The Rain Never Came

by Lachlan Walter

In a thirsty, drought-stricken Australia, the country is well and truly sunburnt. As the Eastern states are evacuated to more appealing climates, a stubborn few resist the forced removal. They hide out in small country towns – where no one would ever bother looking.

Bill Cook and Tobe Cousins are united in their disregard of the law. Aussie larrikins, they pass their hot, monotonous existence drinking at the barely standing pub.

When strange lights appear across the Western sky, it seems that those embittered by the drought are seeking revenge. And Bill and Tobe are in their path. In the heat of the moment secrets will be revealed, and survival can’t be guaranteed.

Genres: Dystopia, Science Fiction, Apocalyptic

258 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 25, 2017

About the author

Lachlan Walter is a writer, science-fiction critic and nursery-hand (the garden kind, not the baby kind), and is the author of two books: the deeply Australian post-apocalyptic tale The Rain Never Came, and the giant-monster story-cycle We Call It Monster. He also writes science fiction criticism for Aurealis magazine, his short fiction can be found floating around online, and he has completed a PhD that critically and creatively explored the relationship between Australian post-apocalyptic fiction and Australian notions of national identity.

He loves all things music-related, the Australian environment, overlooked genres and playing in the garden.

He hopes that you're having a nice day.

Reviews

[Sally906 · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Australia suffers one of the worst droughts for many a year THE RAIN NEVER CAME is based on a very topical fear. In fact the current weather situation makes the whole scenario to be not so far-fetched – it could become reality. The descriptions are all too familiar with the scenes being played on my TV on the nightly news.

…It was a desiccated void, thousands of acres of desolate pasture, all that remained of a land where cattle and sheep used to roam, where corn and wheat had grown tall and strong, where nature had run rampant and wild, where life had once thrived. All of that was now gone; all that was left was a barren dust-bowl…

Set in small Victorian town in the near future, THE RAIN NEVER CAME is fast-paced over a short period of time. It tells the story of two men who have had a longstanding friendship and the people they come across as they try to navigate the dangers of dried new world they live in. When the Australian climate turns irretrievably bad, the government forces people to evacuate north to better living conditions.

Bill, Tobe and many others, have to refuse to leave, and are living hand to mouth, with no assistance, to assert their independence. They all face a daily struggle for survival, and are constantly short of food and water. Friends and family have died – and Tobe disappeared for a long time but as the book opens he has returned.

The government doesn’t like rebellion and armed thugs nicknamed Creepers are rounding up the stragglers and sending them off to concentration camps for an uncertain future – possibly transportation north behind the Brisbane line.

After mysterious explosions and a bright light in the night sky, which everyone thought might have been the first rains for decades, Bill and Tobe fear it might be from some government retaliation somewhere and move out to investigate the event. The land does not improve as their road trip progresses.

…I could see to the horizon - a parched land of dying trees, bleached grass, and dead towns. A world of thirst and ruin that sprawled as far as we could see...

Bill is the narrator and as the story is from his point of view Tobe’s character always remains elusive, what makes him tick is a bit of a puzzle, this is exaggerated by his mysterious comings and goings, his reluctance to share information. Bill describes Tobe as a little manic. The dramatic events and horrible scenario is balanced by humour. Only Aussies can crack jokes in the most horrendous conditions. And the witty back and forths certainly lightened the emotions so this reader didn’t plunge into the depths of despair with the unrelenting grimness of their life. I would have like to know why people chose to remain behind with no assistance – and why the government is so brutal in relocating them – there are deaths and massacres. None of this was never fully explained – it just was the way it was. In fact at the start there were a lot of unknowns such as what happened to Bill’s family? Who's in the mystery grave he tends? Why does Tobe feel he owes Bill? Where did Ruby come from? Who are the Creeps, and why are they called that? You find out about the creeps, and the grave but never really the whole story – there are lots of gaps – but this didn’t detract from the story as communication was non-existent as information was just oral rather than by internet or radio. Tobe and Bill knew the background and didn’t need to talk about it other than in a cursory way.

THE RAIN NEVER CAME is not promoted as a series – and this will sound strange but even though the story is completed it feels that overall in the scheme of things that it seems to start after the beginning and finish before the end – so there is room for Lachlan Walter to expand if he wants. As I really enjoyed this book I certainly hope there’s more to come.


I wish to thank the author Lachlan Walter for my copy to read and review

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can also read this review on my blog which has links to additional information about the book: https://whatcathyreadnext.wordpress.c...

