Hard Rain

John Rain #2

by Barry Eisler

In his critically acclaimed Rain Fall, Barry Eisler introduced half Japanese-half American freelance hit man John Rain, a "dashing and dangerous hero...as likable as he is lethal." Now Eisler's back. So is Rain, the master of death by "natural causes" whose new target threatens the fragile political balance of an entire country.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Action, Audiobook, Crime, Japan

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 14, 2003

About the author

Barry 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

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm on a real Barry Eisler spree at the moment; I've read three books in the Livia Lone series (love them) and this second book in the John Rain series (read the first one some time ago but forgot how much I enjoyed it!).
All of these are fast-paced, hard-hitting, super-violent, high-action books and I'm really loving Eisler's style.
I love the details about tactics/weapons and the blow by blow account of how Rain gets the upper hand in a seemingly unwinnable situation. Help me but I really like the problem solving element!
There is some character assessment/background which gives the story a little depth and I do want to find out more about what happens to John but any emotions explored are of the raw/reactionary/instinct kind rather than complex lovey stuff...which suits me just fine! I love the Tokyo setting too.
I understand there will be some crossover between John Rain & Livia Lone so I'm looking forward to that.
This was a very satisfying and entertaining read if you are into action/thrillers (audio recommended).

[Andrew Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second in the series of books featuring John Rain, the America/Japanese soldier turned freelance assassin. This time Rain is up to his neck in a complex web featuring an underground fight club and a collection of some of the most unpleasant characters you’ll ever wish not to meet.

You’ll have to keep your wits about while it plays out as a multitude of interlinking characters created, for me, a foggy plot. But Tokyo is brought alive and a few more layers are peeled off the John Rain onion. I am realising more and more what a complex and haunted man our anti-hero is.

The descriptions of Rain’s journey of self-discovery, his interactions and the expert way the action scenes are laid out are the real strengths of this series. A convoluted plot, with the intrigue and complexity created by the actions of the various law enforcement agencies and underworld characters may or may not be your thing. If it is then Eisler’s career history ensures there’s plenty of authentic detail. If not, I still believe these stories are multi-layered enough to fulfil most tastes. I’ll certainly be going back for another helping.

[Tessa Nadir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Al doilea roman din seria John Rain in care asasinul profesionist trebuie sa elimine pe cineva din Yakuza dar, la un moment dat, va trebui sa razbune si moartea unuia dintre cei mai buni prieteni ai sai. Mi s-a parut ca este prima data cand John Rain da de un adversar de calibrul sau, in persoana lui Murakami si tocmai din acest motiv mi-ar fi placut ca infruntarea finala sa fie mai spectaculoasa.
Ca si in celelalte parti ale seriei si aici mi-au placut foarte mult descrierile oraselor Tokyo si Osaka, atat de precise si autentice incat pot doar sa incante.
M-am bucurat ca autorul foloseste expresii si cuvinte din japoneza astfel ca am putut sa invat si eu cateva dintre ele. :)
Pe langa multitudinea de informatii despre cluburile de jazz si whisky-ul single malt, al carui fan este John Rain, am mai citit despre o miscare de imobilizare a piciorului din jiu-jitsu care poate duce la ruperea sa sau despre 'kakuseizai' - metamfetamina care fusese drogul preferat al soldatilor japonezi din cel de-al Doilea Razboi Mondial.
In ceea ce priveste doamnele, aflam ca rolul traditional al femeii japoneze este sa serveasca mancarea, sa toarna bauturile si sa intretina conversatia. Conceptul de animatoare este diferit de ceea ce cunoastem noi, animatoarele aidoma gheiselor din care descind, sunt platite pentru conversatie si dupa terminarea programului pot intretine relatii cu unii clienti dar numai dupa ce au fost curtate cum se cuvine.
Mi-a placut foarte mult sa aflu despre 'Kotatsu', adica masuta scunda si rotunda, cu patura matlasata care ajunge pana la podea si sub care se afla un radiator electric, in jurul careia se strang membrii familiei iarna, cu picioarele desculte, varate sub patura. Mi s-a parut o traditie frumoasa ca in serile geroase familia se aduna la un loc si cu totii participa la conversatie.
M-a amuzat ca John Rain are pager in loc de telefon si autorul, constient de amuzamentul cititorilor, ne explica printr-o nota de subsol ca desi in Europa nu mai suntem adeptii unor asemenea mijloace de comunicare, in Asia inca se mai folosesc, mai ales ca nu pot fi urmarite.
As mai mentiona ca putem afla foarte multe lucruri despre asa zisele 'gumi' - clanurile din Yakuza, foarte asemanatoare cu familiile din Cosa Nostra.
Ca incheiere las aici un citat care mi-a ramas in minte si dupa ce am terminat cartea:
"La urma urmei, uciderea este expresia suprema a urii si fricii, tot asa cum sexul este expresia suprema a iubirii si dorintei. Si, la fel ca in cazul sexului, este inerent nefiresc sa ucizi un strain care nu ti-a cauzat absolut nicio emotie."

