, clearly knows his stuff. He's an excellent writer and has a gift for spinning a story that keeps you riveted and turning the pages. Fans of the series will be very happy to see Rain return and those who haven't yet made his acquaintance will likely be scurrying to find the earlier books in the series after reading this one.
That someone turns out to be Col Scott Horton, head of a secret military group of covert killers, who convinces Rain to meet with him in L.A. Once there, Horton lays out a chilling scheme in which a group of plotters is planning a coup against the United States government. Their plan is to make a series of "false flag" attacks against targets in the U.S. which will be blamed on Islamic extremists. In the wake of these attacks, the president will suspend the Constitution and rule the country under special executive powers, dispensing with such inconvenient obstacles such as the Congress, courts and voters. The assumption is that, scared witless by the attacks, the American people will happily surrender what little remains of their liberties for the sake of their safety.
Horton wants Rain to lead a team that will assassinate the three principal coup plotters and thus head off the threat. There's a big payday involved for Rain and the chance to do some good for the American people at the same time. Naturally, this won't be easy, which is why Horton needs someone like Rain. Rain accepts the challenge and calls in his old friend, Dox, to fill out the team which will also include two of Horton's hand-picked men.
What follows is a great thrill ride that is guaranteed to keep any reader awake well into the night and perhaps for a good long time thereafter. In addition to being an excellent thriller, this is a very scary and thought-provoking book as well. Given the way so many Americans were willing to compromise their fundamental freedoms in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, it does not seem at all beyond the realm of possibility that a scheme like this might succeed. Eisler has done a lot of research on rendition, secret prisons, government torture of suspected terrorists, and other such unpleasant topics, and has woven this into the story to create a very plausible scenario in which a plot like this might be nothing more than the next logical step, given the developments that have occurred in the U.S. over the last decade.
Inevitably, the book contains a lot of twists and turns and enough action to satisfy any fan of the genre. There's a great deal of tension among the members of Rain's team and it's never really clear who can and cannot be trusted, both within and outside of the team. Eisler, who was once himself a covert op for the CIA, clearly knows his stuff. He's an excellent writer and has a gift for spinning a story that keeps you riveted and turning the pages. Fans of the series will be very happy to see Rain return and those who haven't yet made his acquaintance will likely be scurrying to find the earlier books in the series after reading this one.
January 7, 2012
Yeah baby. It's love. Once I got past the preliminaries this was can't-put-it-down good for me. The end was a little too pedestrian, but the story still has enough going for it that I want to give it five stars.
This is a hybrid, a sort of harmonic convergence of characters from two series, although they don't always converge most harmonically. John Rain and his buddy Dox team up with Ben Treven and Larison at the behest of Colonel Horton, who offers them a pay-off they can't turn down.
The dynamic among the four members of the detachment keeps things lively, with Dox providing the comic relief that lets everyone stand down and still save face when things get tense.
This group is a walking testosterone storm. They're all ultra-macho and suspicious -- typical in their line of work. The power struggles and pissing contests are inevitable, but they have to man up and keep it together so they can accomplish their mission.
Said mission being nothing less than saving America from a plot to suspend the Constitution by sowing so much fear in the hearts of Americans that they're willing to give up their freedoms for an illusion of safety. Sound far-fetched? Read Naomi Wolf's The End of America for a nonfiction perspective.
Does Eisler have an agenda? Most certainly. He blogs about torture, civil liberties, and the rule of law, so it's no surprise that his political views influence his fiction writing as well. What's more, he includes five pages of web addresses at the back of the book introduced with the following statement: "Much of the backstory and the technology, and many of the incidents, described in this book are real."
It's not necessary to have read the Ben Treven books before reading this one, but you really do need to be familiar with the John Rain series to appreciate the bond between Rain and Dox and understand Rain's peculiar set of powers and proclivities.
This is a hybrid, a sort of harmonic convergence of characters from two series, although they don't always converge most harmonically. John Rain and his buddy Dox team up with Ben Treven and Larison at the behest of Colonel Horton, who offers them a pay-off they can't turn down.
The dynamic among the four members of the detachment keeps things lively, with Dox providing the comic relief that lets everyone stand down and still save face when things get tense.
This group is a walking testosterone storm. They're all ultra-macho and suspicious -- typical in their line of work. The power struggles and pissing contests are inevitable, but they have to man up and keep it together so they can accomplish their mission.
Said mission being nothing less than saving America from a plot to suspend the Constitution by sowing so much fear in the hearts of Americans that they're willing to give up their freedoms for an illusion of safety. Sound far-fetched? Read Naomi Wolf's The End of America for a nonfiction perspective.
Does Eisler have an agenda? Most certainly. He blogs about torture, civil liberties, and the rule of law, so it's no surprise that his political views influence his fiction writing as well. What's more, he includes five pages of web addresses at the back of the book introduced with the following statement: "Much of the backstory and the technology, and many of the incidents, described in this book are real."