The Rain Never Came situates the reader in a drought stricken Australia with a distinctly post-apocalyptic feel. The long drought has resulted in a division in the country leaving a lawless, wild area that government forces have struggled to control. Those left ‘beyond the line’ face being rounded up and sent to government camps with an uncertain future. ‘The Brisbane line. The southern-most border of “civilised” Australia, sealing off the majority of the population from the desiccated wasteland that some of us still called home.’

The protagonists, Bill and Tobe have a longstanding friendship characterised by jokes, shared cultural references and love of a good time. ‘Tobe stood there, squinting in the sun with an easy smile on his face. He was my oldest friend, my best mate, the brother I never had.’ However, not all the memories they share are good ones and there are limits to what both of them are prepared to - or courageous enough to reveal - to the other. Bill is our narrator so Tobe always remains a bit of an enigma, particularly because of his mysterious comings and goings, his secretive nature and the odd nuggets of knowledge he occasionally reveals. However, Tobe is the more adventurous of the two and, as Bill admits, ‘a little manic’.

Those still residing in the east, like Bill and Tobe, face a daily struggle for survival, constantly short of food and water. ‘Our ravaged world was utterly unmoved by the life that trod upon it.’ The bleak reality of the arid, drought-stricken environment of Australia is evocatively described. ‘I could see to the horizon - a parched land of dying trees, bleached grass, dead towns. A world of thirst and ruin that sprawled as far as we could see.’

When strange lights are seen in the distance one night, it’s Tobe who persuades Bill they should investigate. What follows is an incident and curiosity filled road trip with some shocking and quite gruesome findings. What the pair discover will alert them to just how precarious is the civilisation they thought they knew. Along the way, the bonds of friendship will be severely tested, traumatic events of the past will come to light and they will experience firsthand what the necessity of survival entails.

I really enjoyed The Rain Never Came for its exploration of the impact of extreme climate change and its engagement with themes such as freedom and authoritarianism. The picture of a drought-stricken, lawless world was quite chilling. Personally, I would have liked a bit more exposition about the events that led to the division of the country.

I received a review copy courtesy of the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bursting onto the Australian literary scene like a ripe pimple on the face of a pubescent boy, Lachlan Walter is an author we will no doubt be hearing more of as time goes on. 'The Rain Never Came' is a delightfully raunchy tale of two scallywag mates and the zany hijinks that ensue as they bounce their way from one madcap adventure to the next, like an aging alcoholic at last drinks in the local front bar. One would have to go back quite a long way to find a more accomplished and riveting debut novel by an Australian author. It is a page turner that will have you not wanting to stop even for a toilet break, as I found out much to the disgust of my wife. The couch still bears the scars of that evening. But I digress... do yourself a favour and read 'The Rain Never Came' without delay.

[S. Jeyran Main · Rating 5 out of 5]

The rain never came is a dystopian fiction novel. Australia is badly burnt, everyone is moving to better feasible places to live but, some resist. In this chaotic world, two Australian friends meet, and that is where the story takes an interesting turn. The two friends endure humorous back and forths with authority and officials.

I liked the fact how the story was not so far-fetched from reality. Although the world setting and description of the whole situation has not yet happened in the current world, the thought of it was alarmingly close to what could be.

The literature is by far one of the best I have read. I believe that’s what made the book stand out. A well-written story makes such a difference.

As realistic as one can get and mentioned before there are a few that resist moving from their homes due to the bad living conditions. Bill and Toby were a humorous pair, and that did shed some smiles for the reader as they experienced their relationships and interactions.

I believe anyone that enjoys reading on dystopian novels would enjoy this book immensely.

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in small-town Australia in the near future, this fast-paced novel presents a dystopian drought-stricken landscape. The writing has a very enjoyable rhythmic quality that makes the book hard to put down. It tells the story of two mates and their community as they try to navigate the dangers of this future world. A gripping tale, as it is perhaps easy to see how this fictional environment could become a dire reality. The book presents an engaging blend of discomfort with humour, depravation with beauty, preservation with change, and separation with connectedness. With vivid descriptions of the Australian bush, and wonderfully realised characters that you feel like you have known your whole life, this book evokes the Australian spirit of endurance and humour in the face of making desperate decisions. The Rain Never Came is a most excellent contribution to Australian Literature.

