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    Black Rain
    Black Rain
    Black Rain
    Audiobook12 hours

    Black Rain

    Written by Graham Brown

    Narrated by Jeffrey Kafer

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    From Graham Brown, coauthor of the New York Times bestselling thriller Devil's Gate with Clive Cussler, comes Black Rain . . .

    Covert government operative Danielle Laidlaw leads an expedition into the deepest reaches of the Amazon in search of a legendary Mayan city. Assisted by a renowned university professor and protected by a mercenary named Hawker, her team journeys into the tangled rain forest-unaware that they are replacements for a group that vanished weeks before, and that the treasure they are seeking is no mere artifact but a breakthrough discovery that could transform the world.

    Shadowed by a ruthless billionaire, threatened by a violent indigenous tribe, and stalked by an unseen enemy that leaves battered corpses in its wake, the group desperately seeks the connection between the deadly reality of the Mayan legend, the nomadic tribe that haunts them, and the chilling secret buried beneath the ancient ruins.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateOct 9, 2018
    ISBN9781541448926
    Black Rain

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    Reviews for Black Rain

    4/5

    132 ratings42 reviews

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    • 5/5
      All action pack with bunch of military references , very good
    • 4/5
      I thought this was a good, fun read. It followed the general theme of books in the genre that are based around finding a historical super-artifact, but the Mayan historical context and creation of the storyline from Mayan legend created a plot that was different and interesting. I would recommend this book to others and thought it was a very good book.
    • 5/5
      Not bad. Interesting to have an 'evil Corp after the good 'stuff' as opposed to something like The Event series.
    • 4/5
      The dust jacket was a little off. This is a great Mayan archeological tale that you'll enjoy. Riff with temples and gods and mystery! Oh my! A solid story, yet the number of characters left me a little confused at times. Once the excess was murdered off, a few main characters started to shine. I feel the second story in this series (Black Sun) is going to be better. I'm off to find out!
    • 3/5
      I was not overly impressed with this book. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't anything special. I feel like Graham Brown is trying to be a mix between Michael Crichton (RIP) and Dan Brown but doesn't quite hit the mark well with either effort."Black Rain" tells the story of a somewhat secretive US governmental program that tries to get its hands on new and emerging technologies. So a team is sent to Brazil to look for evidence of crystals that can create energy via cold fusion. They run into strange monsters and a warrior native tribe that thwarts them at every turn.The action is not bad, the dialogue OK, and the characters are fine enough. But there's a solution to their problem that they eventually take care of, but had they done so sooner, much of their problems would have been alleviated. Based on the reviews, I was quite disappointed that it didn't do for me what it's done for others.
    • 2/5
      When I bought this book – based on its title – I thought this to be an archeological thriller. But alas, it was not to be. Graham Brown starts this novel with a lot of promise and subsequently builds a high body count in the process. But halfway through the book, Brown seems to sway away from the major plot.