It's not necessary to have read the Ben Treven books before reading this one, but you really do need to be familiar with the John Rain series to appreciate the bond between Rain and Dox and understand Rain's peculiar set of powers and proclivities.
June 14, 2017
The John Rain series was one of the best of its kind in the early 21 century, but at some point, it lost its way. With The Detachment, it shows signs of new life.
This is a team up with characters from Eisler's other series. A colonel hires Rain and some other soldiers to assassinate political leaders to stave off a deep state coup. The hits are well done, I thought.
Then the aftermath of the hit, when everybody is on the run is quite good as well. Rain's friend, Dox, really shines here.
The book seems prescient today, but possibly not in the way Eisler was hoping. There's a lot of commentary that would be seen as pro-Trump in just a few years, but this was written well before 2016. Maybe Eisler was seeing the same things that Trump saw at the time.
This is a team up with characters from Eisler's other series. A colonel hires Rain and some other soldiers to assassinate political leaders to stave off a deep state coup. The hits are well done, I thought.
Then the aftermath of the hit, when everybody is on the run is quite good as well. Rain's friend, Dox, really shines here.
The book seems prescient today, but possibly not in the way Eisler was hoping. There's a lot of commentary that would be seen as pro-Trump in just a few years, but this was written well before 2016. Maybe Eisler was seeing the same things that Trump saw at the time.
October 15, 2022
Solid Rain and Dox tradition + new guy. Enough new with the old to keep me interested.
October 14, 2025
If you're new to John Rain, you don't need to read the older novels to enjoy this one, though it helps with returning characters. It's realistic and relevant. Eisler is a master of tension who carefully builds subtle, memorable characters, through multiple perspectives, battles of will, a transformative killer's conscience, and so on. Superb spy thriller.
January 18, 2012
This is a major page turner for me, tough I saw plot twists coming a long way off. The thought of false flag attacks on American soil, troubles me-it could happen. These men, though you come to like them, are all trained assassins. They have done very bad things, and now they are brought together, to open the flood gates of despair on the US. Gee they thought they were preventing it by killing a few men. Character development was very good. I enjoyed it, even though it out of sequence with the Rain series. The book stands alone very well.
March 12, 2013
I first became aware of Barry Eisler after the controversy surrounding his decision to turn down a serious amount of money from a traditional publisher, in favour of bringing the books out himself. Subsequently, he accepted a deal with one of Amazon’s publishing imprints, and hasn’t looked back. Meanwhile, I became a fan of his blog; his writing on book marketing, the publishing industry and politics is always engaging, entertaining and usually right on the money.
I’m not sure why it has taken me this long to try one of his thrillers – I think it was the lack of availability as a reasonably priced e-book, something that Eisler is planning to fix. But having finally got to it, I’m happy to report that Eisler deserved every penny of whatever money Amazon threw at him – The Detachment is an excellent book.
Eisler has been writing about the assassin John Rain for a while, and this is the latest of those books. I guess it’s not an ideal place to start as I came into it with none of Rain’s backstory – but it didn’t matter. The book works perfectly well as a stand-alone thriller, while the writer still encouraged me to go back and read the earlier ones by making some adroit references to Rain’s previous adventures.
Barry Eisler’s bio says he worked for the CIA in a covert position, and it shows. Or, at least it shows as far as I – a civilian – can tell. The book has an incredibly authentic feel, that’s the first thing. The second is that it rips along at pace, with a rock solid and all-to believable underlying conspiracy at the centre of the plot. John Rain, the conflicted killer is a terrific central protagonist, and the other characters that make up The Detachment are all well drawn and keep you guessing. My pulse was racing in the final set-piece shoot up – only the denouement of Argo has matched that recently. I hope we see more of Rain, and the other characters in The Detachment, but I will most certainly be reading more Eisler either way.
I’m not sure why it has taken me this long to try one of his thrillers – I think it was the lack of availability as a reasonably priced e-book, something that Eisler is planning to fix. But having finally got to it, I’m happy to report that Eisler deserved every penny of whatever money Amazon threw at him – The Detachment is an excellent book.
Eisler has been writing about the assassin John Rain for a while, and this is the latest of those books. I guess it’s not an ideal place to start as I came into it with none of Rain’s backstory – but it didn’t matter. The book works perfectly well as a stand-alone thriller, while the writer still encouraged me to go back and read the earlier ones by making some adroit references to Rain’s previous adventures.
Barry Eisler’s bio says he worked for the CIA in a covert position, and it shows. Or, at least it shows as far as I – a civilian – can tell. The book has an incredibly authentic feel, that’s the first thing. The second is that it rips along at pace, with a rock solid and all-to believable underlying conspiracy at the centre of the plot. John Rain, the conflicted killer is a terrific central protagonist, and the other characters that make up The Detachment are all well drawn and keep you guessing. My pulse was racing in the final set-piece shoot up – only the denouement of Argo has matched that recently. I hope we see more of Rain, and the other characters in The Detachment, but I will most certainly be reading more Eisler either way.
