After listening to The Killer Collective, my husband and I wanted to know more about Dox, so I got this title, thinking it might be the first (although I think perhaps not; need to get Rain Storm instead). Unfortunately, the character isn't nearly as well developed here and Eisler doesn't read it. Satisfying story but not what I was hoping for. (Interestingly, Eisler has re-read all the early titles, the ones originally narrated by others, and they've been retitled and republished but no libraries seem to have them. It's a shame, but probably not worth the expense of joining Audible. Eisler is an excellent narrator, an exception to my rule of not letting authors read their own novels.) That said--this features the fast pacing, action, and violence one expects from the series. Politics too. And Rain has a partner this time, Dox, so he's no longer the loner, and that's an adjustment for him. He's also back with his Mossad lover--unless she's really there to kill him for botching a job. His familiarity with the area adds a lot, and in each title we learn more about Rain. Lots of thoughtful ruminations about his role as an assassin and his life, but we also see the group of loners he's gathering around him, and they feature in later titles and series as Eisler brings characters together. Satisfying if violent. I also appreciate the way he sets up the next series title at the end of the story. If I weren't reading this years later, I'd be anxiously awaiting that sequel.

Рейн е нает да извърши лесна поръчка, но трябва да е без оръжие. Проблемът не е в наличието или в липсата на оръжие, а във внезапната поява на скрупули. Рейн показва слабост отново и отново и има трудности да приключи с целта.

Приятно е да виждаш развитие на героите в книга, в която нормално можеш да очакваш карате и безкрайно пътуване със самолет между екзотични дестинации. Не само Рейн, но и Докс претърпява психологическа травма и известно развитие.

Вероятно книгата е най-добрата от поредицата за Рейн. Рейн, Докс и Дилайла не са толкова завладяващи колкото Ливия Лоун, но поне са хора, със своите силни и слаби страни.

I wouldn't recommend reading three books in a series right after each other. I really liked this one too (4.5 stars), but it made me question "the formula" of these books. At one point, I thought to myself, "If this guy is such a great killer, why does he keep getting into trouble?"

Of course, there's not really a book if every contract killing goes off without a hitch. :D

This book had much more espionage than the previous books. It helped set this one apart from the previous two books, but didn't get into boring political talk.

Much as I've said before, Eisler does a masterful job walking lines. Never too much detail. Never too much killing. Never too much espionage. Never too much politics. It's always just right.

I'm excited to have at least 20 more Barry Eisler books to track down.

I've really become a big fan of the John Rain series. I've gone through the first four books in a matter of only a few weeks. This one was probably the best. The plot continues to be hard to predict and the characters multi-layered and the addition of the Dox character adds a levity and humor that I didn't no was lacking, but makes a wonderful balance to Rain's intense, no-nonsense demeanor. Delilah, his Mossad love interest also added a different type of intensity and counterbalance to Dox and is one of the best female operative characters I've come across.

This plot is a continuation of the Rain Storm story and became very complicated...so I won't try to explain it. Just know that it is dense and complicated and keeps the action moving. Perhaps the best way of explaining this series is that John Rain is a more action oriented version of Daniel Silva's character, Gabriel Allon. Both are assassins, but Rain is a much more intimate type that is a free-lance operator rather than a part of a government-backed agency. Both series are very well written and the characters complex. Both are among the best of the genre.

John Rain, working with his trusted partner Dox, botches a hit when the target's young son appears and causes him to hesitate. While his employers are now trying to kill him, he must deal with a new inner conflict about what he does for a living.

It's encouraging to see the character evolve, even if it's only a little bit. Although he ultimately returns to his cold-hearted ways, his friendship with Dox and his romance with Delilah show a little crack in his armor. I big surprise at the end of the book may break that crack even further.

Really enjoying this series.

Based on the last in the series, I had a feeling Rain was going to be a father, as he mentioned he did not use a condom. And, now he is. He did not wear a condom in his last go-around with Delilah, so I wonder if he is spreading the "wealth" around?

And, for heaven's sake, there is no such word as "tricep". The word is "triceps" !!!! I think this is the second time I have noticed this misspelled word in Eisler's books. Get a new editor!

