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A Clean Kill in Tokyo
- John Rain, Book 1
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Series: John Rain Series, Book 1
- Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Action & Adventure
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A Lonely Resurrection
- John Rain, Book 2
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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All John Rain wants is to get out of the killing business. But with his discretion, his reliability, and his unique talent for death by "natural causes," no one is willing to let him just retire. So when an old nemesis from the Japanese national police force comes to him with a new job - eliminate Murakami, a killer even more fearsome than Rain himself - Rain knows he can't refuse. Aided by an achingly desirable half Brazilian, half Japanese exotic dancer he knows he shouldn't trust, Rain pursues his quarry into the heart of a shadow war between the CIA and the yakuza.
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Excellent Narration and Story Imersion
- By Anonymous User on 16-07-2017
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Winner Take All
- John Rain, Book 3
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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John Rain has disappeared to Brazil to escape the killing business and the enemies encircling him in Japan. But the CIA isn't willing to lose its premier "natural causes" contract killer, and they force Rain to take on a high-risk assignment: eliminate a ruthless arms dealer operating in Southeast Asia. The upside? Financial, of course, along with the ongoing chimera of moral redemption. But first, Rain will have to survive the downside: a second assassin zeroing in on the target; the target's consort, an alluring and dangerous woman with an agenda of her own.
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Excellent Narration
- By Anonymous User on 16-07-2017
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Redemption Games
- John Rain, Book 4
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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After nearly dying while taking out a target in Hong Kong, Rain has a new employer, the Mossad, which wants him to fix a "problem" in Manila. He also has a new partner, Dox, whose good-ol'-boy persona masks a sniper as deadly as Rain himself. And he has a new hope: that by using his talents for something good, he might atone for all the lives he has taken. But when Rain's conscience causes him to botch the Manila hit, he finds out the next problem the Mossad wants fixed is himself. Is Delilah, his Mossad lover, coming to help him? Or was she sent to finish him off?
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Extremis
- John Rain, Book 5
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Even for an average citizen, a love triangle is dangerous business. For assassin John Rainn - "one of the most compelling lead characters in the genre" ( USA Today) it's going to be downright deadly. When Rain learns that his former lover, Midori, has been raising their child in New York, Rain senses a chance for reconciliation, perhaps even for redemption. But Midori and the child are being watched by Rain's enemies, and Rain's sudden appearance puts them in terrible danger. To save them, Rain is forced to use the same deadly talents he had been hoping to leave behind.
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The Killer Ascendant
- John Rain, Book 6
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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Hunted and finally cornered, John Rain faces his deadliest enemy ever: himself. For Rain, "the most charismatic assassin since James Bond" (San Francisco Chronicle), getting out of the life was never going to be easy. But with a new identity in Paris, and the help of his lover, Mossad agent Delilah, he was beginning to leave the killing business behind. And then he receives a message from rogue CIA operative Jim Hilger: we have your friend Dox. Do as we tell you, or he dies.
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The Killer Collective
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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When a joint FBI-Seattle Police investigation of an international child pornography ring gets too close to certain powerful people, sex-crimes detective Livia Lone becomes the target of a hit that barely goes awry - a hit that had been offered to John Rain, a retired specialist in "natural causes." Suspecting the FBI itself was behind the attack, Livia reaches out to former Marine sniper Dox. Together, they assemble an ad hoc group to identify and neutralize the threat. There’s Rain. Rain’s estranged lover, Mossad agent and honeytrap specialist Delilah.
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great narration and another Rain triumph
- By Amazon Customer on 28-02-2019
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A Lonely Resurrection
- John Rain, Book 2
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All John Rain wants is to get out of the killing business. But with his discretion, his reliability, and his unique talent for death by "natural causes," no one is willing to let him just retire. So when an old nemesis from the Japanese national police force comes to him with a new job - eliminate Murakami, a killer even more fearsome than Rain himself - Rain knows he can't refuse. Aided by an achingly desirable half Brazilian, half Japanese exotic dancer he knows he shouldn't trust, Rain pursues his quarry into the heart of a shadow war between the CIA and the yakuza.
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Excellent Narration and Story Imersion
- By Anonymous User on 16-07-2017
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Winner Take All
- John Rain, Book 3
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
John Rain has disappeared to Brazil to escape the killing business and the enemies encircling him in Japan. But the CIA isn't willing to lose its premier "natural causes" contract killer, and they force Rain to take on a high-risk assignment: eliminate a ruthless arms dealer operating in Southeast Asia. The upside? Financial, of course, along with the ongoing chimera of moral redemption. But first, Rain will have to survive the downside: a second assassin zeroing in on the target; the target's consort, an alluring and dangerous woman with an agenda of her own.
