The Faraway (Chance of Rain Book 1)

Each interlude reveals a bit more of the inevitable end, and I couldn't find the willpower to stop reading. The story comes with unexpected and original twists, and I loved them. I didn't think there was any power in the world that could keep me away from watching a fresh, "out of the oven" episode of Game of Thrones. That was until last night when I couldn't stop reading this book. I had the urgency to know how the story ended. It was a desperate crave. Who cares if Jon Snow lives?

I needed to know what happened to Louise, Adam and Jarvis. I wanted to phone Cooper and demand explanations. That's how emotionally involved I became. All I've done today is tell my friends they need to read the book so we can talk about it. You will need someone to discuss this story.

It certainly makes an excellent bookclub selection! View all 3 comments. Jul 20, Kristina rated it really liked it Shelves: Beat the Rain is Nigel Jay Cooper's debut novel, and what an auspicious start to what will be an undoubtedly successful writing career. It's hard to say exactly what this book is about without giving too much away, so--read the book synopsis for plot details and I will share with you some of the great writing that's in this book.

And then one day you both stop trying to make the other one notice anymore. The rest is entropy. Memory is an artist, an impressionist. She adds colour, sound, smell and emotion to events at her whim. She adds, subtracts and embellishes until the event she started documenting is quite unrecognisable to the others who also experienced it, but at the same time, is more truthful to the owner of the memory. There is no reality. There are only impressions of past events, made by a million selves, all interacting with each other, vying for superiority.

The only problem I had with the book is that sometimes I felt that the characters did things for no good reason, they were unrealistic and just didn't make sense. Still, this is a great book and I highly recommend it. Thank you to Netgalley and Roundfire Books for an advance copy of this in exchange for an honest review. Nov 22, Javi rated it liked it.

Send Down the Rain

The plot is pretty simple: Once they get into their own dynamic, the author lays both characters totally bare by exposing their grief and especially their frustrations, which they are completely unable to deal with in a sane way, turning their relationship toxic. There wasn't enough dialogue, everything we learn we do because of their thoughts and actions.

The starts and stops in the storytellling were annoying and it certainly could have used better editing. Not bad overall, but not a book I'd highly recommed either. Jul 22, Rae Colley rated it it was amazing Shelves: This debut novel by Nigel Jay Cooper is absolutely lovely and haunting. Beat the Rain opens with the death of Tom, twin brother of Adam and partner of Louise.

Narration alternates mostly between Louise and Adam, and I found Adam to be the more vividly-realized character. His voice is the more introspective, vulnerable, and thus more sympathetic. Pondering the functional alcoholic: Such a good word. So descriptive of their lives. All the moving parts doing what they should but nothing going on behind the scenes, no sparks, no real life. Except conversation is always laden with meaning and hidden truths and politics. Thanks to Netgalley and Roundfire Books for advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Apr 23, Pia rated it really liked it Shelves: Tom and Louise are a couple. Tom's twin brother, Adam, is devastated too. And then Adam and Louise fall in love, marry, have children. Not only because of the social pressure it's almost like incest, marrying your late lover's brother , but because Adam and Louise seem like star crossed lovers. Her kids barely know her, she Tom and Louise are a couple. Her kids barely know her, she is bored, Adam drinks too much.

Enter Jarvis, who just moved to town and is befriended by the couple. And then it all goes downhill Nigel Jay Cooper's debut book is excellent! I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review Jun 02, Mollie rated it really liked it. After reading the synopsis of this book, I thought I knew what to expect. After a chapter or two, I told myself I understood where the author was taking me. Time and again, I settled in for the ride only to fall flat on my face, breathless With each page, the question Regarding any advice to the reader of this novel Just accept that sometimes you're going to get wet.

Mystified After reading the synopsis of this book, I thought I knew what to expect. Ah, then you're in the right mood to pick up this book. And let this debut author redefine the fine art of deception. The story starts with Tom and Louise and then Tom is dead and it seems that he has given Louise and Adam permission to get together. Then one day in walks Jarvis and she becomes obsessed. You must read it and find out! A well written story with characters that you root Wow! A well written story with characters that you root for right up until the very end.

Jul 28, Lianne rated it it was amazing. Thank you to Netgalley, Nigel Jay Cooper, and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book. Really - thank you! Beat The Rain was not what I expected at all. Not from the cover, and not from the synopsis. I've read a few psychological thrillers recently and before too long they all blur into one.