November 28, 2011
OK, I admit it: I am a huge fan of John Rain and Dox. I like these characters developed by Barry Eisler. In the newest John Rain novel, he brings in Ben Treven, Hort, and Larison from his other two novels. They are hired to stop a governmental plan of staging domestic attacks in order to precipitate the suspension of American civil liberties by the President and his anti-terror team, and the four assasins are not sure whether their kills are promoting chaos or freedom. Hort remains the master manipulator. Rain's attempt to elicit Larison's humanity as Dox did for him was a highlight.
July 6, 2024
За разлика от останалите истории за Джон Рейн, тази се развива на американска земя.
Заплетената интрига държи читателя под напрежение до самия край на книгата.
Заплетената интрига държи читателя под напрежение до самия край на книгата.
June 2, 2020
Another hone run by Eisler. The first connection between the majority of the Killer Collective. It’s so cool to see how these characters came together. Dox is still one of my favorites. Trevan sort of took a backseat in this one, but was still important to the story. Larison was solid and weird as he always is, and of course Rain is so badass and cool. I’m very excited to jump back into his storyline. It’s all good stuff. Eisler is easily becoming one of my favorites authors. He’s truly an amazing author.
March 6, 2014
Read by author and he is easy on the ears as well as being easy on the eye.
Not having read the Treven/Larison teamed-up series to flesh out their back-history and quirks, I didn't initially warm to their inclusion, yet the Rain/Dox duo carried me over and this settled down into an exciting testosterone adventure.
That said, I'm pretty much over and done with Eisler's oeuvre.
3* A Clean Kill in Tokyo (John Rain, #1)
3* A Lonely Resurrection (John Rain, #2)
3* Winner Take All (John Rain, #3)
3* Redemption Games (John Rain, #4)
3* Extremis (John Rain, #5)
3* The Killer Ascendant(John Rain, #6)
3* The Detachment (John Rain, #7)
2* Paris Is A Bitch
Not having read the Treven/Larison teamed-up series to flesh out their back-history and quirks, I didn't initially warm to their inclusion, yet the Rain/Dox duo carried me over and this settled down into an exciting testosterone adventure.
That said, I'm pretty much over and done with Eisler's oeuvre.
3* A Clean Kill in Tokyo (John Rain, #1)
3* A Lonely Resurrection (John Rain, #2)
3* Winner Take All (John Rain, #3)
3* Redemption Games (John Rain, #4)
3* Extremis (John Rain, #5)
3* The Killer Ascendant(John Rain, #6)
3* The Detachment (John Rain, #7)
2* Paris Is A Bitch
October 12, 2012
Full Review originally at Fantasy Book Critic
OVERALL RATING = 4 & 1/2 Stars
ANALYSIS: The Detachment is Barry Eisler’s ninth book and the first one to combine both his previous book characters. When the book was announced, it was also announced by the author’s move to the Indie side of publishing. This alone precipitated a heady mix of discussion and still is. For me while his move was intriguing from the business point of view as explained in his interview, it was more exciting to return to the world of John Rain, last seen in 2007’s Requeim for an Assassin. This book would also pick up the plot threads from Inside Out which was # 5 in my top 10 books of 2010. I was anticipating top notch action, clash of personalities and much more, I’m glad to say The Detachment delivers that and much more.
The Detachment begins by re-introducing John Rain who has been living a retired life of sorts but is still proficient enough to notice that there are people tailing him. Turns out that Daniel Larison and Ben Treven and two others have been asked by Colonel Scott Horton to recruit Rain for a particular mission. Rain accepts but not before showing why he’s being considered for a mission. The other person who is sought by them, is Dox and after Rain’s acceptance, he blindly agrees. The plot has them unite due to Horton's plan and they truly don't know whether he's telling the truth or just playing his games. Thus they set out to finish their tasks not knowing exactly whose goals they are advancing.
The book starts with a terrific premise and then rushes to give the reader an excellent thrill ride all the way. What I loved about the book was its characterization not only does it feature the return of John Rain but also has him mixing with Daniel Larison. With Larison & Rain, Barry has created two enigmatic and deadly individuals and it was a sheer pleasure to see how they would react to each other. To add to the mix there's Dox as well as Treven and this detachment becomes as stable as old dynamite. They are all lone wolfs who have to act as a team as they are given a substantial amount to do so and are told to kill three people to foil a plot which aims to derail the America as we know of it today.
Another highlight is the character interactions as they showcase the psyche of each individual which is a bonus for ever Eisler fan to read. Through out the story the reader is shown a tremendous glimpse in to the life of a covert operative both official and mercenary. The action in this book is almost nonstop as the author lays about his set pieces and in between them gives the reader dollops of character intrigue. The plot-twists can be a bit predictable however do not detract much from the read. They however will have the reader turning pages to see how it all ends, as for me I read the entire book in one sitting on the day I received it. The prose is very tight and does not waste the reader’s time in extra details however it isn’t so spartan as well not to develop the complete picture. While on the subject of details, it can safely said that the author did his research very well and all the minute facts add to the strength of the subject matter.