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Excellent Narration
- By Anonymous User on 16-07-2017
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Redemption Games
- John Rain, Book 4
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
After nearly dying while taking out a target in Hong Kong, Rain has a new employer, the Mossad, which wants him to fix a "problem" in Manila. He also has a new partner, Dox, whose good-ol'-boy persona masks a sniper as deadly as Rain himself. And he has a new hope: that by using his talents for something good, he might atone for all the lives he has taken. But when Rain's conscience causes him to botch the Manila hit, he finds out the next problem the Mossad wants fixed is himself. Is Delilah, his Mossad lover, coming to help him? Or was she sent to finish him off?
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Extremis
- John Rain, Book 5
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
Even for an average citizen, a love triangle is dangerous business. For assassin John Rainn - "one of the most compelling lead characters in the genre" ( USA Today) it's going to be downright deadly. When Rain learns that his former lover, Midori, has been raising their child in New York, Rain senses a chance for reconciliation, perhaps even for redemption. But Midori and the child are being watched by Rain's enemies, and Rain's sudden appearance puts them in terrible danger. To save them, Rain is forced to use the same deadly talents he had been hoping to leave behind.
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The Killer Ascendant
- John Rain, Book 6
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Hunted and finally cornered, John Rain faces his deadliest enemy ever: himself. For Rain, "the most charismatic assassin since James Bond" (San Francisco Chronicle), getting out of the life was never going to be easy. But with a new identity in Paris, and the help of his lover, Mossad agent Delilah, he was beginning to leave the killing business behind. And then he receives a message from rogue CIA operative Jim Hilger: we have your friend Dox. Do as we tell you, or he dies.
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The Killer Collective
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
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Performance
-
Story
When a joint FBI-Seattle Police investigation of an international child pornography ring gets too close to certain powerful people, sex-crimes detective Livia Lone becomes the target of a hit that barely goes awry - a hit that had been offered to John Rain, a retired specialist in "natural causes." Suspecting the FBI itself was behind the attack, Livia reaches out to former Marine sniper Dox. Together, they assemble an ad hoc group to identify and neutralize the threat. There’s Rain. Rain’s estranged lover, Mossad agent and honeytrap specialist Delilah.
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great narration and another Rain triumph
- By Amazon Customer on 28-02-2019
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The Chaos Kind
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Assistant US Attorney Alondra Diaz hates traffickers. And she’s determined to put one of America’s most powerful financiers, Andrew Schrader, in prison forever for his crimes against children. But Schrader has videos implicating some of the most powerful members of the US national security state. To eliminate Diaz, the powers that be bring in a contractor: Marvin Manus, an implacable assassin whose skills have been forged in intelligence, the military, and the hardest prisons.
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Very good, not excellent
- By Amazon Customer on 12-03-2022
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Zero Sum
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Returning to Tokyo in 1982 after a decade of mercenary work in the Philippines, a young John Rain learns that the killing business is now controlled by Victor, a half-Russian, half-Japanese sociopath who has ruthlessly eliminated all potential challengers. Victor gives Rain a choice: kill a government minister or die a grisly death. But the best route to the minister is through his gorgeous Italian wife, Maria.
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A great book but a bit too romance heavy.
- By Mark W on 05-11-2017
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The Detachment
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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John Rain is back. And “the most charismatic assassin since James Bond” ( San Francisco Chronicle) is up against his most formidable enemy yet: the nexus of political, military, media, and corporate factions known only as the Oligarchy. When legendary black ops veteran Colonel Scott “Hort” Horton tracks Rain down in Tokyo, Rain can’t resist the offer: a multi-million dollar payday for the “natural causes” demise of three ultra-high-profile targets who are dangerously close to launching a coup in America. But the opposition on this job is going to be too much for even Rain to pull it off alone.
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Graveyard of Memories
- John Rain, Book 8
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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What makes a legendary assassin? For John Rain, it was the lessons of love, war, and betrayal he learned in Tokyo in 1972. Fresh from the killing fields of Southeast Asia, Rain works as a bagman under the watchful eye of his CIA handler, delivering cash to corrupt elements of the Japanese government. But when a delivery goes violently wrong, Rain finds himself in the crosshairs of Japan’s most powerful yakuza clan.