Similar story line and similar characters, so I had put off reading this one because I was becoming a bit bored of the genre in general. But I wouldn't class Beat The Rain as a psychological thriller at all. I don't know what I would class it as if I'm being honest. It doesn't really fall into one category but it is a masterpiece in whatever genre you want to place it. The characters are laid bare for the reader, they are so authentic and honest.

I felt a connection with each of them which made the book all the more heart wrenching. After a few chapters it felt like I was reading about friends I knew were headed straight for a train wreck and I couldn't stop it. Nor could I stop reading. I had Jarvis figured out quite early on, well - the part that Adam learned about him, not the bit Louise learned - that was a big shocker! And I figured out the interlude a few chapters before the end. But again, that just made it harder, because I was watching B this slow rumble of an earthquake that I knew was going to tear everyone apart, I was only a spectator.

In terms of the writing, how beautiful. Some of the passages in this book are the type of thing you see on a huge canvas on people's walls. Nigel Jay Cooper is such a talented writer and uses his secret power those amazing, psychological passages sparingly. Which means that you aren't being overwhelmed with metaphors and "flowery language" for the entire book which then loses its beauty.

Instead you get to read a book in plain English, and every once in a while the beauty of the writing just comes out of the page and wraps itself around you. That was one of the highlights for me. As for the general story line. What can I say? It's gripping, and normal, and you can't put it down. What a fantastic book that reminds you that sometimes you ARE going to get wet.

Read it - you'll understand that last sentence. This is the story of Louise and Adam. Louise was originally the girlfriend of Tom Adam's twin brother , but when Tom died, he gave permission for Louise and Adam to be together as he noticed they had a closeness. From this point forward, we see Louise and Adam's relationship unfold with the main question being who do they stay loyal to?

However, with the introduction of Jarvis, the book while still somber picked up. If you're looking for a happy read, this is not the book for you. However, if you can deal with some issues, don't mind a bit of a gloomy read because the writing is great and you do get a sense of the characters again, didn't like a single character again in a book but for me, I like to not like them!

I'm glad I stuck with it - even while saddened by the whole of the book. Jan 20, Susan Angela Wallace rated it it was amazing. Beat the rain by nigel Jay Cooper is a mystery and thriller and general fiction adult read. Louise, grieving the death of her lover Tom, does the only thing she can think of to make the pain go away - she marries his twin brother Adam. But letting go of her past isnt as easy as she thought. After a seemingly chance encounter with a charming stranger called Jarvis, all of their lives begin to unravel.

Beat The Rain is a moving and vulnerable psychological thriller, depicting the reality of a re Beat the rain by nigel Jay Cooper is a mystery and thriller and general fiction adult read. Beat The Rain is a moving and vulnerable psychological thriller, depicting the reality of a relationship in decline. Loved the story and the characters. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley. Mar 10, Clare Seel rated it it was amazing. Wow, an emotional roller coaster with some unexpected twists. Raw, painful emotions laid bare. Some parts made me laugh out loud, others cringe as it dawned what was coming.

Oh how I loved the dinner party, everyone knows an 'Imogen' And an 'Alice' for that matter too. I wait with baited breath for your next book Nov 14, Sue Purbrick rated it really liked it. This book was both desperately sad and wholly uplifting. Author Nigel Cooper writes about life and love in all its stark reality, dealing with death and love, misery and elation. She soon finds new love and gets married. But is this marriage really right?

Or was it simply pre-ordained by Tom? And then, much later, beautiful, charismatic Jarvis appears on the scene in Brighton, tearing through the family This book was both desperately sad and wholly uplifting. And then, much later, beautiful, charismatic Jarvis appears on the scene in Brighton, tearing through the family and causing utter destruction and chaos. A spellbinding read which I enjoyed. Nov 12, Louise rated it liked it. Brilliantly drawn characters even though they are not very likeable Crystal clear description of emotions and tensions in the story Felt on edge all the time!

Oct 09, Lisa rated it it was amazing. This is our honeymoon and after all the wedding stress im ready to relax, just getting discouraged with the weather reports. We arrive on Sunday for a week and I am not too worried about it. They had forcasted rain for all this week but I have been watching the webcams and it has been pretty nice and sunny most of the time.

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3. Crystal Rain.

