What do you think?
Rate this book
Rains #1
The Rains
Winner of the ITW Thriller Award for Best YA Novel
“A brilliant, terrifying, rule-breaking reimagining of the zombie novel.”—Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Rot & Ruin
“One of those all-too-creepy-and-believable stories. Chilling!”—Ridley Pearson, New York Times bestselling author
“Readers with a 5th Wave-shaped hole in their sf-loving hearts will rejoice.”—Booklist
“In his first book for teens, Hurwitz crafts a tense, disturbing tale that’s simultaneously a story driven by brother love and the determination to survive against impossible odds.”—Publishers Weekly
From the New York Times bestselling author of Orphan X and comics in the Batman, Wolverine, and Punisher universes comes this relentlessly thrilling adventure perfect for fans of The Walking Dead and The 5th Wave. A Hollywood screenwriter, developer, and producer (V, The Book of Henry, Black Flags), Gregg Hurwitz brings his cinematic flair to this suspenseful new tale.
In one terrifying night, the peaceful community of Creek's Cause turns into a war zone. No one under the age of eighteen is safe. Chance Rain and his older brother, Patrick, have already fended off multiple attacks from infected adults by the time they arrive at the school where other young survivors are hiding.
Most of the kids they know have been dragged away by once-trusted adults who are now ferocious, inhuman beings. The parasite that transformed them takes hold after people turn eighteen--and Patrick's birthday is only a few days away.
Determined to save Patrick's life and the lives of the remaining kids, the brothers embark on a mission to uncover the truth about the parasites--and what they find is horrifying. Battling an enemy not of this earth, Chance and Patrick become humanity's only hope for salvation.
“A brilliant, terrifying, rule-breaking reimagining of the zombie novel.”—Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Rot & Ruin
“One of those all-too-creepy-and-believable stories. Chilling!”—Ridley Pearson, New York Times bestselling author
“Readers with a 5th Wave-shaped hole in their sf-loving hearts will rejoice.”—Booklist
“In his first book for teens, Hurwitz crafts a tense, disturbing tale that’s simultaneously a story driven by brother love and the determination to survive against impossible odds.”—Publishers Weekly
From the New York Times bestselling author of Orphan X and comics in the Batman, Wolverine, and Punisher universes comes this relentlessly thrilling adventure perfect for fans of The Walking Dead and The 5th Wave. A Hollywood screenwriter, developer, and producer (V, The Book of Henry, Black Flags), Gregg Hurwitz brings his cinematic flair to this suspenseful new tale.
In one terrifying night, the peaceful community of Creek's Cause turns into a war zone. No one under the age of eighteen is safe. Chance Rain and his older brother, Patrick, have already fended off multiple attacks from infected adults by the time they arrive at the school where other young survivors are hiding.
Most of the kids they know have been dragged away by once-trusted adults who are now ferocious, inhuman beings. The parasite that transformed them takes hold after people turn eighteen--and Patrick's birthday is only a few days away.
Determined to save Patrick's life and the lives of the remaining kids, the brothers embark on a mission to uncover the truth about the parasites--and what they find is horrifying. Battling an enemy not of this earth, Chance and Patrick become humanity's only hope for salvation.
368 pages, Paperback
First published October 18, 2016
371 people are currently reading
3520 people want to read
About the author
Gregg Hurwitz
304 books6,854 followersGregg Hurwitz is the critically acclaimed, New York Times and internationally bestselling author of 20 novels, including OUT OF THE DARK (2019). His novels have been shortlisted for numerous literary awards, graced top ten lists, and have been published in 30 languages.
He is also a New York Times Bestselling comic book writer, having penned stories for Marvel (Wolverine, Punisher) and DC (Batman, Penguin). Additionally, he’s written screenplays for or sold spec scripts to many of the major studios, and written, developed, and produced television for various networks. Gregg resides in Los Angeles.
He is also a New York Times Bestselling comic book writer, having penned stories for Marvel (Wolverine, Punisher) and DC (Batman, Penguin). Additionally, he’s written screenplays for or sold spec scripts to many of the major studios, and written, developed, and produced television for various networks. Gregg resides in Los Angeles.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 423 reviews
July 23, 2022
'The Rains' - book one of Gregg Hurwitz's The Rains series - centers around young people fighting for survival after all the adults in their community have been changed into zombie like beings following exposure to an unexplainable atmospheric parasite. Led by brothers Patrick and Chance Rains, those remaining (children and teens) are desperate to find out the reason behind the parasites existence. What they eventually unearth is beyond horrific. Especially after discovering that once a person reaches age 18 they immediately change into one of the beings they have been fleeing. Patrick and Chance are now in a race against time to find a solution before it is too late for everyone.
Narrator Todd Haberkorn does a fine job. A fun revisit to fantastic YA series.
Narrator Todd Haberkorn does a fine job. A fun revisit to fantastic YA series.
March 13, 2018
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
I picked The Rains up after my friend Lynn posted a status update about it being pretty gory for a teenie-bopper book. I didn’t really need to know anything else. Now that I’m finished????
Yeah, I may have been more than a bit long in the tooth to fully enjoy this one. But let’s not get ahead of things. I don’t know why, but for some reason I was expecting a story like this . . . .
Which was 100% inaccurate. Then I figured it was going to be yet another zombie story, which had me all . . . . .
But that ended up not being the case either. Instead it was all about . . . .
Ha! Just kidding. It actually started with . . . . .
But most definitely resulted in being the end of the world as we know it and, as always . . . . .
As a grown up, there were some issues that just kept niggling at my brain much like a sliver under my fingernail – a couple of examples being: (1) this is supposed to be Chase Rain’s diary of events, yet he tells what happened that started it all EVEN THOUGH HE WAS MOVING HAY IN A DANG BARN AT THE TIME. Dudebrah had no clue what was going on at the neighbor’s and (2) super intense scenes were completely glossed over like the boys have to get across town or everyone will die (DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN) cut to now the boys are across town. Uhhhhh - how did they do it? Inquiring minds want to know. Otherwise it was just a little – okay A LOT - too young for me. But if you have a kid who enjoys LOTS of gore and tons of action with very little storyline to propel things along and isn’t allergic to the cliffy ending like I am, this might be a winner. 2 Stars because according to Goodreads that means “it was okay” and this one just aiiiight for me.
I picked The Rains up after my friend Lynn posted a status update about it being pretty gory for a teenie-bopper book. I didn’t really need to know anything else. Now that I’m finished????
Yeah, I may have been more than a bit long in the tooth to fully enjoy this one. But let’s not get ahead of things. I don’t know why, but for some reason I was expecting a story like this . . . .
Which was 100% inaccurate. Then I figured it was going to be yet another zombie story, which had me all . . . . .
But that ended up not being the case either. Instead it was all about . . . .
Ha! Just kidding. It actually started with . . . . .
But most definitely resulted in being the end of the world as we know it and, as always . . . . .
As a grown up, there were some issues that just kept niggling at my brain much like a sliver under my fingernail – a couple of examples being: (1) this is supposed to be Chase Rain’s diary of events, yet he tells what happened that started it all EVEN THOUGH HE WAS MOVING HAY IN A DANG BARN AT THE TIME. Dudebrah had no clue what was going on at the neighbor’s and (2) super intense scenes were completely glossed over like the boys have to get across town or everyone will die (DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN) cut to now the boys are across town. Uhhhhh - how did they do it? Inquiring minds want to know. Otherwise it was just a little – okay A LOT - too young for me. But if you have a kid who enjoys LOTS of gore and tons of action with very little storyline to propel things along and isn’t allergic to the cliffy ending like I am, this might be a winner. 2 Stars because according to Goodreads that means “it was okay” and this one just aiiiight for me.
December 5, 2016
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/12/04/...
Here’s the deal: if you’re a fan of zombie stories or if a zombie origin tale that puts a fresh spin on the genre sounds like it might interest you, then you’re going to want to check out The Rains by Gregg Hurwitz. Double bonus for you too if you prefer books with a YA bent, as this is the author’s first book in a new series targeting teen readers.
