HORROR BOOK REVIEW WHEN IT RAINS BY MARK ALLAN GUNNELLS.png

When it Rains by MARK ALLaN GUNNELLS

11/4/2022

Who will survive ‘the Deluge’?

If you are seeking a fast-paced and short read then look no further than When it Rains by Mark Allan Gunnells. This was one of those random books I picked up on spec for potential review, had limited expectations for, but quickly found myself being pleasantly surprised by a story which jogged along at speed and before long this easy read novella was done and dusted.

Interestingly, there were a number of Covid-19 references, with the author making clear that the action takes a few years after the ongoing Pandemic. However, the behaviour of the characters the story focuses upon, could well have been influenced by how many of us reacted to Covid. As the plot develops an ‘us’ and ‘them’ theme bubbles in the background which was not a million miles away from to ‘masks’ or ‘no masks’ or even ‘vaccine’ or ‘no vaccine’. The author does not make any clear political statement or judgements however, but the similarities are striking and are nicely handled without ever getting preachy.

When it Rains has a terrific introduction which nicely lays its cards on the table for what lies ahead with an extract from the text ‘The Day the Rain Came: An Annotated Timeline of the Deluge’ which foreshadows the direction of the plot. On the 24th of April 20- (in Greenville, South Carolina) there was an incredible and unexplained metrological phenomenon which was later named ‘The Deluge’ where a slimy type of rain started steadily falling (firstly in Greenville) and then fanning out across the world. As this town, with a population of 58,000, was the ground zero epicentre scientists and historians took a special interest in these local events, a snapshot covered by the plot of When it Rains.

Like with George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead we do not really find out what is going on elsewhere in the world instead Mark Allan Gunnells sets all the action in the Friedkin University bookstore and coffeeshop which is based on the university campus. All other news and tip-bits comes via television rumours of ‘outbreaks’ which only heighten the tension, paranoia and anxiety of those stuck in the coffeeshop when the rain begins to hammer down. Keeping the story very localised was extraordinarily effective and the lack of available information played a big part in the friction between those stranded in the shop. I found this to be all very believable (think of Covid-19 again) and you might ask yourself what you might have done if your friend or family member had been hit by the rain and might therefore be contaminated or contagious.

The non-fiction Annotated Timeline aspect of the story gave proceedings a slight World War Z whiff but if you are expecting zombies here you might be disappointed, it is significantly more subtle and is topped by an excellent ending I did not see coming but did think was very cool. It is not a particularly violent or gory book and is more interested in exploring the varying motivations of the characters, which are not so straightforward, when they are stuck in the shop. Once the group get stranded in the coffeeshop, rather than World War Z, I started drifting towards The Mist as a point of reference where a similar bunch are isolated inside a building and within a few pages Gunnells makes his own referential Mist references, which was a nice touch.

When it Rains is set over a relatively short period of time, kicking off shortly before the rain begins, at 11.35am with Pamela Weston overworked and flying solo in the coffeeshop, getting stressed by the elongating queue. It is just like any normal day. From that moment on the action, written in the third person, jumps from character to character taking in a very diverse bunch, including a gay couple whose personal problems spill onto the shop floor. Also featured was a teenage girl visiting the campus with the parents and later hoping to attend the university, other shop workers, a university lecturer, students and baristas. I enjoyed the fact that when the plot jumped from character to character, due to the fact the majority did not know each other, they were portrayed from alternative points of view, but with the reader being able to pick up on who they were through description, dress, and mannerisms. Considering the short page length and the number of characters covered the author did a fine job of easily bringing them to life.

I enjoyed the manner in which the rain was portrayed, unpleasantly clinging to the skin making it very difficult to wash off, quickly causing the division in the Friedkin University bookstore after rumours spread that it may contain a toxin which could potentially make everybody sick. As the overall edginess increases with unreliable news reports various moral dilemmas surface, none more important than bathroom breaks! I don’t recall ever recall anybody in The Walking Dead ever needing the toilet, but it becomes an issue in When it Rains, what if a potential infection could be passed on via the toilet? Should those who have been ‘slimed’ alternatively use buckets? All interesting questions!

When it Rains was entertaining company for a couple of hours which skilfully sidestepped most of the features you might expect to see in this type of fiction and instead keeps things nicely restrained and both character and emotional centred. It’s also worth noting that I can think of many worse places to be stranded that a coffee/bookshop!

Tony Jones

When it Rains
by Mark Allan Gunnells

It may be dangerous to go out in the rain…
But it may be even more dangerous to stay inside.

Just after noon on a sunny spring day at Friedkin University, a layer of strange clouds smudges across the sky, and a mysterious rain begins to fall. This isn’t just a surprise spell of rain—this substance is slimy and gelatinous…and it’s not letting up any time soon.

The rain spreads across the country, the hemisphere, and the globe, with growing ripples of panic and paranoia gathering behind it. Is it a natural, undocumented phenomenon? A chemical weapon? Some kind of bacterial contagion? As fear turns theories into conspiracies and no clear answers are given, factions start to form between those who have been exposed to the rain and those who stayed dry. Who is safe? Who is marked? Who is dangerous, and who is not?

The rain keeps falling, and at Friedkin University, the sanctuary of the campus bookstore swiftly becomes a dangerous battlefield. Is it man versus nature? Or man versus man?

When it Rains is a perfect read for fans of Stephen King, Clive Barker, and Nick Cutter, or books like One Rainy Night by Richard Laymon, Bird Box by Josh Malerman, and Rain by Joe Hill, and even movies like Night of the Living Dead and The Thing.

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.