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Crystal Rain (Xenowealth #1)

by Tobias S. Buckell (Goodreads Author), Todd Lockwood (Coverartist)

3.58 of 5 stars 3.58 · rating details · 701 ratings · 111 reviews

Long ago, so the stories say, the old-fathers came to Nanagada through a worm's hole in the sky. Looking for a new world to call their own, they brought with them a rich mélange of cultures, religions, and dialects from a far-off planet called Earth. Mighty were the old-fathers, with the power to shape the world to their liking---but that was many generations ago, and what...more

Hardcover, 1. Edition, signed, 352 pages

Published February 7th 2006 by Tor Books

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Jun 11, 2008 Sandi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, 2008

This book was so much fun to read. Imagine another planet inhabited by Caribbean people and Aztecs. Imagine “gods” that require blood sacrifices. Imagine a world settled by humans who get cut off from the rest of humanity and have lost most of their technology and whose origins are the stuff of myth and legend. This is the setting of "Crystal Rain" by Tobias Buckell.

When you read as much genre fiction as I do, you start recognizing the formulas and get pretty good at determining where the story...more

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May 12, 2011 Paul Stotts rated it 3 of 5 stars

Uniqueness can be a difficult thing to find in fantasy literature, as most novels follow the general archetypes. The medieval English setting established in the Sir Thomas Malory’s classic “Le Morte d’Arthur” has been grossly overused in the genre. So it is immensely refreshing to discover a fantasy/sci-fi novel that revolves around a Caribbean/South American type of setting. Creativity is a wonderful thing.

“Crystal Rain”, the strong debut novel by Tobias S. Buckell, is a unique hybrid that atte...more Uniqueness can be a difficult thing to find in fantasy literature, as most novels follow the general archetypes. The medieval English setting established in the Sir Thomas Malory’s classic “Le Morte d’Arthur” has been grossly overused in the genre. So it is immensely refreshing to discover a fantasy/sci-fi novel that revolves around a Caribbean/South American type of setting. Creativity is a wonderful thing.

“Crystal Rain”, the strong debut novel by Tobias S. Buckell, is a unique hybrid that attempts to be something special. And in making such an ambitious attempt, the novel distinguishes itself. You likely will not forget a novel that is a hybrid of fantasy and science fiction elements, where the characters talk like Caribbean islanders, alien gods patrol the land, and the Azteca are the invading force. (And if you do forget it, I want your reading list.) Buckell is to be commended for not playing it safe, and rehashing the same tired fantasy genre clichés.

The novel is set in the Caribbean-styled Nanagada, a peninsula protected by a mountain range, the Wicked Highs, on the landed side. Almost immediately, the brutal Azteca have invaded Nanagada, seeking blood and human sacrifice to satiate their gods. John deBrun lives with his wife Shanta and son Jerome outside of the town of Brungstun in the shadow of the Wicked Highs. Soon they find themselves caught in the battle with the Azteca, becoming separated from each other in the confusion. John, who has no memory of his life prior to arriving in Nanagada twenty-seven years earlier, is saved from being a sacrifical lamb by the Aztecan mongoose man, Oaxyctl. Together they travel to Capitol City, the governmental and major population center of Nanagada, meager steps ahead of the advancing Azteca army. Meanwhile, John’s son Jerome is saved by the mysterious Pepper, a dreadlocked badass who is searching for John, claiming to be an old friend. Pepper oozes more violence and menace than the evening news. On reaching Capitol City, John discovers he is an instrumental part in the plan to stop the Azteca invasion. Somewhere within John’s forgotten memories, he has knowledge of the Ma Wi Jung, an artifact that may save the Nanagadans. Can John regain his lost memories and save the Nanagadans? And who is Pepper and what is his interest in John? What is Oaxyctl’s real agenda?

