
Prepared by Grant Leishman
The Rainmaker is the second book in the Saga of the Chosen, of a planned four book series that delves into the world of the Chosen, the hidden group amongst us who possess the ancient powers of magic. This is the third Petra Landon book I’ve been fortunate enough to read and every one improves on the last. This truly is the best part of being a reviewer; watching indie authors find their niche, whilst growing and developing, as writers, within it.
Rainmaker, first and foremost, is a continuation of the story unveiled in the first book; The Prophecy. Unbeknownst to us mere mortals, magic beings live amongst us, their one guiding dictate is to never do anything that may reveal their existence to humanity. All Chosen are not created equal, though, with there being four distinct and separate groups who avoid each other like the plague. The Shifters (or as we probably think of them – the werewolves) comprise a group that live rigidly dictated lives, where fealty to the Clan Leader and loyalty to their pack is paramount above all else. The Wizards are a disparate group, split by politics, personal ambition, and greed. The Originals, who see themselves as above all, have very little interest in, or concern for, the other Chosen. Finally, we have the lowest and most scorned of the Chosen – the Vampires, who are generally reviled by all.
A prophecy made by a powerful wizard/mage some twenty-five years ago is beginning to come to fruition, with the re-emergence of a woman, long thought dead; Lady Bethesda. Her desire to unite her three daughters, from three different fathers, to claim power over the Chosen world, has thrown the most unlikely of allies together in a desperate attempt to stop the prophecy from coming true. Were-Alpha Protector, Raoul Merceau, gathers around him a collection of Wizards, Originals, Shifters, and even the odd Vampire, to try to expose Lady Bethesda’s evil plan for what it is and to stop her. The key to the whole drama, however, may lie with an unassuming, young Level 2 Wizard, Tasia Armstrong who holds some deep and powerful secrets very close to her chest.
To say that Petra Landon has created an amazing array of multi-faceted and fascinating characters is an understatement. Despite the characters all being “otherworldly” to some extent, they are incredibly believable and identifiable. The character development is superb. The stars of this story are undoubtedly Tasia Armstrong, Were-Alpha Protector Raoul Merceau, and, for me, typically English Were-Alpha, Duncan Hawthorne. However, the supporting characters; Hawk, Sienna, Jason, Franciszka, et al, are equally well developed and interesting. The sexual tension between Raoul and Tasia is electric and although hinted at in The Prophecy, it now becomes a full-blown reality in The Rainmaker. Will they… won’t they, is a question I couldn’t stop wondering throughout the length of this book. This story is so much more than a fantasy adventure; it is a beautifully put together story about life, choices, morality, loyalty, and decisions, set in a fantasy world.
The Rainmaker perfectly fulfils the bill as an Epic Fantasy. It is long, for sure, at 657 pages, but those pages just fly by as you are transported into a world that is familiar, yet so very different to the world we know. Set principally in San Francisco, The Rainmaker will draw you in and not let you go. This book is definitely one of my reading highlights for this year and an early contender for the Annual Grunter Awards.
I can give no greater accolade to Landon than to say I was devastated when the story ended and I wait with baited breath for the third instalment of this amazing series; The Siren. Get writing Ms Landon… please! What a winner The Rainmaker is.
