Crystal Rain is an impressive debut novel by Tobias Buckell.

Despite severe memory loss that covers most of his life and an arm being replaced by a hook, John deBrun has settled into pleasant a life among the Nanagada. But as the dangerous Azteca people begin attacking his new home, John must embrace skills that he doesn’t know he has. Forced to abandon his wife and son, John begins a northern trek to a mysterious artifact named Ma Wi Jung, which the Nanagada people believe can save them all.

I thought the native Nanagada lingo may begin to bother me. But I read it as just a Caribbean accent (as Buckell successfully incorporated), and after a while, I barely noticed. Though the story begins at a slow pace, the action picks up with a climactic ending and more than a few surprises. John deBrun’s mysterious past is slowly and only partially revealed. A few men claim to have knowledge about John’s past. But who are friends and who are spies for the deadly Azteca?

With unique creatures, characters, and advanced technology; Crystal Rain blends plenty of action, suspense, culture, and science fiction. Buckell has created an interesting world that I’m looking forward to reading more about in his sequel Ragamuffin.


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