However, if you happen to be a science/biology geek or a stickler for common sense and logic, then this book is going to make you cry.
The story begins with an introduction to the quiet and rural community of Creek’s Cause, where the peace is shattered one evening by a meteor strike. Not long afterwards, our fifteen-year-old protagonist Chance Rain and his older brother Patrick are awakened in the middle of the night by a commotion at their neighbors’ house, leading the two of them to sneak out and investigate. They arrive just in time to stop an attack on the kids by the stepmother, who appears to have been transformed into mindless raving husk by a mysterious and unknown parasite. After saving the children, Chance and Patrick find the father on top of a water tower where millions of alien spores look to have exploded from out of his bloated corpse.
Recalling what he’s learned about the Cordyceps fungus and “zombie ants”, Chance quickly deduces that these spores are what’s causing the infection, turning all of the adults—and only adults, it seems—into violent, savage hosts. But if this is indeed the way the parasite is spreading, then why aren’t those who are younger being infected?
Chance and Patrick find the answer to this once they arrive at the high school, where their science teacher Dr. Chatterjee has been sheltering the town’s children and teenagers. Chatterjee explains that the parasite appears to be affecting white matter, the paler tissue of the human brain mostly made up of nerve fibers and their myelin sheaths. And since the brains of children are not as developed as an adult's and do not have as much white matter, they are immune to the effects of the spore. This also explains why Dr. Chatterjee, who has multiple sclerosis—a demyelinating disease—is unaffected himself.
So far, this is going great. Things are getting pretty interesting. I’m liking the suspense, and the mystery behind the infectious agent is really driving things. But then, we get another bombshell. The group figures out that, at the exact moment a person turns 18, the brain will immediately become susceptible to the parasite. The exact moment. As in, right down to the minute of your birth. One second, you’re fine. But as soon as the clock ticks over, then happy birthday, you’re a zombie!
The bio nerd in me just wants to tear my hair out and scream, NOOOOOOO THAT’S NOT HOW THIS WORKS!
I do love it when zombie books use science to explain things (the Cordyceps idea is becoming a lot more common, for example, and I still can’t get enough) but let’s please try to make it more convincing. I thought that tying the parasite’s processes to brain development was ambitious and intriguing, but unfortunately the human body does not work like a clock. One does not wake up in the morning of their eighteenth birthday to find their brain suddenly and miraculously bursting with myelin. If only growing up and becoming mature was so easy.
So yes, that bothered me a lot. It might even have biased me against the rest of the book. If such a glaring oversight made it through the first few drafts, I can only assume that the prevailing attitude was “This is YA, good science and reasoning won’t matter so much.” But it does. It should. With this in mind, I soon started seeing more plot holes, inaccuracies, and logical leaps.
If things like that don’t concern you so much, then you should be fine, though for me they ultimately prevented me from calling The Rains a great book. It’s a shame too, because the plot was entertaining and fun in a way that reminded me a lot of The Faculty movie, and the characters were good, strong, and charming in the salt-of-the-earth sense. Still, generally speaking I don’t feel comfortable enough about recommending this book to just anyone; perhaps if you are a diehard zombie fiction reader or YA horror fan, you might want to take a look. However, if you’re a pickier reader like me who also predominantly reads adult speculative fiction, you might end up finding the flaws too distracting. I give this one 3 stars, and just barely.
Here’s the deal: if you’re a fan of zombie stories or if a zombie origin tale that puts a fresh spin on the genre sounds like it might interest you, then you’re going to want to check out The Rains by Gregg Hurwitz. Double bonus for you too if you prefer books with a YA bent, as this is the author’s first book in a new series targeting teen readers.
However, if you happen to be a science/biology geek or a stickler for common sense and logic, then this book is going to make you cry.
The story begins with an introduction to the quiet and rural community of Creek’s Cause, where the peace is shattered one evening by a meteor strike. Not long afterwards, our fifteen-year-old protagonist Chance Rain and his older brother Patrick are awakened in the middle of the night by a commotion at their neighbors’ house, leading the two of them to sneak out and investigate. They arrive just in time to stop an attack on the kids by the stepmother, who appears to have been transformed into mindless raving husk by a mysterious and unknown parasite. After saving the children, Chance and Patrick find the father on top of a water tower where millions of alien spores look to have exploded from out of his bloated corpse.
Recalling what he’s learned about the Cordyceps fungus and “zombie ants”, Chance quickly deduces that these spores are what’s causing the infection, turning all of the adults—and only adults, it seems—into violent, savage hosts. But if this is indeed the way the parasite is spreading, then why aren’t those who are younger being infected?
Chance and Patrick find the answer to this once they arrive at the high school, where their science teacher Dr. Chatterjee has been sheltering the town’s children and teenagers. Chatterjee explains that the parasite appears to be affecting white matter, the paler tissue of the human brain mostly made up of nerve fibers and their myelin sheaths. And since the brains of children are not as developed as an adult's and do not have as much white matter, they are immune to the effects of the spore. This also explains why Dr. Chatterjee, who has multiple sclerosis—a demyelinating disease—is unaffected himself.
So far, this is going great. Things are getting pretty interesting. I’m liking the suspense, and the mystery behind the infectious agent is really driving things. But then, we get another bombshell. The group figures out that, at the exact moment a person turns 18, the brain will immediately become susceptible to the parasite. The exact moment. As in, right down to the minute of your birth. One second, you’re fine. But as soon as the clock ticks over, then happy birthday, you’re a zombie!
The bio nerd in me just wants to tear my hair out and scream, NOOOOOOO THAT’S NOT HOW THIS WORKS!
I do love it when zombie books use science to explain things (the Cordyceps idea is becoming a lot more common, for example, and I still can’t get enough) but let’s please try to make it more convincing. I thought that tying the parasite’s processes to brain development was ambitious and intriguing, but unfortunately the human body does not work like a clock. One does not wake up in the morning of their eighteenth birthday to find their brain suddenly and miraculously bursting with myelin. If only growing up and becoming mature was so easy.
So yes, that bothered me a lot. It might even have biased me against the rest of the book. If such a glaring oversight made it through the first few drafts, I can only assume that the prevailing attitude was “This is YA, good science and reasoning won’t matter so much.” But it does. It should. With this in mind, I soon started seeing more plot holes, inaccuracies, and logical leaps.
If things like that don’t concern you so much, then you should be fine, though for me they ultimately prevented me from calling The Rains a great book. It’s a shame too, because the plot was entertaining and fun in a way that reminded me a lot of The Faculty movie, and the characters were good, strong, and charming in the salt-of-the-earth sense. Still, generally speaking I don’t feel comfortable enough about recommending this book to just anyone; perhaps if you are a diehard zombie fiction reader or YA horror fan, you might want to take a look. However, if you’re a pickier reader like me who also predominantly reads adult speculative fiction, you might end up finding the flaws too distracting. I give this one 3 stars, and just barely.
January 6, 2017
Gregg Hurwitz is one of my all-time favourite authors and I never hesitate to recommend one of his novels when someone is looking for a page-turning mystery/thriller.
This author decided to take a stab at writing a Young Adult, horror/science fiction novel and did it ever work! Loads of zombie-like creatures, grisly blood-soaked fights and an adventure so hair-raising you can't put it down.
A survival story in which brothers Patrick (17) and Chance (15) Rain and Patrick's girlfriend Alex are faced with a town killing itself. Their parents, friends and neighbours turn into ferocious in-human creatures and all kids under the age of 18 are carted away to a place unknown. The brothers and Alex run for their lives while trying to figure out a way to fight back. Will they succeed or will they end up victims of this heinous war zone?
Told as Chance Rain's journal entries make this story unique, however there is quite the cliffhanger ending.
A creepy and enjoyable read, The Rains is a praiseworthy start to a new Young Adult series.