For fans of Rain & Larison, this book is a goldmine as we get to see them collide with each other and I'm not telling how it all ends, Ben Treven the protagonist of two previous books gets a more secondary role but I'm not complaining as this was a bit expected. He however still plays a crucial role in certain events which sway how the chips line up. Overall the way things end it does seem that there might be further books written about this cast and I for one will be glad to read them.
While this book deserves the praise it gets, there are some points which cannot be overlooked, the biggest plot hole was the lack of a perceivable enemy and while the book does explain a lot in the end. I felt that the author is definitely trying to link some real life happenings within the fictional nature of this plot. While this was done very smoothly, I’m sure there are readers out there who do not appreciate such subtext. The climax of the book is something which will cause fans to have differences of opinion in regards to the path taken by the author however to discuss it, would be a huge spoiler. Personally for me it felt right so I don’t think it was a wrong move on the author’s part but again some readers might beg to differ.
CONCLUSION: If you like thrillers with action, terrific plots and great characters then The Detachment is the book for you. Even if you are a newbie reader who’s a bit hesitant to start out with this book, don’t be worried as the author gives enough of the back story about the characters for all newcomers to understand their complex psyche and enjoy the book at the same time. The Detachment managed to give me a terrific thrill ride while at the same time overcoming my anticipation for the book. In this regards you can’t ask for more from any author. Give it a try if you find yourself bored reading the same thrillers over and over again.
March 22, 2023
What a read!!
I was totally hooked from beginning to end oh and the narrator was just perfect, everything was just so good and the ending was not what I expected at all. Looking forward to the next book 😃
I was totally hooked from beginning to end oh and the narrator was just perfect, everything was just so good and the ending was not what I expected at all. Looking forward to the next book 😃
May 30, 2017
**4.5 stars**
I'm so glad to be back reading this series.
It took me a while to catch up because The Detachment's events are closely linked to what happened in Inside Out, the second book in another series by the author. To understand what's really going on in this book, it's pivotal to read the other one.
Unlike prior books in the series, The Detachment is told in multiple POVs. Besides Rain's, we also have Larison's and Treven's, each with their own issues and agendas. However, the one that stole the show was Dox. With his brand of good ol' boy humor, remarkable but unexpected smarts and instincts so sharp that he can detect a switch of moods in nanoseconds, he was able to charm from children to kidnapees and stop the other three from killing each other more than once.
My daddy taught me that gentlemen can kill each other, preferably with firearms, and that’s fine, but that we respect womenfolk. I’m sure that sounds fucked up to most of your more modern, egalitarian, self-actualized killers, but it’s how I was raised.”
It was clear throughout the book how Dox's friendship has affected Rain. From the beginning, he seemed more settled and the way he handled Larison was shocking. Maybe because he acknowledged something he'd known for a long time but was unwilling to accept:
Now, with too many yesterdays and fewer and fewer tomorrows, I find I’m increasingly troubled by knowledge I was once adroit in avoiding. The knowledge that following my brief encounters with every stranger I agreed to eliminate, I left nothing but tears and trauma, a wreckage of interwoven lives forever riven and malformed. The knowledge that there would never be a way to account for the amount of pain I have brought into the world. The knowledge that the world would have been marginally better off if I had never been born.
Mr. Eisler simply ROCKS as the narrator - thank you to whomever suggested to him to narrate his own books!
I'm sad that Dox is not the next two books in the series (they are set when Rain is young) but nevertheless, I'm really looking forward to them both.
I'm so glad to be back reading this series.
It took me a while to catch up because The Detachment's events are closely linked to what happened in Inside Out, the second book in another series by the author. To understand what's really going on in this book, it's pivotal to read the other one.
Unlike prior books in the series, The Detachment is told in multiple POVs. Besides Rain's, we also have Larison's and Treven's, each with their own issues and agendas. However, the one that stole the show was Dox. With his brand of good ol' boy humor, remarkable but unexpected smarts and instincts so sharp that he can detect a switch of moods in nanoseconds, he was able to charm from children to kidnapees and stop the other three from killing each other more than once.
My daddy taught me that gentlemen can kill each other, preferably with firearms, and that’s fine, but that we respect womenfolk. I’m sure that sounds fucked up to most of your more modern, egalitarian, self-actualized killers, but it’s how I was raised.”
It was clear throughout the book how Dox's friendship has affected Rain. From the beginning, he seemed more settled and the way he handled Larison was shocking. Maybe because he acknowledged something he'd known for a long time but was unwilling to accept:
Now, with too many yesterdays and fewer and fewer tomorrows, I find I’m increasingly troubled by knowledge I was once adroit in avoiding. The knowledge that following my brief encounters with every stranger I agreed to eliminate, I left nothing but tears and trauma, a wreckage of interwoven lives forever riven and malformed. The knowledge that there would never be a way to account for the amount of pain I have brought into the world. The knowledge that the world would have been marginally better off if I had never been born.