      In search for an alternative source of energy which can power the whole world, a top level employee of an American government organization is send into the Amazon rainforest along with some civilian experts and an escort team. While a plot containing the hunt for a lost Mayan city in the Amazon rainforest in itself sounds really adventurous and captivating, Brown heavily relies on the needless action between two competing teams which could have been totally written off from the novel. Moreover, while reading the last few pages, one would realize that Brown was not even thinking to give an apt climax to his story, he was actually thinking about the sequel. Many things are left unanswered which makes you wonder and ask at the end, what did he actually wanted to tell us in this particular book?
    • 4/5
      Sometimes, I really just want a fun romp that doesn't require me to devote too much engagement of my brain. This is why I like the Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child. This book doesn't quite reach that level of non-stop action. Nor does it achieve the wholly unrealistic yet absurdly entertaining level of unreality that the Reacher novels always contain. It comes close, though, as the protagonists go in facing insurmountable obstacles, being picked off like helpless newborns by unstoppable monsters before somehow transforming into warriors that develop the skill necessary to take down the monsters with the very same guns that previously had little effect on them. Still, I enjoyed the read and will read more in the series and by the author. As I said, I enjoy occasionally suspending my disbelief and just diving into a read that will leave me entertained and content with the inevitable "happy" ending. This book certainly delivers that.
    • 4/5
      "Black Rain" is a good, fun read that nicely sets up a sequel without sacrificing a solid ending.This book fits squarely in the realm of the lighter-weight Dan Brown-esque genre of thrillers. Leaders of this genre include James Rollins and Jeremy Robinson, whose stories are a bit formulaic and their characterizations often thinly built.Graham Brown brings new energy to the genre. His core plot involves the Mayan creation myth called "Popul Vuh". In reality, this document has been handed down through history only due to the work of a Dominican Friar who, in the 18th century, made a copy of the Mayan legend rather than follow suit of most of his forebears who feared the devilish presence of another religious doctrine and burned almost all other native documents in the New World.After having discovered several crystals that suggest the existence of a tremendous new energy source, a semi-secret non-governmental organization goes to Brazil to find their source.Brown picks apart certain stories from "Popul Vuh" and develops historic explanations for their origins as his team of ex-military and researchers uncover clue after clue surrounding the origin of the crystals. The story contains government conspiracies, hidden jungle pyramids, helicopters and big guns, war-ready natives, and monstrous animals. It also contains a tease of science fiction which nicely sets a tone for the rest of the series.Brown captures the texture of Brazil including the jungle-embedded pyramid and the centuries-old tribe that endures it's ancient lifestyle. Brown paces each new clue, each newly unraveled mystery at a solid and steady pace. There was very little plot disclosed without a reasonably good rationale. There was very little mystery solved without it fitting in well with the rest of the tone, texture and pacing of the rest of the story.The story isn't deep enough to warrant a 4-star rating. But it's better than most supernatural thrillers I've read and I was drawn into the story enough to want to read the sequel, "Black Sun". If you enjoyed the opening sequence of the original Indiana Jones, then imagine a full books' worth of that style adventure and you have a decent preview of what you'll get.
    • 4/5
      First Line: The darkness of the jungle loomed above, its dense, tangled layers spreading like a circus tent from the towering pillars of massive trees.When I read that Black Sun, the second Graham Brown thriller featuring Danielle Laidlaw, was out at the end of August, I thought I remembered the first sitting on my shelves. I took a look and was relieved that my memory was in proper working order for the moment. In no time at all, I was deep in the Amazon with Danielle in Black Rain.Danielle Laidlaw is an investigator for a covert branch of the National Research Institute. She takes a team deep into the Amazon rain forest to discover the source of radioactive crystals, and to search for an ancient Mayan city. This puts Danielle and her group directly in the path of ruthless billionaire Richard Kaufman-- as well as an extremely hostile tribe of natives and violent man-eating creatures. Within days, Danielle is faced with choosing between the mission objective or the lives of her team and herself.Even though I'm normally a character-driven reader, there are times when I want to read something fast and fun. Black Rain had the added bonus of being deep in the Amazon dealing with Mayan mythology, both of which interest me.The plot is fast-paced and interesting, and even though thrillers are not known for characterization, one of them stood out in this novel. McCarter, a member of Laidlaw's team, behaved in a smug, self-righteous manner throughout most of the book, but when the chips were down about as far as they could go, he received two thumbs up from me. I'm just not used to being favorably impressed by characters in a thriller, and this means that I'm going to be looking for Graham Brown's Black Sun for my next Mayan mythology and Amazon rain forest fix. If you're in the mood for something fast, fun, interesting, and even scary at times, I suggest you give Graham Brown a try, too.