This author decided to take a stab at writing a Young Adult, horror/science fiction novel and did it ever work! Loads of zombie-like creatures, grisly blood-soaked fights and an adventure so hair-raising you can't put it down.
A survival story in which brothers Patrick (17) and Chance (15) Rain and Patrick's girlfriend Alex are faced with a town killing itself. Their parents, friends and neighbours turn into ferocious in-human creatures and all kids under the age of 18 are carted away to a place unknown. The brothers and Alex run for their lives while trying to figure out a way to fight back. Will they succeed or will they end up victims of this heinous war zone?
Told as Chance Rain's journal entries make this story unique, however there is quite the cliffhanger ending.
A creepy and enjoyable read, The Rains is a praiseworthy start to a new Young Adult series.
November 8, 2017
3.5 stars
A decently written alien invasion/zombie story that I enjoyed sufficiently to warrant the extra half star, even with the cliffhanger ending. A little more depth in the story and characters would have earned it 4 stars, for example, This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers.
A decently written alien invasion/zombie story that I enjoyed sufficiently to warrant the extra half star, even with the cliffhanger ending. A little more depth in the story and characters would have earned it 4 stars, for example, This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers.
October 23, 2017
So excited I won a copy of this in a Goodreads Giveaway after waiting 2 months for a response from Netgalley. I finally got a response so now I have the ebook and a physical copy. Im so flipping happy this was on my most anticipated list for a while.
I love a good survival story and anything remotely similar to zombies. In this story parasites infect everyone over eighteen and the main characters brother Patrick’s eighteenth birthday is only a couple weeks away. Determined to save Patricks life and the lives of the remaining kids, Chance, Patrick and his girlfriend Alex embark on a mission to uncover the truth about the parasites. Battling an enemy not of this earth, Chance and Patrick become humanity’s only hope for salvation.
The characters were fantastic. The Rain brothers Chance and Patrick Rain were well developped. I liked how Patricks girlfriend Alex was strong and resourceful. The trio kick some serious butt. We get some back story and the main character goes through an impressive character arc. The brothers relationship was amazing. I thought Chances crush on his brothers girlfriend would bother me but it seemed harmless. I also freaking loved those dogs. I get so emotional when it comes to animals.
The feminist in me didnt like the whole the guy having to save the girl but then I got over it when I realized she saved their butts on a couple occasions. Ben frustrated me to no end. I kept thinking "Someone Please Kill Him Already" I couldnt stand him trying to take over and having no morals whatsover, but I know I wasnt suppose to like him. I really appreciated that the Leader of the group of kids had Mutiple Sclerosis. Ive never read a character with MS before and it was refreshing to see it didnt define him.
Some decisions felt down right stupid, like going back for more stuff way too many times at the hospital. I also noticed the point of view changed all of a sudden to McCafferty when it shouldnt have since its written in Diary format from Chances perspective. Wouldnt the Host have figured out there in the school already if they communicate. The plot went in a direction that seemed way too convenient at times. Despite that I liked the concept and it had a lot of action which I appreciated. Not to mention that ending was pretty awesome.
*Id like to thank Macmillan/Tor for the review copy. This review is my honest opinion*
I love a good survival story and anything remotely similar to zombies. In this story parasites infect everyone over eighteen and the main characters brother Patrick’s eighteenth birthday is only a couple weeks away. Determined to save Patricks life and the lives of the remaining kids, Chance, Patrick and his girlfriend Alex embark on a mission to uncover the truth about the parasites. Battling an enemy not of this earth, Chance and Patrick become humanity’s only hope for salvation.
The characters were fantastic. The Rain brothers Chance and Patrick Rain were well developped. I liked how Patricks girlfriend Alex was strong and resourceful. The trio kick some serious butt. We get some back story and the main character goes through an impressive character arc. The brothers relationship was amazing. I thought Chances crush on his brothers girlfriend would bother me but it seemed harmless. I also freaking loved those dogs. I get so emotional when it comes to animals.
The feminist in me didnt like the whole the guy having to save the girl but then I got over it when I realized she saved their butts on a couple occasions. Ben frustrated me to no end. I kept thinking "Someone Please Kill Him Already" I couldnt stand him trying to take over and having no morals whatsover, but I know I wasnt suppose to like him. I really appreciated that the Leader of the group of kids had Mutiple Sclerosis. Ive never read a character with MS before and it was refreshing to see it didnt define him.
Some decisions felt down right stupid, like going back for more stuff way too many times at the hospital. I also noticed the point of view changed all of a sudden to McCafferty when it shouldnt have since its written in Diary format from Chances perspective. Wouldnt the Host have figured out there in the school already if they communicate. The plot went in a direction that seemed way too convenient at times. Despite that I liked the concept and it had a lot of action which I appreciated. Not to mention that ending was pretty awesome.
*Id like to thank Macmillan/Tor for the review copy. This review is my honest opinion*
October 14, 2016
I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This has not influenced my opinion in any way.
Actual rating is a 4.5-bleh-how-nastily-fantastic stars
Let me preface this review with this:
This book is not for the faint of heart.
It's straight up nasty. It's violent. It's graphic. It's creepy.
Really. I do not recommend reading this before going to sleep (unless, of course, you're in the mood to have a nightmare. If that's the case, go right ahead.)
Now that that's out of the way, let's get down to business.
So in regards to the zombie apocalypse side of The Rains, it succeeded. It pulled it off. It is sufficiently horrifying. (..and that's a phrase I never expected to use?)
But I feel like I haven't really explained what's going on. So allow me to: Yes, you've gathered that it involves zombies. And when there are zombies, there's always people running for there lives, yes? Enter the Rain brothers: Chance and Patrick.
Chance is your narrator. And as far as leads go, he isn't that bad. He could use a bit more of character development,sure, but he is far from 2D.
The support cast is this book stands out. Everyone else is fully fleshed out, and I was rooting for them all the way.
The plot is engaging. It's is fast-paced (as it should be in this genre). The chapters, or Entries, as they're called, flew by.
But... I'm 1000% sure that for anyone who enjoys horror stories greatly, the rating for this would be way higher. There's really nothing wrong with this, save for the fact that I couldn't fully connect to any of the characters or their world.
That's it. That's as far as my complaints go. Really, my opinion is entirely subjective, guys, because The Rains is a really great book.
So this comes out in 4 days. If you enjoy graphic zombies, a fast-paced plot, and an interesting support cast, then The Rains is definitely for you.
Actual rating is a 4.5-bleh-how-nastily-fantastic stars
Let me preface this review with this:
This book is not for the faint of heart.
It's straight up nasty. It's violent. It's graphic. It's creepy.
Really. I do not recommend reading this before going to sleep (unless, of course, you're in the mood to have a nightmare. If that's the case, go right ahead.)
Now that that's out of the way, let's get down to business.
So in regards to the zombie apocalypse side of The Rains, it succeeded. It pulled it off. It is sufficiently horrifying. (..and that's a phrase I never expected to use?)
But I feel like I haven't really explained what's going on. So allow me to: Yes, you've gathered that it involves zombies. And when there are zombies, there's always people running for there lives, yes? Enter the Rain brothers: Chance and Patrick.
Chance is your narrator. And as far as leads go, he isn't that bad. He could use a bit more of character development,sure, but he is far from 2D.
The support cast is this book stands out. Everyone else is fully fleshed out, and I was rooting for them all the way.
The plot is engaging. It's is fast-paced (as it should be in this genre). The chapters, or Entries, as they're called, flew by.
But... I'm 1000% sure that for anyone who enjoys horror stories greatly, the rating for this would be way higher. There's really nothing wrong with this, save for the fact that I couldn't fully connect to any of the characters or their world.
That's it. That's as far as my complaints go. Really, my opinion is entirely subjective, guys, because The Rains is a really great book.
So this comes out in 4 days. If you enjoy graphic zombies, a fast-paced plot, and an interesting support cast, then The Rains is definitely for you.
