BookList - Carl Hays
When a drought unaccountably encompasses the earth, Jamie Weston's father, a meteorologist, entrusts her with a magic rain-seeking guide stone and disappears for parts unknown. Obeying her father's last command, Jamie disguises herself as a young man and follows the blinking light of the guide stone on a quest to bring the rain back. Along the way, she is joined by Harry, an altruistic dentist-turned-doctor; Trey, a wounded Indian with a temperamental horse; and Lila Anne, a runaway teenager with flaming red hair. With the power of the guide stone, the four pass through doorways into other worlds, encountering barren landscapes, giant birds of prey, and the rain thief himself--a little old man with seemingly unlimited powers who just might be God. Early in the tale, Jamie reveals a talent for storytelling, captivating her audience with imaginative yarns spun from the top of her head. In much the same way, Dean weaves this narrative, supplying jolting new plot twists as if without plan but ultimately satisfying the reader with a pleasant fantasy.