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John Rain #4
Redemption Games
Previously published as Killing Rain and One Last Kill
After nearly dying while taking out a target in Hong Kong, Rain has a new employer, the Mossad, which wants him to fix a "problem" in Manila. He also has a new partner, Dox, whose good-ol'-boy persona masks a sniper as deadly as Rain himself. And he has a new hope: that by using his talents in the service of something good, he might atone for all the lives he has taken. But when Rain's conscience causes him to botch the Manila hit, he finds out the next problem the Mossad wants fixed is himself. Is Delilah, his Mossad lover, coming to help him? Or was she sent to finish him off?
"Exhilarating... Eisler unspools a plot full of warring secret government connections, cool spy paraphernalia, and vivid martial-arts sequences."
--Entertainment Weekly
Includes a note from the author introducing the new edition.
After nearly dying while taking out a target in Hong Kong, Rain has a new employer, the Mossad, which wants him to fix a "problem" in Manila. He also has a new partner, Dox, whose good-ol'-boy persona masks a sniper as deadly as Rain himself. And he has a new hope: that by using his talents in the service of something good, he might atone for all the lives he has taken. But when Rain's conscience causes him to botch the Manila hit, he finds out the next problem the Mossad wants fixed is himself. Is Delilah, his Mossad lover, coming to help him? Or was she sent to finish him off?
"Exhilarating... Eisler unspools a plot full of warring secret government connections, cool spy paraphernalia, and vivid martial-arts sequences."
--Entertainment Weekly
Includes a note from the author introducing the new edition.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 23, 2005
1011 people are currently reading
2035 people want to read
About the author
Barry Eisler
87 books3,042 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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 326 reviews
October 20, 2013
RATING: 4.75
PROTAGONIST: John Rain
SETTING: Manila, Thailand, Japan
SERIES: #4 of 4
The one thing that you must do if you are a paid assassin is to learn how to remove any emotional elements from the act of killing. Each target should be viewed as goal to be accomplished, devoid of any feelings about the person or the deed. Thus, when John Rain is hired by the Israeli intelligence organization "Mossad" to kill Manheim Levi, an Israeli explosives expert, he is amazed to find himself hesitating when Levi's young son comes into the picture. Rain relates to the position of the son after having lost his own father as a youth. But he's not supposed to have these feelings; in fact, what has made him successful in his chosen career is his ability to stage a killing that looks natural and leaves him later with no remorse.
His reputation impugned, Rain must complete the assignment both for himself and for the organization for which he is working. Partnering with a flamboyant American by the name of Dox, who helped him out of a bad situation previously, and Delilah, the intelligence agent who referred him to the Mossad, Rain goes on a global chase to meet his objective. Hindered by twinges of conscience, Rain still hasn't lost the skills he has honed over the years. Facing danger, both to himself and his colleagues, he is able to pull out his bag of tricks and dig into the organization that was fronting Levi.
KILLING RAIN succeeds on many levels. The plot is complex and fast moving, and the various Asian settings add another dimension to the narrative. It's fun to see the impact of the rambunctious Dox on the very serious Rain; at times, John even lightens up and makes a joke or two. Delilah, the Israeli agent and love interest, is multi-dimensional and unpredictable. The action scenes are superb; the art of spying with all of its paraphernalia is fascinating as well. The only weak area for me was the reintroduction of a previous love interest toward the conclusion of the book, in a scenario that felt improbable at best.
But to me, where Eisler really excels is in how he portrays the psychological stresses that Rain is going through as he matures. Certainly, having any hesitancy or doubt about what he is doing is going to end in a very bad result for Rain. But he is finding that he needs to justify his own behavior; and as he does so, the reader becomes involved in Rain's moral dilemma. Yes, Rain is killing people; however, don't they deserve to be killed? By eliminating subversives and terrorists, is not Rain eliminating vast harm to the general public?
