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Red Rain #1.5
Project 74
Fresh out of college, talented Ephesus Symrna is summoned to Mars by a prestigious governor to work on a special project. Only one problem: He must leave his father and sister behind in a religious containment camp on Earth. When the governor promises their release in exchange for completing the assignment, Ephesus jumps at the opportunity. But when the project becomes progressively more sinister—and his enigmatic boss refuses to answer questions—Ephesus begins to wonder if the offer is too good to be true.
Project 74 is a prequel story in the RED RAIN series, a fast-paced Christian sci-fi adventure that’s perfect for fans of THE HUNGER GAMES and LEFT BEHIND.
Project 74 is a prequel story in the RED RAIN series, a fast-paced Christian sci-fi adventure that’s perfect for fans of THE HUNGER GAMES and LEFT BEHIND.
Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2022
26 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Newhouse
42 books39 followersRachel Newhouse is an author, wife, secretary, and Sunday school teacher from Kansas City, Missouri. Her obsessions are sci-fi, dystopian, and kid lit. When she’s not writing, she’s cooking Asian food, growing chilis that are too spicy to eat, and watching wildly age-inappropriate shows like My Little Pony and Gravity Falls with her husband, Joe. She also really likes glitter. You’ve been warned.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 10, 2019
LOVED IT!!! =D
I don't recommend anyone to read this book if you haven't first read Red Rain. But after you have read that book this one is a must-read. It really shared some very important details that were only briefly touched on in the first book. Yes, this is a prelude. I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT!!!
The series is a Christian sci-fi that basically is based on the book of "Revelations" in the "Bible". But it is nothing like the "Left Behind" books (Taken) (yes, I did read all forty books of the "Young Trib Force", no I haven't read any of the actual "Trib Force", I got a little bored with the series, maybe some other time). The "Unaccepted" series is purely unique and is one of my FAVORITES!!! (As in, it's not all about the end of the world, but it is).
I really liked that we got to have POV's of Ephesus and Nick.
Ephesus is a little naïve, loves his family, and, well naïve, plus a little too smart for his own good. I loved him though, okay?
Nick. Nick. He is scary. Like, super scary. He acts so kind, so great. But underneath lies something a little more sinister. He is one of the best antagonists I have ever read.
And can I just say how cute the art is at the back of the book! It's not really how I imagine them to look, but they're so cute!
Content in Book:
1.
2. Faking someone's death.
3. A prison camp.
Who I Would Recommend To Read This Book:
Those who have first read Red Rain. Those who LOVE this series. Those who want to read a Christian sci-fi novel that is based off of the book of "Revelations".
I don't recommend anyone to read this book if you haven't first read Red Rain. But after you have read that book this one is a must-read. It really shared some very important details that were only briefly touched on in the first book. Yes, this is a prelude. I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT!!!
The series is a Christian sci-fi that basically is based on the book of "Revelations" in the "Bible". But it is nothing like the "Left Behind" books (Taken) (yes, I did read all forty books of the "Young Trib Force", no I haven't read any of the actual "Trib Force", I got a little bored with the series, maybe some other time). The "Unaccepted" series is purely unique and is one of my FAVORITES!!! (As in, it's not all about the end of the world, but it is).
I really liked that we got to have POV's of Ephesus and Nick.
Ephesus is a little naïve, loves his family, and, well naïve, plus a little too smart for his own good. I loved him though, okay?
Nick. Nick. He is scary. Like, super scary. He acts so kind, so great. But underneath lies something a little more sinister. He is one of the best antagonists I have ever read.
And can I just say how cute the art is at the back of the book! It's not really how I imagine them to look, but they're so cute!
Content in Book:
1.
2. Faking someone's death.
3. A prison camp.
Who I Would Recommend To Read This Book:
Those who have first read Red Rain. Those who LOVE this series. Those who want to read a Christian sci-fi novel that is based off of the book of "Revelations".
January 30, 2023
Sick days were made for binge reading. My husband and I read this together. It was fun to get some back story.
I love, love, love that Red Rain is a series now.
I love, love, love that Red Rain is a series now.
January 7, 2026
2025 reread
Well...this was not quite a re-read, since I'm reading the anniversary edition this time, which is substantially different from the first edition that I read years ago. Some parts of the review below no longer apply, but I still really enjoyed the story and felt so much for Ephesus. (I love Ephesus so much...big brothers for the win!) Especially the scene where he came to terms with being afraid Phil didn't still need him--gaaaaaah, my heart!!!!!!!
