This was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it. thanks for letting me have an advance copy. I'm new to this author.

Rainwalkers is the first book I have read from this author. It’s set in the distant future. Interesting concept and definitely a thriller.

The U.S. is no longer rich and prosperous. Instead it’s now known only as the Valley. The problem is that because of scientist messing with Mother Nature have caused anyone who steps outside in the rain to die. However, there are some who are not affected by the rain.

The characters are well-crafted and the storyline even though non-existent can possibly some day happen. Great thriller!

A gripping and frightening story, as it could happen. A highly entertaining gripping futuristic thriller. Highly recommended !!

Rainwalkers is a dystopian novel by Matt Ritter, set in a not so distant future where pollution has made the rain toxic. In a world of forced labour camps, war, and waning resources, we follow Will Taft on his journey back to his hometown, to save the daughter he was taken from. Blurb alone, this is an exciting, unusual take on the dangers of being comfortable while the environment suffers at our hands. We also know from the first line of the blurb that this is set in John Steinbeck’s Salinas Valley. If you’re not sure what this means, Salinas Valley was John Steinbeck’s (author of The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, and East of Eden) childhood home, and is used as a storytelling device to backdrop the central conflicts within the plot. Steinbeck saw the Valley as a place of sharp contrast, both unfriendly but inviting, as well as safe, yet dangerous, and used this to portray the complexity of good and evil. By using this background, Ritter is inviting us to further explore the spectrum of human nature with him. If you’re interested, I highly recommend Steinbeck’s work as a whole, but specifically East of Eden.
Written in 3rd person with Taft as the main narrator, Rainwalkers begins hours after Will has escaped from one of the labour camps, hours after his wife has been murdered, and hours after he’s been left completely alone bar a gun and a goal. This is, as much as anything, a story of survival. Everything which can go wrong, does, and only his perseverance and military training will keep Taft alive. If you’re a fan of classic dystopian, such as The Giver, The Time Machine, or Fahrenheit 451, then Rainwalkers will be a great addition to your shelf. Ritter has taken everything which makes dystopian not only uncomfortable, but great -- that juxtaposition Steinbeck saw so clearly in the Salinas Valley -- and has written a story of existence.
A point I particularly found humbling was how Taft ultimately doesn’t care if he makes it to the end, as long as his daughter does. This comes up more than once, where he begs Zach to continue their journey without him, if it comes to it. Taft’s daughter been his reason for living since the day his wife told him she was pregnant, and she’s kept him grounded, whole, and awake, despite the chaos. Ritter has captured what it is to put yourself away for five minutes and see that sometimes other universes are much smaller than our own, and we’re all they have. This isn’t the main theme of the novel, but something I felt drawn to. It humanised Taft. Alongside that, I felt connected to the characters’ comradery toward one another. I wouldn’t call it love, nor affection, but I would call it a devotion. There’s a truthfulness in how they interact. I’m reminded of a scene where Taft and Zach are stuck in the rain, and Zach keeps Taft alive. He didn’t have to, but he did, and that’s the moment we, as well as Taft, realise they’re in this together. I’m also reminded of the last few chapters of the novel, where we’re treated to an internal monologue of reflection. This, for me, was my utmost favourite part of the entire book. I won’t spoil anything, but Ritter can write an awe-inspiring ending, in a way I rarely see. I talk a lot about satisfying endings, but this is more than that… this was nourishing.
I should mention somewhere that as wonderful as the ending was, the beginning took its time finding its stride. It took me a couple tries to get into this book, and I struggled with Taft’s standoffish personality. Again, this ties into the spectrum of what’s palatable within human behaviour, and now that I’ve read the book, I appreciate the slow start, as his motives and behaviour make sense, but it will take a little perseverance. I also feel Ritter could have done with a prologue, or something, somewhere, to explain the government hierarchy and the world, to make the novel feel more whole. He uses Omission as a technique to bring us in – where the character knows these things, and therefore wouldn’t remind themselves – but this choice wasn’t on par with the other methods, for me. I wouldn’t say this lack of information harms the story in any way, but I struggled to be immersed in the world as much as I was within Taft’s story.
I could happily discuss the theme of good and evil portrayed in this novel all day, but I think I’ll leave any examples for you to discover. I will say however; Ritter’s characters are diverse and unnervingly real. Every choice made could have been by someone pure or evil, and this highlights effortlessly how fluid morals really are. If that intrigues you, I recommend this novel for that above anything else I’ve mentioned. Circumstance makes humans do confoundingly uncharacteristic things, and this shows that impeccably. Of course, there are many interwoven messages and themes within this novel I could talk about, exactly as Steinbeck originated with East of Eden, but I do feel this is one to read for yourself.
To round up, Rainwalkers is a great example of classic Dystopian, and anyone who enjoys flawed characters, exciting settings, and uncertainty within their reads, will, in my opinion, like this.

Set in a dystopian future, Will Taft is travelling through the valley to find his daughter. The valley is now an enclosed community in a fragmented USA, attacked on all sides. Inside the valley the rain keeps the crops growing but is toxic to humans and animals. You must not go out in the rain.

As future dystopian novels go this is a good read – not exceptional but enjoyable and slightly different. To end a terrible drought the scientists discovered how to make it rain. However that rain is toxic and becoming more so. More and more adults are being sent to fight on the boundaries and less spend time farming to provide food. Something must change in the valley and a solution to the rain must be found. The concept of the rain is certainly different to other dystopian novels, however the reaction to it is not. The quest for Will Taft to find his daughter isn’t that original but it is well written.

As Will travels we meet various people, some of whom help & others who must be avoided. There is a bounty hunter on his tail. The characters are well written – not very deep but certainly far from cardboard.

I read a lot of this type of novel & would certainly rate this as above average. The characters are interesting and the concept of the rain unusual. The ending was pretty inevitable but the story to get there was sound.

A well written unusual dystopian novel. Not a wow book but a good read.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

Rainwalkers is an intriguing work of speculative dystopian fiction. Imagine trying to survive lethal rain. It seems impossible. There are some who are not bothered by the rain. The story is one of survival and hardship and perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds against you. It's sad and hopeful. The characters are complex and dynamic. The story moves at a good pace. Overall a good read. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.