I fell in love with Rain in the first book in the series, RAIN FALL, and am a big fan of international thrillers. By adding in Rain's struggles with his conscience and his ability to trust his erstwhile partners, I felt that KILLING RAIN had a sense of humanity that is often missing in books of this type. Other readers may see this as a sign of weakness in a strong character; to me, it added another dimension and made the book all the more enjoyable.
PROTAGONIST: John Rain
SETTING: Manila, Thailand, Japan
SERIES: #4 of 4
The one thing that you must do if you are a paid assassin is to learn how to remove any emotional elements from the act of killing. Each target should be viewed as goal to be accomplished, devoid of any feelings about the person or the deed. Thus, when John Rain is hired by the Israeli intelligence organization "Mossad" to kill Manheim Levi, an Israeli explosives expert, he is amazed to find himself hesitating when Levi's young son comes into the picture. Rain relates to the position of the son after having lost his own father as a youth. But he's not supposed to have these feelings; in fact, what has made him successful in his chosen career is his ability to stage a killing that looks natural and leaves him later with no remorse.
His reputation impugned, Rain must complete the assignment both for himself and for the organization for which he is working. Partnering with a flamboyant American by the name of Dox, who helped him out of a bad situation previously, and Delilah, the intelligence agent who referred him to the Mossad, Rain goes on a global chase to meet his objective. Hindered by twinges of conscience, Rain still hasn't lost the skills he has honed over the years. Facing danger, both to himself and his colleagues, he is able to pull out his bag of tricks and dig into the organization that was fronting Levi.
KILLING RAIN succeeds on many levels. The plot is complex and fast moving, and the various Asian settings add another dimension to the narrative. It's fun to see the impact of the rambunctious Dox on the very serious Rain; at times, John even lightens up and makes a joke or two. Delilah, the Israeli agent and love interest, is multi-dimensional and unpredictable. The action scenes are superb; the art of spying with all of its paraphernalia is fascinating as well. The only weak area for me was the reintroduction of a previous love interest toward the conclusion of the book, in a scenario that felt improbable at best.
But to me, where Eisler really excels is in how he portrays the psychological stresses that Rain is going through as he matures. Certainly, having any hesitancy or doubt about what he is doing is going to end in a very bad result for Rain. But he is finding that he needs to justify his own behavior; and as he does so, the reader becomes involved in Rain's moral dilemma. Yes, Rain is killing people; however, don't they deserve to be killed? By eliminating subversives and terrorists, is not Rain eliminating vast harm to the general public?
I fell in love with Rain in the first book in the series, RAIN FALL, and am a big fan of international thrillers. By adding in Rain's struggles with his conscience and his ability to trust his erstwhile partners, I felt that KILLING RAIN had a sense of humanity that is often missing in books of this type. Other readers may see this as a sign of weakness in a strong character; to me, it added another dimension and made the book all the more enjoyable.
December 25, 2018
Another good entry in the John Rain series. He spends a little too much time dwelling on his morals or personal philosophy, but it does make a good point - do the means justify the end? Even some of the 'bad' guys have good reasons for what they do. A very slippery slope & where to draw the line is something the reader has to figure out for themselves.
3.5 rounded up to 4 for great narration & such a thought provoking theme. Plenty of good action, too.
3.5 rounded up to 4 for great narration & such a thought provoking theme. Plenty of good action, too.
November 28, 2014
This was my first introduction to John Rain, assassin for hire. Coming to the series having sidestepped the first three books did leave me exposed to the gaps in my knowledge of his history. There are carry-over characters here from his earlier adventures and knowledge of the back-story would have been advantageous given numerous references in this book. My advice would be, if you are new to this series do the logical thing and start at the first book!