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Thoroughly enjoyed this book, bit of origin story
- By escape artist FE on 07-09-2018
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Cobalt Blue
- By: Matthew Reilly
- Narrated by: Jacqui Duncan
- Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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For 35 years, the United States and Russia each had their own superhero. Three days ago, America's hero died. Today will be bad. In the face of an overwhelming attack, one young woman—unassuming and anonymous—might be America's only hope. Her codename...Cobalt Blue.
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A superhero tale with real consequences
- By Jeremy Garnett on 14-08-2022
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Livia Lone
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Seattle PD sex-crimes detective Livia Lone knows the monsters she hunts. Sold by her Thai parents along with her little sister, Nason; abused by the men who trafficked them; marooned in America...the only thing that kept Livia alive as a teenager was her determination to find Nason. Livia has never stopped looking. And she copes with her failure to protect her sister by doing everything she can to put predators in prison.
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Just brilliant
- By James Leyden on 25-04-2019
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Paris Is a Bitch
- A Rain-Delilah Short Story
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 49 mins
- Unabridged
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For most couples, a quiet dinner for two at Auberge de la Reine Blanche on the Ile Saint Louis would be just the thing to smooth out the complications in a romance. But for gorgeous Mossad operative Delilah and trying-to-retire contract killer John Rain, nothing is ever easy, and when Rain sees a crew of hard-looking men setting up outside the restaurant, he realizes someone has been bringing her work home with her. Is it a hit - or something even worse?
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The Night Trade
- A Livia Lone Novel, Book 2
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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For sex-crimes detective Livia Lone, a position with a government anti-trafficking task force is a chance to return to Thailand to ferret out Rithisak Sorm, the kingpin behind her own childhood ordeal. But after a planned takedown in a nightclub goes violently awry, Livia discovers that she's not the only one hunting Sorm. Former marine sniper Dox has a score to settle, too, and working together is the only way to take Sorm out.
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Great development of characters and story
- By Carcoura on 09-06-2020
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The God's Eye View
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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NSA director Theodore Anders has a simple goal: collect every phone call, email, and keystroke tapped on the Internet. He knows unlimited surveillance is the only way to keep America safe. Evelyn Gallagher doesn't care much about any of that. She just wants to keep her head down and manage the NSA's camera network and facial recognition program so she can afford private school for her deaf son, Dash.
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Too much sexual violence
- By Amazon Customer on 08-03-2020
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All the Devils
- A Livia Lone Novel, Book 3
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Ten years ago, the daughter of Homeland Security Investigations agent B. D. Little vanished into thin air. So did seven other girls - the crimes all bearing the same signature characteristics. Now the disappearances have begun again. And Agent Little’s efforts to investigate are being blocked by forces far above his pay grade. Desperate, he turns to Seattle sex-crimes detective Livia Lone, the most obsessive hunter of predators Little knows.
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All the Devils
- By Kevin on 10-07-2022
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Fault Line
- Ben Treven, Book 1
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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In Silicon Valley, the eccentric inventor of a new encryption application is murdered in an apparent drug deal. In Istanbul, a cynical undercover operator receives a frantic call from his estranged brother, a patent lawyer who believes he is the next victim. And on the sun-drenched slopes of Sand Hill Road, Silicon Valley's nerve center of money and technology, old family hurts sting anew as two brothers who share nothing but blood and bitterness wage a desperate battle against a faceless enemy.
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Inside Out
- Ben Treven, Book 2
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Torture. Ghost Detainees. And a massive cover-up that continues even today. Marooned in a Manila jail after a bar fight fatality, black ops soldier Ben Treven gets a visit from his former commander, Colonel Scott Horton, who explains the price of Ben's release: find and eliminate Daniel Larison, a rogue operator from Ben's unit who has stolen 92 torture tapes from the CIA and is using them to blackmail the U.S. government. But other players are after the tapes, too.
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Only one problem with this book..
- By Jackie Ellis on 28-07-2019
Publisher's Summary
Previously published as Rain Fall
Name: John Rain.
Vocation: Assassin.
Specialty: Natural Causes.
Base of operations: Tokyo.
Availability: Worldwide.
Half American, half Japanese, expert in both worlds but at home in neither, John Rain is the best killer money can buy. You tell him who. You tell him where. He doesn’t care about why...
Until he gets involved with Midori Kawamura, a beautiful jazz pianist - and the daughter of his latest kill.
A Clean Kill in Tokyo was previously published as Rain Fall, the first in the bestselling John Rain assassin series.