Mr. Eisler simply ROCKS as the narrator - thank you to whomever suggested to him to narrate his own books!
I'm sad that Dox is not the next two books in the series (they are set when Rain is young) but nevertheless, I'm really looking forward to them both.
September 27, 2011
I am a huge of Barry Eisler’s work, I make no bones about it, and so I am going to keep it short. In this novel he tackles many things, melding the thoughts and feelings of four different killers, four different Alpha males, four totally different viewpoints and even more agendas in this novel and he does it seamlessly. The read is taunt, moving and intense. It was hard to separate myself from the read until I finished it.
I was fortunate enough to interview Barry Eisler on my blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE. Here is the link for the interview:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatiss...
Here is the synopsis for you:
“John Rain is back. And “the most charismatic assassin since James Bond” (San Francisco Chronicle) is up against his most formidable enemy yet: the nexus of political, military, media, and corporate factions known only as the Oligarchy.
When legendary black ops veteran Colonel Scott “Hort” Horton tracks Rain down in Tokyo, Rain can’t resist the offer: a multi-million dollar payday for the “natural causes” demise of three ultra-high-profile targets who are dangerously close to launching a coup in America.
But the opposition on this job is going to be too much for even Rain to pull it off alone. He’ll need a detachment of other deniable irregulars: his partner, the former Marine sniper, Dox. Ben Treven, a covert operator with ambivalent motives and conflicted loyalties. And Larison, a man with a hair trigger and a secret he’ll kill to protect.
From the shadowy backstreets of Tokyo and Vienna, to the deceptive glitz and glamour of Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and finally to a Washington, D.C. in a permanent state of war, these four lone wolf killers will have to survive presidential hit teams, secret CIA prisons, and a national security state as obsessed with guarding its own secrets as it is with invading the privacy of the populace.
But first, they’ll have to survive each other.”
I was fortunate enough to interview Barry Eisler on my blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE. Here is the link for the interview:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatiss...
Here is the synopsis for you:
“John Rain is back. And “the most charismatic assassin since James Bond” (San Francisco Chronicle) is up against his most formidable enemy yet: the nexus of political, military, media, and corporate factions known only as the Oligarchy.
When legendary black ops veteran Colonel Scott “Hort” Horton tracks Rain down in Tokyo, Rain can’t resist the offer: a multi-million dollar payday for the “natural causes” demise of three ultra-high-profile targets who are dangerously close to launching a coup in America.
But the opposition on this job is going to be too much for even Rain to pull it off alone. He’ll need a detachment of other deniable irregulars: his partner, the former Marine sniper, Dox. Ben Treven, a covert operator with ambivalent motives and conflicted loyalties. And Larison, a man with a hair trigger and a secret he’ll kill to protect.
From the shadowy backstreets of Tokyo and Vienna, to the deceptive glitz and glamour of Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and finally to a Washington, D.C. in a permanent state of war, these four lone wolf killers will have to survive presidential hit teams, secret CIA prisons, and a national security state as obsessed with guarding its own secrets as it is with invading the privacy of the populace.
But first, they’ll have to survive each other.”
August 7, 2013
Barry Eisler manages a difficult challenge in his "Rain" books, almost like keeping a knife balanced on its edge. His MC, John Rain, is an assassin. And although Rain has his limits (no women, no children) he is a brutal and cold killer. As the book opens, he casually kills two men for the sin of following him and representing a potential threat. No questions, no investigation of who they might work for, just snap - dead. And yet I like Rain and he remains a sympathetic character. That's skillfully done.
This was a tough book for me, though, plunging deep into conspiracy theory, which is not my favorite place to go. I would never argue with the basic premise - that acts of terrorism and other outside threats have long been used, and even manufactured, to manipulate public opinion and get people to give up civil liberties. (Anyone recall the weapons of mass destruction that Iraq was actually known not to have?)
As Benjamin Franklin said (perhaps quoting from Richard Jackson): "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Eisler uses this book in some ways to push that same message, with entertainment and not in a preachy way, but clearly. As an advocate of civil rights I am at his back with this one.
He also has a gay MC, who has been blackmailed into participating by threats against the family of his lover, and being gay is treated casually and acceptingly by Rain and the MCs in this book. The gay MC is in fact the most ruthless of the four and no kind of stereotype, and I appreciate that. The book is well written and tautly plotted.
But I'm an optimist and a humanist. And this book was way too successful at making me want to stick my fingers in my ears and hum "la, la, la." Even in fiction. The MCs brutality also crossed some lines for me, as a believer in law and order as a cornerstone of civil rights. So as good as the book was, I had a hard time reading and finishing it.