In style, it felt like Lee Child’s Reacher series in the transient nature of its hero’s lifestyle and also in his seeming indestructability despite, at times, facing multiple foes. Rain is also somewhat reminiscent of Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp, another nailed down killer, in its meticulous attention to the nano detail of tradecraft. But, in some ways Rain does feel different to both. For example, at times in this book he examines his conscience regarding his choice of occupation, something I don’t recall either Reacher or Rapp doing. In fact Rain is altogether more humane, a more considered character. Though in conclusion, the book is close enough to both series for me to assume that if you like one of ‘em you’ll like ‘em all.
The plot is complicated enough to keep you guessing and the action scenes are exceptional. It’s pacy, as Rain skips around Asia in a dizzying series of flights punctuated by some ruthless disposal of the bad guys. The characters are well drawn if a little stereotypical. Overall it’s a pretty good read. Is it enough to draw me back to devour the rest of the series? I don’t know, time will tell.
In style, it felt like Lee Child’s Reacher series in the transient nature of its hero’s lifestyle and also in his seeming indestructability despite, at times, facing multiple foes. Rain is also somewhat reminiscent of Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp, another nailed down killer, in its meticulous attention to the nano detail of tradecraft. But, in some ways Rain does feel different to both. For example, at times in this book he examines his conscience regarding his choice of occupation, something I don’t recall either Reacher or Rapp doing. In fact Rain is altogether more humane, a more considered character. Though in conclusion, the book is close enough to both series for me to assume that if you like one of ‘em you’ll like ‘em all.
The plot is complicated enough to keep you guessing and the action scenes are exceptional. It’s pacy, as Rain skips around Asia in a dizzying series of flights punctuated by some ruthless disposal of the bad guys. The characters are well drawn if a little stereotypical. Overall it’s a pretty good read. Is it enough to draw me back to devour the rest of the series? I don’t know, time will tell.
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
January 11, 2019
Another long overdue re-read, this one has Rain and Dox teaming up for a Mossad-financed operation in Manila that promptly gets screwed up, landing the two of them in trouble with their erstwhile employers and other players while Delilah inserts herself back in Rain's life with timing entirely too conspicuous to be coincidental. Much like the previous book, a thrilling action-packed read which I probably would have enjoyed more without Delilah in it - her character just irritates the hell out of me for some reason.
September 25, 2020
Libro entretenido sobre el sicario John Rain.
February 5, 2013
This novel is for you if you’re into frustrating stories. While the idea set up of a hit man may sound interesting, the story drags on and on and lacks good excitement throughout. 0 of 10 stars
January 3, 2024
The thrills keep coming with Rain and his assassinations.
December 8, 2022
Funny story to start this off: it seems that all assassins in novel series are named John, like John Milton. Or John Rain, whose specialty it is to make the death look natural. (There are also the Jacks, like Reacher or Widow - they're not assassin's, they're drifters. It's a small and simple world out there.) If you have noticed similar name consistencies, please let me know in the comments! I'm really curious about it.
John Rain is also very curious when he is approached by the Mossad to eliminate an Israelian bomb maker with utmost deniability. As it turns out, that guy might or might not be a CIA asset, too. And from that point on, down the rabbit hole we go.
One of the strengths of the John Rain series is Barry's eye for details. When John observes his target, Barry doesn't glance over the facts. No, you'll learn the ingenious ways John uses on his quest, like how to find the room number of a guest without asking for it.
I'm pretty sure Barry has done a ton of research for his novels.
That might also be a weakness, depending how you like your stories. For me it's a match to my taste, like the Nick Stone series. But maybe you prefer high octane thriller without details? Then you're probably going to find this series too slow going for your tastes.
Another constant in this series, besides the meticulousness, is the fact that John Rain has a tenderness at the core of his heart. For a man who makes his living by stopping the living of other people, he's kind of soft hearted. He would never submit to this, true, but it's a constant of this series that he'll get into trouble because of that soft spot.
A soft spot is also a weak spot, if you're in the business of killing people.