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I could accurately be labeled a 'gorehound' when it comes to movies. Give me viscera and splatter realized through practical effects, and I will crow with happiness. I've lost count of how many times I gave a resounding YES! in the middle of movie theater while others cringed from the gory spectacle on screen (the last time was during, oh yes, "Prometheus").

All of this said, there were moments when "Hard Rain" disturbed me.

I'm not sure what it was. I have read gobs of scenes in which someone puts the beat down on another person, sometimes to fatal effect. The way Eisler does it, though, got to me. When John Rain puts on the hurt, it freakin hurts to read about it. And Rain's cool description of this punishment only adds to my heebie-jeebies. Worst of all, Rain dispatches people whom he knows not at all. Somebody's tailing him on the street and making him feel threatened? Dead. Someone challenges him to a sparring match? Bone-break. Based on the two books that I have read in this series, I see John Rain having two settings: Mortal Agony and Kill Kill Kill.

I did like this book. The plot is tangled up in other plots, and the nature of the enemy is unclear throughout. This is good espionage fiction that serves up healthy examples of the genre's attractions. Rain's asides about trade craft are nifty, and, yes, the action is exciting.

Probably, I'll wait awhile before stomaching book the third.

[John Paxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Rain continues the action and trying to escape Japan and the CIA. Its the 2nd book and I'm really getting into this series.

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard Rain, previously published as A Lonely Resurrection and Blood from Blood, is the second book in the John Rain series about a half American, half Japanese contract killer with a code working in Tokyo. I don’t think it’s essential to read these in order, but there are various returning characters from the first book and Rain’s personality and history are more fleshed out in the first one. This came out in 2003 but holds up pretty well in terms of technology.

Set about a year after the events of Rain Fall/AClean Kill in Tokyo, John has been hiding out in Osaka but is tracked down by his powerful secret policeman sometime ally Tatsu about a job. Rain specialises in “natural causes” assassinations and his mission introduces him to Murakami, a fearful gangster organising to the death cage fights who has links to corrupt politicians. With the CIA his tail, an old flame who thought him dead trying to find him, and his best friend in the the clutches of a glamorous bargirl, Rain will need all his tricks to come out alive…

I was first introduced to Rain as a minor character in the more recent Livia Lone books, so it’s been interesting meeting his younger, darker incarnation. He’s not quite an anti-hero - the first person narration means we are firmly on his side, but many of his actions gave me pause - casually killing a CIA operative apparently just doing his job, inflicting maximal violence on anyone who gets in his way, and being really quite nasty to a poor dog (admittedly it was trying to rip his arm off!) He is loyal to his friends, and has a weakness for beautiful women, jazz, and whiskey. The fight scenes are detailed and gory and often had me wincing.

The plot is complicated, with multiple bad guys to keep track of, as well as those walking the line between law enforcement and criminality. One of the aspects I liked initially got tedious after a while - the detailed descriptions of Tokyo - the city is very much a character here, but extended descriptions of every SDR (surveillance detection route) he takes just felt like padding. Eisler uses a lot of Japanese words which added flavour but I struggled to remember what they all meant. I’ve got the next two lined up and feel I will need to read them fairly soon while I remember who’s who. 3.5 rounded up for the interesting hero and atmospheric writing.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked that it was set in Japan & apparently was accurate both geographically & in many other instances. Rain is a fairly interesting character. I enjoyed it, but it's pretty much another assassin thriller & I guess not terribly memorable. I had this marked as having read it once before. Must have been some time ago as it was all new to me.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

My paranoia levels are up😳

😂😂 this was another great read and Barry Eisler really narrates the story so well he embodies the John character so well and if this wasn’t fiction I’d actually believe he is John, that’s how good the book is.

Everything is just on point I can’t stop the binge 😂🤭….. on to the next one

[Tracie Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Rain is a bad ass. Good series.

[Jerry Mead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid action and suspense will look to read the 3rd JR.

[Eddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will rate it 3.5, just not my type of book.

[Eric_W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to this audiobook, read by Dick Hill who does a terrific job with pronouncing Japanese. At least it sounds authentic. Not having any clue, I wouldn’t know, but the perception of authenticity is as good as reality. And, of course, I’ll misspell all the names.