    • 4/5
      A covert government operative leads an expedition into the Amazon in search of a legendary Mayan city. "Black Rain" is an action adventure book with some supernatural aspects. The writing style reminded me of two of my favorite authors, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. The main characters in Black Rain, Danielle Laidlaw and Hawker, were likeable and were well developed. It was interesting to see a female in a leadership role in this type of book. I'm looking forward to the next Graham Brown book.
    • 3/5
      This was one of those books that I started and stopped several times, just couldn't get into it. However, I made an effort to continue on and was pleasantly surprised. It was the best read, there are already many other books out there that are in the same genre. The action was pretty good, and the plot moved along at a good pace. The characters were tough to get into, none really grabbed me. I wasn't sure who was the main character, since it shifted around for the character focus. I'd recommend this, but, it's just an average book.
    • 4/5
      Danielle Laidlaw leads an expedition into the Amazon rainforest. She is part of a government entity working under the radar and does not disclose to the civilians traveling with her the true purpose of her mission. The guise is that they are searching for a legendary Mayan city. The truth is that they are looking for a new power source, a crystal which can be used for cold fusion power. The book starts out slow as the trip is discussed, all characters described and devious plans fleshed out, at least some of them. Legends and myths follow them along the way and real life assassins are on their trail to stop Danielle from succeeding. This book is part thriller, part horror as unseen beasts make their presence known as night falls. The “thriller” part had me hooked but the author swerves into the weary plot of the government and/or greedy humans are causing havoc, raping the earth of natural resources, polluting the earth, yada yada. He could have left it as aliens and I would have been happy. But it was still worth the read and speeded along once the characters reached the rain forest.
    • 4/5
      Danielle Laidlaw leads a group into the Amazon in a covert attempt to find a lost Mayan city unknown before. She hooks up with a mercenary, Hawker< who has a mysterious past and is "stuck" in Brazil. Together they sort through the myth and actual to uncover the secret of the Black Rain
    • 5/5
      Amazonian adventures and Mayan mysteries make for a dynamic debut!I like the wild places of the world. Not in real life, mind you, but on the pages of a book I can't resist them. With his debut novel, Black Rain, Graham Brown has added all the elements for a perfect adventure thriller--at least one written with me in mind. He's got the exotic location, the mysterious beast, the ancient puzzle, the cutting-edge science, and he integrates all of these elements into a smart and thoroughly engaging page-turner. It's the kind of debut I absolutely love to see, and all I want from Brown is... more.What's the story? Well, it's too complex to go into real detail, but basically the National Research Institute believes there's an artifact lost deep in the Amazon that may hold the key to a limitless source of clean energy. An expedition sent to search for it has to contend with hostile natives, terrifying creatures, and cut-throat competitors who will do anything to beat them to the discovery. I'll admit that none of these story elements is especially unique or original. But Brown's novel is--for lack of a better description--just darn entertaining. And he does so much right. The plotting of the novel is nice and tight. I won't swear that all of his science is accurate, but the stuff I know about rings true. And based on the creature he creates in Black Rain, it's obvious he knows a thing or two about animal biology. Finally, it's worth mentioning that Brown does an unusually good job with character development. And this is great news--because it looks like his central characters are coming back in his next novel, Black Sun. I can't wait!
    • 4/5
      Very good thriller. I look forward to more books from this author.
    • 4/5
      Black Rain is a great Amazon adventure with a twist. It is chock full of action and very creative story lines. Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. I absolutely loved this book! Anyone who loves to read James Rollins will love Graham Brown's Black Rain. I was worried about the Amazon story and groups going missing being too familiar and hoped it would not turn out too much like Rollins' Amazonia and this book did not disappoint. It has a few very minor similarities but the plot goes it's own direction it's quite a fantastical heart pounding thrill ride. I like the character of Hawker very much and Danielle is a woman not to mess with. The rest of the cast of characters are well developed and enjoyable to follow through their mission(s). Since part of the mission is unknown to but a few (finding the energy source), the obstacles these people face including a nomadic tribe, an enemy that kills very effectively and even the trials of the Amazon itself are incredibly entertaining to partake of. I can't wait for the sequel to come out!