January 1, 2020
As a fan of apocalyptic stories, I'm always looking for something just a little bit different from the norm. The Rains gave me that something.
This was sort of end of the world via zombies/pod people. And only adults appear to be affected.
The action was pretty much non-stop and since I stayed up until about 3 am to finish, I have to admit that I was definitely engaged with the story.
I adored the protagonist, Chance Rain, and his older brother, Patrick. Together with Alex, Patrick's girlfriend, they're the only teens willing to do something to try to save the other kids.
I am looking forward to continuing with this series. In fact, the only gripe I have is the major cliffhanger.
This was sort of end of the world via zombies/pod people. And only adults appear to be affected.
The action was pretty much non-stop and since I stayed up until about 3 am to finish, I have to admit that I was definitely engaged with the story.
I adored the protagonist, Chance Rain, and his older brother, Patrick. Together with Alex, Patrick's girlfriend, they're the only teens willing to do something to try to save the other kids.
I am looking forward to continuing with this series. In fact, the only gripe I have is the major cliffhanger.
December 4, 2016
The Rains was a novel I looked forward to reading because I’d been reading a lot of contemporary novels. I wanted something with a bit more action in it amp up the suspense. I don’t think I realised just how much suspense I was in for.
Immediately, I fell in love with the writing style. The author’s writing isn’t particularly beautiful, but he writes the novel in a way which incorporates the reader themselves into the story. I especially liked it because it made the plot and the characters feel more real to me, and made me care for them all the more. This especially happens at the beginning and the end of the novel.
The beginning of the novel was also an incredible start. You clearly saw how it was a good set up for the novel. Hurwitz also does a brilliant job of describing Creeks Cause without giving us long sections of description, which I could really appreciate it. I liked the slightly home town, country feel the setting gave the novel all around.
It was so interesting to see how the disease erupted and spread throughout the land, but at the same time it was done well because it showed how sad it was to have parents turning on their own children. The explanation for how and why this happens is always a make and break factor in a book or movie like this one. And Hurwitz nailed it. I loved how he took a real scientific explanation that other animals may follow, and applied it to this situation. It added a touch of realism to the novel, despite it being science-fiction.
Sometimes the discovery of what they needed or wanted to know happened a bit too easily. For example, they needed to know the age of when you would turn, and it was very convenient that at that moment there was someone who were turning that age right there when they needed it. So of course, they had all the answers they needed. But to be fair, this happened only once or twice, so it wasn’t a big deal.
I also liked the themes in this one too. There was the theme of good and bad betrayed. I mean, we get to see how people react to what is happening around them, and this novel clearly demonstrates how a situation such as this one could bring out the best and the worst in people. Despite there being plenty enough happening with the main plot, we also get character conflicts too, which were great.
This is also a real coming of age novel. As we have our main character, Chance, who is a younger brother. He feels like he is always in his older brother’s shadow, and therefore never really gets his time to shine. But gradually, throughout the novel we really see him morph into a young adult from a child. He becomes stronger, more independent, but he remains just as smart as he always has been. I really loved Chance’s character, so I enjoyed reading along with him on that journey.
There’s plenty of action in this movie. It was epic, and the suspense was always up high on the suspense-o-meter…
There was some romance, but it wasn’t the forefront of the story. In fact, by the end of the novel there is a bit of an awkward romance situation. BUT it has nothing to do with insta love, or a love triangle. None of the stereotypical love issues, and yet there still is a love issue. Unique right? I was so happy!
And last but not least, this one ended on a massive cliffhanger. It was so huge, that I am not looking forward to waiting a year or whatever the duration will be until the sequel. Nooo…
Gif Summary:
This review and others can be found on Olivia's Catastrophe: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
Immediately, I fell in love with the writing style. The author’s writing isn’t particularly beautiful, but he writes the novel in a way which incorporates the reader themselves into the story. I especially liked it because it made the plot and the characters feel more real to me, and made me care for them all the more. This especially happens at the beginning and the end of the novel.
The beginning of the novel was also an incredible start. You clearly saw how it was a good set up for the novel. Hurwitz also does a brilliant job of describing Creeks Cause without giving us long sections of description, which I could really appreciate it. I liked the slightly home town, country feel the setting gave the novel all around.
It was so interesting to see how the disease erupted and spread throughout the land, but at the same time it was done well because it showed how sad it was to have parents turning on their own children. The explanation for how and why this happens is always a make and break factor in a book or movie like this one. And Hurwitz nailed it. I loved how he took a real scientific explanation that other animals may follow, and applied it to this situation. It added a touch of realism to the novel, despite it being science-fiction.
Sometimes the discovery of what they needed or wanted to know happened a bit too easily. For example, they needed to know the age of when you would turn, and it was very convenient that at that moment there was someone who were turning that age right there when they needed it. So of course, they had all the answers they needed. But to be fair, this happened only once or twice, so it wasn’t a big deal.
I also liked the themes in this one too. There was the theme of good and bad betrayed. I mean, we get to see how people react to what is happening around them, and this novel clearly demonstrates how a situation such as this one could bring out the best and the worst in people. Despite there being plenty enough happening with the main plot, we also get character conflicts too, which were great.
This is also a real coming of age novel. As we have our main character, Chance, who is a younger brother. He feels like he is always in his older brother’s shadow, and therefore never really gets his time to shine. But gradually, throughout the novel we really see him morph into a young adult from a child. He becomes stronger, more independent, but he remains just as smart as he always has been. I really loved Chance’s character, so I enjoyed reading along with him on that journey.
There’s plenty of action in this movie. It was epic, and the suspense was always up high on the suspense-o-meter…
There was some romance, but it wasn’t the forefront of the story. In fact, by the end of the novel there is a bit of an awkward romance situation. BUT it has nothing to do with insta love, or a love triangle. None of the stereotypical love issues, and yet there still is a love issue. Unique right? I was so happy!
And last but not least, this one ended on a massive cliffhanger. It was so huge, that I am not looking forward to waiting a year or whatever the duration will be until the sequel. Nooo…
Gif Summary:
This review and others can be found on Olivia's Catastrophe: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
October 20, 2016
Wow. What a fun, thrilling, and, yes, oftentimes quite frightening read!
The Rains was my first experience with author Gregg Hurwitz's work and all I can say is that I'm mightily impressed. It's obvious Hurwitz has written his fair share of screenplays as his writing style is quite kinetic, dynamic, and vivid, especially in scenes of great action and tension. In fact, with a single change in format, the opening scenes of the novel lay out the action in such a way you can almost see the shot and camera set ups on each page.
Instead of focusing on zombies or a post-apocalyptic dystopia, Hurwitz has taken the little-used concept of alien invasion and given it a fresh twist, imbuing his story with a sense of both realism and urgency. In between the heart-pounding action of a strange meteorite falling to the ground and spreading a strange spore which takes over the minds of every adult in town, The Rains deals with teenage angst and even budding romance, but not in a sappy, ridiculous, or off-putting fashion. Because the novel has a rural setting, the kids are endowed, not with magic or super strength, but instead with common sense, a work ethic, and a sense of resiliency. This doesn't make the kids miniature adults - far from it, as much of the intrapersonal drama will show - but it does give them an ability to get on with the job of survival. Even better, the female characters are just as well-rounded as the male: spirited, able to defend themselves, intelligent, feisty, yet never to the detriment of any of the other characters. Interestingly, animals, in the form of Rhodesian Ridgebacks, are included in the narrative both as a way of showing the younger brother's, Chance's, character development and as an enhancement to the action. The dogs aren't used callously or pointlessly, but in a deliberate fashion, adding just another unique facet to the novel.
Basically, this is a thoroughly engaging, fast-paced, and absorbing novel which packs one heck of a wallop - I can't recommend it highly enough. The only thing I disliked about the entire book was the knowledge that, once I reached the end, I'd have to wait goodness knows how long until the next installment in the series!