This was a tough book for me, though, plunging deep into conspiracy theory, which is not my favorite place to go. I would never argue with the basic premise - that acts of terrorism and other outside threats have long been used, and even manufactured, to manipulate public opinion and get people to give up civil liberties. (Anyone recall the weapons of mass destruction that Iraq was actually known not to have?)
As Benjamin Franklin said (perhaps quoting from Richard Jackson): "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Eisler uses this book in some ways to push that same message, with entertainment and not in a preachy way, but clearly. As an advocate of civil rights I am at his back with this one.
He also has a gay MC, who has been blackmailed into participating by threats against the family of his lover, and being gay is treated casually and acceptingly by Rain and the MCs in this book. The gay MC is in fact the most ruthless of the four and no kind of stereotype, and I appreciate that. The book is well written and tautly plotted.
But I'm an optimist and a humanist. And this book was way too successful at making me want to stick my fingers in my ears and hum "la, la, la." Even in fiction. The MCs brutality also crossed some lines for me, as a believer in law and order as a cornerstone of civil rights. So as good as the book was, I had a hard time reading and finishing it.
July 4, 2012
All right, so I appear to be hunting for a specific character: from Jack Reacher (Lee Child), to Jonathan Quinn (Brett Battles), onto John Rain (Barry Eisler). From ex military, to cleaner, to assassin.
How do we as readers gain empathy for a killer? Simple enough, join John Rain in his voyage from assassin for hire to conscientious killer (kill bad guys) to wanting to get out of the business...but unwilling to leave his perspective of the world (no worries, this transformation takes place across many books, more than enough to satiate the most avid genre reader)
I devoured these books as I did the others above (more to come as I continue hunting). You'll just have to see for yourself.
P.S. If you've read this review, you've read all my John Rain reviews. There are no discrepancies in Eisler's work. Every novel is top notch, provided you share my predilection for this sort of character.
HR
How do we as readers gain empathy for a killer? Simple enough, join John Rain in his voyage from assassin for hire to conscientious killer (kill bad guys) to wanting to get out of the business...but unwilling to leave his perspective of the world (no worries, this transformation takes place across many books, more than enough to satiate the most avid genre reader)
I devoured these books as I did the others above (more to come as I continue hunting). You'll just have to see for yourself.
P.S. If you've read this review, you've read all my John Rain reviews. There are no discrepancies in Eisler's work. Every novel is top notch, provided you share my predilection for this sort of character.
HR
September 8, 2017
Freaking love this series.
July 23, 2019
I've eaten my way through eight Eisler novels and a bunch of his short stories and I can't get enough. If you enjoy the Thriller genre I urge you look into this author.
Yeah, not much of a review, sorry. I'm a panda-herder, Jim, not a writer!
Yeah, not much of a review, sorry. I'm a panda-herder, Jim, not a writer!
December 28, 2016
I finished Barry Eisler's The Detachment. And here's a half-ass review because I've gotta save my creative juice for finishing my own novel - Half-Life: A Hana Walker Mystery. Guess you are not supposed to do book reviews as numbered bullet points, but I'm in a hurry, and, er, bullets seem apt for the continuing adventures of a half-Japanese, half-American assassin, John Rain (smooth, like whacha did there - ed.)
1. It's a page-turner.
2. Plenty of twists to keep ya guessing. And character arcs. And locales that I've been to (like a chase scene through the bowels of Kanda, where I used to buy books (back in the far off days before I got this Kindle, er, two weeks ago). And hot half-Japanese soccer moms.
3. Good point: It's got high testosterone, gun-toting American Special Ops boys and their toys action throughout.
4. Bad point: It's got high testosterone, gun-toting American Special Ops boys and their toys action throughout.
5. I suppose that's the nature of the genre, but I liked the backstory (is that the right term, ed?) of political intrigue that informed all the gun-toting action more and wanted to see more of the conspiracy that was afoot... but, er, I don't have clearance to say any more.
6. Though I made the mistake of reading a few reviews on Amazon and seems some fans were perturbed that there was so much political talk and stuff about US liberties being eroded and the police state and so on. To me, that stuff lifted it from just being a bullet to the head like Rambo III - back when the Ruskies were the baddies and the plucky Muslim braves were the goodies. Remember those days? They really happened, children. But the first Rambo movie, and book, was really good, honest. (No really, it was).
7. You've got this far, dear reader, so I should fess up: You shouldn't trust a word of this since:
a) Mr Eisler, and yes, he does deserve the courtesy title, was awesome enough to include an advert to Quakebook in the back of the book, for which I'm extremely grateful.
b) This is the first John Rain thriller I've read, so I'm not qualified to compare it with the other six in the series.
c) Never trust a reviewer who puts bullet points within bullet points.
Sod it, I've lost the thread here. Bottom line, it's a good read. It gets my unqualified thumbs up. And if you weren't concerned about the erosion of our civil liberties since 9/11, you will be after reading The Detachment. And, by the way, some great links at the end of the book to the journalism that informs the writing.
Carry on.