Eisler recreates an authentic Japanese world and culture, at least the seamier side -- apparently, as again, I have no experience with reality. But then, the book is a chimera, and creates a duality from contrast of Japanese culture with the protagonist, a paranoid (can you really be paranoid if everyone is really after you?) assassin, hired by a government spook, Tatsu, his former nemesis to undertake some selective murder, but it’s all in a good cause.

Rain spends most of his time and effort in avoiding detection and circumventing security devices and people, a life which seems devoid of entertainment -- and here Rain is different from Parker and Quarry and Thomas Perry’s nameless assassin, -- except for his love of piano jazz. That struck me as a substantial chink in his armor as his predilection for a particular artist. Midori, daughter of one of Rain’s previous hits, would imply easy entry into his world. Nevertheless, Eisler’s description of Rain’s world is rich and revealing of Japanese cultural differences.

Rain has his own code (no children or women and the targets must be principals, not just “to send a message”) and few friends whom he trusts, one being Harry, the electronics genius, who figures prominently in this story. He also specializes in killing people so the result appears to be of natural or accidental provenance. (One always wonders whether the intricate detail in books like this become prescriptions for some people.)

Eisler muses on Japanese political culture and the relationship between the United States and Japan. Here one of Japan’s top policemen is embarked on a personal crusade to eliminate corruption, yet, as Rain points out Japan’s true power lies in the bureaucracy, and politicians are merely paid lip service. The CIA is also involved, running its own Iran Contra type of operation even setting up one of its own to take an Oliver North kind of fall. The plot is complicated with numerous subplots all nicely tied together by Tokyo’s ambiance.

As I read a particularly affecting scene as Rain recounts his first kill while a sniper in Vietnam, I realized that many of the aforementioned hitmen protagonists learned their trade in Vietnam and realized once out they had no marketable skills except killing, and that they had developed a particularly emotion-less view of life and death.

My sole complaint would be the the writing/reading descriptions of hand-to-hand combat and extreme violence are hardly credible as they often border on caricature. While one could read this as a standalone, I would recommend reading the first in the series, Rain Fall, for a better grounding in the back story of some of the characters.

[Anna Lyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Rain, der Auftragsmörder mit Gewissen, wird genötigt, wieder ein paar Leute ableben zu lassen, so dass es aussieht, als wären diese eines natürlichen Todes gestorben.

Das japanische FBI ist involviert, die CIA, die Yakuza, und so kommen sich die Interessen etwas in die Quere. Einige sterben, meist die richtigen, aber eben nicht immer. Rain geht auf Rachefeldzug und entledigt sich noch ein paar mehr.

Das tönt jetzt alles ziemlich banal, ist aber in seinen Actionszenen richtig gut geschrieben. Meist Close Quarter Combat statt Kugel und Long Distance, und in einem Setting, das recht nahe an der Realität liegt.

Eisler versucht manchmal zu fest, Glaubwürdigkeit mit vielen Worten und intelligent tönenden Sätzen aufzubauen. Funktioniert teilweise, aber wird auch ermüdend. Ausserdem sind die zwei Sexszenen zum überspringen.

Alles andere ist gelungene Action in Japan. Hat Spass gemacht!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Rain has left Tokyo and is contemplating giving up his role as an assassin when the head of the police asks him to do a job, which leads to another favor - kill another assassin. This new target is highly dangerous and it seems the few friends John has left are wrapped up in the danger.

I listened to the audio version and it's well done. The author is the narrator and seems to know a lot about the Japanese language and culture. Because I find that subject interesting, it doesn't bother me that the author sometimes explains things in more detail than might be necessary. I am also becoming rather fond of John Rain's character as he develops. Poor John suffers some loses in this book that I think will bother him in the next one. I look forward to seeing if he makes any new relationships in the next book that will ease his loneliness.

[Maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

PROTAGONIST: John Rain, freelance assassin
SETTING: Japan
SERIES: #2
RATING: 3.5
WHY: John Rain is a half American, half Japanese freelance assassin. At the moment, he is situated in Tokyo where he is approached by any number of people about plying his trade. In what I viewed as a weakness. He's in constant danger and spends a large part of the book moving around in an effort not to be found by any of the other characters. He doesn't succeed in the case of the Japanese FBI agent, Tatsu, with whom he has an unusual alliance. This series vividly shows the world of the kind of person I'll likely never meet, an assassin. However, Rain didn't have a specific target that would drive his actions throughout the book, which I felt was a weakness, and his constant movement got repetitive.