Critic Reviews
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What listeners say about A Clean Kill in Tokyo
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Bw Richards
- 05-11-2021
well read
I own this book in Hardback, I have read it 3 times over the years but I still enjoyed listening to Barry read it.
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- James
- 22-07-2021
I really liked the author read the book
The story was actually very enjoyable. The author has a nice voice to listen to and a good cadence to just have in the back ground. I enjoyed the way Shibuya was captured and the interesting twist on the assassin tale. Its worth a listen
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- Mark W
- 17-11-2017
The original.
A great introduction to the series, this is one of the best in the series, and well worth the listen. It's gritty, dark and interesting.
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- Nicky Australia
- 16-07-2017
Brilliant Narration and Story Emersion
Incredibly well narrated by the Author. I shy away from author narrated books . Eisler is the exception.
A well writen book with character emersion .
I originally shyed away from recommending this book to people who are not familiar with Japan .
I was proved wrong by gifting Eisler's books to friends.
They told me I got them onto a very good series
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- Tanvir
- 08-02-2015
Satisfied
Great plot, great execution and attention to details. Wish the author good luck. I wish it lasted a little longer
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- Cholmondeley
- 04-07-2016
Intelligent, engaging, clever, and instructive
I listen to so many audiobooks (some good and many more that are not so good) that I’m rarely surprised to find a new author or a new series I like. One of Barry Eisler’s books was a “Daily Deal” some time ago, and I liked it so much that I’ve now listened to all of the novels available from Audible.
I don’t write many reviews but I feel an obligation to tell potential Eisler fans about his books.
First, there's frequent and graphic violence. There are occasional sex scenes, though I don't remember gratuitous instances of sexual violence. Nevertheless, the books are not for every one.
Next, look at the prices; they are well below market and when compared to similar books Eisler gives you a lot more bang for the buck, which may be a part of his interesting approach to publishing.
He is among those authors who have successfully used the internet to publish their own stuff; Eisler is among the very few who have had publishers and who have bought back the rights to their own books.
If there's an economy achieved by Eisler reading his own words, the buyer wins in two ways: a lower price and an excellent reader – good voice, good intonation, and good pronunciation of foreign words. (Okay, I don’t if his Japanese is good or terrible, but it sounds good to me.)
The central character is John Rain, the son of a Japanese father and an American mother; a lonely loner raised in both counties and a native speaker of both languages. He comes of age fighting in the jungles of Viet Nam as a special operator who does things that will haunt him forever. Haunted or not he leaves the Army and puts his skills as an accomplished and experienced marital artist to good use by making his living as a contract assassin.
He specializes in murdering people in a way that makes the death look natural. He doesn’t murder just anyone: no women, no children and “principals only.” Those with ties to the CIA can be a customer or a target.
He has a couple of love interests; the mother of his child usually wants nothing to do with him. The other is a Mossad agent whose specialty is the seduction of repulsive men who happen to be enemies of Israel. She and Rain meant for each other but her work comes first, even though her colleagues then to look down on her because of her particular specialty.
Rain, the character, is developed slowly, and you learn a little bit more about him – usually some aspect of his existential angst – in each book, which are all driven by well-designed, and fast moving plots.
Somewhat in the style I first encountered in the Michael Crichton books, Eisler infuses his stories with both interesting information and interesting inquiry. The information might come in the form of scenic descriptions as Rain moves from one place to another. This is particularly effective when Rain is in Japan and the description of a Japanese landscape is combined with asides about culture and language. These messages feel like skillful summaries written by someone who knows a lot about whatever the subject happens to be.
Eisler exploits (in a positive sense) the fact that the genre invites consideration of political and moral issues. The subject of torture is a good example. Eisler has his own opinion and it’s probably strongly held, but instead of simply putting it into the mouth of an attractive character, he employs the principles of debate and civic discourse by stating the strongest case for various perspectives before he rebuts them and makes the case for his own. As the series progresses the issues addressed get bigger and the characters express different political philosophies, which are explicit, thoughtful and coherent.
There are now eight John Rain books and two Ben Travin. The Travin books stand on their own and the stories merge. There’s probably an ideal order for listening, but I’m not sure what it is. Checkout Eisler’s website and his Wikipedia. He’s a smart and accomplished guy. I’m grateful that he has spent so much of his time and talent on an enterprise that for me is entertaining, amusing and instructive.