Download my starter library for free here - http://eepurl.com/bFkt0X
1. It's a page-turner.
2. Plenty of twists to keep ya guessing. And character arcs. And locales that I've been to (like a chase scene through the bowels of Kanda, where I used to buy books (back in the far off days before I got this Kindle, er, two weeks ago). And hot half-Japanese soccer moms.
3. Good point: It's got high testosterone, gun-toting American Special Ops boys and their toys action throughout.
4. Bad point: It's got high testosterone, gun-toting American Special Ops boys and their toys action throughout.
5. I suppose that's the nature of the genre, but I liked the backstory (is that the right term, ed?) of political intrigue that informed all the gun-toting action more and wanted to see more of the conspiracy that was afoot... but, er, I don't have clearance to say any more.
6. Though I made the mistake of reading a few reviews on Amazon and seems some fans were perturbed that there was so much political talk and stuff about US liberties being eroded and the police state and so on. To me, that stuff lifted it from just being a bullet to the head like Rambo III - back when the Ruskies were the baddies and the plucky Muslim braves were the goodies. Remember those days? They really happened, children. But the first Rambo movie, and book, was really good, honest. (No really, it was).
7. You've got this far, dear reader, so I should fess up: You shouldn't trust a word of this since:
a) Mr Eisler, and yes, he does deserve the courtesy title, was awesome enough to include an advert to Quakebook in the back of the book, for which I'm extremely grateful.
b) This is the first John Rain thriller I've read, so I'm not qualified to compare it with the other six in the series.
c) Never trust a reviewer who puts bullet points within bullet points.
Sod it, I've lost the thread here. Bottom line, it's a good read. It gets my unqualified thumbs up. And if you weren't concerned about the erosion of our civil liberties since 9/11, you will be after reading The Detachment. And, by the way, some great links at the end of the book to the journalism that informs the writing.
Carry on.
Download my starter library for free here - http://eepurl.com/bFkt0X
September 19, 2011
“The Detachment” by Barry Eisler is the first John Rain book since 2007 and seventh book in the series.
Eisler brings together the Ben Treven series (“Fault Line” and “ Inside Out”) with John Rain in this masterpiece of political maneuvering and manipulation. Treven and Larison are asked by Colonel Scott Horton (of the Treven series) to track Rain and Dox down so that the two pairs can team up to make some necessary “adjustments” to the current administration who are out to terrorize the American people to their own end. As with all of Eisler’s expertly written novels, all is not what it appears. In a storyline fraught with tension and question of not if but when the foursome will implode, Rain sets out to do what he thinks is right accompanied by the ever awesome, Dox (sort for Unorthodox).
Dox fans, you’re going to love his character in this book. This is truly the best of Dox. As much as my heart bled for Dox in “Requiem for an Assassin,” I fell for the character all over again in this novel.
Treven is still a bit of a tool but he’s a tool in a way that makes sense and adds to the story. If you’ve only read Eisler’s Treven books and declared them not for you, try Rain, he really is a completely different animal.
Eisler also brings back Kanesaki which, as the book takes place mostly in the US, would have been easy not to do but I love that he did it. I’ve always personally wondered if this isn’t the character that Eisler based on himself. He’s well realized though a bit out of his depth but certainly willing to help Rain in any way he can.
This was a happy read with a good friend after a long absence….which may seem odd to say of a book with so much violence but read it, I dare you to walk away without a smile on your face. The next book cannot be released quick enough. I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes mystery/thriller.
.
Eisler brings together the Ben Treven series (“Fault Line” and “ Inside Out”) with John Rain in this masterpiece of political maneuvering and manipulation. Treven and Larison are asked by Colonel Scott Horton (of the Treven series) to track Rain and Dox down so that the two pairs can team up to make some necessary “adjustments” to the current administration who are out to terrorize the American people to their own end. As with all of Eisler’s expertly written novels, all is not what it appears. In a storyline fraught with tension and question of not if but when the foursome will implode, Rain sets out to do what he thinks is right accompanied by the ever awesome, Dox (sort for Unorthodox).
Dox fans, you’re going to love his character in this book. This is truly the best of Dox. As much as my heart bled for Dox in “Requiem for an Assassin,” I fell for the character all over again in this novel.
Treven is still a bit of a tool but he’s a tool in a way that makes sense and adds to the story. If you’ve only read Eisler’s Treven books and declared them not for you, try Rain, he really is a completely different animal.
Eisler also brings back Kanesaki which, as the book takes place mostly in the US, would have been easy not to do but I love that he did it. I’ve always personally wondered if this isn’t the character that Eisler based on himself. He’s well realized though a bit out of his depth but certainly willing to help Rain in any way he can.
This was a happy read with a good friend after a long absence….which may seem odd to say of a book with so much violence but read it, I dare you to walk away without a smile on your face. The next book cannot be released quick enough. I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes mystery/thriller.
.
September 19, 2011
I love Eisler's novels. You just fall into them and don't ever want to come up for air. They always end too soon.