Also a constant in this series is the fact that it's first person telling. I like that style for the immersion it grants me - although in this case, there are chapters written from the view of other people, in the narrator style. Those passages serve the reader to know more about what's going on behind the scenes than John, which is a clever way to make you feel afraid for him. Will he realize he's walking into a trap?
General Akhbar knows.
Character based series can come in two types. There is option A, where the hero never really changes. The joy in reading these comes from watching them thrown at ever increasing difficulties and still succeeding. This works best with larger than life heroes, and Reacher is THE prime example for that scenario.
And then there's type B, where our hero grows over the course of the series. That's actually the natural type, and some authors succeed more or less in capturing that change. With John Rain, that's surely there. This John is not the one we meet in the first novel, he's getting older, wiser - and gradually starting to change his world views. Like trust - first novel John wouldn't have trusted his own mother when she told him it was raining. But now? He's letting down his guards.
For some, the distance between who you were and who you have become is unbridgeable, and the dissonance attempted repatriation creates is a constant reminder of the very changes you want so badly to forget.
--In John Rain's own words
And there's the brilliance in suspense, because we readers know he's about to walk into a trap. I'm not afraid for his life, mind you, but I'm afraid for his newborn sense of trust. Will this gentle, young flower start to wither before it has even full blossomed? 😮
I'll leave you to read the rest for yourself, I'll just put it this way: The first third of the book had been a bit slow, but the rest makes up for it in speed, thrill and action.
4.5 stars, I feel the first third could have been shortened a bit. But a pretty solid thriller nonetheless.
You can also read this review on my Blog.
John Rain is also very curious when he is approached by the Mossad to eliminate an Israelian bomb maker with utmost deniability. As it turns out, that guy might or might not be a CIA asset, too. And from that point on, down the rabbit hole we go.
One of the strengths of the John Rain series is Barry's eye for details. When John observes his target, Barry doesn't glance over the facts. No, you'll learn the ingenious ways John uses on his quest, like how to find the room number of a guest without asking for it.
I'm pretty sure Barry has done a ton of research for his novels.
That might also be a weakness, depending how you like your stories. For me it's a match to my taste, like the Nick Stone series. But maybe you prefer high octane thriller without details? Then you're probably going to find this series too slow going for your tastes.
Another constant in this series, besides the meticulousness, is the fact that John Rain has a tenderness at the core of his heart. For a man who makes his living by stopping the living of other people, he's kind of soft hearted. He would never submit to this, true, but it's a constant of this series that he'll get into trouble because of that soft spot.
A soft spot is also a weak spot, if you're in the business of killing people.
Also a constant in this series is the fact that it's first person telling. I like that style for the immersion it grants me - although in this case, there are chapters written from the view of other people, in the narrator style. Those passages serve the reader to know more about what's going on behind the scenes than John, which is a clever way to make you feel afraid for him. Will he realize he's walking into a trap?
General Akhbar knows.
Character based series can come in two types. There is option A, where the hero never really changes. The joy in reading these comes from watching them thrown at ever increasing difficulties and still succeeding. This works best with larger than life heroes, and Reacher is THE prime example for that scenario.
And then there's type B, where our hero grows over the course of the series. That's actually the natural type, and some authors succeed more or less in capturing that change. With John Rain, that's surely there. This John is not the one we meet in the first novel, he's getting older, wiser - and gradually starting to change his world views. Like trust - first novel John wouldn't have trusted his own mother when she told him it was raining. But now? He's letting down his guards.
For some, the distance between who you were and who you have become is unbridgeable, and the dissonance attempted repatriation creates is a constant reminder of the very changes you want so badly to forget.
--In John Rain's own words
And there's the brilliance in suspense, because we readers know he's about to walk into a trap. I'm not afraid for his life, mind you, but I'm afraid for his newborn sense of trust. Will this gentle, young flower start to wither before it has even full blossomed? 😮
I'll leave you to read the rest for yourself, I'll just put it this way: The first third of the book had been a bit slow, but the rest makes up for it in speed, thrill and action.