I get there sunday too! We weren't as lucky last year early November. It rained every day, all day. We had one day of sun. I'll never book September-November again. All of your saved places can be found here in My Trips. Log in to get trip updates and message other travelers. Log in Join Recently viewed Bookings Inbox. Browse forums All Browse by destination. And in making such an ambitious attempt, the novel distinguishes itself. You likely will not forget a novel that is a hybrid of fantasy and science fiction elements, where the characters talk like Caribbean islanders, alien gods patrol the land, and the Azteca are the invading force.

And if you do forget it, I want your reading list. The novel is set in the Caribbean-styled Nanagada, a peninsula protected by a mountain range, the Wicked Highs, on the landed side. Almost immediately, the brutal Azteca have invaded Nanagada, seeking blood and human sacrifice to satiate their gods.

John deBrun lives with his wife Shanta and son Jerome outside of the town of Brungstun in the shadow of the Wicked Highs. Soon they find themselves caught in the battle with the Azteca, becoming separated from each other in the confusion. John, who has no memory of his life prior to arriving in Nanagada twenty-seven years earlier, is saved from being a sacrifical lamb by the Aztecan mongoose man, Oaxyctl.

Together they travel to Capitol City, the governmental and major population center of Nanagada, meager steps ahead of the advancing Azteca army. Pepper oozes more violence and menace than the evening news. On reaching Capitol City, John discovers he is an instrumental part in the plan to stop the Azteca invasion. Can John regain his lost memories and save the Nanagadans? And who is Pepper and what is his interest in John?

The story mainly evolves through action, drawing the reader quickly through novel. The biggest negative to this lightning-fast pace is a lack of more extensive cultural information about the world; the world-building is unfortunately minimal other than a moderate amount of physical description of Nanagada. There are so many interesting cultural and religious aspects about the Nanagadans and the Azteca that could have been further explored by Buckell.

But he misses the opportunity. This is a fantasy setting that screams for a more extensive examination. Sacrificing the pace for a more complete Nanagada would have been worth it. He was the one character I most wanted to read about, not only in this book but in future books. When you create a setting this amazing, it is natural for the to want to explore it more thoroughly. Fast paced action and short chapters will have the reader ripping through the story, but a lack of in-depth world-building keeps the book from achieving more.

And my sincere hope of Buckell eventually fulfilling that potential has me eagerly anticipating his next novel even more. With Crystal Rain, Buckell creates a crazy mish-mash of fantasy, myth, and sci-fi. All of which is wrapped up in the enigma: Who the heck is John deBrun? He's a man with a hook. But he must be so much more since gods, spies, and a strange guy in a top hat are all hunting for him. The different factions think John can provide important information, but all he has is a case of amnesia. The mystery of his true identity ties all the story threads together, but it's not the o With Crystal Rain, Buckell creates a crazy mish-mash of fantasy, myth, and sci-fi.

The mystery of his true identity ties all the story threads together, but it's not the only engaging aspect. Buckell flips focus between John's journey and the events in Capitol City. The people there are readying themselves for invasion by the Azteca--a fierce breed of warriors whose gods demand blood sacrifices. It's General Haidan's task to beat the enemy back, while Prime Minister Dihana tries to prevent chaos from erupting within the walled Capitol City.

Coming from a person whose eyes glaze over at in-depth discussion of military tactics, I thought Buckell offered just the right amount of insight into the war preparations. I could well imagine the advancing forces, the defensive line, and the high tension of the people. The story is never bogged down by details.

Instead, I could feel the pressure these two authority figures endured as they raced against time. Buckell also includes a harrowing voyage at sea, another aspect that proved surprisingly engaging. Again, he provides just the right balance. He focuses on the pitch of the waves, the crew's uncertainty, the tedium, and the daunting elements. He captures the hardships without making me feel like I enrolled in Sailing The efficient storytelling shows itself in additional tidbits that make the landscape whole and the story rich.

The setting, Nanagada, is a land with strong Caribbean and South American influences. Its people speak in an island cadence which took a little getting used to. The gods are the Tetol and the Loa, names implying Aztec and Hatian ancestry. History is learned through bedtime stories of the old-fathers and a distant place called Earth. John's wife begins all her stories with: Match this with a landscape littered with long-forgotten tech and a greater mystery than John's identity develops: What brought these people to this planet?

If they were capable of space travel, what drove them back to more primitive ways of life? Buckell's world-building is refreshing. In a genre dominated by conquering white guys, his dreadlocked heroes stand apart.