The Rains was my first experience with author Gregg Hurwitz's work and all I can say is that I'm mightily impressed. It's obvious Hurwitz has written his fair share of screenplays as his writing style is quite kinetic, dynamic, and vivid, especially in scenes of great action and tension. In fact, with a single change in format, the opening scenes of the novel lay out the action in such a way you can almost see the shot and camera set ups on each page.
Instead of focusing on zombies or a post-apocalyptic dystopia, Hurwitz has taken the little-used concept of alien invasion and given it a fresh twist, imbuing his story with a sense of both realism and urgency. In between the heart-pounding action of a strange meteorite falling to the ground and spreading a strange spore which takes over the minds of every adult in town, The Rains deals with teenage angst and even budding romance, but not in a sappy, ridiculous, or off-putting fashion. Because the novel has a rural setting, the kids are endowed, not with magic or super strength, but instead with common sense, a work ethic, and a sense of resiliency. This doesn't make the kids miniature adults - far from it, as much of the intrapersonal drama will show - but it does give them an ability to get on with the job of survival. Even better, the female characters are just as well-rounded as the male: spirited, able to defend themselves, intelligent, feisty, yet never to the detriment of any of the other characters. Interestingly, animals, in the form of Rhodesian Ridgebacks, are included in the narrative both as a way of showing the younger brother's, Chance's, character development and as an enhancement to the action. The dogs aren't used callously or pointlessly, but in a deliberate fashion, adding just another unique facet to the novel.
Basically, this is a thoroughly engaging, fast-paced, and absorbing novel which packs one heck of a wallop - I can't recommend it highly enough. The only thing I disliked about the entire book was the knowledge that, once I reached the end, I'd have to wait goodness knows how long until the next installment in the series!
October 20, 2016
No one under the age of 18 is safe. Chance Rain and his older brother Patrick, have already fended off multiple attacks from infected adults by the time they arrive at the school where other young survivors are hiding. Most of the kids they know have been dragged away by once trusted adults who are now ferocious, inhuman beings. The parasite that transformed them takes hold after people turn 18 and Patrick's birthday is only a few days away. Determined to save Patrick's life and the lives of the remaining kids, the brothers embark on a mission to uncover the truth about the parasite and what they find is horrifying. Battling an enemy not of this earth, Chance and Patrick become humanity's only hope for salvation.
This book is written in the form of journal entries from Chance, who is 15 and his brother, Patrick, is a few days away from his 18th birthday. The Rain brothers manage to escape, along with Patrick's girlfriend Alex and take refuge in the high school with about 100 other teenagers. I put this in the categories of dystopian, but also science fiction, as it reminded me of books like The Host and The 5th Wave. The plot is action packed and fairly fast paced and overall is works well, both giving explanations to the events that are happening and keeping up the suspense in the book. I wasn't the biggest fan of the way our narrator wrote, but since it is being written from the perspective of a 15-year-old-boy, I do understand. This was a very fast paced book, that reminded me both of zombie books and also the alien invasion type books that I mentioned above. I wasn't the biggest fan of the main characters and didn't really feel like I became very invested in them. However, if you were a fan of The 5th Wave series, I believe you will also really enjoy this book.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is written in the form of journal entries from Chance, who is 15 and his brother, Patrick, is a few days away from his 18th birthday. The Rain brothers manage to escape, along with Patrick's girlfriend Alex and take refuge in the high school with about 100 other teenagers. I put this in the categories of dystopian, but also science fiction, as it reminded me of books like The Host and The 5th Wave. The plot is action packed and fairly fast paced and overall is works well, both giving explanations to the events that are happening and keeping up the suspense in the book. I wasn't the biggest fan of the way our narrator wrote, but since it is being written from the perspective of a 15-year-old-boy, I do understand. This was a very fast paced book, that reminded me both of zombie books and also the alien invasion type books that I mentioned above. I wasn't the biggest fan of the main characters and didn't really feel like I became very invested in them. However, if you were a fan of The 5th Wave series, I believe you will also really enjoy this book.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 6, 2020
~ received as a review copy
THE RAINS was great fun.
Now generally speaking I am more of a science fiction reader than a horror reader, but this book crosses the boundaries of both so that you end up with a story that not only has a scifi skeleton, but which is fleshed out with action adventure and scary 'horror' tension.
The scifi elements are not new but the delivery more than makes up for it. This is what good YA scifi should be like. It is up close and personal. Told in first person with action sequences that are crisp and immediate. Hurwitz's style is readable and if you like Schusterman, Ness, Mike Mullin, or Dashner, take a look at this book. It's great fun.
The brothers' story really worked for me. The scifi theme will be familiar to we old folks, but the tension and struggles to survive will grip readers of this genre.
THE RAINS was great fun.
Now generally speaking I am more of a science fiction reader than a horror reader, but this book crosses the boundaries of both so that you end up with a story that not only has a scifi skeleton, but which is fleshed out with action adventure and scary 'horror' tension.
The scifi elements are not new but the delivery more than makes up for it. This is what good YA scifi should be like. It is up close and personal. Told in first person with action sequences that are crisp and immediate. Hurwitz's style is readable and if you like Schusterman, Ness, Mike Mullin, or Dashner, take a look at this book. It's great fun.
The brothers' story really worked for me. The scifi theme will be familiar to we old folks, but the tension and struggles to survive will grip readers of this genre.
October 28, 2017
review coming soon
January 4, 2019
3 Stars
Review:
*I won a copy of this book in a giveaway. This has not influenced my review.*
I really liked the touching family aspect in this book since the main character really looked up to his brother, and his brother was the one who was there for him. The whole brotherly love thing even added a bit of emotion to the story. I also thought the author chose a good setting and used it well; if ever there were a group of kids and teens who would be able to survive an alien invasion apocalypse, it would probably be kids from a small farming town. And I liked Chance as a protagonist. But the main issue I had was that there were too many action scenes that went on for too long, at least for my taste, since a lot of them were just the same thing---the character running from and fighting off Hosts. And just a warning for anyone who doesn't like cliffhangers, there was a complete story in the sense that the main goal of this book was addressed, but there was a cliffhanger ending that will lead into the next book. So this wasn't quite for me, but it might work better for anyone who likes action-packed books with lots of zombie-esque fight scenes.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
*I won a copy of this book in a giveaway. This has not influenced my review.*
I really liked the touching family aspect in this book since the main character really looked up to his brother, and his brother was the one who was there for him. The whole brotherly love thing even added a bit of emotion to the story. I also thought the author chose a good setting and used it well; if ever there were a group of kids and teens who would be able to survive an alien invasion apocalypse, it would probably be kids from a small farming town. And I liked Chance as a protagonist. But the main issue I had was that there were too many action scenes that went on for too long, at least for my taste, since a lot of them were just the same thing---the character running from and fighting off Hosts. And just a warning for anyone who doesn't like cliffhangers, there was a complete story in the sense that the main goal of this book was addressed, but there was a cliffhanger ending that will lead into the next book. So this wasn't quite for me, but it might work better for anyone who likes action-packed books with lots of zombie-esque fight scenes.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
August 2, 2016
Unique, exciting, fast-paced, and creepy! Great read!
February 9, 2018
This is one of those books that just didn't work for me, despite the fact it absolutely should. I love Zombie books, so much I bought this and the second one together and now I won't read the second book either. Boo.
I'm not even sure why it didn't work, all I know is I got bored halfway and stopped reading. I have a heap of great books waiting to be read and I just couldn't find the energy to give to something I wasn't really enjoying, so I skipped to the end. I know, bad me.
Although I didn't like it, I'm sure others will as evidenced by some of the higher ratings, just wasn't my cup of tea.
I'm not even sure why it didn't work, all I know is I got bored halfway and stopped reading. I have a heap of great books waiting to be read and I just couldn't find the energy to give to something I wasn't really enjoying, so I skipped to the end. I know, bad me.
Although I didn't like it, I'm sure others will as evidenced by some of the higher ratings, just wasn't my cup of tea.