The pacing of “Crystal Rain” is swift with the majority of the chapters only being a few pages long. The story mainly evolves through action, drawing the reader quickly through novel. The biggest negative to this lightning-fast pace is a lack of more extensive cultural information about the world; the world-building is unfortunately minimal other than a moderate amount of physical description of Nanagada. There are so many interesting cultural and religious aspects about the Nanagadans and the Azteca that could have been further explored by Buckell. But he misses the opportunity. This is a fantasy setting that screams for a more extensive examination. Sacrificing the pace for a more complete Nanagada would have been worth it. Considering the novel’s pacing, the characters are well-drawn. Pepper really jumps off the page; the mystery surround him being one of the most intriguing aspects of “Crystal Rain”. He was the one character I most wanted to read about, not only in this book but in future books.

The uniqueness of “Crystal Rain” makes it a strong debut for Buckell, but it could have been special if the pacing had been sacrificed for more world-building. When you create a setting this amazing, it is natural for the to want to explore it more thoroughly. And it is in wanting more from this novel that makes “Crystal Rain” an overall success.

Last Word:
“Crystal Rain” is a worthy read, filled with a unique setting and fresh creativity. Fast paced action and short chapters will have the reader ripping through the story, but a lack of in-depth world-building keeps the book from achieving more. Ultimately, “Crystal Rain” is oozing with potential. And my sincere hope of Buckell eventually fulfilling that potential has me eagerly anticipating his next novel even more.
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Jan 28, 2013 Henry rated it 3 of 5 stars

If Peter F. Hamilton can get away with setting sci-fi epics in Rutland, then Grenadian author Buckell can pull it off in this, his first novel, set on a remote planet long cut off from the rest of the Galaxy and which has degenerated into a perpetually idyllic Caribbean-style dreadlock holiday. But it's not all rum punch and jerk chicken, for just across the Wicked High mountains from the relaxed country of Nanagada live the Azteca, who, like their Mesoamerican forbears, live by a horrific cult...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Catherine Fitzsimmons rated it 4 of 5 stars

Returning at last to the free ebooks offered in the promotion leading up to the opening of Tor.com, this steampunk-genre book with a basis in hard science fiction tells the story of an army of fanatical warriors and their alien “gods” invading a small jungle civilization, the only settlements on a distant planet cut off from Earth. At the center of it all is a clearly extraordinary man whom everyone is searching, but who has no idea who he really is.

When I started reading this book, it was like...more

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Jun 09, 2011 Tim Hicks rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 3.5 stars, really. There are plenty of good ideas here, and some interesting characters. As a first novel, it's very good.

But something about it wasn't quite right. Perhaps it's that despite the unique ideas, large parts of what followed from each idea seemed predictable.

"John, you have to go north." "Don't wanna." Ha. As if there was ever any chance that he wouldn't.

Perhaps - and this is not Buckell's fault - I have had enough of "We're surrounded by a vastly superior force! We're doomed! We...more

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Mar 16, 2011 Lightreads rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, disability, fiction

The one about a land war on an isolated and technologically
retrograded colony world, with shadowy aliens working behind the
scenes.

. . . Yeah, no. This book is a study in how social justice
awareness isn’t transitive. Buckell’s name got tossed around a lot a
couple years ago in race fail because he’s an author of color who, my
goodness, writes nonfaily science fiction about people of color. What
no one told me was that he simultaneously fails at disability. He
fails at disability like a boss, you guys...more

8 likes · like · see review

Feb 25, 2010 Jim rated it 3 of 5 stars

This starts out slow, but picks up and runs at the end. Most of the dialog "dialect" is awkward to read, and slowed my reading speed to a crawl, until I finally got used to it, half way through the book. It is also a bit bloodier than it could have been.

The concept is the people knew that they had lost technology, and lost history. They knew there were some living among them that were not aging. They were not sure if the aliens, that they shared the planet with, were trustworthy. When the known...more

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Aug 16, 2009 Neil rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is first rate SF, blending exciting action with interesting ideas in a plot that is paced beautifully. Buckell fits a lot into these 350 pages.