4.5 stars, I feel the first third could have been shortened a bit. But a pretty solid thriller nonetheless.
You can also read this review on my Blog.
May 30, 2017
There is too much pointless bad language but I managed to enjoy it nevertheless by for the most part overlooking it. John Rain wonders where God is and why he doesn't smite him. There is some more interesting thought along these lines. I hope I can get the next one as I want to find out more about Midori.
March 21, 2015
I so enjoyed Tom Wood's series with Victor, that I went looking for another to feed my fix/need.
I stumbled across Barry Eisler and have read the entire 8-book series. And was very pleased. As such, this is the same review for all 8 books.
The author reads his own work, and after listening to Tom Wood's series with Rob Shapiro as the wonderful narrator, this took me a while to adapt to the reading style.
But don't let that dissuade you. Barry Eisler does a really really fine job of narrating, and you get to hear the different personalities, and understand who is who pretty quickly.
Barry Eisler has a nice knack of leading the reader on, enticing them to continue the story, and understand the predicaments the protagonist (John Rain) finds himself in. In addition, the growth of the character is wonderful. Kudos to Barry Eisler, and his real-life background that leads him to be able to write this well (check out his website as well!).
As I mentioned above, I have read all 8 books. Once I got through book 1, I could not put down the entire series.
I liked this series so much, I'd love to meet the author, and can't wait to read more of his works as well.
I stumbled across Barry Eisler and have read the entire 8-book series. And was very pleased. As such, this is the same review for all 8 books.
The author reads his own work, and after listening to Tom Wood's series with Rob Shapiro as the wonderful narrator, this took me a while to adapt to the reading style.
But don't let that dissuade you. Barry Eisler does a really really fine job of narrating, and you get to hear the different personalities, and understand who is who pretty quickly.
Barry Eisler has a nice knack of leading the reader on, enticing them to continue the story, and understand the predicaments the protagonist (John Rain) finds himself in. In addition, the growth of the character is wonderful. Kudos to Barry Eisler, and his real-life background that leads him to be able to write this well (check out his website as well!).
As I mentioned above, I have read all 8 books. Once I got through book 1, I could not put down the entire series.
I liked this series so much, I'd love to meet the author, and can't wait to read more of his works as well.
August 12, 2022
Heaps of action with military strategy and double crossing! You can tell this guy has worked for the CIA.
July 21, 2017
"Redemption Games" (formerly "Killing Rain" and "One Last Kill") is the fourth novel in Eisler's John Rain series. Rain is a Japanese-American professional assassin, who has lived in both countries and feels at home in both. Formerly of the Japanese Secret Service, he is now operating as a private contractor, often with a partner Dox. Sometimes he works with the CIA or Mossad. Sometimes he is at cross-purposes with these agencies. Although there have been many secret agent and assassin type novels over the years, the Rain series is among the best well-written and the first few novels were filled with an insider's view of Tokyo and the environs that really took the reader inside Japanese culture. These novels also contain numerous passages giving the readers informative tips about how to assess a dangerous situation, what to look for when you walk into a hotel, an airport lounge, a restaurant, how best to quickly dispose of enemy combatants.
This novel takes Rain to Manila, Bangkok, and Hong Kong. He is working with a partner, Dox, an ex-US Army sniper with a good-old boy manner, loud and abrasive, living large every minute, but who somehow, when he goes into sniper mode, disappears into the woodwork. Rain got a referral for this job through his Mossad contact and sometime-lover, the blonde bombshell Delilah and part of the story, particularly after the job goes sour, is whether he can trust her and whether he can ever let down his guard around her. Often, their goals are similar, but she has allegiances that he ultimately does not have.
Rain is not your typical assassin (as if you know what a typical assassin is like). He has morals and ethics and qualms about killing in front of children, but he is deadly as they come, preferring to work close up and there are few professionals in an agency that are of his caliber. "Killing isn't the hard part," he explains. "Getting close to the target, though, that takes some talent." As does making it look natural, his speciality. The hardest part, however, is living with it after.