[David Lucero · Rating 5 out of 5]

A realistic suspense thriller that left me wondering how many people like John Rain are out there making a person's death appear like 'natural causes.'

[Victor Klimas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seems action packed so far and intense series.

[Петър Пеев · Rating 4 out of 5]

Втора част от поредицата за наемният убиец Джон Рейн.

Трябва да упомена, че тук до голяма степен историята следва предходната част от поредицата и не е удачно да се чете самостоятелно. Джон се е скрил в Осака след завършека на предната книга, но неговият добър познат от японското ФБР (кейсачу) го намира и моли за услута - елиминиране на дребен играч в Якудза. Това обаче не се оказва единична задача и зад нея след по-голяма конспирация. Джон се съгласява, защото от една страна е притиснат, а от друга е хубаво хора от Кейсачу да ти дължат услуги.

Отново са замесени и ЦРУ, както и интересите на чичо Сам. В тази въртележка за власт и надмощие между тайни организации, Джон трябва да лавира и да пипа внимателно, защото всеки може да го предаде, а съюзниците му са малко.

Срещаме и неговата възлюбена от предходната книга, а интересен факт е, че даден страничен герои загуби живота си. Нещо, което аз определено не очаквах, защото кой Уотсън оставя своя Шерлок да се справя сам с лошите.

Хубаво четиво, а Джон Рейн отново се представи на ниво, като негов опонент беше свиреп гангстер, убиващ за удоволствие. Няма да ви издам много, но само ще кажа, че все пак нашият протагонист не е случаен човек

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having reread "Rain Fall" (2002), the first of the series of six novels, I've finally gotten around to the series. "A Lonely Resurrection" (international title is third in the series (Rain Storm" in the US, I think). John Rain, the child of a Japanese father and an American mother, grew up in two cultures, but was never a part of either. Largely as a result of that isolated state, he has worked as an assassin, though one with rules (no women, children, or collateral targets). Having created a new identity, he is disappointed to be roped back into doing the company's business, as lucrative as it is. In this case, his target is an international arms dealer who is playing the tables in Macau's gambling palaces. There are complications, though, for the target is heavily protected and the target of at least two other groups. Rain is very smart, so he is constantly interesting, but so are some of his adversaries, especially a woman named "Delilah," who works for another intelligence system. But which one? Finding out is part of the many pleasures in this book.

[Corey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Action filled and drew me in. I'm liking this series so far.

[Jon Seals · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second book in the series is slower, with more detail into John Rain's life. I'm surprised the ratings are this good. I loved it, but it's more of a character study while Rain decides whether he wants to "work" as a hitman again or not.

The book is called "A Lonely Resurrection," so you pretty much know where it's going.

I enjoyed the journey. I really like this character.

Barry Eisler is great at providing a lot of detail while keeping the reader completely engaged. He performs the audiobook as well, so he gets double my admiration.

I've already added the entire series to my queue, but the next two books are on sale at Audible.com. Yay!!!

[Lance Charnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second installment of Eisler's John Rain series offers more of the same, but less. The hit man-antihero is once again embroiled in the corruption and crime omnipresent in Eisler's portrayal of Japan, once again caught between yakuza on one hand and the CIA on another, and once again finding inventive ways to kill the people who become threats. There is much double- and triple-dealing, skulking about in dark shadows, and conspiracy enough to spare. This is the good stuff.

Where Hard Rain falls short of the series debut (Rain Fall) is in its subtle change in Rain's portrayal. In the first novel, Rain was palpably a mortal man -- very good at what he did, but fallable and certainly not indestructible (indeed, he sustains significant injury in the finale). This time around, Rain has become more of a killing machine, dispatching various targets without a great deal of either effort or reflection. At no point are the outcomes of these encounters at all in doubt, which leaches them of much potential tension. The shortcomings of the first book also become more pronounced in this one: name-checking districts in Tokyo isn't the same thing as showing us those places; the endless menu of high-end whiskey makes connoisseurship tedious; and his conquests of women half his age continue unabated.

If you enjoyed the series opener, you'll probably like this one, perhaps not as much, though. If you've never encountered John Rain before, start with Rain Fall instead. I have another installment in the series (Killing Rain) queued up, hoping Rain will regain his humanity and reclaim the interest he held in Rain Fall.

[Jon · Rating 1 out of 5]

The publisher backed at least 5 John Rain books for publication, and this one has a high enough Goodreads rating that I feel like I missed something.

At one point, a cop and John Rain are talking. The cop asks Rain if he knows what "pride fighting" is.