[Penny Houghton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, just wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. Loved the author's descriptive style, and the Aussie colloquialisms made the book even more enjoyable as part of the story about two Aussie mates trying to battle authority in a rather mangled world of the future. The characters are real, the setting typical of the Australian countryside, nothing is overdone or overstated. Fantastic first novel, want to read more from Lachlan Walter.

[Calzean · Rating 1 out of 5]

"The Rain Never Came" as well as a plot, suspense or purpose.
It's dystopian, dull and distinctly one I cannot recommend.

[J. d'Merricksson · Rating 4 out of 5]

**This book was reviewed by independent request

The Rain Never Came, by Lachlan Walter, is the story of two friends living in a desolate, sun-scorched Australia, where it hasn’t rained properly for decades. War further decimated and desecrated the land. Tobe, a transient scavenger, has come home to his little nameless town and meets up with his mate Bill at a impromptu ballgame happening between the locals, and a First Country team.

Bill and Tobe catch up on old times during the duration of the game, and Tobe shares the too-good-to-be-true news that he spotted real rain recently, that the rainstorms had trailed him all the way back home. In the aftermath of the game, the tale spreads, injecting hope into the celebratory party afterwards. As the night goes on, we get to meet many of the townsfolk in depth, through Bill’s interactions. At one point, excitement is stirred up when what appears to be a kicker of a thunderstorm is heard, close enough to shake the ground, accompanied by bright flashes. Unfortunately, it moves on without delivering on the promise of rain.

In the wake of disappointment, Bill and Tobe end up leaving on a ‘road trip’, an attempt to find what caused the lights, which were apparently not lightning. What they find, on reaching the Borough, the nearest big town, is an utter massacre. It doesn't seem to have been the cause of the lights though. Tobe reckons it happened a few days prior. It looks to be that Creeps attacked the Borough, and got a fierce battle. Fearing retaliation from the Creeps against neighboring towns and villages, the pair head home to give warning. No-one wants to listen though. Disgusted Tobe and Bill leave again, bringing with them Ruby, a young girl found in the wilds. A search for safety ends in the Creeps’ Camp, where tensions come to a head and numerous secrets are revealed.

This is a story full of the rich humour peculiar to Australians. As with British humour, some might escape American readers, or feel odd. It’s a tale of contrasts. Happiness and sadness, beauty and harshness, levity and seriousness.

Overall, the story is good. It held my attention. I'm all about man against nature, which much of this story was. But I have questions, son. Why do Tobe and Bill abandon food and supplies before going through the metal maze, when food and water are uncertainties in this land. For that matter, why are they travelling by foot during the grueling heat of day? In Australia?! And where are they keeping all the water that would be necessary for themselves and the dogs? Only canteens are mentioned, but they'd have needed dozens. Perhaps I am misjudging distance travelled, though.

While this is a dystopia, it isn't like most I've read. For a good chunk of story, we are wandering the desolation. There is mention of the Creeps, and we see evidence of their presence, but it's not til the latter ⅓ that we come into full contact. I'm interested to know more about the war, though it seems as far past as the last big rains are. Now is about survival in a nearly inhospitable climate. But was it the climate that precipitated the war? Are they unrelated?

Descriptions in Rain were first-rate. I felt the scrub desert, and the sweltering heat (thanks, mate. I loathe heat 😆) When Bill has his ‘accident’, after opening the transport door, that tumult of chaotic motion, and the sensations and noise of waking while traveling in a car, but not fully aware of the fact, I was there. It was terrifying. And the bridge collapse! Great attention to detail!

I enjoyed the suspense of the story. There was always something we were being teased with learning. What happened to Bill’s family? Who's in the mystery grave he tends? Why does Tobe feel he owes Bill? Where did Ruby come from? Who are the Creeps, and why are they called that? The characters felt real, and relatable. As much as I'd like to think I could be like Tobe, I'd be more like Bill. At first, it seemed like Bill was a big liability out in the bush, and I wondered why Tobe wanted him along. He was clumsy and prone to injury, partly in thanks to impaired vision. I so grok that. Yet, at times, he certainly had more sense than Tobe. Bill is the one who noticed the lack of flies. That was a very important clue.

