A review by CJ Dee
Officer Stanford Runstom is a by-the-book police officer with dreams of becoming a Detective like his mother. Jack J Jackson (Jax) is an environmental console worker for a domed city on Barnard-4.
When the evidence points to Jax as a mass-murderer, the unlikely duo to team up to discover the truth behind the evidence.
I feel it’s worth noting that Unexpected Rain is the first book in The Dome Trilogy. Why? Because often I feel that the first part in a planned trilogy or series is weaker due to the time needed to set up back stories and origins. Classic examples include The Dark Knight Trilogy and just about every superhero branch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This doesn’t mean that it’s not enjoyable, just that I’m looking forward to seeing what the sequel has in store for us.
Unexpected Rain takes the crime fiction genre and blends it exceptionally well with science fiction to create a unique tale of mystery and intrigue. It has all the hallmarks of a classic whodunnit set in outer space making it a fun ride and a quirky tale. Overall Unexpected Rain is a decent representation of both the crime and science fiction genres.
My only two qualms with Unexpected Rain are the main characters. They both come across as two-dimensional characters despite their potential. I can see the start of characters who could have been fun, deep and sympathetic but they didn’t quite hit the mark. Unfortunately, this left me apathetic towards the characters and their individual plights.
The world building in Unexpected Rain is incredible. It has been several days since I finished the novel and the blue-green grass on Terroneous is still lush and vivid in my mind.
Despite my feelings about the two main characters, if you enjoy a good whodunnit crime novel or just enjoy reading about strange new worlds and civilisations then I would highly recommend giving Unexpected Rain a read.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
ISBN: 9780008108595
ISBN 10: 0008108595
Imprint: Harper Voyager
Format: ebook, 400 pages
List Price: 9.99 AUD
BISAC1: Fiction & related items / Science fiction
BISAC2: FICTION / Science Fiction / General
BISAC3: Fiction & related items / Crime & mystery
BISAC4: Fiction & related items / General
BISAC5: Undefined Category