80% chance of rain/thunderstorms next week for Cancun - Cancun Forum - TripAdvisor

Moreover, it's fascinating to see tradition reassert itself once the trappings of tech are gone. These people lead simple lives, and few seem disturbed at the knowledge they've lost. They are content with farming and fishing, saving up money for Carnival, and telling stories of good and evil. By the end of the story, Buckell has answered the most pressing questions of who and why. I didn't think he could pack all of that into this one volume, but he does so with the same efficiency displayed throughout.

The only question left is: I'm eager to find out. View all 3 comments. Nov 24, Althea Ann rated it liked it. An entertaining, quick-moving sci-fi adventure. John deBrun suffers from amnesia. He has no idea where he's from or who he used to be. He was found by the inhabitants of Nanagada, descendants of Caribbean emigrants, and taken into their community. After time, he has made a rewarding life for himself, married a woman that he loves and had a son. Do you think this peace and happiness is going to last?

And suddenly, everyone seems to be interested in John deBrun. An Aztec double-agent wants to kidnap and torture him.

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Alien 'gods' known as Loa and Teotl, also imply that he's important. And then, the cyber-soldier Pepper shows up, claiming that he knows deBrun from a time back in his forgotten past. Chaos is about to erupt OK, I can suspend disbelief to accept that Caribbean emigrants might preserve elements of their culture, as described here, for hundreds of years. However, there's absolutely no explanation provided here as to where the Aztecs neo-Aztecs?

That made me go "Hmm. The amnesia plot element is a bit played out. Still, it's a fun and enjoyable story. Aug 09, Neil rated it it was amazing. This is first rate SF, blending exciting action with interesting ideas in a plot that is paced beautifully. Buckell fits a lot into these pages. It's difficult to reveal much plot, because the author does such a nice job of slowly unveiling the history of his characters and world throughout the book.

A man named John DeBrun who lives with his wife and son in a small jungle village on an island world called Nanagada has a rough past. He led a seafaring voyage north on behalf of his government This is first rate SF, blending exciting action with interesting ideas in a plot that is paced beautifully. He led a seafaring voyage north on behalf of his government in search of old technologies and returned from those lands as the only survivor of the expedition with a hook in place of a lost hand and some ugly memories.

A few years prior to that, he can't remember his life at all. As the novel opens, his years of rest in the jungle come to an end as the Azteca people, led by priests and even a few of their gods, break through the Nanagadan mountain defenses and invade. Nanagada is an unusual SF setting, based on the Caribbean. One gripe with the publisher: Give readers more credit. We'll still buy the book if the protagonists have brown or yellow skin and frankly, the genre needs the diversity.

I've stumbled across a few of the author's blogs online, I'm sure he'd agree, probably make the argument even more strongly than I will. Buckell unveils John's past, that of another powerful man named Pepper, and the history of Nanagada carefully, letting another piece of the puzzle drop every few chapters. I'm not going to give away anymore, but it's worth the wait. Nov 30, Neal Asher rated it really liked it. First on my list upon returning to it was Crystal Rain by Tobias Buckell. Buckell himself is a native of that region of the world, though he now resides in landlocked Ohio.

You can follow the author on his blog. Buckell contributed a Pepper story to the Seeds of Change anthology, of which I received an advanced reader copy and reviewed. I also previously reviewed Sly Mongoosewhich is the third novel and I believe last as the publisher decided to not move forward with anymore novels set in this world in Buckell's Caribbean sci-fi series. Events in Crystal Rain are such that Caribbean natives come to a far-off world to colonize and are then trapped there when the wormhole that they arrived through is closed.

It's either that or face annihilation from an alien enemy. The mechanism which closes the wormhole also renders inert most technology, so the world is set back into a traditional Caribbean way of life, though there are elements of steampunk in the form of steam-powered watercraft and airships. Much of the story told in Crystal Rain revolves around John deBrun, a man who arrived on the planet under mysterious circumstances and who doesn't remember anything prior to his arrival.

That was some twenty years ago. As the novel opens, another stranger to this world arrives, a cyborg named Pepper. Genetically modified to fight the ancient alien enemy which forced them to close the wormhole those hundreds of years ago, Pepper has come looking for John. John soon learns that Pepper holds the key to his past, and that their destinies are woven together whether John deBrun likes it or not. Crystal Rain is an enjoyable read, but I couldn't help but feel it was missing something.

The character of John deBrun is hard to pin down; he's interesting, but ultimately feels flat. The same goes for many of the other characters with the exception of Pepper who was the most interesting of all. Sadly, the novel is really about John, though Pepper gets his fair share of narration. The title of the novel seemed a bit misplaced to me. It refers to snow, which the people of the novel experience only when an expedition ventures far north. Perhaps there is some deeper meaning here which I missed.