There is a bit of a 'Mad Max’ feel, especially once we reach the Relocation Camp. Walter is Australian, so I liked the homage paid to this cult classic series set in Australia. I greatly enjoyed how Walter’s culture came through, not just with colloquial language, but its essence also. Tenacity is valued, and reflected, as is fierce independence, and it's a different sort of independence than American culture has. As with many other cultural traits, a certain notion of not being full of oneself was imported from the British parent culture, and wicked sharp humour is used to deflate puffed egos. Living in a harsher environment also seems to have fostered a sensibility and acceptance of what is. I know it's the anthropologist in me, but I love reading books that are translated, (or in this case, written by an author who speaks a different variation of English), because cultural influences shine through in nuance that cannot be achieved by an Outsider writing the same story. Oh, and the indigenous Aborigines are mentioned often, as First Country people. I really liked that detail.

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[Bona Fide Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting story. At first I had difficulty with the slow pace, but soon it seemed natural to the time, place, and the depth of despair and pain the people endure and exude. Even their surroundings – dust, dead vegetation, no living animals except for the occasional bird – drag them down.

Bill and Tobe are the best of friends and brother-in-laws. Bill’s sister died many years ago and perhaps that loss helps keep them together. Tobe has a tendency to disappear for long periods of time, but he always comes home, sharing his adventures with Bill. They exist in a village with a small population in an abandoned part of their country, where people who want to still live their own lives hide from the government, rather than be imprisoned.

Bill has days of thirst and hunger, accepting this as part of his way of life. Food is scarce and water even more so. Food usually means hunting kangaroo – a very dangerous endeavor. Water is brought in from an individual who is lucky enough to have water on his property. It has been a long time since the military visited this area. Known as the CRP, or Creeps as people prefer to call them, they are generally viewed as killers and it is rare for anyone to survive their intrusion. These poor people’s lives consist of surviving day by day, oppressive heat, and lots of dry dirt. The economy is only what they are able to make of it, and some try to live off the land, such as it is. It is hard not to admire these characters.

One night, several people see strange lights in the sky. Bound to their small patch of earth, they have no idea as to what would cause something so odd. Tobe, who has always led Bill – even as boys – decides they must investigate. Bill, although, would just as soon stay home, but he has never refused one of Tobe’s adventures, so he packs his canvas bag. Having lived in a deserted land for so long, all they fear is dying at the hands of the Creeps. What they had not planned on was being captured.

The author brings to life a fascinating landscape which cannot be ignored, mostly because it engulfs everything and everyone in a manner that I saw as total control – no escape from its hardship, nor relaxing from the stranglehold. You know – not just by the book’s title – that there will never be the relief of rain, which gives hope to those who suffer.

The rating:

Genre and general reading age – This is definitely dystopian. Anyone who enjoys reading this type of story will probably enjoy the challenges this book presents. It is appropriate for older teens and adults.
Level of sexuality – Mild.
Is there graphic language? Nothing distracting.
Did I cry? I was more than a little sad over their struggling existence with the heat, dust, and dead vegetation.
Did I laugh? No.
Is this part of a series? No.
Level of character development – Bill’s eyes were opened for the first time to the reality of being Tobe’s friend. In the past, he was able to put aside his questions, but he shows real maturing when he finally acknowledges that he cannot ignore his new take on Tobe.

I felt like I suffered right along with Bill and Tobe in this fascinating tale, and I happily award it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.

[Octavia Cade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable post-apocalyptic novel that gets extra points from me for its refusal to engage in the most obnoxious (and nearly ubiquitous) trope of this genre: sexual assault to show how bad things are. Instead, attention is given to how communities come together in unfortunate circumstances, how choices are necessary in order to survive, and how those choices are often more to do with the survival of self-respect than they are with anything else. Also worth noting is the strong and continued emphasis on environmental degradation, and the skilful way that environmental apocalypse is folded in with social change is such a relief to read after coming across some similar stories that were far less intelligently thoughtful (The Silent Invasion, I am looking at you). Also the tone was very enjoyable - granted I'm a Kiwi and not an Aussie, but there's a real sense of familiarity in the way people talk in The Rain Never Came which is rare and entertaining.

There are a few nit-picky things - I'm not at all convinced by the junk walls, for instance, and the back-story of Bill's sister seems a little tired - but on the whole it's a really refreshing take on the whole post-apocalyptic scene.

[Megan | A Page to Turn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rain Never Came is a debut novel. A great dystopian read, set in the dry and drought stricken outback. I really enjoyed the realness of this book, even though it's set in a country that I've never visited before. I've always had a joy in reading a book written by an Aussie - and this one didn't disappoint.