It's difficult to reveal much plot, because the author does such a nice job of slowly unveiling the history of his characters and world throughout the book. A man named John DeBrun who lives with his wife and son in a small jungle village on an island world called Nanagada has a rough past. He led a seafaring voyage north on behalf of his government...more

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May 05, 2012 Dan rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: signal

Science fiction; this is the story of a world that used to have nanotechnology, with all the awesomeness that brings, but then somehow they lost it through shortsightedness and incompetence. As the book progresses, (view spoiler)

Also, this is a bit of a nitpick, but I felt like something was wrong with the Oaxyctl storyarc. Like, he spends the entire book plotting...more

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Jan 23, 2012 Barbara rated it 5 of 5 stars

This action filled adventure set on some far flung planet in a far away future immediately drew me in and kept my interest throughout. Humans had come through a worm hole, settled on the planet and were then attacked by aliens. The original settlers destroyed all technology to try to stop the aliens, and now, three hundred years later, there are two nations split by rugged mountains with a defended pass the only way across. On one side, the aliens who were worshipped as gods controlled the Aztec...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Geoffrey Plauche rated it 4 of 5 stars

[My rating, if GoodReads allowed half-stars: 3.5 stars.]

Steampunk is currently all the rage, but this book was published before steam engines and airships and whatnot became recently fashionable. And besides, Crystal Rain (Tor, 2007) isnot your ordinary steampunk. It has a healthy dose of post-apocalyptic science fiction as well, but here too Crystal Rain breaks the mold. On the one hand, the setting includes sailboats and airships, gaslights, firearms, and, mostly in Capitol City, steam-powere...more

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Jul 31, 2010 Ryun rated it 4 of 5 stars

The cover of Tobias Buckell’s CRYSTAL RAIN is exactly what I like to see on a fantasy novel: Swashbucklin’ dudes (one with a hook for a hand) hanging out on dirigibles and looking for action. That action is here, and so is a wildly freewheeling tale of invasion, amnesia and adventure that never slows down until the smash-bang end.

The story takes place on a vaguely Caribbean island nation … but not on Earth. The whys and wherefores are a bit more complicated than that, but Bucknell has quite a cr...more

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Oct 03, 2011 Clay rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sf-fantasy

‘Crystal Rain’ (Tor, $24.95, 352 pages) is the first in a series, and set in a world with guns but not tanks and computer. First-time author Tobias Buckell reveals his backstory slowly as the protagonist, John DeBrun, has amnesia, and finds himself caught in a complex war between Earth-based cultures that have been transplanted on an alien planet.

Buckell does a nice job of setting the stage, and the pages turn quickly, but the predictability of these kinds of novels is hard to miss when it takes...more

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Feb 21, 2010 The Flooze rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, vanquished_2010, fantasy, owned, steampunk, the_magic_number

With Crystal Rain, Buckell creates a crazy mish-mash of fantasy, myth, and sci-fi. All of which is wrapped up in the enigma: Who the heck is John deBrun?

He's a man with a hook. A fisherman. A family man. But he must be so much more since gods, spies, and a strange guy in a top hat are all hunting for him. The different factions think John can provide important information, but all he has is a case of amnesia.

The mystery of his true identity ties all the story threads together, but it's not the o...more With Crystal Rain, Buckell creates a crazy mish-mash of fantasy, myth, and sci-fi. All of which is wrapped up in the enigma: Who the heck is John deBrun?

He's a man with a hook. A fisherman. A family man. But he must be so much more since gods, spies, and a strange guy in a top hat are all hunting for him. The different factions think John can provide important information, but all he has is a case of amnesia.

The mystery of his true identity ties all the story threads together, but it's not the only engaging aspect. Buckell flips focus between John's journey and the events in Capitol City. The people there are readying themselves for invasion by the Azteca--a fierce breed of warriors whose gods demand blood sacrifices. It's General Haidan's task to beat the enemy back, while Prime Minister Dihana tries to prevent chaos from erupting within the walled Capitol City.

Coming from a person whose eyes glaze over at in-depth discussion of military tactics, I thought Buckell offered just the right amount of insight into the war preparations. I could well imagine the advancing forces, the defensive line, and the high tension of the people. The story is never bogged down by details. Instead, I could feel the pressure these two authority figures endured as they raced against time.