    • 4/5
      I entered to win this one because I am a big fan of James Rollins' and Matthew Reilly's books and this sounded like it fell into a similar category. I am so glad I won the chance to read this ahead of time. It is definitely a go out and buy read. It was full of action, mystery and it will keep you guessing up until the end. Personally Danielle was not a favorite character and I couldn't understand some of the admiration she receives but other characters like Hawker and the story line more than make up for this. The origins of the unseen enemy and the ruins they are searching for was totally unexpected. If you want a book that will keep you on your toes this is one to pick up.
    • 3/5
      The description of this book makes it seem like a CIA-thriller/suspense-type novel, which is why I chose to read and review it. And that was the case up to midway through the book, and then the author went off into the realm of science fiction and silliness. Without going into plot details, I was definitely caught up in the story up until the characters' adventures in the jungles of Brazil, when I realized that the nature (and genre) of the story had changed. Not that I couldn't live with that, but the story became so unreal and so over the top plotwise that it was disappointing and caused my interest to wane. I think this author shows promise in his writing style and his ability to think up incredible plots, and I did like the first part of the book, but if you write a book that is clearly sci-fi, please market it as such rather than as a CIA-type thriller. To be fair, it is very fast paced, there is a lot of action, and the author starts with a bang which sets up the later mystery of exactly what is out there in the Rain Forest jungle. I really wanted to like it, but it just didn't do it for me.
    • 4/5
      It was difficult to tell that this was his debut novel. He seemlessly wove ancient legand and modern suspense into a novel that was both easy to read and difficult to put down. I can not wait until his next novel is released.
    • 4/5
      I received Black Rain, a debut novel by author Graham Brown, through the Early Reviewers program. Mixing government ops, history and the unknown, Brown creates a thriller that truly keeps you on the edge of your seat. The characters are well developed. Each had their own back story which Brown seamlessly wove into their thought process and actions as the story progressed. Though the "discovery" was fantastical I rather enjoyed the revelation. Rather than sticking to the same old script I've found with many other authors, Brown took things to a whole new level. All in all I would recommend Black Rain for anyone looking for a fast paced thriller, fraught with danger, intrigue and well written characters.
    • 4/5
      Every good action-adventure novel that’s going to take a story and morph it into an edge-of-your-seat thriller needs to be based on a bit of truth. Or rather, legend that could be truth. Graham Brown’s debut novel Black Rain exemplifies this type of thriller, taking a Mayan legend and transforming it into a modern suspense thriller, complete with ex-CIA agents, lost temples, covert agendas, angry jungle-dwelling villagers, and big scary monsters.Searching for the lost Mayan “Garden of Eden,” a place called Tulan Zuyua, NRI operative Danielle Laidlaw and her band of “soldiers” trek through the Brazilian jungle in search of Mayan artifacts which should not be located so far south of the equator. Aided by ex-CIA agent Hawker, Mayan History Professor McCarter and his student Susan, and a handful of muscle-and-gun-clad South Africans, Danielle must lead her team through the jungle, while protecting them from an ancient people, the Chollokwan, as well as whatever monsters scream through the trees at night. Betrayed and hunted by more than just a mythical beast, what Danielle and her team find will surprise them all, as will the steps they must take in order to survive. Black Rain is an excellent action-suspense science-fiction novel among the likes of James Rollins, and Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.Brown’s writing was skillful and I was thankful his female voice was realistic. I did not have to question a male author writing a female voice as I’ve frequently done with other novels, since Danielle read true to me, as did her actions. There was a lot of information in this novel, and several multi-part answers or theories which made me feel like I’d forgotten pieces by the end (especially with the Mayan legend), but it wasn’t enough to make me disappointed. There are many strings, not all of which are tied by the conclusion, but I found I preferred the ending as it was, with a bit of a cliffhanger. Especially since Brown is writing a sequel.Overall Black Rain is a great read if you like modern suspense novels grounded in ancient legends. Since I love those books I was definitely hoping to enjoy Graham Brown’s debut novel, and I was not disappointed. A happy 4 stars and an urge to Brown to hurry up with the sequel!(I received this ARC from LibraryThing Early Reviewers)
    • 4/5