'The Rain Never Came' has a writing style that is so refined, it was so easy to read, very fast paced, and super interesting. It's the tale of two Australian friends battling the authority figures of their time, and can't manage to get their lives together. Their stories very real, and very flawed. It definitely wasn't short on well developed characters, or crazy plot devices that kept me on my toes. I don't always understand Aussie humor, but for some reason I don't care! I just enjoyed this book for exactly what it was, an entertaining read.

A complementary copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my review of the book.

[Josef Peeters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mates, mateship, the thread-like spirit that binds the unique people of Australia is clearly depicted in this dystopian tale of drought and despair. When all else has abandoned humanity, it is that singular enduring quality that forces life to persist beyond all hope. Searing landscapes fraught with the hardship and suffering endemic of the driest continent on Earth, are summoned clearly to the reader's mind through the graphic descriptions supplied by the author, Lachlan Walter, in his debut novel, The Rain Never Came.

[Felicity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dry humour in a dry land

This book is written on a knife-edge line between survival and despair. The prose is perfect and the characters compelling. A blinding-hot addition to the field of Australian science fiction.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although I felt it ended too soon! Hopefully there is scope for further reading about Tobe, and Bill.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad to have read to the author's bio, which highlighted an interest in post-apocalyptic and science fiction. Otherwise, I would have had no idea what the heck this book was about. And even then, I'm not sure I got it entirely b/c sci-fi is not my thing. Like the arid landscape setting, the plot is sparse on action, except for gushes here and there. And character descriptions are more drips that catch you on the shoulder after waiting patiently for a while. Also, I'm pretty sure the moral is that without water, we're all screwed ( I think). Again, this is why I don't tend to read out of the box fiction.

[Ray Hibbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Australian post apocalyptic road trip. Very beleivable settings and characters. Refreshing after reading so much US-centric post apocalyptic novels in my life.

[Dave-Brendon Burgh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming soon.

[Michael Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can read my review “The Rain Never Came” at my web site.

[Gary Reger · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rain Never Came centers around the adventures--if that's the right word--of two mates, Bill and Tobe, in a post-climate change Australia. The action takes places entirely in the state of New South Wales, desiccated and depopulated thanks to desertification, drought, and the actions of the CRP, a malevolent agency that captures and deports holdouts who've hidden out, like Bill, in little, out-of-the-way towns, resistant to removal above the line--apparently to far northern Australia, where the rain continues to come.

Bill and Tobe's travels are sparked when strange lights appear in the western sky. Though he keeps his secrets, Tobe knows these lights presage a raid on the town, which might easily eventuate in the deaths of hundreds. He insists that Bill accompany him into the new desert, headed west.

They find strange, massive walls cobbled together out of the detritus of a collapsed civilization--cars, toasters, washing machines, road-construction equipment--an orphaned girl named Ruby, and, eventually, a concentration camp where, in the midst of a riot, Tobe's secrets are spilled.

Dystopian SF driven by climate change is a favorite sub-genre these days; indeed, the next issue of the academic journal Western American Literature (56.3-4 [2022]) is entirely devoted to studies of "Cli-Fi." The Rain Never Came offers an Ozian twist on the (already somewhat stereotypical) tropes of the field.

I have really only one complaint, but it's something that came to annoy me. Whenever a character is about to confess, or explain, or reveal, Walter has him or her interrupted or restrain him/herself, and never takes up the broken thread of the conversation. The practice seems intended to build suspense--what does Tobe know?--but it's an awkward mechanism to do so, especially as any normal person, after the interruption, would ask, "So what were you about to reveal?" It doesn't add to the effectiveness that Tobe's secret isn't hard to guess; one wonders just how dumb Bill needs to be not to have figured it out.

Aside from its SF elements, The Rain Never Came explores a truly Australian matter: how much strain can a mateship take before it breaks irreparably? Mateship is fundamental to Australian culture and central to much of the continent's white fiction, particularly when mates head out to confront unknown challenges in a hostile, unexplored outback. Bill's relationship with Tobe, presented at the start as adamantine, suffers unrelenting pressure as the book moves on. The end is a surprise. This element makes Thee Rain Never Came a haunting work of Australian fiction, speaking to matters far beyond standard Cli-Fi.

[Monita Gangavarapu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an Australian post-apocalyptic science fiction and it's really good in a grown up 'Tomorrow when the war began' kind of way.

This is a signed copy, I met the author and bought the book at Clunes Booktown 2019. It is refreshingly Australian without cliches.