Buckell also includes a harrowing voyage at sea, another aspect that proved surprisingly engaging. Again, he provides just the right balance. He focuses on the pitch of the waves, the crew's uncertainty, the tedium, and the daunting elements. He captures the hardships without making me feel like I enrolled in Sailing 101.

The efficient storytelling shows itself in additional tidbits that make the landscape whole and the story rich. The setting, Nanagada, is a land with strong Caribbean and South American influences. Its people speak in an island cadence (which took a little getting used to). The gods are the Tetol and the Loa, names implying Aztec and Hatian ancestry. History is learned through bedtime stories of the old-fathers and a distant place called Earth. John's wife begins all her stories with: "I see, I bring, but I ain't responsible." The people know their tales are warped by embellishments or lost information, but even so a picture of space travel is clear. Match this with a landscape littered with long-forgotten tech and a greater mystery than John's identity develops: What brought these people to this planet? If they were capable of space travel, what drove them back to more primitive ways of life?

Buckell's world-building is refreshing. In a genre dominated by conquering white guys, his dreadlocked heroes stand apart. Moreover, it's fascinating to see tradition reassert itself once the trappings of tech are gone. These people lead simple lives, and few seem disturbed at the knowledge they've lost. They are content with farming and fishing, saving up money for Carnival, and telling stories of good and evil.

By the end of the story, Buckell has answered the most pressing questions of who and why. I didn't think he could pack all of that into this one volume, but he does so with the same efficiency displayed throughout. The only question left is: What next? I'm eager to find out.(less)

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Oct 02, 2008 Red rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-books, sf

I enjoyed this story overall. It took a while to really get going, but once things started the action continued. There was a bit of a mystery, a lot of action and some science mixed in. A little too much politics for my taste. But I liked his writing style okay, and I'd read more of his work.

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Jun 14, 2010 Lila rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

The prologue hooked me. But I started slipping during the first several chapters. The dialogue was written with pseudo-carribean accents and it pulled me away from the story until I got used to it. Thankfully Buckell didn't go so far as to misspell words, but the grammar was awkward enough to cause trouble.

This is forgivable though, because the author creates a unique world and writes about it well. The story itself is introduced in separate threads with different characters. This also contribut...more

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Mar 25, 2011 Andreas rated it 1 of 5 stars

On what is obviously a “lost” colony world, a man without a past (or at least much of one) is caught up in a great conflict. And apparently there’s a macguffin in the desolate north that can save the day.

I really wanted to like this. The reviews were decent, speaking of swashbuckling action against a rick backdrop of hodge-podge Caribbean culture. Unfortunately I found the whole thing pretty dull. The pacing is slow, the action scenes are cookie cutter. I kept waiting for Mr. Buckell to get to t...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: scifi

Fast-moving adventure story with some really neat characters. I enjoyed it as a departure from other SF I've read. It has airships, nanotech, aliens living as gods, all with a Caribbean flavor. The dialect takes a while to get used to but I enjoyed it. And the airship fight was exciting as heck, loved that.

Overall the world didn't quite feel as immersive as I would have preferred, perhaps as a result of the fast pace. John is presented as the main character but I felt like we lost track of him...more

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Oct 03, 2010 Guy Gonzalez rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: research

I've been looking for good fantasy and sci-fi novels set outside of the usual Euro-centric mythologies forever, and Crystal Rain has the goods! Tobias Buckell seamlessly weaves elements of Caribbean and Aztec history, culture and mythology throughout the fabric of his intriguingly anachronistic world, populates it with a diverse and fascinating cast of characters, and delivers an engaging page-turner that had me ready to jump right into the sequel, Ragamuffin.

