Review -- Crystal Rain by Tobias S. Buckell

This might not be the most timely review, considering that Tobias S. Buckell's debut novel, Crystal Rain, originally came out in hardcover in 2006. But that's how my site works. I read the books I want to read, and then I review them. Crystal Rain has been on my wishlist for a while mostly because according to its Wikipedia page it's a "Caribbean steampunk novel." Now that I've finished the novel, I can say that that descriptor is only half accurate. Read on to find out what other genres Cyrstal Rain dabbles with.


Crystal Rain tells the story of a colony of humans living on a planet called Nanagada. For the most part, they live idyllic lives with some steam and post-steam technology. But there is always a constant threat on the horizon. The fierce Azteca live just on the other side of the Wicked High Mountains. As the Azteca cross over the mountains the fate of the world falls onto the shoulders of John deBrun, a mysterious man who remembers nothing of his past after washing up on Nanagada's shores twenty-seven years ago. Everything depends on John finding the ancient Ma Wi Jung, a long lost artifact that might be able to stop the Azteca and their brutal teotl gods.


First off, I have to say that Crystal Rain's setting is brilliant. I'm sick of the same old science fiction settings, and Nanagada is anything but same or old. The original colonists were mostly from the Caribbean islands, and because of this, the Nanagada culture becomes something of a Caribbean mishmash with the Frenchi and the Bridish being two named groups. I loved being able to figure out the real world analogues to the people, places, and groups Buckell used in the novel. I even loved how the dialect of the Nanagadans reflected their roots. It was a nice touch that made the world come to life. Also an Aztec-based society in a science fiction novel? That's not something you see often.


Crystal Rain's plot is fairly fast-paced without huge sections of exposition or introspection to slow it down. For the most part the novel's quick pace wasn't detrimental, but sometimes it felt like it distanced me a tiny bit from the characters. John deBrun is the main protagonist, but the reader also spends sometime with Pepper, the genetically and I'm assuming nano-enhanced soldier, Haiden the mongoose-men general, and Dihana the mayor of Capitol City. All of the characters were functional and reasonably well-rounded, but I don't think any of them are going to join my pantheon of extremely memorable characters. For me, Pepper was my favorite, and I'd want to read more stories that focused on him. The scenes with John's son Jerome fell flat for me, and the ones at the end of the novel were just there to set up potential sequels.


As the reader progresses through the novel, Crystal Rain also progresses through different genres. It starts off as a Caribbean semi-steampunk tale, but then as more and more is revealed about Nanagada's past, it becomes more straight up science fiction with a post-apocalyptic flair. Let's just say that Nanagada used to be a far different place before a certain event helped set it back technologically. And finally by the end of the novel, Crystal Rain moves into space opera territory.


One of the things I loved the most was the way that almost "throwaway lines" explain a lot about the larger universe outside of Nanagada. For example on page 314: "Humanity scrabbled for survival among the intolerant Gahe and Nesaru since being given political freedom by the Maatan in the days after the pacification of Earth." Wow that's a lot of information to get in just one second. Who are the Gahe, Nesaru, or Maatan? That's the first and last time they're mentioned in the novel. The pacification of Earth? That sounds awesome and possibly terrifying. There are dozens of little references like this throughout Crystal Rain that make me want to know more about the universe outside the book's plot.


Crystal Rain isn't a perfect novel, but it's definitely a fun one. It's got something of an "everything but the kitchen sink" approach when it comes to genres, but for the most part it works. There's action, blood, steampunk technology and science fiction technology. I recommend Crystal Rain for fans of steampunk or science fiction, as well as people who want something different in their sci-fi settings. Buckell has an amazing setting on his hands here, and I'm looking forward to reading more stories set in the same universe.