The blurb on the cover says "High-Octane Action". After reading the book I did not find even find "Low-Octane Action". Page after page was wasted as the author meandered around telling his story. Skip this book.

Listened to the Audio Book...part of my "read what Dad's reading" project.

The fouth of Barry Eisler's excellent John Rain books, Killing Rain (later retitled Redemption Games) finds the assassin in Manilla on a freelance job for the Mossad. No longer a committed loner, Rain is now working with Dox, the former Marine sniper who recently saved his life, and the assignment has been brokered by Delilah, the Israeli agent with whom he shares an ongoing romantic entanglement. The target, Manheim Lavy, is selling bomb-making expertise to terrorist groups, and he represents a new effort by Rain to use his deadly talents in service to a greater good.

But while Rain's conscience has guided him to more palatable work, it wreaks havoc when he momentarily freezes in the act of killing Levy. The ensuing chaos sees the target escape while Rain and Dox take out both Levy's bodyguard and two unknown gunmen. The Mossad, looking for deniability in eliminating Levy, is furious when it appears that the latter were CIA and they find themselves entangled in the deaths of two agents of the United States. Meanwhile, Jim Hilger, the Central Intelligence Agency operative Rain encountered on his last assignment, has been working with Levy, and he is deeply unhappy about the attempt on his asset's life.

Rain and Dox must now work to convince Delilah to buy them time enough to finish the job while the Mossad sends one of their deadliest after the pair, and Hilger begins ramping up the pressure. Rain is boxed in like never before, and his new efforts at personal trust may well be his undoing.

One of the best things about Eisler's Rain books is that the author continues to develop his character in highly credible ways. Rain is getting older; while his tactics are better than ever, he's not quite as quick as he once was, and now carries a knife - something he would never have done in his younger days. He has let a few people into his life, albeit with great reservation, and has begun to ponder exactly what it means to be John Rain. While he's doing all of that, Eisler spins another fantastic, globe-trotting suspense thriller that brims with smarts, memorable characters, and a plot that is both propulsive and appropriately contemplative. Eisler started strong with his first novel, and has only gotten better.

Redemption??

Rain is still navigating through his feelings and thoughts on why he does what he does. He wonders about making atonement for all of the lives he’s taken. Too, he receives some life altering news.

I really enjoyed reading this book, by the way I didn't know that it was the fourth book on Eisler's serie novels.
First I may say that the data in this whole book are really well-detailed. The places are real so it make it really easy for the readers to believe the story. The events and incidents (fights...) are very real may be because of the writer's experience.
While thinking about the characters I found out that I liked Dox and Delilah 's character but I think that John Rain character is a really interseting one. Dox is a normal humain being : he joke,laugh, stand out until he switch to his freelance assassin ( he is a good sniper).I loved his spirit he did give the book a funny touch.
Dellilah is a Mossad operative, smart, sexy ( she seduce terrorists to enable their assassinations) I loved her loyalty to her organisation and her love for the main character.It did give the book some romance.
Finally John Rain the main character, a unsociable , mystireous , paranoid freelance killer( with principales ^_^ He don't kill children and women and he only kill bad guys ^_^) . I loved the ending because it makes John Rain look more like a human .
Well I may say that this book is worth reading and I recommend it to people who loves triller...And sorry about the long review ^_^Hope you like it ^_^

I'm not sure why the titles of the books in this series keep getting changed--it can't help potential readers to keep track of them. As far as I know this is the fourth book in the series and I think I've read all of them.

For the life of me I can't figure out why I enjoy these books so much. They are full of cold-blooded violence and the main character is a hit man (or assassin). I suppose it's partly because he does have attacks of conscience at times (but never enough to keep him from killing people).

But I think I also enjoy these books for the same reason I enjoy Lee Child's Jack Reacher books: I find it fascinating to see how the main character is going to get out of the situations he gets into without getting killed himself.

Of course, John Rain is too good to be true (like Jack Reacher), but since the author explains Rain's thought processes, it makes what he accomplishes more believable.

This particular book was also interesting for its settings. I've never been to any of the places in this book, but the descriptions give me a taste of what they're like. I also liked Rain's philosophical ruminations.