Rain by Craig Saunders Part 1

First, I am only half way through this novel.  Normally, I wouldn't consider adding a half-assed review for something I have not finished yet, but Craig Saunders is a new author, Rain is his debut novel, and quite frankly, it impresses the hell out of me.

I hate reading from the screen--hate it, hate it, hate it.  I only decided to read Saunder's novel via PDF file because a hard copy wasn't readily available and I consider Craig a good friend.  After the first three pages I nearly forgot I was reading off my computer screen, cigarette burned down to the filter, and my cup of coffee cold.

After finishing the first session (30 pages), I closed the screen and reflected on what I had read.  Now, we've all read small press novels that read like a small press published it: clunky, cliched, and mistake ridden.  Not Rain.  There's no detectable hint that this novel is a small press product.  Rain is as intriguing and polished as any of the big houses' titles (whether the former is all Saunders or the publisher, Twisted Library Press, I cannot comment).  I thought to myself, Damn, Craig is far better than I imagined!  For all intents and purposes, Rain is like reading a NY Times Best seller.  It has that 'professional' feel about.  The plotting is superb.  The characters live and breathe like real folk we all know and love.  Rain is what a novel should be.

I'll finish the review when I finish the novel.