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Overall, Crystal Rain is a good read, but I'm not overly compelled to go read Ragamuffin, the next in the series. I did, however, enjoy reading Sly Mongoose, which is a story that centers around Pepper. Jun 09, Tim Hicks rated it liked it. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. There are plenty of good ideas here, and some interesting characters.

As a first novel, it's very good. But something about it wasn't quite right. Perhaps it's that despite the unique ideas, large parts of what followed from each idea seemed predictable. As if there was ever any chance that he wouldn't. Perhaps - and this is not Buckell's fault - I have had enough of "We're surrounded by a vastly superior force! Well, there is just one small chance The only worse SF plot clunker is "young X is unappreciated and misunderstood, but he will soon learn that only he can save the universe from the evil Zzzzz - if only he can overcome his own doubts" or she, of course Perhaps I'm a tad disappointed that two characters are pushed to the point of certain death, only to be saved by high-tech.

SF authors, can we all agree to stop using the autodoc as a plot device? It's too close to what happens after Daffy Duck gets blasted by a cannon from a foot away, then shakes off the powder burns and is unhurt. I've also read far too many books lately in which some characters are hundreds of years old, yet don't seem any different. The aliens were a little too unrevealed. They seem immensely capable in some areas, but very limited in others. I fear that they are going to be unveiled later in the series as having some power that, once again, is going to be way too close to magic.

Of course, I am still disappointed by the Superman movie in which he spins the earth backward to make something unhappen. Nevertheless, he's built an interesting world and I will probably read Ragamuffin to see where he takes it. And if he writes different books, I'll read them too.

I did not realize that Ragamuffin was the sequel to this one, but it quickly became obvious to me. It wasn't too much of a problem; they're both capable of standing on their own. It was a bit odd to know the eventual fate of the characters, though. In contrast with Ragamuffin , the characters in this one felt slightly more introspective.

Part of that is because John deBrun has amnesia, and consequently spends a fair amount of time wondering about himself. Pepper seems more roguish and dangerous a I did not realize that Ragamuffin was the sequel to this one, but it quickly became obvious to me. Pepper seems more roguish and dangerous at one point he's taken for Baron Samedi than psychopathic and genocidal, with the result that he's slightly more likable in this one.

I notice that the Amazon review describes this book as "at times overly violent", but it seemed to me a kinder and gentler book than Ragamuffin , and I would not describe either as 'overly' violent, although both are certainly very violent. Crystal Rain spends more time with the societies that have developed in isolation, and Buckell has obviously imagined them in greater detail than the book gave him room to show.

Good if you like clashes of civilizations, extrapolated societies, and moderately amoral protagonists. The only that that would have made me happier would have been a few more female characters; as it is, it squeaks through the Bechdel test. Mar 19, Rachel rated it liked it. This book has many good ideas, and is well researched at a cultural level its Rastas Vs.

Beat the Rain

Aztecs as they have colonized a planet in the future but lapsed into circa s tech because of some apocolyptic event. The main character is John DeBrun and he's multidimensional, and interesting. He's somewhat unique in that he is a father and not a teen doing self-discovery. Also, the Aztec gods are creepy aliens, and the only way to fight them is when you have bionic implants.

But the pacing lags becau This book has many good ideas, and is well researched at a cultural level its Rastas Vs. But the pacing lags because so much in the story is dependent on one event in the end, which we know is coming. I could have stood some time compression, because we end up with a lot of time skipping and being told more people have died!

Also the evil aliens need a little more detail so they don't come off as simply being kidnapped from an Aliens flick with Sigourney Weaver. Despite this, it is a pretty good first novel from this author. It was funny, scary, and interesting in turns. Also makes me want to settle on a planet colonized by Rastas, because they have such a good time. Jun 14, Wealhtheow rated it liked it Shelves: The Azteca have finally found a way across the Wicked High Mountains and are descending upon Capital City, slaughtering all the Nanagadans that get in their way.

The young mayor of Capital City has plans, but all they will do is delay the Azteca. The Nanagandans' only hope is that the explorer John deBrun can find a mythical artifact from long ago, the Ma Wi Jung. The The Azteca have finally found a way across the Wicked High Mountains and are descending upon Capital City, slaughtering all the Nanagadans that get in their way. The writing is simple and clunky, and I had a hard time with the Caribbean style dialog.