June 21, 2021
Chance and his older brother, Patrick find themselves in an unusual and terrifying situation after a meteor shower hits Creek's Cause.
All the adults seem to turn against them and they end up joining a group of survivors at their high school.
When it becomes clear that people over the age of 18 are being infected, Chance must find a way to save Patrick before his fast approaching 18th birthday.
A fun new and original twist on the zombie apocalypse that was a bit similar to The Faculty (1998 movie), which I loved!
Really it had a bit of everything from zombie / alien like beings, some gory fights, some mystery and a science fiction type vibe.
There were a couple plot holes that I came across but still a very enjoyable read overall.
All the adults seem to turn against them and they end up joining a group of survivors at their high school.
When it becomes clear that people over the age of 18 are being infected, Chance must find a way to save Patrick before his fast approaching 18th birthday.
A fun new and original twist on the zombie apocalypse that was a bit similar to The Faculty (1998 movie), which I loved!
Really it had a bit of everything from zombie / alien like beings, some gory fights, some mystery and a science fiction type vibe.
There were a couple plot holes that I came across but still a very enjoyable read overall.
September 19, 2022
4.5 action-packed, nerve-racking, edge-of-my-seat stars!! Hurwitz wastes neither words nor time; this book flew by as I could barely stand to put it down. YA gory zombie/thriller; suspend your disbelief and go along for a wild ride. Definitely more high school than middle due to violence. Perfect cliffhanger ending that circles back to the beginning. [One scene near the end was not explained fully, but I assume that will happen in book 2.] Can't wait to start book 2 tomorrow!
If you enjoy this, I also recommend The Enemy by Charlie Higson, another fantastic YA zombie series.
If you enjoy this, I also recommend The Enemy by Charlie Higson, another fantastic YA zombie series.
November 13, 2016
Initially, I assumed The Rains was about zombies. Turns out the story is much bigger than that. Yes, people are indeed transformed into zombie-like states, but a more otherworldly and malicious situation was unfolding.
Gregg Hurwitz had my undivided attention from start, and my interest never drifted. I loved how he got right to it, building up this dark world of terror and intrigue. Loved that the main characters were two brothers, and they were interesting individuals too. I liked their bond and how much they looked out for each other. Patrick, being the eldest, was more like a father-figure to Chance; he protected him to no end. And even though Chance was often the one shielded in his life, I liked that his character matured with the situation at hand and that he could survive on his own without Patrick.
So much went down throughout the story, mainly pertaining to understanding what was happening to their little town and why. Every chapter had a chilling scene that made we wonder if one of the brothers would get taken. And the fact that Patrick was approaching his eighteenth birthday terrified me as much as everyone else in the story. I honestly never would have thought of what Chance did to save his big brother, but that was great thinking and yet another reason for liking his character. Chance was smart, and although he believed he wasn't as strong as Patrick, his quick thinking added a lot to the story and helped saved the day whenever they were in trouble.
My only issue with the story was that girl and how she impacted both brothers. It was understandable, being that all three grew up together. Still, I felt like too much else was going on for such a thing to be thrown in the mix.
Overall, loved the writing and the whole premise of teens being unaffected while adults had lost all their control. And it was crazy how being a senior citizen made you immune as well. The ending was quite a surprise. Never saw that coming, not even after what happened when Patrick turned eighteen. Yep, it's a really good story, not the usual zombie/alien parasites concept. And aside from leaving me with questions and the fact that I didn't care for some scenes and a particular girl, it was still a thrilling read and I look forward to the sequel.
Gregg Hurwitz had my undivided attention from start, and my interest never drifted. I loved how he got right to it, building up this dark world of terror and intrigue. Loved that the main characters were two brothers, and they were interesting individuals too. I liked their bond and how much they looked out for each other. Patrick, being the eldest, was more like a father-figure to Chance; he protected him to no end. And even though Chance was often the one shielded in his life, I liked that his character matured with the situation at hand and that he could survive on his own without Patrick.
So much went down throughout the story, mainly pertaining to understanding what was happening to their little town and why. Every chapter had a chilling scene that made we wonder if one of the brothers would get taken. And the fact that Patrick was approaching his eighteenth birthday terrified me as much as everyone else in the story. I honestly never would have thought of what Chance did to save his big brother, but that was great thinking and yet another reason for liking his character. Chance was smart, and although he believed he wasn't as strong as Patrick, his quick thinking added a lot to the story and helped saved the day whenever they were in trouble.
My only issue with the story was that girl and how she impacted both brothers. It was understandable, being that all three grew up together. Still, I felt like too much else was going on for such a thing to be thrown in the mix.
Overall, loved the writing and the whole premise of teens being unaffected while adults had lost all their control. And it was crazy how being a senior citizen made you immune as well. The ending was quite a surprise. Never saw that coming, not even after what happened when Patrick turned eighteen. Yep, it's a really good story, not the usual zombie/alien parasites concept. And aside from leaving me with questions and the fact that I didn't care for some scenes and a particular girl, it was still a thrilling read and I look forward to the sequel.
June 7, 2020
Less The Walking Dead, more
Patrick and Chance Rain are working on their uncle's ranch when a meteor strikes nearby. That field starts growing highly unusual stalks bearing pods. It so happens that when the pods burst, their neighbor is outside enjoying a smoke and sip of whiskey. Over the next 24 hours he develops the worst stomachache of his life, with his belly distending to unnatural proportions. He climbs the water tower, where he lays down and lets his stomach burst open....
What in the world is going on? The Rain boys do what they can to save their town, and start to think maybe they can find help across the mountains. The adventure begins...
It took a long while for this to grab me; I'm not sure why. It wasn't until I was at least halfway in before I started looking forward to picking it back up. There's a sequel already published, which I'm not super excited to get to anytime soon.
Patrick and Chance Rain are working on their uncle's ranch when a meteor strikes nearby. That field starts growing highly unusual stalks bearing pods. It so happens that when the pods burst, their neighbor is outside enjoying a smoke and sip of whiskey. Over the next 24 hours he develops the worst stomachache of his life, with his belly distending to unnatural proportions. He climbs the water tower, where he lays down and lets his stomach burst open....
What in the world is going on? The Rain boys do what they can to save their town, and start to think maybe they can find help across the mountains. The adventure begins...
It took a long while for this to grab me; I'm not sure why. It wasn't until I was at least halfway in before I started looking forward to picking it back up. There's a sequel already published, which I'm not super excited to get to anytime soon.
July 23, 2019
DNF This book was pretty bad from the start - bad writing, I was not invested in the characters, events are so obviously there as plot contrivances, all the the characters are painfully stupid - but I was going to finish it anyway because it is a quick read and the story was somewhat interesting and it does have brothers such as they are, then I thought to myself, why?
December 3, 2017
A new spin on zombies, engaging characters, a well-written story, exciting plot -- what more could a reader ask?
Adults as well as y/a readers will enjoy this novel. I enjoyed Mr. Hurwitz's THE RAINS so much that I am now reading the sequel, LAST CHANCE.
Adults as well as y/a readers will enjoy this novel. I enjoyed Mr. Hurwitz's THE RAINS so much that I am now reading the sequel, LAST CHANCE.
April 28, 2017
3.5 stars**
Well, this was definitely a new take on the zombie apocalypse which is always a fun read. I liked the premise and I think the author had really good ideas and it was very well thought out but it fell a little flat for me overall. When I read books like this I am looking for more gore & violence and The Rains definitely lacked that which is disappointing because it had so much potential!
what I liked;
*The premise- Alien invasion leading to the hijacking of adult minds & turning them into savage, simple minded husks with the task of rounding up all the children. I think Hurwitz had an excellent idea to reimagine the 'zombie' genre with an alien invasion and it was such a refreshing twist & I especially liked that they all had a 'hive mind' mentality
*The dogs!! who doesn't love companion animals in novels?! I loved how the MC- Chance- was able to keep one of his dogs with him for most of the book because it added another layer of suspense to the novel and the love he had for him was obvious. Also thank you for not killing the animals like I dreaded you would- that would've really made my heart hurt
*Character development- Chance went from being a whiny MC who relied on his older brother a lot to being self sufficient and more grown up.
what I didn't like;
*Lack of gore/ violence- now this is totally a reader preference but I think it could've used more violence since it is an apocalypse novel, especially with what is actually going on in this book it seemed to PG for me.