John Rain and Dox have a unique and not entirely easy partnership, at least from Rain's Point of View. Partnerships are not the norm for these operatives, but in "The Detachment" the partnership with Larison, Trevan, Dox and Rain is an entirely new experience for all of them. At one point Rain thinks, "I ever work with a team again, just kill me, and then had to stifle a crazy laugh because, with this team, that was exactly the problem."
The tension starts from the first page and builds from there. This is John Rain at his best; planning and executing operations across the US and in Europe and foiling others; and most difficult of all, keeping this uneasy partnership together and alive. The crises of conscious these man battle are as lethal as the armed enemies they face.
My favorite scene was a very tense moment when the four guys were close to taking each other out, but DOX broke them up by re-enacting a Cleavon Little scene from Blazing Saddles. It was a rare laugh-out-loud moment in book of not many humorous moments.
And all of this adds up what I think is the best book Eisler has produced so far.
John Rain and Dox have a unique and not entirely easy partnership, at least from Rain's Point of View. Partnerships are not the norm for these operatives, but in "The Detachment" the partnership with Larison, Trevan, Dox and Rain is an entirely new experience for all of them. At one point Rain thinks, "I ever work with a team again, just kill me, and then had to stifle a crazy laugh because, with this team, that was exactly the problem."
The tension starts from the first page and builds from there. This is John Rain at his best; planning and executing operations across the US and in Europe and foiling others; and most difficult of all, keeping this uneasy partnership together and alive. The crises of conscious these man battle are as lethal as the armed enemies they face.
My favorite scene was a very tense moment when the four guys were close to taking each other out, but DOX broke them up by re-enacting a Cleavon Little scene from Blazing Saddles. It was a rare laugh-out-loud moment in book of not many humorous moments.
And all of this adds up what I think is the best book Eisler has produced so far.
December 13, 2020
Scott Horton, a black ops colonel tracks down John Rain in Tokyo for a formidable multimillion payday. He is asked to plan and execute the demise of three high profile targets to prevent a political coup in America.
The job is too big for just John alone so 3 other expert killers are in with John on the job.
Ben Treven, a covert operator with divided loyalties, Dox, a former marine sniper and John Rain's friend, and John Larison who seems to enjoy his job a bit too much.
Moves quickly from Tokyo, to Venice, Los Angeles and DC.
They have to get the job done while being tracked by presidential hit teams, National security resources and figure out who is on their side and who is not.
This book is written by an author who knows the life himself...so it is authentic and as real as it gets.
The job is too big for just John alone so 3 other expert killers are in with John on the job.
Ben Treven, a covert operator with divided loyalties, Dox, a former marine sniper and John Rain's friend, and John Larison who seems to enjoy his job a bit too much.
Moves quickly from Tokyo, to Venice, Los Angeles and DC.
They have to get the job done while being tracked by presidential hit teams, National security resources and figure out who is on their side and who is not.
This book is written by an author who knows the life himself...so it is authentic and as real as it gets.
September 29, 2011
Another great book in the Rain series, and an enjoyable read. That being said i found this book to be a bit of a let down compared to the last three books. My complaints are that this book seemed to be a bit preachy, and while i enjoy politcal thrillers/assassins (i.e. Mitch Rapp)this seemed more like Eisler wrote the book to make a point. Also this book lacked that classic John Rain rampage moment that has become his trademark.
IMO this is in the bottom 2 or 3 books of the series
IMO this is in the bottom 2 or 3 books of the series
August 31, 2012
A very good read.
October 9, 2015
Rain with friends
August 24, 2023
5 stars
It was nice having another full-length book in the queue from Barry Eisler after two short stories.
"The Detachment" gathers John Rain, Dox, Ben Treven, and Daniel Larison (and two characters from another Eisler series).
Col. Scott “Hort” Horton send Larison and Treven to get Rain for his particular set of skills. Rain adds Dox and the personalities don't necessarily mix.
Aside from Eisler's usually wonderful descriptions, he threw in a couple of nice plot twists and political intrigue. I like this group together.
It was nice having another full-length book in the queue from Barry Eisler after two short stories.
"The Detachment" gathers John Rain, Dox, Ben Treven, and Daniel Larison (and two characters from another Eisler series).
Col. Scott “Hort” Horton send Larison and Treven to get Rain for his particular set of skills. Rain adds Dox and the personalities don't necessarily mix.
Aside from Eisler's usually wonderful descriptions, he threw in a couple of nice plot twists and political intrigue. I like this group together.
August 16, 2017
Audio w/book
Eisler probably had a great outline for this story. I think that he did not work hard enough on the actual writing skills to produce a well done finished product. If this is true, then why, as Tim Wolf reviewed this, it passed thru the editing product?
Eisler probably had a great outline for this story. I think that he did not work hard enough on the actual writing skills to produce a well done finished product. If this is true, then why, as Tim Wolf reviewed this, it passed thru the editing product?
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