BOOK REVIEW: THE LAST STORM BY TIM LEBBON

book review: The Last Storm by Tim Lebbon

8/7/2022

a spectacular ending to a brilliant novel, utterly cinematic and bombastic in its scope and delivery. Lebbon may have just produced the best finale of his career so far.

Scott H. Biram sang it perfectly in his song Judgement Day, "There's a big storm coming, and it's gonna wash us all away", so much so that it became my official theme tune for The Last Storm, Tim Lebbon's latest novel from Titan Books.

Many of you will know that I am a big fan of Tim's writing; he is one of the few authors who understands the craft of writing well enough to be a successful multi-genre writer. From thrillers to fantasy to heartbreaking allegories to downright full-on horror, Tim's writing skill and love for the genres he writes in shines through in his stories. Hell, I've been reading his books for almost as long as I have been with my partner, but to answer who I have taken to bed more times, I'll have to check my reading diary.

The Last Storm is a near/pre-apocalyptic novel set in the near future where the world is slowly but surely crumbling into a parched earth; water is scarce, the people are angry and mysterious Rainmakers who have the power to bring the rains are now resigned to being mere campfire tales where their powers are seen as much as a curse as a blessing.

Living in isolation, Jesse is an ex-rainmaker who has set aside his gift after a fatal incident during the last time he used his powers to bring the rain, that left not only a drug dealer dead but his own daughter, when his powers open a portal between worlds brought forth not just the rain but deadly creatures, he has lived his life off the grid, determined to find solace or at least forget the fatal price of using his powers. But when his estranged wife comes crashing back into his life with news that their daughter did not die, Jesse and his wife enter a race against time to find their daughter before something deadly happens again.

There is a broken heart at the centre of The Last Storm, both in terms of the world in which it is set and the cast of characters; if you are looking for a book with clear lines between the heroes and villains, then this book might disappoint, in that respect; however, it is a clever move. You might be fooled into thinking that Jimi, who takes the role of the novel's antagonist, is not a nice person. He has killed, lied and cheated his way through the world ever since watching his father die because of the actions of Jesse, and, indeed, he isn't a nice person. Still, Lebbon has skillfully fleshed out his character, motivations and actions so that we, the reader, can't help but feel sympathy for him. Yes, he has nothing but cold-blooded murder on his mind once he hears about the return of the rainmakers; however, there is a humanity to him is missing from many other fictional antagonists.

For example, when you compare him to Jesse, there is much more sympathy from this reader towards Jimi than there is towards Jesse. Jesse is a coward who ran away and abandoned his family and the world who needed both him and his powers, choosing to live off the grid rather than face the consequences of what he did. If only he had a backbone, then the events of this book may have taken a whole new direction.

The Last Storm is Ash's story, particularly her relationship with Cee, a woman she meets on the road. They are both broken, battered and bruised from everything that life has thrown at them. They are wary of each other when they first meet, but they find a sense of comfort in each other's lives and how they came to be at this point in their life. Lebbon's adept handling of this relationship is a joy to read; its fractured beauty is compassionate, sympathetic and believable in its undertaking. These two emotionally crippled characters find a deep sense of friendship; whether or not they become codependent on each other, I'll leave that for you to decide.

Lebbon has always been a master of worldbuilding, and The Last Storm is no exception; while we never know when the novel is set regarding our timeline, Lebbon drops in enough hints and masterfully weaves in some excellent scene setting elements into the narrative that we are left in no doubt that this is our world, and we are heading slowly but surely to barren, scorched earth world of The Last Storm.

This brings us to the Rainmakers; I loved the concept of them, part mystical, part technological; these bringers of the rain are a high concept idea that works perfectly. When reading the synopsis of the book, I did have some concerns about the Rainmakers, but that was my misconception; I feared that Tim would try and use some of the Rain Dances of American history, but thankfully Lebbon is not this heavy-handed, and he uses a creation of his own making. While never entirely giving away the origin of the science or magic behind their powers, Lebbon has still created a fascinating concept. I particularly loved how they used some sort of techno-magic. And how they have to make their own rainmaking machine reminded me of how the Jedi build their lightsabers and how their emotional state affects the outcome of their power.

Similarly, the world at the other end of the portals they create is left without a proper explanation; by keeping this part of the story vague, Lebbon gives the story a wonderful sense of mystique and uncertainty.

One of the strengths of Lebbon's writing has always been his ability to add a layer of humanity to all of his works; at first glance, they may seem like pretty standard adventure horror stories, but there is depth to them that never fails to impress, and The Last Storm is a perfect example of this. A compelling narrative braced and supported by an effective look at family, life and how obsession can lead you down a dark road, this powerful novel will never veer off track from its dark road trip setting.

Those looking for an explosive finale will not be disappointed; the final  The Last Storm is as thrilling and fierce as you can ever wish. Lebbon goes to town with an absolute cracker of a final act. As the protagonists come together for their showdown, you will be left gasping for air as Lebon refuses to let you have time to breathe. It is a spectacular ending to a brilliant novel, utterly cinematic and bombastic in its scope and delivery. Lebbon may have just produced the best finale of his career so far.

The Last Storm is a triumph of storytelling, and it is fantastic to see an author with a 25-year career in writing still producing novels of this quality. While some may rest on their laurels Lebbon, it is a joy to see an author consistently push themselves to create something different from their last work. Lebbon has always been a great writer, but like a fine wine, with each passing year, he gets better and better, and like a fine wine, The Last Storm is rich, full of body, and demands to be savoured.

The Last Storm
by Tim Lebbon

A gripping, terrifying road trip through the heat of the post-apocalyptic American desert from the author of Netflix’s The Silence. This action-packed and thought-provoking eco-nightmare will appeal to fans of Benjamin Percy, Christopher Golden and Josh Malerman.

With global warming out of control, large swathes of North America have been struck by famine and drought and are now known as the Desert. A young woman sets out across this dry, hostile landscape, gradually building an arcane apparatus she believes will bring rain to the parched earth.
Jesse lives alone, far from civilization. Once, he too made rain, but he stopped when his abilities caused fatalities, bringing down not just rain but scorpions, strange snakes and spiders. When his daughter Ash inherited this tainted gift, Jesse did his best to stop her. His attempt went tragically wrong, and he believes himself responsible for her death.

But now his estranged wife Karina brings news that Ash is still alive. And she’s rainmaking again. Terrified of what she might bring down upon the desperate communities of the Desert, they set out to find her. But Jesse and Karina are not the only ones looking for Ash. As the storms she conjures become more violent and deadly, some follow her seeking hope. And one is hungry for revenge.