There is blood and guts; there is mateship; there are vague references to true love but overall the book is quite wholesome. It even has four legged furry characters to fall in love with. I guessed the big reveal so early that by the time I got to the final chapter I was surprised that it was still a reveal. Maybe the author dropped too many hints?

I'd recommend it as a deviation from regular genre reading. It's fun imagining a post apocalyptic Australia but I wouldn't want to be living in it!

[Linda Chance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ebook galley of this book in exchange for a review, and I’m not sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, it seemed like a very realistic scenario with a calamity of unknown causes and people defying authorities to live their lives as they see fit. But there were stretches where I felt I missed some clues as to why the characters, particularly Tobe, were behaving as they did. Maybe I didn’t understand the dialogue well enough, though I am familiar with some Australian slang. Even at the end, where reasons for Tobe’s behavior are revealed, I felt unsatisfied with the way the story petered out. That said, I look forward to more works by Lachlan Walter.

[Judy Nickless · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 and a half stars.
A few gaps in the story and a little presumptuous that you know what happened in the gaps.
Mad Max crossed with Tomorrow When the War Began.

[Carley · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the interests of full disclosure, Walter and I went to high school together, though haven't been in touch much since. I bought this book in part because of that connection, but also because the setting and the characters (based on the blurb) promised to be familiar to that shared experience.

And they were. The greatest strength of this novel is in the way Walter evokes the setting, and the way he allows that laconic Aussie character to express itself through Bill and Tobe. Their relationship is at once a fragile and sturdy kind of mateship. Fragile in the sense that too much has been swept under the rug and repressed in that overly-stoic masculine way. Sturdy in the sense that their long history together and mutual reliance keeps them together. It really is the story of the two of them, as the ending (no spoilers) reveals.

This is a good example of the climatic apocalypse trend in dystopian fiction. Here, the effects of drought and climate change have led to much of rural Australia becoming barely habitable, resulting in forced relocations. Bill, Tobe, and others resist these, and it's this stubborn resistance which forms the core of the narrative. In this sense it draws upon a particularly Australian combination of resignation, defiance, anti-authoritarianism and self-sufficiency.

The opening is slow. Too slow, in some ways. There's value in the gradual unfolding, and there's thematic purpose in establishing the mundane of Bill's life, but Walter dwells on the minor characters and the mood-setting for a long time without there being clear direction and I nearly bailed in the first 5 chapters or so. I'm glad I persisted, because once Tobe gives Bill enough of a shove and the narrative gets truly underway, the pacing is much better and the introduction of a third character to join Bill and Tobe, and some genuine antagonists, helps things along.

I found myself returning to contemplate moments and scenes and ideas in this for a long time after reading. It's a book that burrows in and stays with you, if you let it. It's a solid 3, and nearly (but I think that opening keeps it just shy of) a 4.

[Clare Rhoden · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a bone-dry Australia of the future, not everyone wants to scamper to the safety of the north where the climate is more habitable. Small groups of rural communities hold out in the parched outback that covers most of the country, barely scraping a living. The CRP (compulsory relocation police) try to round them up into camps to send them up the line.
Bill and his brother-in-law Tobe go on the road to investigate strange lights in the sky to the west - thunder and lightning bringing longed-for rain? No? Maybe a battle site? With Tobe's two dogs struggling alongside, the pair discover devastation and a frightened, silent child.
This is dystopia with a kick, stranding the reader in the misery of the unknown, the helplessness of a wrecked climate. The events that led up to this point, what happens elsewhere in the country (or the world), and where the CRP send relocated people after the camps, what political or community infrastructure exists - all of this is unclear. The men are lost in the new world, navigating without guides apart from what their own judgement tells them.
Inevitably, secrets are revealed and relationships are fractured. Nothing can be taken for granted, nothing stays in its familiar place. This world doesn't really allow for anything else.
Despite the poetic nature of Bill's inner commentary, the spoken dialogue is sparse, colloquial and bloke-y, with a minimal vocab pressed into service for every situation and emotion. The contrast speaks effectively to the enormity of the post-climate-disaster world.
For readers of The Road and The Natural Way of Things

[Kathryn Gossow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dry dystopia

Living in Australia we all know that parched land feeling when we think it will never rain again. That’s why it is so easy for me to imagine the dystopia Walter has created in The Rain Never Came. In part this is a story about survival but it is also about grief and friendship and deciding where your loyalties lie. If you like a book with adventure you will like this. If you are scared by climate change this book might shatter you.