Review: The Last Storm

The Last Storm by Tim Lebbon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Last Storm, by author Tim Lebbon, is a beautifully brutal collision of horror, science fiction, fantasy and environmental awareness. The characters are rich and complex, the plot is unique, and the structure is engaging.

In the Last Storm, the reader is first introduced to Jesse—a man who, through genetics and a hand-made apparatus, is able to conjure rain. His power is a reflection of the world at large, so unlike his mother and grandmother (who were able to produce gentle showers in a kinder world), Jesse’s creations are fraught with scorpions and spiders that accompany a rain of water and blood. The world is succumbing to climate change, and the power of the rainmaker has become destructive and angry. Jess realizes he can no longer allow himself the luxury of practicing his craft, but his daughter, Ash, has inherited the ability. In a time that is increasingly dangerous, when earth is warming on a global scale, Ash’s belief that she can control the rain and save those in peril leads her into a storm that threatens to envelope her and the world at large.

Lebbon’s characters are well developed, with rich backstories that bring them to life. Jesse and Ash are believable even in the throes of something as far-fetched as making the heavens cry. Jesse’s almost hermit existence and the touch of madness that inhabits the mind of Ash, are revealed through the consistent integrity of their behaviors. Jesse reacts to life and those around him in ways that remain constant; Ash moves through life growing in her self-awareness. Neither ever offer any dialogue or actions that betray who Lebbon has groomed them to be. It is in this consistency that the reader loses a sense of needing to suspend disbelief and falls into the story with a conviction that yes, there ARE rainmakers. Of course there are. It’s a brilliant technique that garners and maintains reader investment.

As a reader of post-apocalyptic lit, Lebbon’s approach is a refreshing change. This isn’t an EMP taking out the grid, or a nuclear blast poisoning the earth. It’s a gorgeous, almost poetic retelling of a time in the future when death is a casual occurrence that strikes increasingly more often and with utter disregard for the sanctity of life. The devolution happens so slowly that it’s accepted as the new normal—a sobering look at a terrifying scenario resulting from global warming. The single distraction, for me, was the narrative that led to the construction of Ash’s rainmaking apparatus. It felt forced and was the only point in the book where a fourth wall came down and removed me from the action. On the other hand, the horror Lebbon unleashes through the conduit of Ash is absolutely numbing in its grotesque depiction. I actually had goosebumps and felt the need to look over my shoulder on more than one occasion.

Finally, the structure here is built in chapters that rotate between perspectives of various characters. When their stories finally intersect, the tension is positively palpable. It’s always a risk when an author attempts to build a number of storylines that eventually come together. Readers can find it difficult to follow and keep track of the changing narrative. Lebbon doesn’t suffer in his approach, as it is meticulously built in a way that makes the transitions seamless.

This is a definite must-read for those looking for something innovative, frightening and fantastical. Thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with an ARC for review. Publication is slated for July 19, 2022.

View all my reviews