Amongst several great characters, pe...more

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May 04, 2009 John Ottinger added it

Full Review at Grasping for the Wind[return][return]Crystal Rain is a strong debut. Tobias Buckell has taken the lost civilization genre of science fiction and created a wonderful story. The characters are mysterious and compelling, and John deBrun cuts a dashing and heroic figure whose own personal worries give the reader and emotional connection. But the characters are not deeply emotional. There is some philosophical discussion, but it is mostly surface level. Mostly, this story is an adventu...more

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Mar 27, 2011 Ron rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: science_fiction, fantasy

The title didn't say much to me, but I'm a sucker for any book with an airship on the cover. Echoing the adventurous pacing of Edgar Rice Burroughs and the Victorian inventiveness of Jules Verne, it kept me captivated to the end. The science elements bubble just below the surface of the fantasy/adventure, mesh well and grow as the characters develop and the plot takes shape. Unlike others who attempt to use dialect, Buckell creates an easily understood patois, distinct and realistic given the he...more

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Dec 07, 2011 Jesse Whitehead rated it 5 of 5 stars

Many years ago the Old Father’s ventured into the stars and settled on distant planets. They founded a colony and trade port on Nanagada, using the nearby wormhole to trade among the stars. Then they encountered the Loa and the Teotl – two powerful races locked in a war that destroyed worlds. In order to stop the spread of the war to Earth and the other colonies some of the men of Nanagada destroyed the wormhole with a massive EMP pulse that knocked out all technology in the system and cut them...more

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Jan 20, 2010 Margaret rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-and-science-fiction, poc-50-book-challenge, authors-ab

When the ferocious Azteca threaten to overwhelm the world of Nanagada, John deBrun holds the key to its salvation. The problem is that he's been an amnesiac for twenty-seven years, since he washed up on the shores of his adopted country. Now he must race to recover the ancient device which could save his people before the Azteca and their gods destroy everything he's learned to hold dear.

Easily the best thing about Crystal Rain is its excellent, unusual worldbuilding, based on Caribbean culture....more

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Sep 20, 2008 Brownbetty rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I did not realize that Ragamuffin was the sequel to this one, but it quickly became obvious to me. It wasn't too much of a problem; they're both capable of standing on their own. It was a bit odd to know the eventual fate of the characters, though.

In contrast with Ragamuffin, the characters in this one felt slightly more introspective. Part of that is because John deBrun has amnesia, and consequently spends a fair amount of time wondering about himself. Pepper seems more roguish and dangerous (a...more

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Sep 03, 2008 Josh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Crystal Rain is really an introduction to a broader series. It's a solid story on its own, but you get the sense that Buckell is only scratching the surface of the world (universe?) that he's imagined.

The story focuses on John deBrun, a man lacking hand and memory who lives in a place that seems very much like the Caribbean, though we realize pretty quickly that it's not even Earth. It's a place called Nanagada. John's life quickly gets turned upside down when war breaks out and he finds himself...more

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Jul 09, 2008 Joy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 21c, caribbean, science-fiction, 50books-poc-2008, chromatic

Very entertaining science fiction adventure, distinguished by inventive and original worldbuilding; some of its plot elements are horribly cliched (amnesia, anyone?) but Buckell makes them work anyway. The story: twenty-seven years ago John deBrun washed up on the shore of Nanagada with no memory of his past; now that past might hold the key to saving Nanagada from the invading Azteca. In this future, not everyone is white; the people of Nanagada are descended from Caribbean cultures (I assume y...more

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May 11, 2008 Roxane rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, racial-issues

Buckell himself has described the book as: "A far-future Caribbean steampunk adventure . . . with Aztecs." And that sums it up pretty nicely.

Nanagada is a peaceful country/continent inhabited mainly by fishermen and farmers. John DeBrun washed up the tropical shores of the continent twenty-seven years ago and with no memory of his past life. Since then, he's settled with his wife Shanta and their thirteen year old son, Jerome. But a threat from across the Wicked Highs, the Azteca ruled by bloodt...more Buckell himself has described the book as: "A far-future Caribbean steampunk adventure . . . with Aztecs." And that sums it up pretty nicely.

Nanagada is a peaceful country/continent inhabited mainly by fishermen and farmers. John DeBrun washed up the tropical shores of the continent twenty-seven years ago and with no memory of his past life. Since then, he's settled with his wife Shanta and their thirteen year old son, Jerome. But a threat from across the Wicked Highs, the Azteca ruled by bloodthirsty gods/aliens, might put an end to all of this. John DeBrun's past is closely linked to Nanagada's past and to the tales of the old-fathers who initially came to the planet through a worm hole. And so, along with John, the reader gradually discovers what's become of the original settlers, their link to Earth, their technology and the last mythical artifact they might have left behind, the Ma Wi Jung, which just might save Nanagada from the Azteca invasion.