There are few secret agent type novels (and, although, Rain isn't a secret agent, the stories are part of that genre) that are this well- written and this accessible. Rain isn't casual about what he does as Bond might be. Rather, everything he does has consequences, largely because he is operating on his own and anything he does might offend an agency, seal his death warrant, or screw up a personal relationship for him. The meat of this book is not just bang-bang, shoot-em-up, but Rain's paradoxical difficulties with dealing with what he does and who he can trust. And, it is a book (or series of books) that really stands out in this genre.
This novel takes Rain to Manila, Bangkok, and Hong Kong. He is working with a partner, Dox, an ex-US Army sniper with a good-old boy manner, loud and abrasive, living large every minute, but who somehow, when he goes into sniper mode, disappears into the woodwork. Rain got a referral for this job through his Mossad contact and sometime-lover, the blonde bombshell Delilah and part of the story, particularly after the job goes sour, is whether he can trust her and whether he can ever let down his guard around her. Often, their goals are similar, but she has allegiances that he ultimately does not have.
Rain is not your typical assassin (as if you know what a typical assassin is like). He has morals and ethics and qualms about killing in front of children, but he is deadly as they come, preferring to work close up and there are few professionals in an agency that are of his caliber. "Killing isn't the hard part," he explains. "Getting close to the target, though, that takes some talent." As does making it look natural, his speciality. The hardest part, however, is living with it after.
There are few secret agent type novels (and, although, Rain isn't a secret agent, the stories are part of that genre) that are this well- written and this accessible. Rain isn't casual about what he does as Bond might be. Rather, everything he does has consequences, largely because he is operating on his own and anything he does might offend an agency, seal his death warrant, or screw up a personal relationship for him. The meat of this book is not just bang-bang, shoot-em-up, but Rain's paradoxical difficulties with dealing with what he does and who he can trust. And, it is a book (or series of books) that really stands out in this genre.
June 24, 2022
Read this as 'One Last Kill' and it's fantastic.
January 27, 2021
Book 4, and free-lance assassin John Rain keeps getting better. Visits to the Phillipines and Bangkok (as well as a return to Hong Kong) highlight the travelogue.
I wouldn't recommend this without reading books 1 thru 3 though. It might still be enjoyable, but the backstory and foreshadowing add so much more.
Most excellent!
I wouldn't recommend this without reading books 1 thru 3 though. It might still be enjoyable, but the backstory and foreshadowing add so much more.
Most excellent!
June 26, 2019
Historical-referenced spy thriller (vs a historical fiction, IMHO). Best book I've read in a few months. The plot is complex but easy to follow with just enough characters to keep it interesting but not so many that I can't keep them straight.
March 15, 2014
Fast moving and interesting.
April 27, 2019
After listening to The Killer Collective, my husband and I wanted to know more about Dox, so I got this title, thinking it might be the first (although I think perhaps not; need to get Rain Storm instead). Unfortunately, the character isn't nearly as well developed here and Eisler doesn't read it. Satisfying story but not what I was hoping for. (Interestingly, Eisler has re-read all the early titles, the ones originally narrated by others, and they've been retitled and republished but no libraries seem to have them. It's a shame, but probably not worth the expense of joining Audible. Eisler is an excellent narrator, an exception to my rule of not letting authors read their own novels.) That said--this features the fast pacing, action, and violence one expects from the series. Politics too. And Rain has a partner this time, Dox, so he's no longer the loner, and that's an adjustment for him. He's also back with his Mossad lover--unless she's really there to kill him for botching a job. His familiarity with the area adds a lot, and in each title we learn more about Rain. Lots of thoughtful ruminations about his role as an assassin and his life, but we also see the group of loners he's gathering around him, and they feature in later titles and series as Eisler brings characters together. Satisfying if violent. I also appreciate the way he sets up the next series title at the end of the story. If I weren't reading this years later, I'd be anxiously awaiting that sequel.