It's been too long since the first read for me to really compare them, but I still loved this and certainly *hope* we get more of Ephesus in the series going forward! <3
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I really enjoyed this story. A LOT! Although it's a prequel, it's probably better to read Red Rain first, as this one gives away several important twists, but for those who have already read Red Rain, this offers a fascinating backstory on some of the characters. :)
I loved Ephesus in Red Rain, so getting to see his perspective here was awesome! In particular, I love his close relationship with his family and the strength of his convictions even in the face of dire consequences. Also can't help loving Cea, even if she does have her faults.
Have to say, though, the scenes from Dr. Nic's perspective really surprised me. All those things you read about how to write a three-dimensional villain--right here. Absolutely blew me away. Not that I either liked or agreed with him (yikes!), but I felt like I understood both his actions and the reasons behind them; however wrong he was, his reasoning made sense. Major cudos to the author on that! Also, I caught myself laughing several times at some of his phrasing, which honestly made me a little nervous (umm, why am I laughing at the bad guy?), but which also shows how well-rounded of a character he was, with plenty of human relatableness not necessarily tied to his sinister attributes.
Highly recommended, but only after you've read Red Rain, unless you want to spoil the surprise. ;)
Content--
Well...this was not quite a re-read, since I'm reading the anniversary edition this time, which is substantially different from the first edition that I read years ago. Some parts of the review below no longer apply, but I still really enjoyed the story and felt so much for Ephesus. (I love Ephesus so much...big brothers for the win!) Especially the scene where he came to terms with being afraid Phil didn't still need him--gaaaaaah, my heart!!!!!!!
It's been too long since the first read for me to really compare them, but I still loved this and certainly *hope* we get more of Ephesus in the series going forward! <3
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I really enjoyed this story. A LOT! Although it's a prequel, it's probably better to read Red Rain first, as this one gives away several important twists, but for those who have already read Red Rain, this offers a fascinating backstory on some of the characters. :)
I loved Ephesus in Red Rain, so getting to see his perspective here was awesome! In particular, I love his close relationship with his family and the strength of his convictions even in the face of dire consequences. Also can't help loving Cea, even if she does have her faults.
Have to say, though, the scenes from Dr. Nic's perspective really surprised me. All those things you read about how to write a three-dimensional villain--right here. Absolutely blew me away. Not that I either liked or agreed with him (yikes!), but I felt like I understood both his actions and the reasons behind them; however wrong he was, his reasoning made sense. Major cudos to the author on that! Also, I caught myself laughing several times at some of his phrasing, which honestly made me a little nervous (umm, why am I laughing at the bad guy?), but which also shows how well-rounded of a character he was, with plenty of human relatableness not necessarily tied to his sinister attributes.
Highly recommended, but only after you've read Red Rain, unless you want to spoil the surprise. ;)
Content--
February 20, 2017
I really enjoyed this prequel to Red Rain! It answered a lot of questions about the back story of Red Rain. The characters were great; it was really neat to get into both Dr. Nic's and Ephesus's POV, and I enjoyed hearing the story from their perspective. Definitely read this if you are a fan of, or want to read Red Rain!!
May 3, 2022
This was a short prequel to one of my favorite sci-fi books. I liked getting to see more into the lives of the minor characters.
Re-read 2019: I loved this short story. It was heartbreaking at points, and just made me love the characters more.
Re-read 2019: I loved this short story. It was heartbreaking at points, and just made me love the characters more.
October 13, 2022
One of my favorite things about the Rogue One novelization was the supplemental information that really brought all the planning alive. This felt really satisfying in that same way, and I recommend it to any readers who are looking for just a little extra of the Red Rain world.
April 13, 2016
Introduction:
I've read Aubrey's first science fiction novella, Red Rain and a few little snippets of her upcoming novel, Unaccepted before, so getting to read this prequel novella was a real treat. It was really great to get the perspective of what happened before Red Rain happened and now I want to go back and read that book again.
Characters: 1/1
Ephesus, Dr. Nic, and Cea were great! I loved getting to know them better and in a different way. The portrayal of Dr. Nic as the villain was perfect. He had some really good traits and some...really not so good traits. Ephesus, the protagonist also had good and bad traits, though his were mostly good. I did feel like it could have been a little longer so we could maybe get a little more insight into each character just a touch more, but it wasn't enough to give this less than five stars.
Dialogue: 1/1
The dialogue was snappy, perfect for each character, and I believe true to what might be spoken in the future.
Plot/storyline: 1/1
As I mentioned under characters, it could have been just a little longer, but otherwise the plot and storyline was great! There was one section that confused me slightly, but not enough to draw me out of the book for long.
Overall writing quality: 1/1
The writing was great! It's not often I don't find at least one grammar or spelling error, but I can't recall a single one. The writing style worked well with the book, too.
Un-put-down-ability: 1/1
I did read this book while I was not feeling well, so that aided my not having to put the book down at all, but even if I had been 100%, I don't think I would have put it down before I finished reading. I wanted to know what happened! Even though I already knew since I had read the sequel before.