*Ben- wow what a fuckin douche. I'm sorry but I was waiting for so long for someone to just beat the fuck out of him & that never happened. Why?! I would've knocked him out and thrown him to the wolves so fast (sorry not sorry but this is a new world and there's no room for cockheads) the way things were handled with him felt really brushed aside I mean if I was chance or Patrick it would've been a fight so fast.
*things were too easy- There wasn't a lot of conflict for an apocalypse book.. and by that I mean a lot of the 'problems' were resolved waaayy to easily and I never felt a lot of suspense or like something bad was really going to happen.
All in all this was a creative take on the end of the world and I enjoyed reading it, it kept me interested and I will most likely be checking out the next book considering how this one ended (cliff hanger) and I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Scifi/zombies/aliens
Well, this was definitely a new take on the zombie apocalypse which is always a fun read. I liked the premise and I think the author had really good ideas and it was very well thought out but it fell a little flat for me overall. When I read books like this I am looking for more gore & violence and The Rains definitely lacked that which is disappointing because it had so much potential!
what I liked;
*The premise- Alien invasion leading to the hijacking of adult minds & turning them into savage, simple minded husks with the task of rounding up all the children. I think Hurwitz had an excellent idea to reimagine the 'zombie' genre with an alien invasion and it was such a refreshing twist & I especially liked that they all had a 'hive mind' mentality
*The dogs!! who doesn't love companion animals in novels?! I loved how the MC- Chance- was able to keep one of his dogs with him for most of the book because it added another layer of suspense to the novel and the love he had for him was obvious. Also thank you for not killing the animals like I dreaded you would- that would've really made my heart hurt
*Character development- Chance went from being a whiny MC who relied on his older brother a lot to being self sufficient and more grown up.
what I didn't like;
*Lack of gore/ violence- now this is totally a reader preference but I think it could've used more violence since it is an apocalypse novel, especially with what is actually going on in this book it seemed to PG for me.
*Ben- wow what a fuckin douche. I'm sorry but I was waiting for so long for someone to just beat the fuck out of him & that never happened. Why?! I would've knocked him out and thrown him to the wolves so fast (sorry not sorry but this is a new world and there's no room for cockheads) the way things were handled with him felt really brushed aside I mean if I was chance or Patrick it would've been a fight so fast.
*things were too easy- There wasn't a lot of conflict for an apocalypse book.. and by that I mean a lot of the 'problems' were resolved waaayy to easily and I never felt a lot of suspense or like something bad was really going to happen.
All in all this was a creative take on the end of the world and I enjoyed reading it, it kept me interested and I will most likely be checking out the next book considering how this one ended (cliff hanger) and I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Scifi/zombies/aliens
July 8, 2017
I don't like SyFy... at all and the only reason I even picked up this book was because I thought it was about zombies. Yeah, no. I was wrong. I admit that.
But...
I'm so glad I read this book. It started out really slow and actually, pretty annoying. But there was something about this book that just kept me hooked. I can't say it was the writing. The writing was actually really choppy through a lot of the book. But maybe it was the mystery of the story line of wondering what was going to happen.
The characters only accomplished one thing and that was - piss me off. The main character is so whiny and is his big brother's shadow - not that he minds in the slightest - he depends a lot on his brother. But the MC was just so weak it made me want to rip my hair out and scream grow a backbone! If you can force yourself through that, around 80% he actually hits a breaking point and starts to develop a backbone - not completely formed by the end of the book sadly, but still in the make, imo.
His brother was exactly what you expect. Popular, built - typical macho-hero type. The kind you really tend to hate. But... with this book, you can't hate him. It's not possible. He is perfect. The perfect boyfriend, perfect brother, and perfect shot to blow your head away. LOL!
If there was ever a character you wish you could set on fire, it would be without a doubt - Ben. I honestly do NOT understand how NO ONE stood up against him. I don't get how they didn't attempt to exile him or something.... Okay, maybe I go. Exile the little turd and I am sure he would lead everything from the deepest pit of hell to the front door of the hideout. But still .... he should be shot.
The ending really shocked me. I didn't see that coming at all. Really. If you forget to breathe, while reading it, just know you aren't alone because I know I held my breath to the last page. Lol the ending def sets you up to not want - but NEED to read book two.
Like I said, I am no fan of SyFy books, but this one I'd make an acceptation for. I NEED TO KNOW!!
But...
I'm so glad I read this book. It started out really slow and actually, pretty annoying. But there was something about this book that just kept me hooked. I can't say it was the writing. The writing was actually really choppy through a lot of the book. But maybe it was the mystery of the story line of wondering what was going to happen.
The characters only accomplished one thing and that was - piss me off. The main character is so whiny and is his big brother's shadow - not that he minds in the slightest - he depends a lot on his brother. But the MC was just so weak it made me want to rip my hair out and scream grow a backbone! If you can force yourself through that, around 80% he actually hits a breaking point and starts to develop a backbone - not completely formed by the end of the book sadly, but still in the make, imo.
His brother was exactly what you expect. Popular, built - typical macho-hero type. The kind you really tend to hate. But... with this book, you can't hate him. It's not possible. He is perfect. The perfect boyfriend, perfect brother, and perfect shot to blow your head away. LOL!
If there was ever a character you wish you could set on fire, it would be without a doubt - Ben. I honestly do NOT understand how NO ONE stood up against him. I don't get how they didn't attempt to exile him or something.... Okay, maybe I go. Exile the little turd and I am sure he would lead everything from the deepest pit of hell to the front door of the hideout. But still .... he should be shot.
The ending really shocked me. I didn't see that coming at all. Really. If you forget to breathe, while reading it, just know you aren't alone because I know I held my breath to the last page. Lol the ending def sets you up to not want - but NEED to read book two.
Like I said, I am no fan of SyFy books, but this one I'd make an acceptation for. I NEED TO KNOW!!
November 25, 2016
"It began with a hard, slanting rain. And soon there was fire, too, but it wasn’t fire. Not really. It was the piece of Asteroid 9918 Darwinia breaking up above Earth, flaming as they entered the atmosphere."
Teenage brothers Chance and Patrick Rain know something is wrong when they hear screams coming from the farm next door. Their neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. McCafferty, appear possessed—with what, the Rains have no idea, and the terrified young McCafferty children don’t have any answers, either. But the problem only grows more serious.
A kind of parasitic spore is turning the adults of their rural hometown, Creek’s Cause, into—dare we use the “z” word? And the stream of spores is headed toward town. No one can stop it. The Rain brothers are determined to try, but the closer they get to adulthood, the closer they are to becoming part of the problem.
And the problem ain’t pretty. YA Sci-Fi Thriller published October 18th 2016 by Tor Teen. Gregg Hurwitz is the New York Times bestselling author of 15 thrillers.
The Rains combines the alien vs human and zombie mythos and adds in a dash of horror. Narrated in an epistolary format by Chance Rain, the book focuses on the action with a strong, fast-moving plot. The rural setting is the most original aspect of the book and definitely my favorite part.
First Impressions : Page one dumps readers into an atmospheric moment of suspense before the real fun begins, but Chance’s second entry quickly transitions to a bare-bones kind of backstory.
I should probably introduce myself at this point.
I rolled my eyes several times at hokey lines such as,
“I’m fifteen. Fifteen in Creek’s Cause isn’t like fifteen in a lot of other places. We work hard here and start young.”
The teen characters do bear out this description, though, acting much more like young adults than like teenagers. It’s actually a nice change that the Rain brothers, Patrick and Chance, get along so well. Their strong partnership and friendship lets us focus on the action, instead of angsty drama that can sometimes characterize YA.