August 10, 2017
Love these! And the addition of Dox provides some awesome comic relief.
July 10, 2011
I really enjoyed reading this book, by the way I didn't know that it was the fourth book on Eisler's serie novels.
First I may say that the data in this whole book are really well-detailed. The places are real so it make it really easy for the readers to believe the story. The events and incidents (fights...) are very real may be because of the writer's experience.
While thinking about the characters I found out that I liked Dox and Delilah 's character but I think that John Rain character is a really interseting one. Dox is a normal humain being : he joke,laugh, stand out until he switch to his freelance assassin ( he is a good sniper).I loved his spirit he did give the book a funny touch.
Dellilah is a Mossad operative, smart, sexy ( she seduce terrorists to enable their assassinations) I loved her loyalty to her organisation and her love for the main character.It did give the book some romance.
Finally John Rain the main character, a unsociable , mystireous , paranoid freelance killer( with principales ^_^ He don't kill children and women and he only kill bad guys ^_^) . I loved the ending because it makes John Rain look more like a human .
Well I may say that this book is worth reading and I recommend it to people who loves triller...And sorry about the long review ^_^Hope you like it ^_^
First I may say that the data in this whole book are really well-detailed. The places are real so it make it really easy for the readers to believe the story. The events and incidents (fights...) are very real may be because of the writer's experience.
While thinking about the characters I found out that I liked Dox and Delilah 's character but I think that John Rain character is a really interseting one. Dox is a normal humain being : he joke,laugh, stand out until he switch to his freelance assassin ( he is a good sniper).I loved his spirit he did give the book a funny touch.
Dellilah is a Mossad operative, smart, sexy ( she seduce terrorists to enable their assassinations) I loved her loyalty to her organisation and her love for the main character.It did give the book some romance.
Finally John Rain the main character, a unsociable , mystireous , paranoid freelance killer( with principales ^_^ He don't kill children and women and he only kill bad guys ^_^) . I loved the ending because it makes John Rain look more like a human .
Well I may say that this book is worth reading and I recommend it to people who loves triller...And sorry about the long review ^_^Hope you like it ^_^
September 24, 2014
I'm not sure why the titles of the books in this series keep getting changed--it can't help potential readers to keep track of them. As far as I know this is the fourth book in the series and I think I've read all of them.
For the life of me I can't figure out why I enjoy these books so much. They are full of cold-blooded violence and the main character is a hit man (or assassin). I suppose it's partly because he does have attacks of conscience at times (but never enough to keep him from killing people).
But I think I also enjoy these books for the same reason I enjoy Lee Child's Jack Reacher books: I find it fascinating to see how the main character is going to get out of the situations he gets into without getting killed himself.
Of course, John Rain is too good to be true (like Jack Reacher), but since the author explains Rain's thought processes, it makes what he accomplishes more believable.
This particular book was also interesting for its settings. I've never been to any of the places in this book, but the descriptions give me a taste of what they're like. I also liked Rain's philosophical ruminations.
For the life of me I can't figure out why I enjoy these books so much. They are full of cold-blooded violence and the main character is a hit man (or assassin). I suppose it's partly because he does have attacks of conscience at times (but never enough to keep him from killing people).
But I think I also enjoy these books for the same reason I enjoy Lee Child's Jack Reacher books: I find it fascinating to see how the main character is going to get out of the situations he gets into without getting killed himself.
Of course, John Rain is too good to be true (like Jack Reacher), but since the author explains Rain's thought processes, it makes what he accomplishes more believable.
This particular book was also interesting for its settings. I've never been to any of the places in this book, but the descriptions give me a taste of what they're like. I also liked Rain's philosophical ruminations.