Conclusion: 5/5
Even if you don't usually like sci-fi (like me), this book is great! It talks about the future when Christians are persecuted and I really think this book could help be an encouragement to those struggling with standing up for their beliefs.
Note: I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
I've read Aubrey's first science fiction novella, Red Rain and a few little snippets of her upcoming novel, Unaccepted before, so getting to read this prequel novella was a real treat. It was really great to get the perspective of what happened before Red Rain happened and now I want to go back and read that book again.
Characters: 1/1
Ephesus, Dr. Nic, and Cea were great! I loved getting to know them better and in a different way. The portrayal of Dr. Nic as the villain was perfect. He had some really good traits and some...really not so good traits. Ephesus, the protagonist also had good and bad traits, though his were mostly good. I did feel like it could have been a little longer so we could maybe get a little more insight into each character just a touch more, but it wasn't enough to give this less than five stars.
Dialogue: 1/1
The dialogue was snappy, perfect for each character, and I believe true to what might be spoken in the future.
Plot/storyline: 1/1
As I mentioned under characters, it could have been just a little longer, but otherwise the plot and storyline was great! There was one section that confused me slightly, but not enough to draw me out of the book for long.
Overall writing quality: 1/1
The writing was great! It's not often I don't find at least one grammar or spelling error, but I can't recall a single one. The writing style worked well with the book, too.
Un-put-down-ability: 1/1
I did read this book while I was not feeling well, so that aided my not having to put the book down at all, but even if I had been 100%, I don't think I would have put it down before I finished reading. I wanted to know what happened! Even though I already knew since I had read the sequel before.
Conclusion: 5/5
Even if you don't usually like sci-fi (like me), this book is great! It talks about the future when Christians are persecuted and I really think this book could help be an encouragement to those struggling with standing up for their beliefs.
Note: I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 30, 2022
A Nice Insight
This short story gives a nice insight into how things went down at the Martian base. If you’ve read the rest of the Red Rain series then you already know the events, but it was neat to get inside Ephesus’s head and see his perspective.
This short story gives a nice insight into how things went down at the Martian base. If you’ve read the rest of the Red Rain series then you already know the events, but it was neat to get inside Ephesus’s head and see his perspective.
July 3, 2024
This is an "anniversary edition", a near-total rewrite of the Red Rain series' first step beyond the original novella. Because the rewrite changed the story from a third-person point of view that was half from Ephesus's perspective and half from Nic's to being all from Ephesus's first-person perspective, altered the story slightly to better fit with what has been revealed in subsequent installments of the series, and added more detailed description ... much of what I wrote in my earlier review (though a little less so my fuller review of the original on my blog) now no longer applies.
I still stand by my headline description of "Project 74" as "a treat for fans of Red Rain", and my praise for Mrs. Newhouse's (by this point "trademark") mastery of "narrative voice," which is to say sentences, paragraphs, and scenes that keep me earnestly engaged all the way through even if I have to put the story down to do something else. But I wouldn't say that this is "the definitive edition" of "Project 74" ... it's just another version of these prequel events, almost in the same way that Crook Q and Prisoner 120518 are two views of the same events. For someone coming to the series fresh, as with "Book 2" and "Book 2.5," I would personally recommend the later entry ("Prisoner 120518" and the "Anniversary Edition"), but if you've become a ravenous fan of the series in search of every scrap of narrative you can get your hands on, the older entries ("Crook Q" and the original "Project 74") are well worth your time.
This is the point in the review where I would normally disclose that I received a "free" copy in advance as a financial supporter of Mrs. Newhouse's Patreon, but at least for now she is making this Anniversary Edition available for free to even free-tier subscribers.
I still stand by my headline description of "Project 74" as "a treat for fans of Red Rain", and my praise for Mrs. Newhouse's (by this point "trademark") mastery of "narrative voice," which is to say sentences, paragraphs, and scenes that keep me earnestly engaged all the way through even if I have to put the story down to do something else. But I wouldn't say that this is "the definitive edition" of "Project 74" ... it's just another version of these prequel events, almost in the same way that Crook Q and Prisoner 120518 are two views of the same events. For someone coming to the series fresh, as with "Book 2" and "Book 2.5," I would personally recommend the later entry ("Prisoner 120518" and the "Anniversary Edition"), but if you've become a ravenous fan of the series in search of every scrap of narrative you can get your hands on, the older entries ("Crook Q" and the original "Project 74") are well worth your time.
This is the point in the review where I would normally disclose that I received a "free" copy in advance as a financial supporter of Mrs. Newhouse's Patreon, but at least for now she is making this Anniversary Edition available for free to even free-tier subscribers.