I loved this book. It was original, refreshing, fast paced with a strong plot. I simply could not put it down.

Of course, reading a science fiction book in which they talk about plantain, tamarind and carnival brought me years back when I was still in Sint Marteen. So obviously this book touched me on a very personal level. But I strongly believe that even if you have no ties with the Caribbean, the story will grab your attention and hold it until the very last page.

What I was initially afraid of was a machiavelic portrayal of the Azteca as just being pure evil and that we would never get to discover their motivations and the reasons behind their way of life. But not only is one of the main characters some sort of double agent spying for the Azteca in Nanagada, but Buckell also describes a community of Azteca who have immigrated to Capitol City where they lead more or less peaceful lives.

This novel is perfect illustration of diversity. Much like in the Caribbean, the inhabitants of Nanagada have different skin colors, any shade from white to black. But more than just physical appearance, Buckell's done a wonderful work on language, including accents, dialects and also, mentioning the fact that one person may have different accents and adopt one or the other according to the situation or the person they are addressing. This is something which often happens in the Caribbean and it was nice to see it highlighted here. I suppose it is the case of most places in which identities are blurred or multifaceted.

Buckell's ability to portray different shades of gray on all levels (skin color, language, character, etc.) is definitely what I consider the true strength of the novel.

My only complaint would be the lack of female character development. There is Dihana, Nanagada's Prime Minister. But the reader is given the impression that throughout the book she is overwhelmed by the situation and in a constant search for support (who wouldn't be if your country was invaded by blood thirsty killing machines?). There wasn't much that she could really do except buy some time, hoping for others to succeed.

At any rates, highly recommended.
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Apr 28, 2008 Nick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction

I picked up Crystal Rain because I happened upon the sequel, and wanted to read this one first. Now that I understand how little connection there is between the two, I'm not certain that it helped. I still don't understand why the police of this world are called "Ragamuffins"...
The basic premise is that a very odd combination of human ethnic groups ended up settling a colony planet, then got cut off from Earth. Aliens, who were at the heart of the reason for them being cut off, molded the differ...more

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May 23, 2008 Garrett rated it 5 of 5 stars

It took me a long time to get to writing this review after finishing the book because I am feeling a bit conflicted about it. In the words of Enigo Montoya, "Let me 'spain."

Overall, I found the idea intriguing and the science of it all fascinating. On the other hand, the supposed Jamaican dialect and the lack of pacing made me want to abandon the book many times.

So, let's look at each of the parts of this in turn.

Setting: Truly, a unique and interesting setting with lots of potential for conflic...more It took me a long time to get to writing this review after finishing the book because I am feeling a bit conflicted about it. In the words of Enigo Montoya, "Let me 'spain."

Overall, I found the idea intriguing and the science of it all fascinating. On the other hand, the supposed Jamaican dialect and the lack of pacing made me want to abandon the book many times.

So, let's look at each of the parts of this in turn.

Setting: Truly, a unique and interesting setting with lots of potential for conflict and description. Tobias revealed the setting rather slowly throughout the book, opting to have the reader discover how this civilization came to be and evolve rather than give any narrative exposition. This method can definitely work, but, for me, it did not in this case because I was often left wondering what was being talked about and why. In other words, even the setting was confusing to me until about half-way through the book when it all started coming together. This is just too long for most readers to stay connected to a story that confuses them (yes, I'm a masochist reader).

Character: The idea of two peoples sharing a planet and in constant conflict is certainly interesting, especially with the Azteca sacrificing and seeming savagery. And there were some interesting characters as well. Especially the Azteca double-spy who had to face his "god's" mortality. And John deBrun's son was also quite interesting, having to come to terms with his own youth and inability to do anything about it and the idea of who his father really is. Other than these two, I didn't find many other characters that I found very interesting. The whole memory loss routine for John got boring after the first ten pages, and although he learns who he is, I didn't feel like he actually learned or changes in any way. Nor does he have to struggle with that. In fact, I liked him better before he got his memory back. I will also acknowledge that I found Pepper, at least, to be a delightfully complex character.

