- Paperback: 651 pages
- Publisher: Pocket Star; Reprint edition (2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1439128308
- ISBN-13: 978-1439128305
- Product Dimensions: 18.8 x 10.4 x 3.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 340 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,334,243 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Rain Gods,
By
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This review is from: Rain Gods: A Novel (Hardcover)
Having read and reread many James Lee Burke novels, mostly the Dave Robicheaux series, I picked up a copy of "Rain Gods" without a second thought. I knew going into this novel that the character of Sheriff Hackberry Holland was a departure from the Robicheaux series but by the halfway point in this book I was hoping that Dave and his sidekick Clete would appear and shake things up a bit. As always I was taken up with Burke's prosy and articulate style of writing but even that couldn't make up for the fact that this novel was slow reading. The plot wound in and around itself until I was almost bored to tears, and way too many tortured souls for characters.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Characters Worth Developing in an Ugly Story of Seeking Redemption,
By Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 112,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (#1 HALL OF FAME)
This review is from: Rain Gods: A Novel (Paperback)
"For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redemption has come." -- Isaiah 63:4In Rain Gods, James Lee Burke takes flight from familiar territory and characters to spin a new tale of people mangled by life who try to gain redemption on their own. Without God on their side, it's an uphill battle that provides much frustration for all involved. In terms familiar to Burke fans, two of the leading characters have returned broken from war, one internally and the other internally and externally. Caught by their pasts, the characters are slow to pick up on the opportunities in the present. I thought that the best writing in the book came in the descriptions of the hardscrabble Texas plains. I could almost feel the heat, dry wind, and promise of rain in the air. While all of the major characters are conflicted to some degree, Burke's nuanced depiction of a killer for hire with scruples permits us to see that the face of evil is seldom totally black. The Preacher's tendency to be unpredictable is what makes the plot worth unraveling. At the same time, this plot develops very slowly and leaves out major characters for a hundred pages at a time. Unless you like fine patinas of character development, reading this book can seem like watching paint dry for those who like lots of action in their crime stories and police procedurals. I found that the newness of the characters and territory made that slow evolution bearable, not still noticeable. Fans of fine descriptive writing will be pleased with the book. Here's a passing reference to local color: "A redheaded turkey vulture flew by immediately over Hackberry's head, gliding so fast on extended wings that its shadow broke apart on a pile of boulders and was gone before Hackberry could blink." Enjoy!
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars
Just not very good,
By
This review is from: Rain Gods: A Novel (Hardcover)
While I tend to agree that James Lee Burke is the best regional writer producing fiction, and he is likely one of my favourite living writers today, this book was very weak. Hackberry Holland was forced and not well developed. His relationship to Billy Bob, a past successful Burke diversion, was forced and awkward. The plot which was as complicated and serpentine as ever, relied heavily on irony and conincidence to come to any conclusion. And, it was far too long. The plot trundled along without any promise of interest or compelling conclusion. I am not sure what the published reviewers above are suggesting in their praise of this book, but Rain Gods is an unfortunate addition to the Burke canon.
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