November 15, 2025
It feels wrong buuuut... I. Love. Nick!! 🤣 This was such a fun novella that explained a lot after the first book. It was perfect. I love Ephesus and loved hearing his story. 🥰 So good!!
July 3, 2024
Three stars because Goodreads says four means I "really liked it," which would be going too far; if the system here had 3 stars as ambivalence this would be a 4, and if it allowed fractions certainly a 3.5.
Aubrey HansenRachel Newhouse continues to demonstrate her mastery of the art of the compelling voice, to the point that the "Dr. Nic" scenes are merely unpleasant, not impossible as they are in (as I found every paragraph, until I gave up, of) "Crook Q" (the original, not the published <s>prequel</s>sequel based on it). The societal worldbuilding is a little more polished, and we get a good helping of interesting character background and interaction, especially of three characters who are mostly offscreen in Red Rain. And there continue to be good in-universe reasons, as well as writerly ones, for the sparseness of technological worldbuilding details. I applaud.
As a general rule I don't much care for dystopias or peeks into the minds of mad scientist villains, and as point-of-view character Dr. Nic reminds me of the Un-Man from Perelandra (which I am glad I read once slowly enough to notice that horrific segment, but don't care to read again anytime soon) the fact I like this at all is a strong recommendation. And it gives me hope that the sequel, whenever it comes, will be readable and enjoyable despite being (more or less) half written by her co-author.
A somewhat fuller, or at least more lengthy, review is on my blog.
(I was given a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.)
As a general rule I don't much care for dystopias or peeks into the minds of mad scientist villains, and as point-of-view character Dr. Nic reminds me of the Un-Man from Perelandra (which I am glad I read once slowly enough to notice that horrific segment, but don't care to read again anytime soon) the fact I like this at all is a strong recommendation. And it gives me hope that the sequel, whenever it comes, will be readable and enjoyable despite being (more or less) half written by her co-author.
A somewhat fuller, or at least more lengthy, review is on my blog.
(I was given a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.)
Read
January 19, 2025**October 2024: GUESS WHAT'S OUT ON AUDIO! PJ brings Ephesus's caffeinated, passionate energy to life, and it's PERFECT. In the spirit of making this anniversary edition available to all, the audio will be free to download for ALL subscribers on my Patreon (including the free tier). It will also be available on all the regular audio retailers.**
AHH, I'm so happy this cover art is finally attached to a real book. It's probably still my favorite cover art to-date.
Anyway, this project has been in the works for quite some time, so I'm thrilled to finally be releasing it into the wild. Project 74, the first bonus prequel story in the Red Rain series, officially has an anniversary edition. It has been completely rewritten in 1st person and significantly expanded to bring together threads from throughout the series to reveal what really happened in Wing 74.
If you read the original, you don't have to read this one. Obviously, I didn't want to pull a "Back to the Future" and mess up my own canon, so the "net effect" of this story is the same. But I did change some details and spent a lot more time exploring Ephesus's heart and motivations. If you love Ephesus as a character, you'll enjoy this.
This book will be available free to all my newsletter subscribers, and you'll also be able to download it for free off my Patreon after release (you don't have to be a paying member). I did this project for fun to give Ephesus a second chance in the spotlight, so I want all my readers to have free access to it.
AHH, I'm so happy this cover art is finally attached to a real book. It's probably still my favorite cover art to-date.
Anyway, this project has been in the works for quite some time, so I'm thrilled to finally be releasing it into the wild. Project 74, the first bonus prequel story in the Red Rain series, officially has an anniversary edition. It has been completely rewritten in 1st person and significantly expanded to bring together threads from throughout the series to reveal what really happened in Wing 74.
If you read the original, you don't have to read this one. Obviously, I didn't want to pull a "Back to the Future" and mess up my own canon, so the "net effect" of this story is the same. But I did change some details and spent a lot more time exploring Ephesus's heart and motivations. If you love Ephesus as a character, you'll enjoy this.
This book will be available free to all my newsletter subscribers, and you'll also be able to download it for free off my Patreon after release (you don't have to be a paying member). I did this project for fun to give Ephesus a second chance in the spotlight, so I want all my readers to have free access to it.
August 16, 2021
Project 74 is perfect! It's the perfect prequel story to the novel Red Rain. Find out the murky Martian secrets with Ephesus, who has ethical decisions to make, decisions that pertain to his Christian faith.
Would you allow yourself to be forced to build a weapon that could harm Earth?
Favorite quote:
"First, help me remember where we keep the stunners. Second, help me figure out what’s third."
Would you allow yourself to be forced to build a weapon that could harm Earth?
Favorite quote:
"First, help me remember where we keep the stunners. Second, help me figure out what’s third."
January 15, 2026
Good filler in for book 1
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