Rain Gods
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Amazon.co.uk Review
In the pantheon of American crime writing giants, it might be argued that James Lee Burke reigns supreme. Elmore Leonard's position is, of course, secure, but wonderful though his books are, they don't have the ambition and sheer heft of Burke. And the man who was perhaps Burke’s nearest rival, James Ellroy, is much less consistent (even the author now admits that his last book, the infuriatingly written The Cold Six Thousand, was a misfire). We've been avidly consuming Burke's vivid and sprawling pictures of American society (and its miscreants) at least as far back as Lay Down My Sword and Shield in 1971, and -- intriguingly -- Burke's new book, Rain Gods, travels back to that earlier volume and plucks out a character to be centre stage in the new book: he is the cousin of Burke's beloved protagonist Billy Bob Holland. Hackberry Holland is the sheriff of a small Texas town, and he is quite one of the most idiomatic (and fully rounded) characters that the author has created (some British readers may find his moniker irresistibly comic, but the slightest acquaintance with the book will soon get them past that).
Holland comes across the bodies of nine Thai women who have been cursorily interred in shallow graves near a church. These murdered prostitutes, Holland knows, are the tip of an iceberg, and represent the greatest professional challenge he has ever faced. And the detailed map of corruption and intimidation that he comes up against stretches from a criminal in New Orleans (for whom the most extreme violence is quotidian) to a troubled veteran of the Iraq war struggling with his own demons (as is Holland himself --- he is, after all, a James Lee Burke protagonist). But by far the most sinister of his opponents is an assassin who lives by the tenets of the Bible, and goes by the soubriquet The Preacher.
Admirers of Burke (and they are legion) tend to ignore reviews and simply buy each new book. First-time buyers, however, should note that this is the author on kinetic form, delivering all the elements that he is celebrated for with pungency and panache. There is even a bonus for those who are resistant to the slightly proselytising religious strain in Burke's work: his malevolent bible-quoting villain here firmly puts paid to the idea that Burke is subtly doing a little PR work for the Catholic Church. This is the great James Lee Burke on something like vintage form. --Barry Forshaw
Review
'With a plot full of twists and turns, this is another exciting crime thriller from Burke. Right now, there's no one better in the game when it comes to style: the heat of Texas practically burns off the page, leaving you feeling as if you're right in the middle of the action.' (WATERSTONES BOOKS QUARTERLY )
'No one matches Burke for unveiling the seedier side of the American Dream.' (OBSERVER )
an absorbing novel of depth and intelligence far superior to all but a few of his fellow crime writers - Burke is the most lyrical and poetic of US crime authors, his central characters the most three-dimensional, his atmosphere the most moody.' (Marcel Berlins THE TIMES )
One of the things that makes James Lee Burke both one of the best of thriller writers, and something more as well, is that he has always been fascinated by grace. Rain Gods [is] one of Burke's most powerful books for some time.' (THE INDEPENDENT )
'Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men won a lot of praise as a kind of modern western but for my money he's no match for James Lee Burke. ... Burke's a terrific writer, who specialises in poking a light into America's dark places and chronicling the country's descent into confusion and immorality.' (THE SUN )
'No one matches Burke for unveiling the seedier side of the American Dream.' (OBSERVER )
an absorbing novel of depth and intelligence far superior to all but a few of his fellow crime writers - Burke is the most lyrical and poetic of US crime authors, his central characters the most three-dimensional, his atmosphere the most moody.' (Marcel Berlins THE TIMES )
One of the things that makes James Lee Burke both one of the best of thriller writers, and something more as well, is that he has always been fascinated by grace. Rain Gods [is] one of Burke's most powerful books for some time.' (THE INDEPENDENT )
'Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men won a lot of praise as a kind of modern western but for my money he's no match for James Lee Burke. ... Burke's a terrific writer, who specialises in poking a light into America's dark places and chronicling the country's descent into confusion and immorality.' (THE SUN )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This latest novel about life and death in Southern Texas covers a period in the life of Hackberry Holland, an aging sheriff with some of the attributes of Dave Robicheaux, a history of alcohol abuse particularly. Hack's military history is of the Korean War with all of its primitive cruelty and although the story is set in contemporary times, Hack's memories are vivid and alive. His professional partner is a female sheriff's deputy, a subtle blend of Clete and Helen, readers will know who I am writing about.
A chilling crime initiates the story and Hack along with deputy Pam is drawn into the investigation of the crime, along with an FBI investigator and a Immigration investigator. The latter coming into the story with a seemingly inappropriate history. There are several unpleasant characters, all reflections of the horsemen of the apocalypse or outriders to that group. An Irish psychopath with psychotic delusions of his cosmic importance is a strange inclusion. Although the perpetrator of the dreadful crime, his inclusion amongst shady business men from Louisiana and Texas needs a clearer explanation.
As usual, James Lee Burke's writing is colourful and imaginative, especially his metaphorical descriptions of the landscape. Woven into the story are some historical facts concerning The Alamo battle and consequesnces which will appeal to readers with an historical interest.
I found the similarities with Robicheaux somewhat frustrating as if Hack was overlaid and then altered to fit; The Korean War vs Vietnam;a history of alcohol abuse; a potentially violent partner, are just a few of these that make Hack seem just a tad unreal.
Coming so close after Swan Peak I found the read not quite as enthralling and that is perhpas because I am a keener fan of Robicheaux. Overall, I would recommend the novel as a study of the often pivotal nature of human evil. Fortunately, the horsemen and outriders, in the main, come to appropriate ends.
Yet again a good read.