Plot: Again, very interesting idea here. The details of it stood out well in the story. I felt that pacing through the first half of the book was off, but the second half kept me much more riveted. Of course, this may have been more a factor of my lack of interest in the characters and my confusing on what was happening and why than because of the plot itself.

Conflict: Again, lots of good conflict, particularly through the last half of the book. The first half could have used a bit more.

Text: I am not a fan of using idiom in dialogue to mark speech patterns, particularly when the listener does not notice that there is anything abnormal about it. So, I was constantly thrown out of the story as I read. Perhaps the reason that the second half went so smoothly was that we had more of Pepper and John talking and so it was not as noticeable.(less)

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Mar 26, 2008 Jim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Crystal Rain is Carribean SF with airships and bloodshed and steamboats and nanotech and plenty of action. Our hero, John deBrun, is a man who lost his memory 27 years ago. He's now married and raising a son, living a relatively content life, when the Azteca cross through the mountains and invade. The resulting war is bloody and desperate, and the only hope is for John to lead an expedition to find a long lost artifact called the Ma Wi Jung ... but the search for the Ma Wi Jung also brings John...more Crystal Rain is Carribean SF with airships and bloodshed and steamboats and nanotech and plenty of action. Our hero, John deBrun, is a man who lost his memory 27 years ago. He's now married and raising a son, living a relatively content life, when the Azteca cross through the mountains and invade. The resulting war is bloody and desperate, and the only hope is for John to lead an expedition to find a long lost artifact called the Ma Wi Jung ... but the search for the Ma Wi Jung also brings John face to face with his forgotten past.

The book has a lot going for it. I know some readers have complained about the Carribean dialect, but I enjoyed it. Seriously, why do we expect everyone in the future to talk like midwesterners? Buckell's dialogue took a few pages to get used to, but there's an almost musical quality to the words which brings the book alive in a way many stories never achieve.

The latter part of the book was more engaging than the beginning for me. That's not to say that the first part is in any way bad. John's struggle to escape the Azteca and his drive to fight back against them are very powerful. But later on, Buckell's worldbuilding skills become more apparent, and the book sucks you in even deeper. We learn about the powers behind the Azteca. We discover the history of Nanagada, and learn about this world's role in a much larger conflict. Most importantly, we learn what John deBrun really is, and why he lost his memory. These were the things that had me sacrificing sleep in order to keep reading. The whole world -- the whole universe -- is well-planned, and it's a blast to explore. I would have liked to see a bit more of the alien races, though I can understand why they stayed off-page for most of the book. Hopefully we'll see more of them in the sequel.

This isn't necessarily a pleasant book. Buckell's Azteca are bloody, and even the heroes are often vicious. (Pepper is a bad-ass, but not someone I'd want anywhere near me ... unless he was between me and something scarier.)

While John is a good protagonist, I actually found the Azteca double-agent Oaxyctl to be the most interesting character. The Azteca generally come across as cruel, bloodthirsty savages. While Oaxyctl gives them a human face, I wish Buckell had been able to show us a bit more from the Azteca point of view. In the end, Oaxyctl becomes a much more admirable character even than some of our heroes. He's in a more difficult situation, and has to make harder choices. I never wanted him to win, but I definitely came to sympathize with him, and admired the strength he showed at the end of the book.

If memory serves, Crystal Rain was a Nebula finalist when it came out. The sequel, Ragamuffin, is on this year's final Nebula ballot. Buckell is clearly doing something right.(less)

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About Tobias S. Buckell

Born in the Caribbean, Tobias S. Buckell is a New York Times Bestselling author. His novels and over 50 short stories have been translated into 17 languages and he has been nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, Prometheus and John W. Campbell Award for Best New Science Fiction Author. He currently lives in Ohio.

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