May 7, 2015
#4 in the John Rain series. APA One Last Kill [2006]. John Rain is a half-America, half-Japanese Viet Nam veteran now living in Tokyo as a freelance assassin.
John Rain agrees to assassinate an explosives terrorist on behalf of the Mossad, a deal brokered by Delilah. With Dox as his partner, he attempts the hit in Manila but it goes wrong and leaves two dead men identified as CIA agents. The Mossad want Rain removed as a possible link to the hit on a CIA asset. Can Delilah be trusted or will she help target Rain and Dox?
John Rain agrees to assassinate an explosives terrorist on behalf of the Mossad, a deal brokered by Delilah. With Dox as his partner, he attempts the hit in Manila but it goes wrong and leaves two dead men identified as CIA agents. The Mossad want Rain removed as a possible link to the hit on a CIA asset. Can Delilah be trusted or will she help target Rain and Dox?
May 20, 2009
Quick moving story. John Rain's struggle between being an assassin and a moral being rises to new heights when he cannot fulfill a contract. His complex relationships with Delilah and Dox are further developed.
April 20, 2023
I wouldn't recommend reading three books in a series right after each other. I really liked this one too (4.5 stars), but it made me question "the formula" of these books. At one point, I thought to myself, "If this guy is such a great killer, why does he keep getting into trouble?"
Of course, there's not really a book if every contract killing goes off without a hitch. :D
This book had much more espionage than the previous books. It helped set this one apart from the previous two books, but didn't get into boring political talk.
Much as I've said before, Eisler does a masterful job walking lines. Never too much detail. Never too much killing. Never too much espionage. Never too much politics. It's always just right.
I'm excited to have at least 20 more Barry Eisler books to track down.
Of course, there's not really a book if every contract killing goes off without a hitch. :D
This book had much more espionage than the previous books. It helped set this one apart from the previous two books, but didn't get into boring political talk.
Much as I've said before, Eisler does a masterful job walking lines. Never too much detail. Never too much killing. Never too much espionage. Never too much politics. It's always just right.
I'm excited to have at least 20 more Barry Eisler books to track down.
May 20, 2017
I enjoyed the facts given and the commentary about just about everything Rain encountered. That was all this story had, there was no foundation. I wonder what Eisler's contract with the publisher was? Clearly this episode was incomplete and not ready to publish on literature parameters.
As a reader, when I embrace a series, this is the negative side.
As a reader, when I embrace a series, this is the negative side.
November 15, 2022
Killing Rain / One Last Kill / Redemption Games is the 4th book in the John Rain series. This book brings back Dox and Delilah from the previous novel.
Fight and location descriptions are accurate and evocative. I don't remember as much of an emphasis on food and clothing in the earlier books, but those are also well described. I thought the dialog, especially Dox, was a bit clunky in the beginning, but that settled down later into a good plot.
Looking forward to another entry.
Fight and location descriptions are accurate and evocative. I don't remember as much of an emphasis on food and clothing in the earlier books, but those are also well described. I thought the dialog, especially Dox, was a bit clunky in the beginning, but that settled down later into a good plot.
Looking forward to another entry.
April 27, 2020
Maybe my favorite so far.
A little bit more depth on character building with the fun of building a team for the battles.
Also, maybe I’m wrong, but at least a little less focus on the moments of ultra-violence.
On to #5 next.
A little bit more depth on character building with the fun of building a team for the battles.
Also, maybe I’m wrong, but at least a little less focus on the moments of ultra-violence.
On to #5 next.
September 27, 2022
Not one of his better books. Too much dialogue and not enough action. I liked Rain better when he hid his emotions. I feel like he's getting sentimental. Hopefully the next book in this series picks back up.
February 6, 2021
Schaduwleven is op zich een prima geschreven boek en het plot is best goed, maar die gesprekken. De gesprekken duren maar voort en er lijkt geen eind aan te komen.
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May 9, 2020Listened to the Audio Book...part of my "read what Dad's reading" project.
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