In fact, this novel is almost all action, with quick pacing and plenty of fight.
“I reached for the blackened handles sticking up out of the forge and ripped the tongs free. As Bob came at me, I raised the glowing yellow tips up to the level of his eyeholes and let Bob’s weight carry him onto them. He impaled his face on the tongs, the membranes popping, the hot metal sinking deep, winding up somewhere near the middle of his head. I clenched the tongs hard, cinching the tongs inward toward his brain.”
Isn’t there just something deliciously creepy about using hot tongs, ripped straight from the forge, to clench someone’s brain to jelly? Yes. Way creepier than slugging someone with a bullet.
In fact, the rural atmosphere—especially the perfectly realized setting of Creek’s Cause—is what make The Rains stand out. Feral sheriffs, baling hooks used as weapons and canneries repurposed as factories of death? Please and thank you.
And I love that we have ourselves some cowboy heroes! I’m a country girl, myself. The majority of the characters feel fairly “standard country mettle,” but that doesn’t bother me.
It’s the love triangle that’s kind of…awkward. I might enjoy a love triangle, if it’s done well, but this one is a little weird. Two brothers and a girl who can’t seem to decide? It’s not serious, yet, thankfully, and I’m hoping it stays a puppy love kind of thing. But at least it’s different than most YA specimens; for once, the story is not being told by the girl who can’t decide.
Besides the love triangle, I have very few complaints. I do have mixed feelings about the speculative element. The zombie transformation—while it has a clever basis—manifests too quickly to feel remotely believable.
“Then a blackness crept across his eyes until they looked like two giant pupils filling the space between the lids. And then the blackness crumbled away like ash. The breeze lifted bits of black residue out of his head. The lights of the house behind him showed in those two spots.”
This happens in seconds? Eh…I dunno. But! The aliens show some promise—what we saw of them, anyway. Book I addresses the zombies; let’s hope book II develops the aliens.
The only other problem is the CLIFF HANGER! Gah. Hurry it up, Hurwitz. You can’t just leave it like that!
Overall : Everything about this book is pretty average—except for the setting, which rocks. I am interested in seeing where book II goes with the aliens, though.
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 3/5
Worldbuilding: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
OVERALL: 3/5 STARS
Recommendations : The book is fairly gory, but that probably won’t stop most readers who pick up a book like this. Recommended to big fans of sci-fi thrillers, especially with elements of horror. It’s more similar to The Maze Runner than to The Fifth Wave—it’s The Fifth Wave for action-fans instead of character-driven readers. Similar to the feel of Shusterman’s Unwind. Give to all the boys!
If you liked this review, you can read more of my speculative fiction reviews on my blog
Teenage brothers Chance and Patrick Rain know something is wrong when they hear screams coming from the farm next door. Their neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. McCafferty, appear possessed—with what, the Rains have no idea, and the terrified young McCafferty children don’t have any answers, either. But the problem only grows more serious.
A kind of parasitic spore is turning the adults of their rural hometown, Creek’s Cause, into—dare we use the “z” word? And the stream of spores is headed toward town. No one can stop it. The Rain brothers are determined to try, but the closer they get to adulthood, the closer they are to becoming part of the problem.
And the problem ain’t pretty. YA Sci-Fi Thriller published October 18th 2016 by Tor Teen. Gregg Hurwitz is the New York Times bestselling author of 15 thrillers.
The Rains combines the alien vs human and zombie mythos and adds in a dash of horror. Narrated in an epistolary format by Chance Rain, the book focuses on the action with a strong, fast-moving plot. The rural setting is the most original aspect of the book and definitely my favorite part.
First Impressions : Page one dumps readers into an atmospheric moment of suspense before the real fun begins, but Chance’s second entry quickly transitions to a bare-bones kind of backstory.
I should probably introduce myself at this point.
I rolled my eyes several times at hokey lines such as,
“I’m fifteen. Fifteen in Creek’s Cause isn’t like fifteen in a lot of other places. We work hard here and start young.”
The teen characters do bear out this description, though, acting much more like young adults than like teenagers. It’s actually a nice change that the Rain brothers, Patrick and Chance, get along so well. Their strong partnership and friendship lets us focus on the action, instead of angsty drama that can sometimes characterize YA.
In fact, this novel is almost all action, with quick pacing and plenty of fight.
“I reached for the blackened handles sticking up out of the forge and ripped the tongs free. As Bob came at me, I raised the glowing yellow tips up to the level of his eyeholes and let Bob’s weight carry him onto them. He impaled his face on the tongs, the membranes popping, the hot metal sinking deep, winding up somewhere near the middle of his head. I clenched the tongs hard, cinching the tongs inward toward his brain.”
Isn’t there just something deliciously creepy about using hot tongs, ripped straight from the forge, to clench someone’s brain to jelly? Yes. Way creepier than slugging someone with a bullet.
In fact, the rural atmosphere—especially the perfectly realized setting of Creek’s Cause—is what make The Rains stand out. Feral sheriffs, baling hooks used as weapons and canneries repurposed as factories of death? Please and thank you.
And I love that we have ourselves some cowboy heroes! I’m a country girl, myself. The majority of the characters feel fairly “standard country mettle,” but that doesn’t bother me.
It’s the love triangle that’s kind of…awkward. I might enjoy a love triangle, if it’s done well, but this one is a little weird. Two brothers and a girl who can’t seem to decide? It’s not serious, yet, thankfully, and I’m hoping it stays a puppy love kind of thing. But at least it’s different than most YA specimens; for once, the story is not being told by the girl who can’t decide.
Besides the love triangle, I have very few complaints. I do have mixed feelings about the speculative element. The zombie transformation—while it has a clever basis—manifests too quickly to feel remotely believable.
“Then a blackness crept across his eyes until they looked like two giant pupils filling the space between the lids. And then the blackness crumbled away like ash. The breeze lifted bits of black residue out of his head. The lights of the house behind him showed in those two spots.”
This happens in seconds? Eh…I dunno. But! The aliens show some promise—what we saw of them, anyway. Book I addresses the zombies; let’s hope book II develops the aliens.
The only other problem is the CLIFF HANGER! Gah. Hurry it up, Hurwitz. You can’t just leave it like that!
Overall : Everything about this book is pretty average—except for the setting, which rocks. I am interested in seeing where book II goes with the aliens, though.
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 3/5
Worldbuilding: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
OVERALL: 3/5 STARS
Recommendations : The book is fairly gory, but that probably won’t stop most readers who pick up a book like this. Recommended to big fans of sci-fi thrillers, especially with elements of horror. It’s more similar to The Maze Runner than to The Fifth Wave—it’s The Fifth Wave for action-fans instead of character-driven readers. Similar to the feel of Shusterman’s Unwind. Give to all the boys!
If you liked this review, you can read more of my speculative fiction reviews on my blog
March 7, 2022
Notes:
The Rains duology is currently on Audible Plus.
Suspension of belief is a bit tricky for the story, but the brisk plot pace doesn't give you a whole lot of time to dwell on the question marks. Overall, a good YA, adventure story with a couple of oddball twists. Definitely curious to see how events will wrap up in the next book.
The Rains duology is currently on Audible Plus.
Suspension of belief is a bit tricky for the story, but the brisk plot pace doesn't give you a whole lot of time to dwell on the question marks. Overall, a good YA, adventure story with a couple of oddball twists. Definitely curious to see how events will wrap up in the next book.
February 25, 2021
2.5 stars
Soooo this was less apocalyptic and more so aliens.
This book was ok, not great. It consisted of A LOT of walking and avoiding ‘hosts’ as they tried to survive. The twist at the end was interesting though.
Soooo this was less apocalyptic and more so aliens.
This book was ok, not great. It consisted of A LOT of walking and avoiding ‘hosts’ as they tried to survive. The twist at the end was interesting though.
September 28, 2017
it was a very clear book it is written well
Displaying 1 - 30 of 423 reviews