Book Nook: The Gun Seller

 

The Gun Seller 
~Hugh Laurie

BBB Rating:  3 out of 5

I just finished reading The Gun Seller, so while it's fresh in my mind, I'll share my review. This was one of the books I nabbed at my latest Book Club, and a big selling feature was the author - Hugh Laurie. Best known for his character "House", turns out Laurie is also a talented writer.  

From the description on the back of the book, it might not have been one I chose for myself, but that's what I like best about recommendations - they introduce you to something new! 

Hugh Laurie concocts an uproarious cocktail of comic zingers and over-the-top action in this "ripping spoof of the spy genre" (Vanity Fair) -- the irresistible tale of a former Scots Guard-turned-hired gun, a freelance soldier of fortune who also happens to be one heck of a nice guy. Cold-blooded murder just isn't Thomas Lang's cup of tea. Offered a bundle to assassinate an American industrialist, he opts to warn the intended victim instead -- a good deed that soon takes a bad turn. Quicker than he can down a shot of his favorite whiskey, Lang is bashing heads with a Buddha statue, matching wits with evil billionaires, and putting his life (among other things) in the hands of a bevy of femmes fatales. Up against rogue CIA agents, wannabe terrorists, and an arms dealer looking to make a high-tech killing, Lang's out to save the leggy lady he has come to love...and prevent an international bloodbath to boot.

I did find the writing very witty and laughed to myself a number of times. There was a lot of British humor, which took maybe a second longer to figure out, but I liked his style of writing. The plot, however, was a bit confusing to follow at times. There were a number of different players to keep track of, a lot of twists and turns, and the main character uses several different aliases, which added to the confusion. But, it delivered what it promised - laughter, action, intrigue, and deception. So I'd read Laurie's next one, should he write again.