57 people found this helpful
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- peter
- 25-09-2019
Grrrrr
Foiled again. I thought from the excellent reviews that this was a safe choice. Alas, it is a very uneven and self-indulgent first novel set in Tokyo - and the listener is not permitted to forget this fact, not once.
I think maybe it was started as a YA novel but then the author realized it would have a wider audience if he threw in some startling violence. And it was startling because most of the first three hours are devoted to wearying and unnecessary background stories of everyone mentioned by name and their relatives, plus a name-dropping tour through Tokyo's jazz scene and whisky bars. When the hero kills someone by breaking his neck I was abruptly reminded that this was supposed to be a novel about an assassin and not a magazine article about Japan. It was at that point that I realized I wasn't enjoying the listening experience at all and gave up with half the book to go.
Be warned.
23 people found this helpful
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- John Pierce
- 16-03-2014
Beautiful Flaws
The human mind is so complex, so vast, yet, so inherently primal. Barry Eisler captures this oxymoron in a very ingenious set of ways.
This is the first audiobook that I have listened to that was narrated by the author, so I was a little skeptical at first. Eisler does a good job, not a superb one, but he nailed the protagonist, so in my humble opinion, that's all that really matters.
The way the story is laid out takes you through the mind of an imaginary man that could be any one of us. Half american, half japanese, Eisler takes you through the struggles of being born of two cultures. Although the protagonist is mixed, his struggles are strikingly similar to any immigrant's story of living in two places, and having to adjust to both after living in one place for a while then returning to the land of their birth.
Tons of action in this story, and the storyline has lots of coincidences, that in the end turn out to be beautiful flaws of not just the main character, but mankind in general.
26 people found this helpful
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- Lady S.
- 22-04-2016
Fantastic!!!!
This is my first Barry Eisler. I usually don't think that it's a good idea for the author to read his own book, but I was wrong. This was a wonderfully written and expertly read book. I feel I learned so much about the Japanese culture customs and beliefs that I almost want to visit. Almost. However, the ending upset me, I understand why but I was just hoping things would have turned out differently. It made me cry, can you believe that? I cried. Great book, you owe it to yourself to give it a listen.
12 people found this helpful
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- AudioAddict
- 01-04-2016
A shark must keep swimming or it will die
STORY (suspense) - John Rain is half Japanese and half American. He was part of American special missions in Vietnam and experienced the atrocities of war. Now he finds himself having painful flashbacks and is unable to adapt to normal life. He sees himself as a shark who must keep swimming...a man who must keep killing. John makes his living as an assassin who specializes in making victims look like they died naturally, and he is sought by those who want to hire him and those who want to stop him. He is a likeable guy, and he has scruples. (Yeah, I know, an assassin with scruples?) You will like John and root for him.
This story is set in Tokyo. John kills a man and then later meets his lovely daughter, Midori, who is a jazz pianist. He learns she is in danger and tries to protect her. They have a romantic relationship, but it plays a very small part in the story. There is quite a bit of action and intrigue, and the story is fast-paced. John is expert at surveillance and pretty bad a$$ at martial arts, and his assassinations are creative. I enjoyed "visiting" the streets of Tokyo and hearing bits of Japanese culture and language. And I loved the ending.
PERFORMANCE - Barry Eisler, the author, performs his own work and does a great job. His Japanese sounded fluent, but I'm not one to judge. He had the perfect voice for John. Midori sounded a little masculine, but I was still glad that he gave her a distinctive voice.
OVERALL - There is quite a bit of violence and cussing and a teeny bit of non-explicit sex. This is the first book in a series and the story stands alone. I probably won't continue the series further because it's not my particular cup of tea, but all the books are very highly rated. Recommended for adult listeners, especially guys.
31 people found this helpful
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- Virginia Yank
- 13-05-2019
Slow Plod
Lots of impressive Japanese language that does very little to enhance the story-line. Story goes nowhere for the first third of the book which was when I gave up and deleted it from my device.
4 people found this helpful
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- William
- 11-04-2016
Outstanding!
Barry Eisler spins a very interesting and exciting tale. I don't normally read much fiction, but since Mr. Eisler is also an outstanding orator, I'm adding him to my list.
9 people found this helpful
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- Tony
- 26-02-2014
A love affair with Toyko and an assassin
I enjoyed this more than I expected . The backdrop of Tokyo provides a complex and interesting background for a good, if not unique, storyline. I found it a little difficult to keep up with all the Japanese phraseology and names at first but after awhile it sort of sinks in and becomes familiar . The author is the narrator and his voice is a little sleep inducing. However, I liked him well enough to download the second book in the series.