Mike Alexander
A chilling crime initiates the story and Hack along with deputy Pam is drawn into the investigation of the crime, along with an FBI investigator and a Immigration investigator. The latter coming into the story with a seemingly inappropriate history. There are several unpleasant characters, all reflections of the horsemen of the apocalypse or outriders to that group. An Irish psychopath with psychotic delusions of his cosmic importance is a strange inclusion. Although the perpetrator of the dreadful crime, his inclusion amongst shady business men from Louisiana and Texas needs a clearer explanation.
As usual, James Lee Burke's writing is colourful and imaginative, especially his metaphorical descriptions of the landscape. Woven into the story are some historical facts concerning The Alamo battle and consequesnces which will appeal to readers with an historical interest.
I found the similarities with Robicheaux somewhat frustrating as if Hack was overlaid and then altered to fit; The Korean War vs Vietnam;a history of alcohol abuse; a potentially violent partner, are just a few of these that make Hack seem just a tad unreal.
Coming so close after Swan Peak I found the read not quite as enthralling and that is perhpas because I am a keener fan of Robicheaux. Overall, I would recommend the novel as a study of the often pivotal nature of human evil. Fortunately, the horsemen and outriders, in the main, come to appropriate ends.
Yet again a good read.
Mike Alexander
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As ever, wonderful descriptive passages abound. However this is really just the same story as he has been writing for many years now. All the usual characters,scenes and themes are present. Personally I am yearning for Mr Burke to write something fresh. I love his writing but am tiring of the Deja vous. It has long past the point that to read one of his books is to read them all. I realise this is true of many crime authors but when one has such talents as Mr Burke possesses we should expect much much more.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
James Lee Burke has one of the strongest voices in the crime genre. Underneath all his work, particularly the Dave Robicheaux New Iberia books and the Texas saga of Billy Bob Holland, is a sub text that explores the emotions that keep people entwined with the places they come from.
The events of Hurricane Katrina were well documented in Burke's previous book "The Tin Roof Blowdown", and are picked up in "Rain Gods", as a whole cast of pimps, killers and weirdoes wash up in Southwest Texas and into the world of sheriff Hackberry Holland.
Holland, the world weary, Korean war veteran and taciturn sheriff of a dust-bowl town -- and cousin of Billy Bob Holland, the ex Texas Ranger turned lawyer in the other crime series by Burke -- finds the buried bodies of nine Asian women in the field behind a burnt out church. It doesn't take long for the sheriff to figure out the dead were prostitutes and drug mules in an organized-crime ring run by Russians, and Burke sets up his hero on a collision course with one of the best villains yet, a bible bashing hit man called Jack Collins, known as Preacher.
Like his long-running Dave Robicheaux series, "Rain Gods" is steeped in the legacy of violence, and as always, Burke's good on landscape and deep on the human condition, so you get both a cracking crime story and a candid picture of the heaven and the hell that decent men, husbands, fathers, pimps and career criminals carry on their shoulders.
The events of Hurricane Katrina were well documented in Burke's previous book "The Tin Roof Blowdown", and are picked up in "Rain Gods", as a whole cast of pimps, killers and weirdoes wash up in Southwest Texas and into the world of sheriff Hackberry Holland.
Holland, the world weary, Korean war veteran and taciturn sheriff of a dust-bowl town -- and cousin of Billy Bob Holland, the ex Texas Ranger turned lawyer in the other crime series by Burke -- finds the buried bodies of nine Asian women in the field behind a burnt out church. It doesn't take long for the sheriff to figure out the dead were prostitutes and drug mules in an organized-crime ring run by Russians, and Burke sets up his hero on a collision course with one of the best villains yet, a bible bashing hit man called Jack Collins, known as Preacher.
Like his long-running Dave Robicheaux series, "Rain Gods" is steeped in the legacy of violence, and as always, Burke's good on landscape and deep on the human condition, so you get both a cracking crime story and a candid picture of the heaven and the hell that decent men, husbands, fathers, pimps and career criminals carry on their shoulders.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The best of the genre
I've read many of James Lee Burke's books, and this is perhaps one of my favourites. Faded and jaded lawmen - often with personal history of the Vietnam or Korean wars - are... Read more
Published 7 months ago by ijhodgson
Rain Gods
I have never been disappointed by any of his novels and while I am only a third of the way through Rain Gods, his powers to evoke dramatic situations and emotions are exceptional. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Ms. ND Valentine
running on empty
This is a major disappointment. Burke has been putting out a new novel every year since the early 1990's and that is simply too much and his lack of inspiration is showing. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Søren Eigaard
Brilliant writing but slightly flawed
My first venture into the writings style that is James Lee Burke (JLB) and what a fine writer he is. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Jonathan Clark
a Great read
James Lee Burke says this novel is his favourite, i'm inclined to agree. It was a great story with one of the best, most complex villians I've ever had the pleasure to read about. Read more
Published 19 months ago by John L'Estrange
Another winner from the master
This guy never misses. His characters are real, his plots are just complex enough to be satisfying but not too complex to be a strain, and the setting is always totally convincing. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Dave Robicheaux
Below average james Lee Burke saga
This is not as good as james lee burkes earlier work and it is the kind of book you find hard to keep reading so skip to the end
Published 22 months ago by Mr. J. Butler
Burke's Masterpiece
After reading James Lee Burke's Robicheaux novel Swan Peak, I e-mailed the author to congratulate him on his finest book yet. Read more
Published 22 months ago by James N. Beatson
Poetry in Prose
The man's a genius.
His images are pure poetry and he must be rated in the Hemingway class.
Greart story, strong characters and I look forward to seeing them or any... Read more
His images are pure poetry and he must be rated in the Hemingway class.
Greart story, strong characters and I look forward to seeing them or any... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Sherlock Holmes
Rain Gods
James Lee Burke is one of the most atmospheric, enthralling and descriptive authors I have ever read. I have all his books and he creates a world you can totally get lost in. Read more
Published on 12 May 2010 by P. Morley
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