Must Read!

If you love the thrillers that is on every page, then John Rain series is for you. Even if thrillers are not your favorite genre, try it and you will end up loving these goods! Highly recommended!

This series is very addictive. It

This series is very addictive. It has intriguing characters and and complex plot lines. This book might stand alone but a reader would have a better understanding of the characters by reading from the beginning of the series.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as the other four or five I've already read by Barry Eisler (the first two John Rain books and then all the Livia Lone ones, the latter being my favorites and the reason I started reading John Rain). I don't think the reason is entirely the books fault. I'm just having a bad reading month due to the loss of my grandmother, but not all of the books that I've read have become secondary victims of this experience, so I do believe it's possible to break the curse with some exceptional writing that also caters to my taste at that exact moment. It might also factor in that I read the last John Rain book a year ago.

We got off on a rocky start in this book because Rain was already on said job and then things just got more complicated and escalated and nobody trusted anyone (the characters). Anyway, that meant it got complicated for me too and I struggled to keep up and therefore to stay motivated. The book never showed me, the reader, why I should care about his mission or why John Rain should care either, beyond getting paid, you know (he is a princip guy, not a profit guy). And the mission was uninteresting.

My favorite moments are when we learn more about John as a character, other that his fighting skills or military career, but through friends, family, childhood and relationships. He didn't have a friend the whole book but in the last chapter and another chapter there was a lady rival agent, then occasionally a short phonecall to his handler. John pretty much talks to himself and only about tactical stuff. Even hobbies could help, particularly if he had any outside of fighting or jazz, because those he will both frequently use tactically at jobs. I just think it would have given him more personality to have something else.

Oddly though, some of my favorite parts about Eislers books are the action scenes, I really enjoyed the very descriptive fight scenes. I kinda felt like I was in a self-defense class or something, truly watching the guy to all the moves. The author has a really good talent for writing immersive scenes. He didn't have a friend the whole book but in the last chapter and another chapter there was a lady rival agent, then occasionally a short phonecall to his handler. By the way, the desciptions of said lady ticked me off, and I'm rather laid back. If you're gen-Z and get easily offended, this book is not for you (no hate or anything).

John pretty much was was on a stake-out through the first half. I felt like I was on the boring stake-out too and drifted in and out of consciousness. I know real spy work is even less eventful, so how people can work as such is beyond me. The second half is where things began picking up and I started to get interested, especially the last quarter. That was the best part. When John had a teammate, the stakes got higher and I liked the scenes better, so I think that I just didn't enjoy him being nearly completely solo throughout the book. It didn't work for me.

That being said, it ended on a high note and it's still a series I will continue, plus it is a time in my life when I'm hard to please, so that's worth considering.

At least I didn't have to read through tons of unnecessary Japanese words translated into English immediately after and descriptions of Japan that were entirely too detailed for the purpose. I think the author might just be improving! I will say, however, that I really detested the reference to "'Stan." Ugh. Afghanistan... I have never met anybody who has ever called it "Stan," military or otherwise... I just found it really annoying and dumb. The story was OK.

Ah, I love to follow authors. John Rain is like popcorn for the eyes....easy to get lost in the box and suddenly find it's over and looking for more. I enjoy the protagonist and want to see where he goes from here.

Another knock out novel!!

Really, this is turning customary: success after success, after another success...
I love John Rain, and now Dox.
I'm not so sure about Delilah. She goes to John, and suddenly abandons him because of her job. (From Paris is a bitch.)
That's not conducts to love in my mind.
But, this novel is positive. It's amazing, awesome, moving...
THANK YOU, MR. EISLER.
From your South American fan:
Monica Beltrami, Montevideo, Uruguay.

As always a good read

Plot line keeps your attention and characters seem true to life. There are people who do have the skills these characters possess. I feel safer with the knowledge they are there.

Captivating introspection of Rain's logic thinking!

Eisler has a wonderful descriptive style in painting thoughts, locations, and scenarios. The plot complexity is a challenge, yet not so complex that it cannot be followed. Great read!

Another great John Rain book

I have been reading the John Rain books for the first time and have really enjoyed all of them . Good suspense, great characters, and some excellent humor now and then sprinkled in make thus series a real pleasure!

Highly entertaining as per usual, but the final showdown was quite a let down. John's character ambivalence remains an intriguing part of the story, but you shouldn't read this expecting a profound study of a hitman's nature.
In sum:
+ easy, accessible read, even if you're new to the series
+ no more cringeworthy dialogues in Portuguese
+ Dox
- lack of progression in Midori's story
- lackluster ending

I’ve read this series out of order, but even knowing where some characters end up doesn’t detract from the story.

I was a little surprised at how this book started out with John Rain working for the CIA after spending the first two books avoiding "the agency." So, it was weird with it opening up with that. It gets explained later.

So, this book ranks higher than book number two for me and probably right up there with the first book in the John Rain series, and it all has to do with John coming to grips with people actually caring about him as a person and less on the fact that he is a cold and ruthless assassin. Maybe it also has something to do with the other characters in John's life. I have always liked Tatsu, and the addition of Dox coming into John's life really made up for the loss of another friend of John's.

I guess I like John, so I'm kind of rooting for him to find some roots. It seems people keep trying to befriend him, but John keeps pushing everyone away. It's kind of nice to see some of the other characters in the book prove to John that it is okay to trust others from time to time. I realize he has his reasons for staying distant, but I feel for the guy. It seems like he could use someone in his life to lighten it up.

Winner Take All really adds to the series, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next one.