11 people found this helpful
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- Wayne
- 18-10-2016
Barry Eisler's first John Rain novel
Originally titled Rain Fall and later released as A Clean Kill in Tokyo with Barry Eisler narrating, this novel demonstrates the difference great narration makes. I rated Rain Fall 4 stars and A Clean kill in Tokyo 5 stars with the only difference being narration. I used one credit to purchase Rain Fall in 2012, while A Clean Kill in Tokyo cost $3.98 for both the Audible and Kindle versions combined.
16 people found this helpful
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- Pamela Dale Foster
- 04-03-2014
Plus A Lonely Resurrection
These two books are the start of a new John Rain series when he has grown older but not too much wiser.
John Rain learned to kill when he served in Vietnam. He was chosen to run recon operations and did them well. He found that after his first kill in Vietnam, although he didn't enjoy killing the man, he had no remorse. John did not have the nightmares and PTSD that can follow the men home from war. John never grew to love killing as a sport but as a profession, murder for hire fit him perfectly.
He had a Japanese father and an American mother. Until John's father's death he had lived in Japan. He was the kid bullied because of his mixed heritage. Upon moving to America soon after the death of his father, John once again became the odd kid out and the bullying started again.
John started becoming involved kin the martial arts at a young age and learned to defend himself. He was no longer the kid who could be used as a punching bag. He turned around and fought only when someone tried to fight him. The boys started to leave him alone because of the new skills he was learning.
John's mother died while he was in Vietnam and he went back to Tokyo instead of the states to live after serving his time.
The first two books are centered around murder for hire and his inability to having an extended relationship due to his job. There are ideas that run around in his brain once in awhile and John considers retiring. However, when the last job is finished there is always someone else who needs his services.
The stories are full of action and suspense. I don't think that there are good or bad guys. Maybe it's bad and badder guys. I've read the books in the original series and enjoyed all of them. I actually like John Rain and even feel bad for him at times. Although he does put himself in a jam in, A Clean Kill in Tokyo.
The books are an easy listen and go fast. The characters in this series have been well developed from the original series. There are always new characters are they are well developed. The book does bring a new listener up to date throughout the book about what took place in John's earlier life and beyond.
11 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 01-06-2020
I really enjoyed the story
Well done great read , I enjoyed both the story and your voice , the voice is important to me
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- johanna
- 07-12-2019
Little while to get into
I tried 3 times to get into this book and the third try was the charm. I am very glad I stuck with it as it turned out to be great. Characters were laid out well plot could be followed (mostly) and a great ending leading me to find out what John does next... So I am off to start the next instalment
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- Mike T.
- 28-08-2018
Tokyo almost overwhelms the good story.
The Tokyo backdrop is prominent to say the least. An interesting approach to frame a very "Japanese" intrigue and story.
I liked it. A lot. A mix of noir, high tech and assassin action.
Easily one of the better author narrations I've listened to.
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- Joshua Manuel-Oni
- 07-08-2018
Surprisingly Great
Don't judge a book by its cover (and synopsis in this case). I received this book as part of a two for one sale. My expectations were low, and I expected I had acquired an average. However there is so much good to this book. Except from a well paced story, Barry Eisler know how to make the reader feel familiar with Japan culture and surrounding, even if you've never been
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- Angie
- 29-05-2017
Amazing
Narration is really very good, story is brilliant. I love all Barry Eisler books. Amazing!
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- R.B
- 21-02-2016
Not a Great First Book.
I found this book to be little more than someone's research turned in to book form. I heard a great author once say something like, "the whole point of doing research, was so that you can leave most of it out." With "A Clean Kill in Tokyo" that certainly isn't the case. It's clear that the author is basing the main character, John Rain, on himself. Even that would be fine if it weren't so obvious.
On a positive note, the narration by Barry Eisler wasn't too bad, and the basic storyline itself was ok. There was just too much pointless added research, disguised as information in between.
Overall, even though I didn't like this book, I'd still be willing to give another Barry Eisler novel a chance. It didn't put me off so much that it made me want to stay away from anything else he has written. And I think that with a bit more subtleness, and character development, that the John Rain series could be good.
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- S. Rifflart
- 15-12-2015
The authors narration dies his work proud
This is my first Rain book and I loved it and will listen to them all if I get the chance. The author has a great voice and its subtle tones work well with the subject matter set in Japan. The plot was excellent and Rain is likeable yet merciless when necessary
Keep Raining on my parade!
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