      Characters: ACharacter Development: BPlot: A-Pacing: A-Narrative: ADialogue: B+OVERALL: A-Write details of review here.This is Graham Brown's first effort, and it is an impressive thriller that reminds me a bit of R.J. Pineiro and Matthew Reilly, in particular, with a healthy dash of James Rollins tossed in for added flavor.The characters are likable and believable, if occasionally a bit stereotypical. But none of the principals are all good or all bad, and none are superhuman, which are two things that are always a plus in my book. Character development is better than in most thrillers, with several of the major characters ending the tale in a different place both psychologically and professionally than where they were at the outset.The plot is very interesting, especially at the outset. I get nervous when writers go down the "unknown wild beast" path and Brown may have gone a bit farther with it than I like, but he doesn't allow the beasts to completely dominate the rest of the story, which is a good thing, as the rest of the story is unique and more interesting than the beasts, and the teaser for the inevitable follow-up novel is handled well in the final pages.The pace of the story's unfolding is good for the most part, but there are a few slow patches where things bog down a bit and it is easy to get distracted from the page. But overall, it is not a chore to stay glued to what is happening to the characters. The other place (in addition to character development) where thrillers often suffer is in dialogue, but Brown does an above-average job with this, as well. It is not stilted or wooden or unbelievable in any way, even if it isn't completely inspiring. Of course, most of the characters are known more for their actions than their words, so this is to be expected.Overall, this is a very promising outing from a new author. Punching up the dialogue and tightening up the story from an editing perspective would have raised the story from very good to outstanding, and I am already looking forward to the sequel, which promises to be another very interesting tale.
    • 4/5
      Received this through Early Reviewers. Reminded me of the James Rollins' Sigma Force novels I've read. It was fast paced, and though it felt a little clunky getting into the story, it kept and held my interest. I'd read more by Brown.
    • 2/5
      Black Rain is one of the books I received through Advanced Readers. While the premise, an expedition into the Amazon, with associated dangers and discoveries seemed like the sort of thing I would like, the fantastical and unbelievable plot lines killed it for me.If you want to read a great book on the Amazon, try The Lost City of Z by David Grann. It is non-fiction, but reads better than this supposed thriller
    • 4/5
      Received as a part of the early reviewer program, Black Rain is Graham Brown's first book, and I found it a great read and towards the end was hard to put down. whilst it took a while to get going, the pace picked up, and there were enough surprises and questions to make me want to carry on.The story is based around a search for a possible solution to the earths energy problem that lies deep within the Amazon jungle. a group of scientists and government agents embark on the search, and encounter threats from unseen animals and tribes. Weaving Mayan lore into the story keeps the reader engaged and trying to figure out the puzzle which twists and turns until the pieces come together.A great read and I look forward to his sequel.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed this book! It was a good, thought out story w/characters you cared about. At times I felt as if some parts were too drawn out but I try not to be too critical because it is the author's first book. Also, some parts of the story were very predictable. Having said that, I will definitely read the sequel to this book when it comes out. I look forward to reading more of Brown's books!
    • 4/5
      I received this book as part of the early reviewer program and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.. Set in the amazon rain forest it wraps mayan lore, killer animals, and industrial espionage into one interesting fast paced read. The characters were interesting and with a few exceptions, well developed. The plot was full of twists that fit together nicely and the action was intense. The biggest draw back was the length. I think it could have been trimmed down a bit and some of the redundant details could have been skipped. Also, the ending was a definite set up for a sequel, which I'm not sure I liked. Otherwise this trip through the forest in search of mayan relics was quite enjoyable.
    • 5/5
      Great book. Suspensful story. Once I started, couldn't put it down. Mayan legends, the past and the future, all had a ring of truth. The beasts scared the living daylights out of me and gave me nightmares. All in all, a story I won't soon forget.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed Black Rain. At first it seemed very similar to James Rollins Amazonia. But, it stood on its own just fine.I really enjoyed the history and how everything tied together. Fun action, believable villians, and good heroes.
    • 4/5
      Black Rain, by Graham Brown, was my "Bed Book." Bed Books are books you keep by your bed and read before drifting off to dreamland or wherever we go when asleep. I found myself going to bed earlier than usual to read Black Rain. The story was well laid out, a perilous mission, characters you could root for, characters you were glad got zapped by the Zipacna. A lot of books seem to have dead spots, but Black Rain keeps running through the jungle at a good pace. I think most everyone will find this book one that you can recommend to a friend, maybe even an enemy.