Normal conversational answer: "The mixed martial art? Sure."

Book answer: "Sure," I said. The Pride Fighting Championship is a mixed martial arts sport, based in Japan, with televised bouts held every two months or so. The idea behind the so-called mixed martial arts, or MMA, is to pit against each other a combination of traditional martial disciplines: boxing, jujitsu, judo, karate, kempo, kung fu, Muat Thai, sambo, wrestling. Audiences for Pride competitions have been growing steadily since the sport was founded, along with King of the Cage..." And long after I've drifted off, it just. keeps. going.

It felt like a paranoid Joe Friday having a conversation with himself that was frequently interrupted with extended exposition or Japanese to unnecessarily translate. I frequently fell asleep during the first 127 pages before giving up entirely.

[Zoe and the Edge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the scenarios and Rain himself better in this one. The writing is overall more intense. Rain uses everything in his box of tricks. He doesn't mind acting like a fool or suffering a little humiliation if it gets the job done. He's not uber-cool all the time. He's direct and doesn't put on unnecessary airs. His assessment of danger and opponents is logical and focused from a lifetime of experience. His ability to be such a normal person means that one of his greatest assets is that people underestimate him time and time again.
Naturally a part of me is shocked by Rain's lack of sympathy, but the other part of me likes that Rain has the detached personality that one would expect from a hitman. His ruthlessness really is just practicality without feelings.
I enjoy psychological musings and I appreciate that Rain employs them to full effect. The sensitivity in the relationships and dialogue is a treat. Rain's friend/enemy Tatsu is more present in this book and he adds a good dynamic to the storyline.

Verdict: I am very tempted to start up the next book in the series immediately, but I'll save it

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really great read. I highly recommend it. If you haven't read
the first John Rain thriller, " A Clean Kill In Tokyo,," I advise you to
open that up first. It gives a lot of background as to who Rain is, who
Harry is, and who Midori is. This book picks up where the first leaves
off. John Rain is an a former Vietnam War commando who grew up in
both Japan and in the states. He is also a deadly assasin. The book
details his life underground and the links from his past that lead him
out into dangerous waters. There is spy stuff, political intrigue, judo,
mixed martial arts, hostess clubs, and blackmail. It's John rain against
the whole Tokyo underworld. As with the first Rain book, this one takes
the reader on a journey into the depths of Tokyo, a place that I for the
first time find fascinating.

[Pat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Swimming against the flow here but I didn't think I could finish this book, it started so tediously. Having said that it did get better after half way. The plot itself was OK (not brilliant and a little overly convoluted but OK) but I did have some problems with the writing style.

The many descriptions of various aspects of Rain's "tradecraft" were overly long-winded and, frankly, boring after a while. Also, it was set in Japan and a lot of the dialogue was given first in Japanese and then in English. It was overdone (we know they're in Japan already). For me it detracted from the plot. This is the second John Rain book I have read in the series and I'm not sure I can read any more of them.

[Skip · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book better than the first one (Rain Fall.) The plot was more interesting, and resolved one of the threads from the first book. Also, Eisler began to show more of the protagonist John Rain's inate goodness. Does a nice job of making Tokyo come alive too.

[Metodi Markov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Втора книга от поредицата. Рейн-сан е все така безмилостен и перфектен. Интересно четиво, особенно добре е представено постоянното напрежение съпътстващо героя, както и параноичния му подход във всичко, помогнал му да оцелее в толкова опасен свят.

Продължавам с третата част.

[Elaine Nickolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again John Rain must do what he does best, kill or be killed. John comes back from the first book where he met his end, or so he had other think. Someone is tracking him and wants him. What will his pursuers do to get to him? Will John help some of those tracking him? and who will pay the price? This installment seemed to start a tad slow and for a while it seemed that I had signed on for a tour of Japan. However, once the story started and I got deeper into the book the story line took off. This book was written in a different style than the first and I wasn't a big fan. However, as I said, once it finally got going it became a page turner and I couldn't wait to see how/if John got out of this giant mess. I liked the way the author set the reader up for the next in the series because this reader is going back to find out how John makes out and if he will retire?

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Eisler does not disappoint and became my comfort author whenever I‘m in need for a quick distraction, something fast paced and a solid storytelling. Once again I was impressed by all the research and personal experience that was put into this book which makes it exceptionally detailed and realistic. I loved the depth of the characters, the subtle criticism of politics and people in power and the constant questioning of morality.

.. And the more time I spend with the characters the more they grow on me. Save to say it gives me comfort knowing that there are still a whole lot of sequels for me to read 😁