Reviews for Rain Gods

The average rating for Rain Gods based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2014-08-14 00:00:00 Nick Stasio The first of this Hackberry Holland trilogy Lay Down My Sword and Shield was released in 1971, it then took James Lee Burke 38 years to pen this sequel and fuck me was it worth the wait, 38 years of wisdom and experience have gone into these characters and it shows. Not for me of course because I'm lucky enough to read all three books one after the other, the first lay Hackberry Holland's soul open for all to see and you don't see characters laid as bare as this very often. In the first story Hack was an often infuriating man, took liberties with everyone around him and pretty much did everything his own way with no respect or recompense, just a long trip down Jack Daniels Way. In Rain Gods, time has moved on for everyone, Hack no longer a lawyer is on a different angle of the law, he's now a small town Texas Sherriff and an old man, somewhere in his fifties I guestimate because his wife is now dead, his kids up and away and Hack just has his role as a law enforcement officer and his horses to occupy him. If that wasn't enough he finds himself caught up in the disturbing consequences of the massacre of 9 Thai women, illegal aliens used for drug trafficking. The search for justice pits Holland against drug dealers, pimps and one particularly psychopathic man who hastens death to those that are looking for it and some that aren't. Whereas the first in the trilogy primarily concentrated on Hack, his history as a POW and his almost death wish philosophy. Rain Gods opens up on a lot more characters, everyone of them flawed in some way, striving for redemption or just cold hard cash. This is where we meet one of the most memorable characters I've ever encountered, 'Preacher' Jack Collins is a gun for hire, a complicated man whose actions surprised and shocked me several times, the self-styled left hand of God who spends a good portion of this book on crutches due to the fact a woman he was supposed to kill, bettered him and shot him in the foot. An unpredictable man who seems to find an edge in every conversation and this for me was the most compelling part of the story, the dialogue is absolutely riveting at times, Tom Stechschulte the narrator did a fantastic job and every conversation around the Preacher had a hint of danger to it. And when Hack Holland meets Preacher Jack Collins, you're never quite sure which way it's going to go, especially when the Preacher carries a Thompson machine gun as his chosen method of a quick conclusion. It's not just a story full of Texan gangsters, there are several strong willed female characters that add to the story, Deputy Pam Tibbs being the most prevalent and it's almost a joy to listen to her attempts to ensnare the wily old Sherriff in places he just doesn't want to go. James Lee Burke creates an atmosphere perfect for the occasion, there's mention of the Alamo and tumbleweed amidst the carnage that is Rain Gods but this is a deep personnel story from both sides of the fence and I enjoyed it immensely. In fact I'm going to listen to the last one with thoughts of this going into my all-time top 5, it is that good. Highly recommended Also posted at

Review # 2 was written on 2016-04-08 00:00:00 Matthew Pierce 4.5★ "We decry violence all the time in this country, but look at our history. We were born in a violent revolution, and we've been in wars ever since. We're not a pacific people." James Lee Burke From a goodreads review: "Fuck me. Burke is such a goddamn badass." If that language offends, you probably do not want to read these books. In this one Hackberry is an aging sheriff with a bad back, nursing sobriety, and he's still a badass. Plus, our author is an equal opportunity writer and his women are also badass. Be very careful around them if they've been in or near the kitchen. The villains are as bad as it gets in the worst possible way. We're talking Quentin Tarantino bad. While Hackberry is confronting a slime ball named Ouzel (that name) he "thought he could detect an odor that was reminiscent of a violated grave or the stench given off by an incinerator in which dead animals were burned." Definitely skull and crossbones tattoo-on-their-forehead-bad. Burke's trademark prose sings out like a siren song reeling you in. It's like he's serenading you with poetry. If he was away at the ranch without you and you called and asked "Then what happened Jimmy?" he'd say something like "Then the sun broke above the crest of the hills and the entire countryside looked soaked in blood, the arroyos deep in shadow, the cones of dead volcanoes stark and biscuit-colored against the sky. I could smell the pinion trees, wet sea, woodsmoke, cattle in the pastures, and creek water that had melted from the snow. I could smell the way the country probably was when it was only a dream in the mind of God." (Jesus Out to Sea). Any other author would have a hard time having his way with me in this dark matter (even if I'm drinking a badass Zinfandel). It's really hard to describe the fascination and appreciation if you've never read his books. It's complicated. Read one and you'll discover your own badassness. There are multiple Holland Family stories which I'm reading out of order and it matters not. "Bartender, bring me the bottle and a club soda with lime for the sheriff here." Then I just might be ready to go get my first tattoo, one for each of his books I read. Grownup badass girl scout badges. But not on my forehead.